Coaching tips for youth football

Running a session

• Arrive with the first drill set up, so players start playing as soon as they arrive.
• Keep explanations under 30 seconds. Show it, then let them play.
• End every session with a game. It is what they came for.
• Learn one thing about each player that is not football.
• Water break every 15 to 20 minutes, more on hot days.
• Praise effort and attitude by name. Players remember it.
• Give every player the same game time over the season, whatever the score.
• Ask parents to cheer the whole team, not coach from the side.
• Check the pitch for hazards before the session, every time.
• Have a simple plan B for bad weather or fewer players than expected.
• Mix up groups so the same players are not always together.
• Finish on time. Parents and players will trust your sessions.

Passing and receiving

• Ask players to look up before the ball arrives, so they already know where it goes next.
• Praise the pass that was a good idea, even when it did not come off.
• Use "inside of the foot, ankle locked" as the one cue for short passes. One cue at a time is plenty.
• Get players to receive on the back foot, side-on, so they can see more of the pitch.
• Make the pitch smaller to make passing harder, bigger to make it easier.
• Ask "Where was the space?" after a move, instead of telling them.
• Count passes out loud in games. Players love to beat their record.
• Encourage players to call for the ball by name before it arrives.
• A first touch away from pressure is worth more than a perfect pass. Reward it.

Passing and receiving drills

Keeping the ball

• Keep teams small: 4v4 or 5v5 gives every player more touches than 8v8.
• Reward the player who moves to help, not only the one on the ball.
• Freeze play once, show the space, then let them play. Too many stops kill the fun.
• Use a "two-touch" rule for a few minutes to speed up thinking, then lift it.
• Ask the player on the ball: "Who can you see?" It builds the habit of scanning.
• Make it a game: five passes in a row scores a point.
• Spread out when we have the ball, squeeze in when we lose it. Say it simply and often.
• Celebrate a calm pass back to keep the ball. It is a good decision, not a bad one.

Keeping the ball drills

Dribbling and 1v1

• Let players try tricks and lose the ball. Taking players on is how they learn.
• Use the cue "small touches when close, big touch into space".
• Encourage players to drive at defenders and make them choose.
• A change of speed beats a defender more often than a fancy trick.
• Give every player a ball for warm-ups. More touches, more confidence.
• In 1v1s, ask the attacker to get the defender to stand still, then go.
• Praise bravery: "Great, you tried it!" goes a long way at this age.
• Play games with small goals at both ends, so dribbling has a clear purpose.

Dribbling and 1v1 drills

Shooting and finishing

• Hit the target first. Power comes later.
• Ask players to shoot early: a shot from just inside the box beats one more touch.
• Follow in every shot. Rebounds win games.
• Use the cue "laces, toe down, head over the ball" for driven shots.
• Rotate goalkeepers often, so everyone gets shots and nobody waits long.
• Low and across the keeper is usually the best place to aim.
• Celebrate a good finish and a good attempt equally. Fear of missing stops players shooting.
• Keep queues short: three or four players per line, so there is little standing.

Shooting and finishing drills

Defending

• Teach "side-on, knees bent, on your toes" before teaching the tackle.
• Ask defenders to slow the attacker down rather than dive in.
• Show players how to guide an attacker towards the touchline.
• The nearest player presses, the next one covers. Keep it that simple.
• Praise a defender who wins the ball back cleanly as loudly as a goal.
• Use "patience!" as the cue. Most goals against come from diving in.
• Play small-sided games where defenders score by dribbling through a gate.
• Talk is a defender's best tool: "I've got the ball", "man on", "squeeze".

Defending drills