www.elitesoccercoaching.

net NOVEMBER 2016

SOCCER
Exclusive om top
Training practicesafrers
professional man g

JURGEN
LIVERPOOL

KLOPP
COUNTER-PRESSING AS
AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

THE FOOTBALL
LUTON TOWN OMONIA NICOSIA ASSOCIATION BURTON ALBION LMA AMBASSADOR

NATHAN JOHN BEN SAM KENNY

JONES CARVER BARTLETT ROSE DALGLISH
Use of space and Attacking in a 8v8 with a back Pressing Attacking
switching 4-4-2 formation three boxes movement and
interplay
EXTRA-TIME INTERVIEW: WITH BURNLEY MANAGER SEAN DYCHE
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Elite Soccer is published by:

ISSUE 76/NOVEMBER 2016: FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Green Star Media Ltd

Engaging, informed and expertly
Meadow View, Tannery Lane presented coaching plans from
Guildford, Surrey,
GU5 0AB, UK
the game’s leading names 5
Tel: +44 (0) 1483 892 894 JURGEN KLOPP
Fax: +44 (0) 1483 894 148 LIVERPOOL
Email: Dear Coach,
Counter-
elitesoccer@greenstarmedia.net
Welcome to the November issue of Elite Soccer.
pressing as
Editor:
The season continues on at quite a pace, with sides now into the swing
an offensive
James Evans
Contributing Editor: of things after what can often be some frantic early-season exchanges. weapon
Mark Farthing November is a month in which teams will look to cement results before
Illustrator: the busy festive period comes around, and with that in mind we’re back
with a diverse selection of practices that should fire the imagination and
8
Richard Palmer NATHAN
Customer Services:
Duncan Heard
inspire each and every member of your playing squad. JONES
So what better way to start than in the Barclays Premier League LUTON TOWN
Managing Director:
Andrew Griffiths with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool? The Reds have perfected a headline- Use of
Photos: Action Images grabbing brand of fast, attacking football this term; one that has seen
them defeat league champions Leicester City, plus title challengers
space and
Arsenal and Chelsea away from home. switching
And Liverpool’s charismatic manager has supplied for us a terrific

Publishedinpartnershipwith:
document that examines counter-pressing as an offensive weapon.
The session represents a classic Jurgen Klopp practice, and its success 11
has left many wondering if this could be the year the club grab their first
JOHN CARVER
OMONIA NICOSIA
Premier League crown.
Moving into the Football League, and Luton Town manager Nathan
Attacking
League Managers
Association Jones looks at the use of space and switching, while former Newcastle in a 4-4-2
St George’s Park United caretaker-manager John Carver – who is now enjoying life in combination
National Football Centre Cyprus with Omonia Nicosia - shows us the intricacies of attacking in a
Newborough Road 4-4-2 formation.
Needwood
Football Association coach Ben Bartlett offers us a brilliantly detailed
Burton upon Trent DE13 9PD
Tel: +44 (0)1283 576350 plan that looks at an 8v8 set-up with a back three in place, while Burton 15
Email: lma@lmasecure.com Albion coach Sam Rose outlines a great session that uses pressing BEN BARTLETT
THE FOOTBALL
Chairman: boxes. ASSOCIATION
Howard Wilkinson
Chief Executive:
Finally, we have reproduced a great plan from the archives as former 8v8 with a
Richard Bevan
Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Celtic and Newcastle United manager
Kenny Dalglish assesses attacking movement and interplay.
back three
This publication is protected As always, we hope you and your players enjoy what’s on offer, and we’ll
by national and international see you again next month.
copyright laws. Elite Soccer will

18
take legal action against any
individuals or organisations
Yours, in soccer,
found to be infringing our rights,
and will make that action public.
SAM ROSE
Elite Soccer members who BURTON ALBION
have purchased this report may
circulate electronic or hard
Pressing
copies to members of their own
club or school, provided this is
boxes
done without commercial gain.
However, no part or whole of
this report may be circulated
Howard Wilkinson, LMA Chairman
elsewhere or displayed on
any website or distributed 21
commercially except under KENNY DALGLISH
licence from the copyright owners.
Elite Soccer is a monthly publication for LMA AMBASSADOR
© Green Star Media Ltd. All rights
reserved professional, semi-professional and Attacking
aspiring soccer coaches and is available movement
and
by subscription only. interplay
To subscribe email
duncanh@greenstarmedia.net 24 EXTRA-TIME:
... with Sean Dyche
or call on +44 (0) 1483 892 894
2 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

MANAGER PROFILES
ELITE SOCCER NOVEMBER 2016

Here are the six managers andcoaches we’re delighted to welcome into this issue of Elite Soccer

NATHAN JONES them progress from club to

JURGEN KLOPP
LIVERPOOL
LUTON TOWN
Nathan Jones is currently manager
of Luton Town having joined in
Jürgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in October 2015 with a January 2016.
track record of managerial success, acknowledged as The 42-year-old signed a two-
one of the game’s most forward-thinking coaches.  and-a-half-year contract having
On his appointment, the German manager’s CV already previously worked as first-team
coach at Championship side
boasted two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Brighton & Hove Albion.
UEFA Champions League final appearance, all earned The Welshman – who holds a UEFA
Pro Licence and in 2015 helped
during a seven-year stint with Borussia Dortmund.
England Under-21 boss Gareth
Klopp quickly acclimatised to the Premier League, and Southgate prepare the Young
his exciting brand of football has continued to impress Lions for their UEFA Under-21
championship campaign in the
onlookers during the early part of this 2016/2017
campaign. Czech Republic – has eased into his
first managerial position, with the
Klopp’s journey as a player began - and in fact ended - Hatters currently riding high in Sky
Bet League Two.
with FSV Mainz, where he spent his entire career before
retiring aged 34.
During his time on the pitch, and indeed throughout JOHN CARVER
OMONIA NICOSIA
Mainz’s history, the club had rarely troubled the John Carver was previously Head
upper echelons of German football, but when he was Coach at Newcastle United.
appointed manager in 2001 he had the opportunity Appointed in January 2015, he
to change their fortunes. In the 2003/04 season, stepped up from his position as
assistant and successfully warded
the Stuttgart-born boss ended a 41-year wait for off the threat of relegation to the LMA AMBASSADOR
Bundesliga football at the Stadion am Bruchweg when Championship.  Kenny Dalglish was most recently
He had previously worked at the
he oversaw promotion from the second tier in his third
club from 1999 to 2004 as assistant
season in charge of Mainz.
manager with a short spell as
In the summer of 2008, Klopp was appointed as caretaker manager during this
time.
Head Coach of Borussia Dortmund and he led the
Westfalenstadion outfit to sixth and then fifth in his two Carver’s coaching and managerial
career has included spells as
seasons in charge, before masterminding back-to- caretaker manager at both Leeds
back Bundesliga title wins. United and Sheffield United. He
joined Omonia Nicosia in June
These Bundesliga successes, allied to a German
2016.
Cup win in 2011/12, helped to re-establish Dortmund
among German football’s elite. By his fifth season with
BEN BARTLETT
Dortmund Klopp had led his players to the Champions THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
League final. While they ultimately lost the final to rivals Ben Bartlett is a Youth Coach
Bayern Munich, Klopp’s reputation as one of football’s Educator at The Football
Association, working with coaches on three occasions and the FA Cup
most impressive managers continued to grow. in Academies at Professional
Klopp’s first campaign in charge at Liverpool, was an Clubs. Ben’s previous roles include Kenny joined Blackburn Rovers
exciting one, punctuated by a series of exhilarating FA Regional Coach Development
Manager, Technical Director
matches and performances culminating in Liverpool
for Women’s & Girls’ Football at
reaching both the Capital One Cup and UEFA Europa Chelsea FC and nine years in a
League Finals. The club’s Europa League run gave range of coaching and development Celtic.
cause for great optimism amongst the Anfield faithful, roles at Colchester United FC.
Ben has an excellent
most notably as Liverpool knocked out Klopp’s former
understanding of the development Carling Cup to secure their first
side Borussia Dortmund.. needs of young players in seeing
elite football, and from elite
into international squads, Ben
possesses a modern, creative
philosophy on coach and player
development, with the capacity to
map theory into practice.
SAM ROSE
BURTON ALBION
Sam holds the position of
Professional Development Phase
Lead Coach at the Academy of
Championship side Burton Albion
FC. He joined the club in 2010/11
and has held various full-time
positions since, including Technical
Skills Coach, Foundation Phase
Lead Coach and Head of Academy
Coaching, and now leads the
coaching and development of the
Under-18s group at the club.
He completed the UEFA A Licence
with the FA at the age of 26 and is
currently working towards the FA
Advanced Youth Award.
KENNY DALGLISH
manager of Liverpool in the
Barclays Premier League having
enjoyed an extremely successful
playing and managerial career,
taking charge of over 500 games
at Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers,
Newcastle United and Celtic.
On the pitch he clinched multiple
honours at Celtic and then
Liverpool, where he achieved six
league titles, three European Cups
and five domestic cups.
Beginning his managerial career
with Liverpool in 1985 he won a
league and FA Cup double in his
first year. During his six years in
charge, the Reds won the league
twice from 1985 to 1991.
in 1991 and turned the Second
Division side to eventual Premier
League winners, before spells as
manager of Newcastle United and
In his first full season back at
Anfield, he guided Liverpool to the
major trophy in six years.

3 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

MANAGEMENT MATTERS

MANAGER OF THE MONTH AWARDS

Liverpool boss In English In Sky Bet And finally

Jurgen Klopp
was named
Manager of the
Month for November after the
Reds emerged as genuine title
contenders in this season’s
Barclays Premier League.
Our Elite Soccer cover manager
saw his side continue their
impressive start to the campaign
with three straight wins, hitting
four and five past (reigning
Premier League champions)
Leicester City and Hull City at
home, before defeating Chelsea
2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Even more impressive within
that winning run was that,
following the EFL Cup win at
Derby County on September
20th, six of Liverpool’s matches
had come away from home.
P3 W3 D0 L0 (LEAGUE ONLY)
football’s second
tier, Norwich
City manager Alex Neil took
the award after the Canaries
won four and lost one of their
five league matches during the
month.
It really should have been five
out of five with City leading at
Newcastle United on September
28th with 90 minutes showing,
but at 3-2 up they conceded twice
for only their second defeat of the
season.
Regardless, Norwich beat
Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic,
Nottingham Forest and Burton
Albion during the month to
secure their manager his award.
P5 W4 D L1
League One,
David Flitcroft
may currently be plotting a
solution to five straight October
defeats for his Bury side, but in
September the situation was
reversed as the Shakers saw
off Port Vale, Shrewsbury Town,
Swindon Town, Chesterfield
and MK Dons.
Bury also defeated Morecambe
in the Football League Trophy to
clock up 17 goals in a little over
three weeks, though move on a
month and Flitcroft’s mind will
now be firmly on rediscovering
that goalscoring form.
P5 W5 D0 L0
into Sky Bet
League Two,
where Plymouth Argyle Town
manager Derek Adams saw
his team win four and draw one
of their five matches.
Argyle came close to promotion
last season and are this year
tipped to get over the line, and
their convincing early-season
form ensured that Cheltenham
Town, Cambridge United,
Exeter City and Leyton Orient
would be put to the sword,
with only Hartlepool United
frustrating the Devon side in
claiming a credible 1-1 draw in
the south-west.
P5 W4 D1 L0

CAREERPATH
... with Keith Curle, manager of Sky Bet
League Two side Carlisle United
You played under some charismatic
managers at the top level - that must have
stood you in good stead?
Yes I think that everyone you play under
influences you in some way, as you would
expect. For me it was always about man-
management and accepting that different
players were inspired by different things.
I think those managers who are the best at
doing that are probably those who succeed,
but by the same token I’ve been at very The project at Carlisle is going
strict and very relaxed clubs and seen huge well. Are you happy with the
success in everyone following one method. season so far?
Yes we’ve come through a few
You always played the game with a passion stiff tests and the rewards are
and ferocity. Has that rubbed off on your clearly there if we can retain
players? our focus. Given Carlisle’s
Certainly that passion is something we ask geographical location it’s
for at the club, yes. You see some top-level always a bit more of a challenge
players who are so laid back, almost to the to attract players here, but
point of not appearing to care. That’s not with the squad we’ve got
true – they all do, but at the lower levels of the we’re definitely good
game it’s a fine line between success and enough for promotion
failure in terms of players being employed and I do believe a club
full-time or dropping into semi-pro, so it’s of this size should be
a necessity for them to be able to show the operating at a higher
passion we expect. level.

4 NOVEMBER 2016
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

LIVERPOOL Overview:
“We want to create
Jurgen Klopp This session is about the creation and application of the
hunger towards ball
Counter-pressing as counter-pressing moment as an offensive weapon. It looks

an offensive weapon
at recovering possession in the shortest way and time, by
creating ‘hectic situations’ in the opposition formation.
recovery, creating
SET-UP To this end, there are several principles that give us our chaotic moments
AREA
Extended half-pitch
identity. We want to attack the opponent non-stop when we and controlling
have the ball, when we lose it and when the opposition have
EQUIPMENT
it. Put another way, defending is our first offensive action. these moments by
Balls, cones, goals
NUMBER OF PLAYERS Each exercise should have this character, directly being ‘quick in mind’,
Use of full squad
SESSION TIME
defined by our specific way of playing, where everyone
is responsible for everything in the form of modern total
with orientation,
Warm-up 10mins,
Tactical rondo 20mins,
football. In real terms, that means we have a team of 11 at skill, precision and
Tactical game 30mins a time, each of whom is an attacking forward and each of
whom is a defender.
connection.”

What do I get the players to do?

Tactical rondo
In a 12x12-yard area we use three 1
teams of three playing a 6v3
possession game, as shown (1).
There is no limit on touches and
the team that loses the ball should
react immediately, pressing the 2 The closest player
other two teams. applies intense
aggressive pressure
The closest player applies intense
aggressive pressure and we defend
1 Defenders work in a triangle
in a triangle, while the other two
players control the spaces around
the ball and anticipate. In this
sense, counter-pressing is the next
requirement, and to be clear, this
isn’t laid down as a proposal – it’s a
law!

What are the key things to look

out for?
In this exercise we want to create
the right focus towards the
essential part of the session. We
want to create hunger towards
ball recovery, creating chaotic
moments and controlling these
moments by being ‘quick in mind’,
with orientation, skill, precision and
connection. We want short intense
periods alternating with rest
periods so players stay fresh and
alert to absorbing information and
learning all the time.
The closest player goes 100% and
puts total effort into the press.
One player can always defend
two opposition by blocking the
line, pressing the ball carrier and
checking over the shoulder.
The two last yards of the press
define everything. As far as
aggression goes – yes please! – but
this must be controlled with an
anticipation of where the next pass
In this 6v3 tactical rondo we have set up whites and yellows against the three reds
will go, and with team mates
reorganising as a group
constantly and quickly.
In terms of typical mistakes,
we will sometimes witness
disappointment after losing
possession whereby players
offer no immediate reaction.
Development takes time – it
3 His two team mates
monitor and control spaces
around the ball in anticipation
of a pass between opponents
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
takes time for players to often make more mistakes
make decisions based on the because we attempt more
collective interventions and and perhaps accomplish
references. We don’t want a more – ultimately, patience
linear or mechanical state and an expectation of
of play – a good and creative making mistakes is actually
development takes time. okay.
A high-intensity and
counter-pressing team will

5 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

JURGEN KLOPP: COUNTER-PRESSING AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON

How do I put this into a game

situation? 2a
Using the full width of the pitch as
shown (2a), and in three quarters of 3 Defenders shuffle
4 They prepare
across following the
a pitch, one team of eight attacks a movement of the ball
to close down with
team of six. The team of six has one a specific view of
closing off angles
extra player who comes alive when and runners
they win possession. The team
of eight works on their offensive
organisation, their protection and
the counter-pressing principle,
with players chased like they have
never been chased before! They do
this in 3x6mins bursts, with 4mins
rest in between, changing players in
between the rest periods.
To advance this, we can put two
‘sleeping’ players in, so creating 2 Moving the ball to
better and more complex one side unbalances the
‘protection’. opposition lines
Here, the offensive organisation is 1 The team of eight (reds)
to attract and then go. We want to work on their offensive
unbalance the two lines by quick organisation – in this example
it is to ‘attack then go’
and early circulation (offensive
aggression), and our players
must overlap to create dangerous
crossing situations, as shown (2b).
In terms of typical mistakes, this can
often come down to there being no
protection, therefore the team of six
can easily find the sleeping player
and counter-attack and cover
spaces well. Players can forget 2b
where the sleeping player is, and
there is also that disappointment 2 Again (now coming back
1 Turnover of
factor again in losing possession. the other way), moving the
possession comes
Instead, we want them to react, ball to one side unbalances
on the right flank
the opposition lines
viewing any loss of possession as an
opportunity (to win it back).

“A high-intensity and
counter-pressing
team will often make 3 Attackers move
into any available
more mistakes position in bursting
forward at pace
because we attempt
more and perhaps
accomplish more – 5 A goal is scored
ultimately, patience 4 Quick passing
creates a
and an expectation of goalscoring
opportunity
making mistakes is KEY
Ball
movement

actually okay.”
Player
movement
Dribble

6 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

JURGEN KLOPP: COUNTER-PRESSING AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON

1 Barcelona left-back Jérémy
International Mathieu has the ball
3 Mane intercepts then
Champions Cup beats his man on the wing
Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 PHASE 1
August 6, 2016, Wembley Stadium
2 He is closed down
quickly by Saido Mané
Liverpool struck early in
the second period of this
sell-out pre-season fixture
at Wembley as Jordan
Henderson made the telling 4 He plays a slick one-
contribution in the middle two with Divock Origi
to finish off a rapid attacking
move that began with a
turnover of possession on the
flank. Notable within this was
Liverpool’s counter-pressing
and the ability to turn the
PHASE 2
profits of that into a quick
goalscoring opportunity that
saw players flooding into
space.
The notion of panicking
opponents by rapid chasing
and attacking play is perfectly
exemplified here with two
Barcelona players making
mistakes that led to the
second goal in a match
Liverpool went on to win 4-0.

5 Mané crosses inside for

Jordan Henderson who has
made a run to the near post
6 Barcelona defender Javier
Mascherano bundles the ball
into his own net as a direct result
of attacking pressure from
Henderson

7 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

LUTON TOWN
Nathan Jones
Use of space and 6 2 Here, whites
switching play 1 are working as
defenders and
SET-UP are closing down
AREA individually in 4v1
situations looking
Up to 35x50 yards to win the ball.
EQUIPMENT
Greens complete
Balls, cones, flat discs, goals four passes and
NUMBER OF PLAYERS transfer the ball to
20 plus 2 keepers the red team
SESSION TIME
Switching play rondos 15mins,
8v8+2 25mins,
6v6+6 25mins

Overview:
This is a multidirectional session
18
designed to manufacture and work
on the use of space and switches of
play when in possession of the ball.
This session would be used early on
in the week, or as a reintroduction
or compensation load for non-
regulars, with the idea of working
on a tactical topic without the need
to worry about specific positions or
situations that might apply on the
weekend.

What do I get the players to do?

Switching play rondos (4v1s/4v2s)
(15 mins)
We set this up using five groups of
four players, as shown (1), with one 6 2
group acting as defenders and four 2 In the progression,
the defending
groups occupying the four squares team is allowed to
shown above. The idea is to get the put two players in
players on 4v1 situations in their each square
own square where they have to
complete a minimum of four passes
before transferring the ball to a
different square. The defending
group has to try to intercept the ball
as quickly as possible.
Rotating teams every two minutes,

18
we count the number of transfers
before an interception occurs,
therefore identifying the two groups
with the most transfers conceded
as losing teams.
We can vary the conditions
between one- and two-touch to
alter the difficulty and increase
the quality on the switches of play,
as well as offering extra rewards if
transferring to the opposite square.

How do I progress the practice?

Firstly, the defending team is KEY
Ball
movement
allowed to fill all the boxes with a Player
movement
defender. In the next progression, Dribble

8 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

NATHAN JONES: USE OF SPACE AND SWITCHING PLAY

the defending team is allowed to

put a maximum of two players in Grey floaters are working with the
the square where the ball is, with
50
blues to retain possession against
defenders also positioned in the 3 the white team
middle areas in order to cut off the
switch of play to other boxes, as
shown (2).

What are the key things to

look out for?
Principally, we are looking
for the detail of the pass, good
movement, and the exploitation
of angles so that players are able
to transfer the ball from square to
square.
Players must communicate well,
35
with awareness of team mates
and opponents, and be alert to a
turnover of possession, be that
near to them or in a different area.

8v8+2 possession 4 Squares

(25 mins)
This is a multidirectional
possession practice with two
teams of eight players plus two
floaters, who try to support the
team i n possession, as shown (3).
The team in possession must
use the space wisely for keeping
possession with the idea of
4 4
switching the ball.
We will follow the principles of
not completing more than four
passes within the same area, with
the team in possession gaining a
point every time they successfully
complete those four passes and
switch the ball to another area.
We can limit the number of
players in each square if the group
is struggling.
4
How do I progress the
practice?
To progress, we will offer double
points if players are able to switch
or transfer the ball to an opposite
square. Moving on again we can
target a ‘double switch’ – four
passes on one square and the
transfer of the ball to a different
square, to then play a first-time
pass to a third square.
Finally, we get players to explore a In the progression, the squares have been moved four meters apart, the ball
greater range of passing and will must not touch the ground between squares. A ‘double switch’ sees a four KEY
Ball
separate the squares with a four- initial passes made then a one-touch pass into a third area movement
Player
movement
yard space in between, creating Dribble

9 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

NATHAN JONES: USE OF SPACE AND SWITCHING PLAY

dead areas where the ball cannot The game encourages switch of play from one side of the pitch to another as a
drop, as shown (4). prerequisite before a goal can be scored

How do I move this into a

game situation? 5 50
We now set up a 6v6+6 small-
sided game with central goals, as
shown (5).
Two teams of six players compete
for possession of the ball inside
the area marked between lines,
with a third team of six used as
floaters on the outside. The goals
face opposite ways in the middle
of the pitch with a keeper in each,
dividing the area in two sub-areas.
Both teams inside the areas
are free to move their players
35
wherever they like, but they must
always adopt the principles of
having a shape and an organised
balance in using that space
cleverly.
To be able to score or attack the
goal, the team in possession has
to switch the play from one space
to the other at least once, to then
identify the best moment in setting
up a chance on goal.
To manufacture situations

50
the number of touches can be
manipulated with the teams 6
inside the area. So, for instance,
by going ‘all in’ we would be trying
to manufacture and use the 1v1s
produced inside the areas, or by
floaters on the outside. If insisting
on two touches, we would be
looking for switches of play
coming from wide; and if directing
play as one-touch, perhaps we’d
be keeping an eye out for players
supporting on the inside.

How do I progress the game?

35
As an initial progression we will try
to work on bigger switches of play,
and on the movement inside the
area to react to that, for instance
by allowing the outside player to
move the ball from out to in if he is
going to transfer the ball from one
area to the other one.
A second progression would
be to incorporate crossing and
finishing, with a directive that
shots on goal after a switch have to In this progression, the channel determines that shots on goal after a switch must
come from the wide areas. originate from the wide areas

10 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

OMONIA NICOSIA Overview: SET-UP

John Carver This session looks at attacking play from set positions in a 4-4-2 AREA
Up to a full pitch
Attacking play in formation, notably building up play from the back with patient passing
and switches.
EQUIPMENT

a 4-4-2 It’s very important when doing this session to make sure you have all
Balls, cones, goals
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
players in their natural positions. This will help them make good and Up to 11v11
proper decisions, especially when put under pressure. SESSION TIME

The session is often one we’ll use in preparation for a game against a 15mins per practice
team that comes to defend in numbers, or ‘park the bus’. It provokes
in players ideas and initiatives that should help them break down even
the most resilient backline, is rewarding and, if done properly, has a
tangible end product, namely a shot on goal.

We follow the passing

sequence as laid out, with
the ball moving from centre KEY
Ball
to left to right and back to movement
Player
the middle movement
Dribble

Passing sequence “The session

We set up as shown with a 4-4-2
team shape (1).
is often one
Starting down the right-hand side, we’ll use in
each player is one- or two-touch, preparation for
and we follow the passing sequence
as shown, from 1-9. a game against
When the ball goes from side to a team that
side it’s important all players slide
across the pitch in relation to its
comes to ‘park
position. the bus’.”
11 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

JOHN CARVER: ATTACKING PLAY IN A 4-4-2

Switching
The next part of the session has its focus even
more firmly fixed on switching the play, and
for this we will work with two balls at the same
time, bringing in mannequins also.
This diagram (2) shows switching play to
the left side. In the next phase we will switch
directly to the right by starting on the left.
Players must link up with quick and accurate
passing, feeding the ball to the next man and,
in the case of the wide players, negotiating a
chicane on their way to receiving and passing
to the next target.

4 Player 4 makes his way

through the chicane before
2 passing ahead

5 Now the move builds in

the opposite corner in the
same way

3 It is now moved to
player 3 who sets up
player 1 to switch the
play through the gates
to player 4

2 The ball is then set back to player 1

1 Player 1 passes to player 2

KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble

12 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

JOHN CARVER: ATTACKING PLAY IN A 4-4-2

11v10
Now setting up an 11v10, as shown (3), the attacking team
embarks on patient build-up play looking to make a definitive run
through the left or right channel gate, both of which are positioned
on the edge of the box.
The no.11 and no.7 are the only two players allowed in the red zone,
and once the ball has gone through the gates, players 9 and 10,
plus the opposite wide player, can attack the 18-yard box, with one
defender permitted back to defend the cross.
If the defending team wins possession they must attack the end
zone towards the halfway line, otherwise, when the attack comes
to an end, the coach restarts the practice again by giving the ball to
the attacking team.
5 A cross from the left is finished well

4 Now attackers
break into the box

3 A ball
is played
into the left
channel for
the no.11
to advance
into

2 Blues combine
through the centre

KEY
Ball
movement
Player
1 The server starts with the ball movement
Dribble

13 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net


JOHN CARVER: ATTACKING PLAY IN A 4-4-2
How do I move this into a
game situation?
We will now set up a game
situation, as shown (4), using a
full pitch and the specific 4-4-2
formation for both sides. We
want to see each element we
have practised already come
through in the game, with
players aware of their positional
roles and alert to the developing
situations in front of and behind
them.
The end game allows us to put into practice all of the detailed directives from the three exercises
14 NOVEMBER 2016
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
What are the key things to The timing of runs is important,
look out for? and when the ball makes its way
First and foremost, in each into the final third we must see
exercise we want to see players designated attacking players
holding their positions and move quickly into the box to
playing from there. We want support the attack.
a good tempo and restricted
touches in order for the ball to
be moved around quickly, with
players offering team mates
options and good angles by
which they can pass to one
another.
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
1a 1b
Ben Bartlett
Possession with a
back three
3
FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY:
BEN BARTLETT
I strongly believe in an ecological
approach to coaching which
considers:
• The game and players as evolving
systems
• An understanding that change in When the left-sided centre-back receives the ball he should be letting the ball come across him to punch a
pass up the line, not receive early and be forced to drive back the way he came and into midfield
one aspect will create ripple effects
elsewhere
• Addressing these consciously and
effectively 2
• Positive contributions of
adjustment to the environment
through external intervention

SET-UP
AREA
Full pitch
EQUIPMENT
Balls, cones, goals
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
8v8
SESSION TIME
54mins

Overview:
This session is about aligning the
team tactical model with the roles
of the individual players within
the team, whilst accounting for We want to see penetrative RECEIVING ON THE BACK
the current capabilities of those passes forward that test the FOOT TECHNIQUE:
individual players. opposition centre-backs • Ankle locked, toe up, raise
It is typically carried out across foot about one inch from the
ground.
90mins. We play six lots of 9min • Position the inside of your foot
games - this total of 54mins reflects to the incoming ball.
the fact that across the professional • Cushion the ball.
• Your touch set up a pass,
game the ball is in play between dribble or shot.
45 and 54mins of a 90min match,
so the physical demands on the
players are, generally, in line with
what they’ll be exposed to in a
match.
This piece of work supports 3
coaches to think about how to utilise
possession and build attacks within
a 3-5-2 system, with the design of
the practice and demands placed
upon the players challenging them
to fulfil the team model through
constraining their actions and
decisions. The centre-backs who,
within our tactical model, are
key to the building of attacks, are
challenging in different ways (both KEY
through the dimensions of the pitch Ball
movement
The right-sided forward is to threaten Player
movement
outside or inside, but shouldn’t drop deeper Dribble

15 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BEN BARTLETT: POSSESSION WITH A BACK THREE

and the nature of their individual

constraints) to enable us to generate
different ways to build attacks The Blue
through different parts of the pitch. movement
The Italy team at Euro 2016 were a
good example of a side who utilised The blue
their three centre-backs in varied no.7 must
ways to contribute to attacking. make inside
movements to
The blue no.9 must make threaten the
opposite movement from the channel
Working backwards from the blue no.7
vision 6
This is a practice that works
5
backwards from the vision for the
team and players. The session is 9
derived from the way we would 7 The blue no.10
like the team to play, based on The blue no.8 must run off the
must clear the back of no.11’s
an understanding of the current space and join shoulder, whilst
capabilities of the players within in off the front 4 supporting from
our tactical model. For example, players behind the ball
we have a right-footed light-sided into the blue no.7
centre-half, so part of our vision is
for all three of the centre-backs to 7 10 11
recognise when to step into midfield
(either on the ball or to join off the 8
ball). Our left-sided centre-back
can tend to come back inside onto 10 The blue no.5
looks for a
his right foot (his ‘natural’ side), so in The blue no.6 is channel pass
conditioned to to no.7 or
this session he is ‘restricted’ to any ensure that any 4 no.10
passes going from our defensive passes out of the
third forward to be on one-touch. defensive third
must be one-touch 9
This encourages him to let the ball 6
roll across his body and punch the
ball one touch forward on his left foot
as shown (1).
As an alternative mechanism, as his 5
only passing is ‘restricted’, he can
receive on his back foot and travel The blue no.4 receives
with the ball into midfield, which on the front foot to face
links well to our tactical mode (see forward
Back Foot Technique illustration).
We are not
The pitch on his side of the game playing with a
is narrower than on the other side The blue keeper can only back three - the
- this means he can’t play short distribute below head height right-sided
centre-back is
passes outside to our left wing-back playing no.5 for
(who we want to play higher up the KEY the blues
pitch) but must look to go forward in Ball
movement

central areas.
Further,ourright-sidedcentre-
backhasagreatrangeofpassing,
sothepitchcanbe wideronhisside
becauseweanticipatehecanlook
forpenetrativepassesforwardthat
stretchtheoppositioncentre-backs
eithertowardstheoutsidelineofthe
boxorbyplayinginbehind,asshown
(2).Histaskisto‘relate’thedecisionhe
makesandtheactionheperformsto
themovementoftheplayersinfrontof
him(whosedecisionsaren’trestricted
bythetask).
Player
movement
Dribble
This is combined with the
front two looking to link
up with their movement.
The right-sided forward is
looking to threaten outside
or behind, as shown (3),
whilst the left-side forward
looks to work off a different
line to the right forward.
What do I get the players
to do?
The session takes the form
of an 8v8 small-sided game.
The pitch is ‘designed’ to
be narrow on one side and
wider on the other and the
parameters of the pitch
separate it into thirds. The
objective of the game is,
simply, to score more goals
than the other team.
The first two games
provide the opportunity
for me to task the players
and continue to embed
our tactical approach into
practice. The middle two
games become fiercer and
more competitive as the
players begin to compete
and the intensity rises. The

16 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BEN BARTLETT: POSSESSION WITH A BACK THREE

last two games are scenario-based. The pitch is wider on
The last time we delivered this, in the one side than other to
first scenario our team was 2-0 down The Red stretch the red left-
sided centre-back
and needed to come back to draw. In movement
the second scenario the score was
1-1. In both situations the decision The red no.6 marks
The red keeper tidies ball side and send the
has to be made to settle on tactics to up any balls angled blue no.7 off the pitch
play the game based upon how we deep towards goal
see the momentum of the game. 6
This provided a game context to the
7
The red no.4 secures
decisions the players made. If, for the space between the
instance, in scenario 2, we decide that red 5 and 6
the opposition have the momentum, The red no.5 focuses on
5
what decisions will we make? Will when to go short and
when to hold position
we concede possession, drop off and
try to take the sting out of the game to
claim a draw, or will we seek to gain 10
and dominate possession, slowing 8
it down, tiring the opposition to 9 4
establish momentum before going on The red no.11
to win the game. tracks the
run of the
These 9min games were concluded 7 11 blue 10 or
with a 5min intervention where I could The red no.7 blocks the
work with individual players in relation initiates the forward pass
to observations of how they are getting counter-attack
on with their task, and/or provide 10
opportunity for the players to discuss
tactics (perhaps in line with scenarios)
and agree how they intend to play. The red no.10
focuses on when
These coaching tactics support the to engage the no.4,
physical, psychological and social and when to screen
aspects of coaching and player 6 forward passes
development to be inherent in the 4
practice activities and coaching 9
behaviours.
5
What are the key things to look
out for? Red forwards
The red no.9 keeps
The aim is to ensure each individual playing with one
play going one way
with drawn
has a ‘demand’ placed on him that
challenges him to build attacks
within a 3-5-2 formation that, in turn,
aligns with our tactical vision of how
we would like the game to be played,
whilst being mindful of the strengths KEY
and areas of development of the Ball
movement
Player
individual players in our programme. movement
Dribble
This constraints-based approach to
coaching supports the players to play
the game of football by its traditional
rules (so they don’t spend time The players are tasked across one of three Rs:
learning the practice… instead they
just spend time learning the game), RESTRICT… RELATE… REWARD…
You must do this. Look for the times ‘If you do this, you’ll get additional goals’. For
while the subtleties of the ‘design’ of For example, for to recognise when example, if I want the team to build attacks more
the pitch and the ‘demands’ on the the left-sided to play further gradually I tell them that every pass they make
players enable certain decisions and centre-back, any forward in the opposition half before scoring equals that
passes from the number of goals if we score. For instance, five
actions to emerge in line with our defensive third are passes in the opposition half and scoring equals
tactical model. one-touch five goals. This way, players may look to keep
possession longer but still need to recognise the
time to score

17 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BURTON ALBION
Sam Rose
Pressing and
possession 1 15
Players keep
SET-UP possession Players press
AREA under and reduce time
Full pitch pressure and space
EQUIPMENT
Balls, bibs, cones, goals
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
15
22 plus 2 keepers
SESSION TIME
100mins including transition
between areas, as:
2x3min reps per box
(x4 sets = 24mins)
4x6min reps/x4 sets (24mins)
3x8min reps/x3 sets (24mins) Players create
3x8min reps/x3 sets (24mins) time and space

Overview:
Ask any player and he will tell
you that, even within the training
environment, he wants to experience
the ebb and flow of the game and
spend time with the ball. With that
in mind then, this session involves
many of the components of the 11v11 2 25
game, it is relevant and applicable
to the situations a player or team
will experience in a game, and also
involves a high volume of ball contact
and repetition to develop technical
Players make the
proficiency. transition from
The session incorporates both pressing to retaining
attacking and defending principles. 25 possession after
winning the ball back
With the ball, players are developing
possession skills (ball manipulation,
individual and unit movement/
support and decision making).
Without the ball, they are developing
pressing skills (1v1s, pressure/cover/
balance and decision making).
The session is delivered in a range
of formats (group, squad and small-
sided game), providing a range of
Players press,
challenges and experiences for the reducing time and
players. space after giving
Points-scoring within each practice the ball away
offers an element of competition
which enhances the tempo of the
session and further engages the
players with the session content and
aims.
The principles of possession and
pressing link with the playing
philosophy at our academy and are
at the heart of most of the sessions
I deliver with the players. A large
proportion of the sessions during
a normal training week will follow KEY
Ball
similar formats and involve small movement
Player
group work linking to squad practices movement
Dribble

18 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net


SAM ROSE: PRESSING AND POSSESSION
Players reduce passing
options and dictate
movement of the ball
after giving it away
40
and small-sided games. I work
to ensure sessions like these
incorporate a high volume of
technical outcomes as well
as any tactical focus linked to
future fixtures and opponents,
plus any additional physical
conditioning focus.
As a general rule, and to
reduce any waiting time for the
players, we will ensure that
plenty of footballs are available
to be fed into the practices
when required.
What do I get the players
to do?
Pressing boxes
This is set up as four 15x15-
yard boxes, as a 4v2, a 4v3, a 3v2 colour (for instance, blue and
and a 3v1, as shown (1). Points whites versus yellows).
are scored for five one-touch
passes (the whites) and each
tackle or interception (the
blues).
The practice starts with whites team that loses possession
in possession who work to
keep the ball under pressure
19 NOVEMBER 2016
3 40
from blues. It continues
until blues make a tackle or
intercept, then we restart with
whites until time is up. Points
are totalled at the end of the
session and we will rotate
player roles.
Possession, pressing and
transition
This is set up as two 25x25-yard
boxes, with a 4v4v4 and a 4v3v3,
as shown (2). Points are scored
for eight completed passes, or
for each tackle or interception.
The practice starts with two
colours in possession who
work to keep the ball under
pressure from the remaining
The practice continues until
possession is lost, a tackle is
made or the ball is intercepted
from a pressing colour. The
makes the transition to the
pressing side against the
remaining colours, and the
pressing colour transitions to a
possession side – for instance,
if blues lose possession, it
becomes whites and yellows
versus blues. Again, points
are totalled at the end of
the session and the winner
announced.
Building possession
This is set up as a simple
40x40-yard box, with 9v9+4
players, as shown (3). Points
are awarded for a team that
combines with all four side
players, and separately for
each tackle or interception.
The practice starts with blues
in possession, who work to
keep the ball under pressure
from yellows. It continues with
blues working to combine
with all four whites in one
continuous phase of play until
possession is lost, at which
point possession switches
over and roles reverse. Points
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Players attempt to
pass the ball into all
four white players
(to build possession)
after winning it back
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
are totalled at the end of the
session and we will change
player roles at the end of each
time slot.
Pressing to score
Finally, we set up with a 55x40-
yard pitch and this is 9v9+4
with two keepers, as shown (4).
Points are scored for each goal
scored and for eight completed
passes.
The practice starts with reds in
possession, who work to keep
the ball under pressure from
whites, and look to score with
eight passes. It continues until
possession is won by whites,
who attempt to score. Play then
restarts with reds, with blues
acting as neutral players for
both teams. Points are totalled
at the end of the session and we
rotate player roles.
www.elitesoccercoaching.net

SAM ROSE: PRESSING AND POSSESSION
4
Players set up tackles
and interceptions in order
to create counter-attack
or scoring opportunities
40
What are the key things to
look out for?
In order for the session to flow,
players are required to be able
to work with a relatively high
level of technical proficiency
and fitness. Without this you
can expect a slower and more
stop-start session. Ideally, the
session will involve periods
of sustained possession
against the pressing team
interspersed with effective and
intelligent pressing.
A larger area or fewer players
will create more space to aid
the team in possession, with
the opposite of this favouring
the defending unit. You can
expect poor decisions in
possession leading to giving
the ball away as well as
ineffective and disorganised
pressing as the session
progresses to larger numbers
and areas. I would encourage
you to affect change with
the group and to reinforce
key principles. In addition,
there are some specific
20 NOVEMBER 2016
observations that can be made
to the conditions players find
themselves in, as follows:
In possession principles
When in possession, we are
looking for height, width and
depth. Beyond that, the key
things are movement to create principles
space to receive, with special
attention paid to the receiving
angle, the surface and the
priority of the pass.
Players must decide whether a unit. The angle of the press in and develop quicker decisions
to stay on the ball or pass,
showing patience to either
retain possession or create
opportunities to combine.
Passing priorities to execute
a combination of passing, or
playing away from pressure
are essential, as is maintaining the ball, with players screening In addition, we will limit
a good tempo in terms of ball
management.
Transition principles
We want to see players
transitioning from the creation progress or simplify, coaches
of space and time on the ball, to can manipulate the size of the
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Players keep
possession and
create height, width
and depth under
pressure from
whites
Players support
the team in
possession to
create overload
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
55
the reduction of space and time area, the number of players
when not on the ball. Pivotal to included, plus the task and
this will be communication and constraints, and in doing
a team’s ability to organise and so vary the challenge and
instruct, which must always be experience for the player.
clear and quick. Making scoring points
more difficult (for instance,
Out of possession more passes, tackles and
interceptions being required,
When out of possession we and/or less time being
want to see players pressing available) provides a greater
with intensity to get close to the challenge for the players.
ball both as individuals and as In order to increase the tempo
dictating movement of the ball in possession – and a higher
must be good, as must be the intensity out of possession –
position of support to set up a we will introduce constraints
tackle or make an interception. on the pressing team. For
We also want to see excellent instance, ‘win the ball back
pressure, cover and balance to within five seconds or within
cancel overloads and contain five passes’.
passing options. players to one or two touches
to encourage quicker passing
combinations, although
How do I progress the this will prevent players
practice? from staying on the ball
As with any practice, in order to and will remove dribbling
opportunities.
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 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

LMA AMBASSADOR Overview: SET-UP

Kenny Dalglish This session helps improve movement and interplay between AREA
Half pitch
Attacking midfielders and forwards. It’s designed to encourage understanding
between players through timing of runs, weight of pass, and
EQUIPMENT

movement and expectation of a team mate’s movement.

Balls, mannequins, goal

interplay
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Building this understanding is vital for the creation of chances 5 (incl. a keeper)
as a fluid unit, and this session offers a number of set-ups and SESSION TIME
progressions to test attacking and defending players in equal 7-8mins for each move,
measure. 3-4mins for each
progression
Each move takes place on a half pitch with four mannequins placed 8
yards apart across the pitch, 10 yards outside the penalty box. These
represent the back four.
Move 1: quick wide
attack Striker 1 must be coached to
‘drop-off’ the defender before
What do I get the players coming to receive the ball
The wide man
to do? breaks forward to
The coach starts the drill receive the pass
by laying the ball to the
midfielder, who has two
strikers moving off the 1
mannequins and a winger out
wide.
The midfielder plays the ball
in to striker 1, whose double
movement means he moves
away then turns back sharply
to receive the pass.
The striker lays the ball to his
team mate who has moved
deep to support. Timing of
the pass is essential so that
striker 2 can play a threaded
pass between the centre-back
and full-back mannequins for The second
striker drops
the wide man to run on to and deep to receive
cross.
The two strikers and
midfielder make their way into A floated cross invites
the three players to
the box for the cross. We now attack the goal
re-run on the opposite flank.

What are the key things

to look for technically/
tactically? 2
We must see good eye contact
between the midfielder and
striker 1. Passing moves are
conducted at pace and with
precision, so confident and
well communicated link-up
play is essential.
The double movement of
striker 1 is important in terms
of him losing his man – he goes A pass is threaded
long only to come back short. through the channel to
the wide player
The wide man needs to time
his run well to ensure he
stays onside in front of the KEY
line of mannequins, and a Ball
movement
good weight of final pass and Player
movement
Dribble
subsequent cross is essential.
21 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

KENNY DALGLISH: ATTACKING MOVEMENT AND INTERPLAY
Move 2: quick central
attack
In the central attack,
striker 1 feints forward
before spinning back
around the centre-back
The striker this time
pulls wider, resulting
in a deeper cross into
the centre
What do I get the players
to do?
The coach starts the drill by
laying the ball to the midfielder,
who opens up with a first touch
onto his right foot.
Striker 1’s movement sees
him come short first, before
spinning in behind the centre-
back. The striker is picked out
by the midfielder using either
an aerial ball or a pass along
the floor that is run on to.
22 NOVEMBER 2016
At this point the wide man
runs diagonally inside the
mannequin, while striker 2
also makes a charge for
the box.
Striker 1 either takes the ball
on himself to finish, or plays
square for one of the other two
inrushing players to finish.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
A lofted ball picks out
striker 1 with attacking
team mates looking to
support
Striker 2 rolls his
defender
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
What are the key things his wide man and fellow striker
to look for technically/ make positive and determined
tactically? runs into the box for a potential
Technique and weight of finish. Again, we re-run on the
pass again come to the fore, opposite flank.
particularly for the ball played
by the midfielder into the feet
of striker 1. This pass needs to
be perfect so the front man can
take it in his stride. Again, if the
striker goes too early he risks
straying offside. Assuming he
stays onside, it’s crucial that
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KENNY DALGLISH: ATTACKING MOVEMENT AND INTERPLAY
Move 3: measured
central attack
The midfielder
makes a positive
forward run
6 supporting midfielder
The supporting
midfielder runs
from deep to form a
two-man attack
What do I get the players
to do?
In this move, we substitute
the winger for an additional
midfielder, positioned on the
other side of the coach.
To start, the coach touches
the ball to the midfielder, who
opens up and plays to striker
1, whose movement is once
again to fake going long before
coming back short.
Striker 2 moves around the
front to receive the lay-off from
his team mate. He then plays
23 NOVEMBER 2016
an immediate pass through
the back four for the second
midfielder to run on to, who
ensures he times his run well
so as to receive the pass in his
stride. The front two move
forward looking to score.
Once finished, we direct the
drill to the other side as in
previous developments.
Both strikers drop,
looking to receive the
ball
What are the key things
to look for technically/
tactically?
The central passing move is
now tighter with an additional
midfielder, and this increases
the need for accurate and well-
weighted passing throughout.
The double movement of
striker 1 remains important,
as does the timing of the
midfielder’s run breaking at
pace through the defensive
line, whilst ensuring he stays
onside.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Striker 2 passes forward
for striker 1 and the
KEY
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble
How do I progress the
drills?
Each of these three drills can
be progressed by adding in
four defenders in place of the
mannequins, plus a holding
midfielder whose job it is to
interrupt the initial approach
play.
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 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Reproduced with kind permission

EXTRA-TIME INTERVIEW : SEAN DYCHE of The Manager magazine.

I
n the three seasons that Sean Dyche
has been manager of Burnley he’s
seen his side promoted twice. But
his focus has not been on scorelines
alone. Dyche is building solid foundations
on and off the pitch, finds Sue McKellar.
People won’t follow you because
you tell them to; they’ll do it because
they want to. On meeting Sean Dyche
amidst the rubble that will soon become
Burnley’s new training facility, it’s clear
to see why the club is right behind him.
His enthusiasm and can-do attitude are
infectious and he has that valuable skill
of being highly articulate and confident
while also warm and entirely down to
earth.
But while Burnley is where Dyche
has found his feet, it is not where his
management journey started. His first
opportunity to manage, after calling time
on his 20-year playing career, came at
Watford, who he had played for only a
few years before. After several seasons
as under-18s coach and development
coach he became assistant manager in
2009 and, having already completed his
coaching badges while a player, he took
his UEFA Pro-Licence. Then, when the
manager’s position became available in
2011, Dyche was promoted to the top job.

FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Having been through Watford’s

BUILDING
development system as a player and then
worked his way up through its ranks as a
coach Dyche had enough insider insight
for it to feel like a natural progression.
“My path into management gave me

five great years of learning,” he says.
“When Aidy Boothroyd appointed me
as youth team manager I was doing
everything – helping to educate the
players, driving the minibus at 6am in the
morning to get to a game, putting together
the coaching schedule, working at the
Harefield Academy, which has a close
partnership with Watford – I was working
mad hours and covering lots of different
bases and I loved it.
“I learned how to coach from the bottom
up and gained a solid base of knowledge
and you need that in any industry,” he
says. “A friend of mine is a restaurateur
and his advice on how to progress in his
business is much the same; start at the
beginning, wash the pans, work front of
house, work in the kitchen and learn the
ropes.”
Even so, Dyche admits that nothing
can really prepare you for management
and no allowances are made for youth or
inexperience. “In those early days in the
TOLAST
job it’s a steep learning curve and you get
judged very quickly,” he says. “When I took
over at Watford it had just had to sell some
of its most important players and so, 13
games later, having lost seven of those
games, we were fourth from bottom.
I was already being judged a failure by
some. Reality bites, but you have to keep
believing in your abilities and in your staff.
I reassured everyone that we were doing
the right things and we started building.”
Following a couple of important loan
signings by Dyche, results began to
improve and the all-important feel-good
factor returned to the club. Impressively,
after losing just seven matches from the
next 33, Watford finished a respectable
11th in the table.
HARSH REALITIES
It was to be an important period in
the young manager’s career, but
unfortunately a short one, as the season’s
end brought a change in ownership
for Watford and a subsequent change
in management. However, Dyche’s
response was to be pragmatic and
philosophical rather than disappointed.
“People lose their jobs in business all
the time, including my dad in the steel
industry and my brother at various points
in his career, so I wasn’t about to start

24 NOVEMBER 2016 www.elitesoccercoaching.net


EXTRA-TIME INTERVIEW : SEAN DYCHE
feeling sorry for myself,” he says. “I’m a
realist and I know things like this happen
in every walk of life and often to people
who aren’t as fortunate as me.”
Faced with being out of work for the
first time since he was 16 Dyche saw the
positives, making the most of the time to
relax and find some perspective. “I spent
valuable time with the family, did some
charity work, played golf and opened my
eyes to the world outside of football, which
I’d been immersed in for so many years.
Essentially I gave myself some head
space.”
After a short hiatus, which included
working with the England U21 squad at
the invitation of Stuart Pearce, Dyche was
appointed Burnley manager when Eddie
Howe left the Lancashire side to return to
Bournemouth.
REACHING OUT
In his interview for the role of Burnley
manager Dyche gave an in-depth
PowerPoint presentation that impressed
the board so much many suspected he’d
delivered it numerous times before. In
reality it was his first ever interview.
“I put what I’d learned on the LMA
diploma together with my football and
management knowledge and created
something that clearly worked well from
a business perspective,” he says. “I looked
at the club from various angles – how I
thought people outside the club viewed
25 NOVEMBER 2016
it, its feel and culture, and also what I
imagined it was like on the inside – and
then I looked at how I thought it could
change for the better.”
Dyche saw, for example, how
important it would be to strengthen
the connection between the team, the
manager and the people of the town
and to realign the culture of the club
with those people. He also advocated
having open lines of communication and
reaching out within the club to garner
people’s views on how things were at the
club and what might be ripe for change.
“When I first started at Burnley I
distributed a confidential questionnaire
to the players, asking them to be brutally
honest so that we’d all know where we
stood,” Dyche says. “I made it very clear
that they didn’t have to say anything but
that this wasn’t an opportunity that would
come around very often.”
After the feedback had been collated,
he and his team sifted through what was
non-negotiable and what they might
be able to address. “It then takes time
to implement changes, starting with
presenting to the group what you plan to
do,” says Dyche.
“You can’t assume that people will
understand or take on board your ideas
automatically, so it’s important to find a
common thread that will unite your team
members and give them something to
believe in.”
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Idistributed
aconfidential
questionnaire
totheplayers,
askingthem
tobebrutally
honestsothat
we’dallknow
wherewestood.
Imadeitvery
clearthatthey
didn’thaveto
sayanythingbut
thatthiswasn’t
anopportunity
thatwouldcome
aroundvery
often.
For some people a sense of belonging, a
‘kissing-the-badge’ mentality, is a strong
enough motivating force, but others
need more encouragement to engage
and align with the culture and ethos of an
organisation.
“Some people resist out of fear,
embarrassment or worry, so you need to
focus on addressing those three things,”
says Dyche. “You lead a bit, they follow a bit
and you see where it takes you. You may
have people who simply won’t engage, the
‘sappers’, and they need to go,” he adds.
“Then it’s a case of how many energisers
you can find to carry the team members
who sit somewhere in the middle.”
Clarity about what you plan to do and
what you expect from everyone is also
key, he adds, especially for new recruits
or when undergoing change. “I can
remember how important that clarity
was to me even as a youth team player
at Nottingham Forest under manager
Brian Clough,” he says. “Everyone
understood how the team was expected
to play. Conversely, I can remember
playing for managers who made things
overwhelmingly complicated by giving
too much information and confusing
messages. My approach as a manager
has therefore always been to give the
players clear information in a way that
they can easily understand it, to act with
honesty and authenticity and to lead by
example.”
www.elitesoccercoaching.net

EXTRA-TIME INTERVIEW : SEAN DYCHE
GROUNDWORK
At the same time as strengthening the
culture within Burnley, Dyche has also
had one eye on building for the future, in
a very literal sense. In his early days with
the club, instead of investing all of the
finances at his disposal on expanding his
squad he recognised that while players
can bring short-term results, sustainable
success comes from improving a club’s
very foundations.
“I could see that improvements were
needed to the club’s training facilities and
stadium and, thanks to the support of the
board, the council and the local people,
that new infrastructure is now well
underway,” he says.
With the business plan and finances
already in place, work was able to start
on the project as soon as planning
permission was granted, using local trade
wherever possible to support the local
economy. Once finished in late spring
2017, Burnley’s players and support staff
will have at their disposal the full gamut of
state-of-the-art training facilities, from a
physiotherapy suite, analysis equipment
and an underheated pitch to a high-spec
office for the coaching and development
staff.
“It will also be integral to our continued
youth development,” adds Dyche,
explaining that the academy and first
team areas will be separate to create
an environment of aspiration. “The
same thinking went into the layout of the
pitches,” he explains, “so young players
start off furthest away and then move
closer towards the first-team pitches as
they progress through the ranks.”
UPS AND DOWNS
After his first season with Burnley and a
record one for the club, it won promotion
to the Premier League, from which it had
been absent for four years.
“It caught everyone by surprise,”
says Dyche. “We had a fantastic run
of results, even though we had some
serious injuries, and momentum just
started to build to the point that you could
almost feel it in the air. During some of
the big matches towards the end of that
campaign there were times when I should
have been really nervous, but instead I felt
calm because there was an inevitability
about us winning promotion.”
Dyche credits the success of that
season to a mix of youth and experience in
the team and to the success of the club’s
coaches and medical staff in preparing
the players mentally and physically.
“We only had two centre forwards all
season, but it’s testament to the skill of
26 NOVEMBER 2016
“Wehadtorecover
emotionallyfromthe
disappointmentof
relegationandthe
subsequentlossofsome
ofourtalismanplayers,
andwehadtoreinvent
ourapproach,butdoso
withoutlosingthestrong
identitythathadserved
ussowellbefore.”
the backroom team and medical staff that
they remained fit throughout,” he says.
Confidence started to build in the club
and that momentum was an important
driving force behind Burnley’s first
promotion to the Premier League. But
Dyche says it was even more of a factor
in the second promotion, in the 2015/16
season.
This time, though, the whole campaign
had a very different, more business-like
feel as it followed relegation back to
the Championship. “We had to recover
emotionally from the disappointment
of relegation and the subsequent loss
of some of our talisman players,” says
Dyche, “and we had to reinvent our
approach, but do so without losing the
strong identity that had served us so well
before.”
Faced with a reduced budget and a
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
tough Championship competition Dyche
knew he would need to be strategic, focus
on the side’s strengths and allow everyone
time to adjust. “The mood was good over
the pre-season and the players worked
hard, but when the new season started
it was clear that they were subdued and
would need to get used to playing in the
Championship again,” he says.
“As the manager you have to believe
that the cloud will lift, and it did. Then the
results began to improve, the players
started to enjoy the feeling of winning
again and it galvanised the team.”
A DESIRE TO NURTURE
Now back in the top flight Dyche faces the
challenges of competing in a field where
the disparity in finances between teams
can be enormous. But he recognises that
while money can be incredibly powerful
it’s far from all important.
“Leicester’s achievement didn’t
come out of nowhere,” he says. “The
owners have shown real commitment
to the club and have invested heavily and
strategically to develop it. It’s a great story
and gives us belief that if you have a plan
and give it time to take effect it can produce
results.”
With the long view always in mind
Dyche is committed to helping each
individual within the club work on their
strengths and weaknesses. While he says
he’s always been driven by a desire to win,
he also takes a lot of pleasure in helping
people to develop. “It’s a great feeling
when you help someone and get nothing
in return,” he says. “It’s not about getting a
pat on the back; it’s about the satisfaction
you get from giving help. That’s what I
want to do, honestly and authentically.”
He does this, in part, by sharing his own
experiences as a player with his team so
that they can learn from his mistakes. “As
a player I would let a bad experience eat
away at me, because I was afraid of letting
people down,” he says. “I don’t want my
players to feel like that. I try to help them
maintain some perspective, learn from a
bad result and then move on.”
In the same vein, Dyche is not one for
singling out players for criticism or name
calling in front of the group, because to
do so, he says, would simply be to let off
steam rather than helping the players.
“I can be tough when the situation calls
for it, but my priority is to help the players
improve and do so without eroding their
confidence or trust,” he says. “After all,
when you have the bond of trust you have a
chance of achieving anything.”
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