Make Defending Fun! For too long, defending practice has been presented by coaches and received by players as a necessary evil, filled with unimaginative drills that provide players with little or no reward for getting it right. This book contains 100 exercises and small sided games designed to inspire players to become better defenders both tactically and technically in a fun and competitive training environment. The games are set up to re-create the unpredictability of actual match play, with no long queues or endless repetitions. Because of this, players are more involved in the practice and are thus learning "how to play the game" and developing the skills to deal with the ever-evolving situations on the pitch.

The practices are designed to inspire and motivate the players in real game situations that give them freedom of choice and movement both in and out of possession. The basic techniques of passing, dribbling, shooting, tackling and heading will all be used but with use to solve a match problem rather than constant repetition. The sessions have goals and objectives for both the attacking and defending players in order to aid the tempo, competition and enjoyment of the practice.

The 1990 World Cup in Italy was infamous for generating the lowest-ever goals per game average, and since then, tactical thought has focused heavily and consistently on flexible attacking designed to break down and defeat defending in depth. This book argues that the next tactical revolution belongs to the defending side of the ball, and it features complex, layered defending, blending postures and pressures designed to keep an attacking team off balance throughout the match. There are many quality soccer coaches in the game at every level who feel that defending is more about mentality than tactics, that defending topics do not need to be part of every training session. This book seeks to reestablish balance in tactical planning and in training design by examining every aspect of individual and team defending, making it easy for the coach to incorporate tackling, defending roles, pressing, defending setpieces, and many more topics into team training. With its more than 190 defending drills to train players, it is the complete guide to mastering defending in soccer.

"Coached successfully, your players will build skills and confidence as the team achieves a winning record. From setting goals to safety issues, the definitive advice in this guide will become indispensable to you throughout the season"--Page 4 of cover.

Whatever you know the sport as—soccer, fútbol, football, or association football—it is the world’s most popular team sport. And the World Cup, played every four years, is the world’s most popular sporting event. But that’s on the global stage. As everyone who plays or watches soccer knows, sometimes the real action and excitement can be found on the local field or pitch. This concise guide is a useful tool for those interested in playing (or just learning about) the game—including its earliest days of play, up-to-date descriptions of the various positions, clear explanations of the sometimes-confusing rules of play, and much more.

This is the second book in the Professional Academy Soccer Training Series. This edition focuses on the top 20 soccer finishing exercises that Coach DiBernardo personally uses with his own teams. The exercises can be adapted to fit a wide variety of age groups and ability levels. These are the same modern trainings that top clubs like FC Barcelona use.

The key to successful coaching is preparing your players to make intelligent decisions on the field. For years, the best-selling Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer has helped coaches of every level do just that. Now, soccer’s premier coaching resource has been updated and expanded to provide you with more insights into developing individual talent, team tactics, and winning play. Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer provides you with over 125 drills for teaching skills and techniques. You’ll also learn how to develop these skills in realistic game situations with beginning, intermediate, advanced, and all-star players. Essential skills are presented, including collecting and controlling, passing, dribbling, kicking, heading, and goalkeeping. You’ll then apply those individual skills with attacking and defensive tactics, team formations, and set pieces. With Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer, you’ll learn the what, how, and why of soccer through these essentials: Over 125 drills for beginning, intermediate, advanced, and all-star players Progressing basic drills into realistic, competitive situations Tactics in attack and defense Tactics in set plays Team management Mental and physical preparation for games Handling problem players and parents Fitness and conditioning Preparing and developing coaching sessions Establishing a coaching philosophy Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer is an invaluable guide for coaching any team in any setting. The best team doesn’t always win—but it usually does.