Articles
The Next and Most Necessary Thing: How to instill a transitioning mindset
Learn how Phil Foden’s short-term memory sets him apart from the rest. Explore the transformative power of quick transitions in football, with insights from Pep Guardiola, lessons from Barcelona's iconic counterpressing era, and training considerations that will start to create the transitioning mindset.
In the Pursuit of Knowledge 3,798 Miles Away
Embark on a journey through the evolution of coaching development, from traditional methods to innovative approaches that shape the future of the sport.
Becoming a Top Coach: Beyond the Tactics
Explore the subtle art of coaching, where the challenge lies not in 'knowing' tactical maneuvers but in 'understanding' how to help players uniquely comprehend and play the beautiful game.
Self-Aware Coaching Series: Your plan frees your mind
We discuss the benefits of the planning process in terms of clarifying our intentions. However, there is an additional purpose to planning your training sessions, freeing your mind for the unexpected.
Momentum Does Not Exist: Train for the process, not the result
What is “momentum”? What is “energy”? Why are we influenced by external factors? It’s something that all players deal with, including professional players. I’m going to answer those questions and how to avoid it all together with first-hand experience and with the help of Ange Postecoglou.
Coaching Workflow: Manchester City
Let’s uncover Manchester City’s Game Model, Game Plan, and Game Prep.
Dribble or Pass: Have we conditioned risk-averse players?
You'll often hear coaches, especially youth coaches, say something like "Get it off your feet" as if dribbling is the riskiest action to take. But is it?
Thinking Frameworks Solve Your Problems
When you consistently use frameworks as guide rails, it maps out a process for your mind to follow and better solve your problems. When you don’t have a logical structure or framework you are leaving your mind exposed to chaos.
The Science of Coaching: Interview with Saskia Giebl (Part 1)
Saskia Giebl is a Human Learning and Performance Scientist at UCLA's Bjork Learning Lab. More importantly, she’s passionate about sports and how we can improve our methods to coach sports.
Relationism vs. Positionism: What's it really about?
I finally figured out Relationism vs. Positionism.
I have to admit it has taken me many months. Looking back at it, perhaps it was my ego that prevented me from seeing what was there all along. Eventually, the lightbulb moment came all at once in one quick swoop.
Positional Play Training Series: 5v2 Rondo - Brighton's Third Man Combinations
We’re going to break down the 5v2 rondo. But to make this even more practical, I’m going to show you how using game constraints we are going to logically build up the 5v2 rondo towards the kind of third man combinations we are seeing with Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton in the 22/23 season.
Positional Play Training Series: 3v1 Rondo
There’s no way around it. There is an inherent problem with this rondo as it is. Don’t lose hope my friends, there are some benefits from this training tool.
Positional Play Training Series: Introduction
Rondos and Positional Games are problematic. They are not realistic enough. They lack direction. They don’t provide enough of the game. This is tiresome and I want to end the madness once and for all. I want to strip down Positional Play Training Methodology to show the logic, reason, and purpose behind this type of training. I want to show how Rondos and Positional Games do not have to be binary.
A New Experience, A New You
Unrooting yourself is scary. You realise everything you know about yourself lies within the familiarity of our home, our routine, familiar faces. The different surroundings of an unknown place serve as mirror. You think you are experiencing a new place, but in reality you’re forced to see yourself in a new way like you’ve never had to do before.
The Socio-Affective Superiority: Messi and Jordi Alba Case Study
I have written extensively on numerical, positional and qualitative, but I have never detailed what the socio-affective superiority looks like and how you might approach further developing it. This is most likely the topic I receive the most questions about: what is socio-affective superiority? Jordi Alba and Messi can teach us a few things…
Better Football Language Means Better Football
The British philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” Our language can either expand or diminish our ability to think. An expansive, descriptive football language can expand our ability to describe, explain and solve football.
Messi: The First and Last of His Kind
What if we never get to see someone like Messi. It’s been said that there will never be anyone like the Argentine. Simultaneously, that saddens me and makes me grateful. Saddens me for future football fans and fills me with gratitude I was with Leo for the better part of my life.
The Power of Observation
Purposeful observation unlocks many doors in the realm of coaching. As Dr. Ceri Bowley states, “What you see dictates how you act.”
The Paradox of Choice: Coaching with Option Making
In order to make correct decisions, one must master the skill of knowing where to look and what to pay attention to in order to satisfy the constraint or objective. When speaking about this topic with Chris Bentley, he introduced me to this idea of option making instead of decision making.
Environment Design without Expectations
Sometimes the best lessons on environment design, ego, and expectations come from a screaming newborn.