A Football guide for young players: How to train like professional players

Another aspect that the FA Officials asked me to look at was preparation for a game. This was an area they felt was lacking in knowledge. So each player was given the following handout and it was analysed step by step and why. Some players will forget it, but I feel it is the responsibility of the Coach to offer knowledge, explain it and if it sticks in the players brain, then great!.

PREPARATION FOR GAME SHEETS GIVEN TO PLAYERS AND LOCAL COACHES

PSYCHOLOGY

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

A professional player must know how to prepare himself off the pitch. A professional Soccer player must not only train hard but must look after all areas of his life. A disciplined mind will help you have the correct attitude towards the game. The professionals with long careers in the game such as Baresi, Maldini, Bryan Robson, Kiatasuk (Zico) and Pele were all disciplined players. It is only the freaks or great exceptions (such as Maradona or Best) who can live a wayward life style. For every one of these players there are a 100 failures, usually drinking in pubs.

This type of training will be new to you and it would be the easy thing to laugh and say I don’t need this. More and more Thai Premier League teams are using these methods. There is no shame in trying everything to become a professional player.

It is essential that a young player now starts to develop psychological (thinking) skills to help him become a complete player.

DAY OF THE MATCH

A great deal of playing Soccer is ‘in the mind’ or based around confidence. The aim is to have that unbeatable day every week.

Try to complete the following check list and see how you prepared for the game. Complete it after you played well and try to keep the positive features. If you played poorly, then try to analyse why.

Date Match V Score

EXAMPLE

What did you do the night before the game?

A: Watched videos of AC Milan against Ajax with my mum and dad

How much sleep did you get?

A: Went to bed at 10.30pm. Woke up at 7.30am – 9hours sleep

What did you eat for breakfast?

A: Cereal/toast/honey/orange juice

What did you do in the morning?

A: Polished my boots, got my bag ready/played with my kid sister

What time did you arrive at the ground?

A: Arrived 90 minutes before kick off

What did you do at the ground?

A: Spoke to my mate in the other team/ watched the under 13s play

What did you do in the dressing room?

A: Stretched and concentrated on the jobs I had to do

What did you do in the team talk?

A: Listened to the Coach/ listened to all the jobs the team has to do. Took big breaths

What did you do in the warm up?

A: stretches/jogged/sprints/ ran in the areas that I play/got plenty of touches of the ball

How did YOU play (NOT THE TEAM OR THE MATCH RESULT…BE HONEST)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

POOR GAME GREAT GAME

So a month of hard work, but well worth it when you have 30 receptive players who want to get better and want to be professional players. It still is a step out of poverty for many young players in India. The FA were great, they supported and didn’t interfere, and as many Coaches will tell you, that’s a rarity all over the world.

I left them with the message that in 5 years I wanted to see 5 of them in the Indian National team. If they hit the right program next in the right I-league team, then that is realistic. In summary, a pleasure to work with enthusiastic dedicated players.