WORLD CHAMPIONS SECRET METHODS REVEALED!

The French Federation (FFF) under the guidance of Ami Jacquet, outlined and successfully orchestrated the improvement of French coaches/players. I am positive that this information can help ‘reboot’ US coaches/players as well.

The French Federation’s most important task under Ami Jacquet became, “The Development and Education of Coaches.” The FFF are now very specific and demanding on the training of all coaches because as Ami asserted, “If the coaches are well educated then soccer success will follow!”

Training Issues Include:

• When the coach is preparing his training sessions, the Emphasis is to be on Technical Ability.
• He/She must take into account the age of the players and the proper objectives linked to that age. 
• He/She must be precise and professional. 
• Every coach has access to many soccer exercises but has to know the proper way to proceed and to present them. 
• The advice given to each player is very important. 
• The coach must be careful of his language in order to help the players understand his methods. 
• No yelling is tolerated. 
• Objectives and issues in training are clear to the players. 
• The players have the best training conditions and train one time daily, five days a week.

In the training sessions emphasis is given to repeating the quality of soccer movements. These are corrected and repeated until they become a regular part of the player’s package of skills. The coaches must be quality demonstrators.

The coaches will then work on:

• Making the player’s movements faster and better
• Linking movements efficiently and wisely. Coaches constantly ask the player why they use a certain move in a certain situation
• Using the weakest foot. Coaches will develop specific sessions to work on weaknesses in the player’s game
• Technical exercises with high re-occurrences
• Games with the possibility of many choices and reflections
• Simple tactical exercises forcing the player to make a quick decision
• Realistic activities which make the player feel as if he were in a real game (FUNdamental Practice/Principles)

The priorities for the coaches are:

• The methods in which they work. France was the only country in Europe to have a youth coaching license required (at that time)
• To develop a highly qualified technical staff, all licensed and well trained are equipped with the proper information.

The federation has a calendar and program for each coach in each region to follow, ensuring continuity throughout the year. Once a year all the coaches in the country are brought together to look at last year’s program and make their recommendations for the method of work for the next year.

In order to become a high level coach, one must begin by working with youth players or they will be severely handicapped in their own developmental process. Understanding the youth process is an important part of the coaching evolution.

 The French Football Federation very much operates under the principle that “This work is very important for the game of tomorrow”. The better job they do in the development of quality players at the youth level, the more accomplished professional players will burst onto the scene. 

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:

Up until they are 16; the French work only on individual technique. 

The relationship is just the ball and the player to improve ball control. They stress that players need complete control over the ball before moving on to tactics and strategies, when to pass and when not to pass. A term they often use, “Passing the ball is the language of the soccer player”

Ball control is the basis of the game (always done while moving). The young French players are taught to always feint when receiving or passing which allows them to get in or out of tight marking situations. All sessions include lots of shooting and special sessions on how to cross the ball.

The priorities for the players are:

• To become a professional player with the maximum chance of succeeding
• Keep up with their studies so they can have a career in case soccer does not work out

Coach Ami stressed to all coaches that out of all the elements the ‘Development of the Technical Ability is the Most Important.’ The FFF continues to uphold this reasoning.

I would like to ‘Thank’ Ami Jacquet, who was kind enough to share his National Program Development with me.

ROBY STAHL _____________________________________________

Please read these articles: “US Soccer Needs to Reboot.” & “World Cup Holders: Emphasis….” And then give us your feedback and thoughts on "What We Can Do Together" to reboot US Soccer..!

Your FUNdamental, Koach Karl

Karl Dewazien, Emeritus State Director of Coaching California Youth Soccer Association ...1978 -2012 Author of the Internationally Published FUNdamental SOCCER Books Series Producer of the highly acclaimed FUNdamental SOCCER DVD’s  Internet/Clinician at www.fundamentalsoccer.com