How to turn a losing soccer team around

Below is a letter I received from a soccer coach who was losing and wanted to know how to improve his team.

Hello SoccerHelp,

Since my original letter we have had several successes. The next soccer game we played, we won it 3-0. I moved player 3 back to stop him during the middle of the game and used player 9 on the stopper in the second half. The boys played very well and I thought I had finally cracked the code on where the different boys play.

But the following week we lost again. We were scheduled to play against a team that, of course, we could have played evenly or, depending on our game the week before, beat. We lost 5-1. My guys played without energy and I found it extremely frustrating to watch them rotate in place while watching the other team run between them. At least half, if not more, of the team played as spectators. Most soccer goals were scored because my defenders were out of soccer position and not attacking the ball.

We lost our game this past weekend 8-0. I started playing with my strongest players in the first quarters to try to keep my score low and morale high. We were playing against the number one team and we started playing pretty evenly, but we couldn’t turn into anything in front of the soccer goal, because our offensive players weren’t in position and we allowed three goals in the first half. because our soccer defenders were out of position. Once again, we had a lot of spectators on the field and after a while the defenders that I had, who at first did not play very aggressive, stopped playing completely. I had to take out a player because he actually stopped moving, it was like watching the Bad News Bears play football. Towards the end, even my good players gave up.

Obviously, I am not being very effective in my soccer training. What are some of the activities that I can do to try to help children play their positions? We cover him in soccer practice regularly but he doesn’t seem to be taking in? Also, what do you think about the game even for children? I have enough good players to make a pretty good team, but usually half of the team at any given time is on the not-so-skilled side. I’m trying to give everyone about the same time, but when the kids aren’t trying, I think I should get them out (I haven’t been doing this because it would mean some players are going to sit most of the time).

Coach T

Hello Coach T:

I want to encourage you not to get too discouraged by your loss to the number one team. It is very important that you are realistic; keep in mind that you were SUPPOSED to lose to that team. What happened was that his team saw that they could not win and gave up in the second half. It’s not pretty, but it’s understandable and practical (Why keep killing yourself if you can’t win? Save your best efforts for the teams you have a chance to beat). I suggest telling your team that they are improving, but that the opponent was better that day and losing that game is nothing to be ashamed of. It is very important that you are realistic about your team and its potential. You are not a miracle worker and you cannot do the impossible. All you can do is do your best with the talent, speed, aggressiveness, and practice time you have. You are supposed to lose against a better and faster team; all you can do is minimize the damage and try not to let your team’s morale and confidence suffer too much.

I have some ideas for you to consider:

1. Do you play in practice? If you do, stop skimping. children play with more enthusiasm in their real matches if they do not exercise in practice.

2. I notice you wear the heat pads with your gear. Your biggest needs are aggressive play, defense, and scoring, so I would only give patches for those 3 things. I’d give a patch NOT ONLY for scoring, but also for BEING IN POSITION TO SCORE – if your players do the right thing, they will start scoring. Once they learn how to score, you may want to stop patching goals, but for now you need to do so to teach them how to score. Your team must also develop a WISH TO WIN. If you get more patches, buy patches V and A … when you win, get a great deal. Don’t give patches for participation, give them for effort, achievement and aggressiveness. The exception could be a patch for practice attendance, but you can give one for every 2 or 3 practices you attend. Attendance at practice is critical to the success of your team.

3. To stay motivated, try the motivational quotes in Premium … I read them myself.

4. Do you play the Dribble Around Cone & Pass Relay Race practice game? Use it to teach aggressive catching, this is important, your players need to be more aggressive to win the ball. Play with your teammates and give the winners a patch. You will get better and faster results if you focus on the aggressive reception than if you focus on passing. Aggressive reception is more important to teach.

5. Do you play Dribble Across a Square at every practice? This is important: play it at the beginning of practice as a warm-up, twice with a 10-step wide square, and then twice with a 14-step wide square.

6. Don’t try to emphasize passing just yet, except by playing the Dribble Around Cone & Pass Relay Race game – tell your scorers to try to score and teach them to rebound and be aggressive. Tell defenders to kick hard forward and teach forwards how to win the ball and give them a patch if they do.

7. Do you have sports drinks and water at the games? If not then give it a try, it can make a difference (there is a good article on Hydration on Premium)

8. Play shoulder tackle and strength in the ball game to strengthen your players.

9. Regarding equal playing time: most leagues require each player to play 50% of the game; check what your league requires. If a player doesn’t try, rushes, or doesn’t do what you ask, they shouldn’t expect to play as much as someone who does; I think it is a fair approach. You have an obligation to the players, but also to the Team.

10. Have you taught Coaching Rule No. 3? It is worth 2 goals per game in the U-9

11. Have you taught First Defender / Second Defender? How to teach it is on Quick Team Improvement.

12. I recommend you do a GREAT JOB of BRAVERY and give it a red patch and ONLY for that – the BRAVERY patch (also called the blood patch) – believe me, that works – I wore it myself.

13. You’re right, you MUST have brave players at Fullback and Stopper, that’s CRITICAL. If you defend the depths, they don’t have to be skilled or fast, but they MUST be brave.

14. If you defend deep (if you leave your defenses deep), think about letting your tough defenses play most of the game or even the entire game (maybe rotating 3 players in those 2 positions).

15. Try the Ball Game Win 50/50 and use it to teach players to slow down the attack if they can’t win the ball.

I think you are closer than you think. The key is to motivate your players to play hard. Don’t judge your progress by the 8-0 loss, that loss is understandable, it was like an avalanche, once it started you couldn’t stop it, it was better to try not to hurt yourself.

Let me know which of these ideas helps you and other ideas that help you.

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