101 Steps to Win the World Cup: An Introduction to How to Play and Coach a World Class Soccer (Football) Team

Copyright © 2006 by Cirrus Kazimi

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Cover design; Studio 432

ISBN-13: 978-0-595-43131-1 (pbk)

ISBN-13: 978-0-595-87476-7 (ebk)

ISBN-10: 0-595-43131-3 (pbk)

ISBN-10: 0-595-87476-2 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

CONTRIBUTORS

CHAPTER 1

WHO IS THE RIGHT COACH FOR THIS JOB

CHAPTER 2

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT PLAYERS

CHAPTER 3

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PLAYERS’ TECHNIQUE

CHAPTER 4

SEPARATE YOUR GOALKEEPERS FROM YOUR PLAYERS

CHAPTER 5

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PLAYER’S TACTICAL SKILL

CHAPTER 6

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR TEAM’S TACTICAL SKILLS

CHAPTER 7

HOW TO MANIPULATE TIME AND SPACE

CHAPTER 8

HOW TO WIN GAMES WITH RESTARTS

CHAPTER 9

HOW TO MEET THE PHYSICAL DEMAND OF SOCCER

CHAPTER 10

HOW TO MAKE YOUR TEAM FASTER

CHAPTER 11

WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE DIET FOR PLAYERS

CHAPTER 12

HOW TO USE PSYCHOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

CHAPTER 13

HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR TEAM THROUGH MEDIA

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

When I began taking upon writing a book about how to win the world cup soccer, I already knew that it is going to be a challenge. But when I thought about those coaches who took upon the responsibility and in actuality put together a team and began the journey of becoming the world cup champion from a pool of almost two hundred nations in which they make up the total members of FIFA, I said to myself; the road of thousand miles begins with the first step. So I tell those players, coaches, national team managers and even political leaders of those nations who hope to win the world cup one day, to do the same and if I can assist, if I can show the way to even one nation, which wants to do that, then I have achieved my objective.

This book is a collection of series of widely varying topics related to the game of soccer. Drills, tactics, Team philosophy, sports psychology, team management, body building, track running for soccer players, and much more that has been expressed by many coaches and authors and prominent personalities in the field of soccer during the past century. This book covers virtually everything from fundamental and elementary concepts to most advanced topics, and everything in between. It provides an excellent overview of many topics that has been discussed and analyzed by coaches in their past writings. And it includes activities for most important concepts. This can be the most valuable book for players of all ages, and coaches of all calibers. It is as a result of every coach and author whose works are valued.

Going back to the history of soccer, it all began as a game with intense and furious often destructive actions succeeding both the player and the ball while skills were appeared less in the game and creative playing of the game was neglected and sadly it was promoted by pictures in magazines in which showed violence and not the beautiful skills. Soccer in most of Europe recovered after England winning the 1966 world cup, and the game itself recovered from it by 1982 world cup in Spain. Those who played skillfully, both as individual players and together as a team with displaying the use of technical and tactical composure while playing the game, they executed accurate, clever and highly developed skillful game.

They adopted such methods necessary to achieve the required result and the technical and tactical options became confined to the players while the function of play became more visible. Farther more the use of the elements of the game; Technical, tactical, power, speed, and the psychology of the game were divided from each other and each element were taught to the players under an expert trainer’s supervision. Skillful players took risk, because they had to take risk, while others began cheating in the game to win at all cost. Often skills took a back seat to intimidation and to physical confrontation, increasing the severity of fouling was a direct result of this narrow focus for a world class game. It has been said that soccer is a game to be played, not to watched, while soccer seems to lack any tactics to those who aren’t instructed in the principles of the game, but the heart of the game is creative combinations by players. A simple and plain game filled with vigorous, active and expressive fun and it should be protected from the evils of untrustworthy, violent, greedy, personal glories, and should be filled with simplistic beauty with expressive nature. But the root element competition should not be overlooked while there are many opinions regarding competition.

A competition can easily become an ugly brawl, a cruel struggle between the teams, each trying to destroy one another. But never forget one thing. Sports are supposed to be fun. Even though the heart of competition lies in goal-setting and prize-seeking, how much better a game would be if two teams play to the best of their abilities and even though one team wins, all players shake hands after the game and honestly say Great game. I must admit that a healthy view of competition is to strive for excellence within established boundaries. And competition should motivate players to pursue excellence!

Many researches have failed to determine whether sport can build character or whether athletes with certain values are attracted to certain sports more. And despite the fiery and hot drive to win, players and coaches are asked for the sake of the game and everything that follows, to stick to the rules.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The writer and the editor would like to thank every coach, writer and prominent people in the game of soccer who in one way or another have contributed to the collection and the formation of this book and for their pioneering in teachings of the game of soccer. And with writing this book we will continue their way in the same tradition of passing the knowledge to the new generation of players and coaches.

CONTRIBUTORS

This book is made possible as a result of a collective partnership between the writer-editor, the expressions and notes by many coaches, authors and players, discussing everything from the fundamentals to the most advanced topics. And it is almost impossible to name every single person who has in one way or another made a contribution to the game of soccer by developing technical skills, tactical skills, a new way or a totally different way of playing the game by making it better understood and as a result, we have so many better players and better matches. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is the most contributed by acting as a pioneer in United State of America’s soccer and their work is also reflected greatly in this book.

The Dutch Way of Developing Soccer Players has also contributed to the formation of this book with the help of a group of prominent personalities and coaches’ writings about the very essential topics related to the tactical game plans. And finally the writer and editor would like to thank every coach, author and great minds of the game who in one way or another have contributed to the game of soccer and this book.

CHAPTER 1

WHO IS THE RIGHT COACH FOR THIS JOB

To say that you need to pick the right coach for this job is only the beginning of this world class undertaking. To win the world cup in this modern age era, in which almost every nation which is a member of FIFA has access to good quality coaches from across the world and are electronically connected through internet and are informed of the latest technical and tactical elements that make up the game of soccer, then you need to start on the right foot and that is to find a coach who can take you to the top of the highest mountain in the world, and that mountain is called World Cup. And a coach who hasn’t climbed many high mountains is not the right coach for this undertaking, because he has no idea what it takes to climb and reach the top of Mount Everest.

Every coach’s philosophy is dictated by his objectives. While a coach should answer the questions like; what is the reason behind him wanting to be a coach, and what are his objectives? Many factors may motivate one to become and continue as a coach. Often, coaches have been athletes who want to continue, to be involved with the sport that they love. There is also much satisfaction in watching younger athlete develop and achieve, and also much satisfaction in contributing to the growth and development of young lives. Coaches in a way may live by sharing through the athletes’ experience they help. Or coaches may believe that they are the main reason behind their athlete’s success and want to take the most of the credit for that success. Some of the reasons for being a coach are very self serving and do not have the best interests of the athlete in mind. But the other side of the coin is about the guiding principle for developing a coaching philosophy in which should involve the athlete’s best interest. A coach is capable to become a very positive force in the technical, tactical, physical and psychological development of the athletes, while it is often said that athletics, develop character. However, we have all seen successful athletes who demonstrate poor character. Athletics do provide an environment for positive character development when the leadership, that is, the coaches, provides the right attitudes and expectations for its care and responsibility. If the leadership demonstrates unethical behavior without reluctance to bend the rules, or a general dishonesty in order to pursue success, the athlete will believe that winning at all costs is the correct philosophy of the game and therefore the life. All coaching decisions should be guided by considering the effects the decisions will have on the athletes as well as their performance.

Those decisions about training, competition, and athlete behavior must place the well-being of the athlete ahead of winning of the game and becoming successful. This does not mean that achieving success should not be a priority. What it means is that the well-being of the athlete must not be sacrificed for the glory of winning.

While few coaches can master in all of the areas of soccer, the more a coach can take in the knowledge that relates to the game, the greater will be his ability to teach the needed skills and to train and motivate the player to be successful. And that requires a clear understanding of several different disciplines, and those are as followed;

1. Physiology: The study of the various systems of the body is important in understanding how training, affects those systems of the body to improve performances. The following are key systems to learn about physiology of human body;

• Musculoskeletal system = Strength and power development

• Nervous system = Speed, coordination, skill development

• Cardiopulmonary system = Endurance

• Vascular system = Endurance

• Nutrition = Fuel for energy production

1. Motor Learning: Motor learning is the study of human learning skill. It includes an understanding of the relationship of the brain to the nervous proprioception, and of how kinesthetic feeling is developed through practice.

2. The body can learn by visual cues (sight), verbal description (hearing), and feeling (kinesthetic awareness). An individual may learn best by one cue rather than another and at a different rate tha another individual. The emergence of personal and behavioral characteristics through growth Process of athletes, plays a major role in the athletes’ ability to learn, since the brain and nervous system may not be adequately developed to master a complicated skill.

1. Psychology: The study of human behavior and personal conduct is one very critical element in developing a coach’s relationship with his athletes that allows players to have confidence in their coach. Motivation and a recurrent theme is a vital aspect of getting athletes to push through the pain barrier that brings them to a higher level of capacity in position of character, ability and achievement. When athletes desire to use athletics to achieve their needs, your job of getting the athletes to dedicate themselves to the task is much easier.

2. Biomechanics: Biomechanics is the study of physical mechanics relative to motion as by a deliberative and skillful performance. It involves understanding balance or equalizing, the mechanical effect of leverage, angular motion, linear motion, speed and velocity, and acceleration.

3. First aid: A certified trainer is not always on the site at practices or competitions. So coaches should have a basic understanding of first aid in order to provide immediate protection for the athletes in their charge. It is important to treat an injury with appropriate action until medical help is available.

The coach should use treatment in a manner that protects the athletes while they recover, and allow for maximum recovery before the athletes return to practice and competition.

6. Communication: The coach needs to understand how to get across the necessary and essential information for learning to take place. Coaches also need to learn and understand how to listen to the athletes and to learn of their needs. This critical ability given vital feedback to the coach in the learning process. It also shows a respect for the athletes, which helps develop good coach-athlete communication. The coach also needs to be able to communicate with everyone who in one way or another, are involve with the team or the matches.

The ability to effectively coach athletes and a team will be determined by several factors like; the quality of facilities and equipment, the size of the coaching staff, and the amount of invested time may lie somewhat outside of your control. There may be financial constraints dictated by your institution. However, the key to know and learn how to make effective use of what, time and staff you do have. Learning the proper fundamentals now will save you time in the long run. If you don’t strive to gain as much background knowledge as possible, you could be teaching your players incorrect techniques and skills, and it will take much longer to correct bad technique once it becomes a habit. Take the time to learn the proper fundamentals up front. Organizing your staff whether you’re the sole coach for your athletes or the head of a team of coaches, these are effective ways to organize all events. A team of six very knowledgeable coaches would be great.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t have the six man coaching team, you are not doomed. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! We first examine what a national team coach should know about the basic principles of the game of soccer. What makes for effective soccer match and what makes for effective soccer player? The game of soccer is consists of style and changes in style, and a coach deciding to modify the player’s roles and transforming the strategy, while he develops the ideal game plan. To be able to analyze the game statistically and determining from an objective point of view that what is an effective game of soccer and what is an effective soccer team. To be able to change the structure and transfigure his theory as a coach into reality by the way of the study of the principles or procedures of inquiry in the field of soccer and the methodology needed in order that a productive game play be the result of the practices undertaken by his players and his team. A coach’s understanding of the game of soccer and being able to separate a skillful game of soccer with what is known as a poor soccer, as oppose to developing what is an effective soccer. To adopt such methods and attitudes as may be necessary to achieve the required result, as oppose to only the predominant use of the game elements like, speed and power rather than combining with technical and tactical expertise. What is the reason behind a poorly developed soccer team and what you need to do to overcome those obstacles? Even though high intensity coaching, has always been a wishful thinking than a reality, the quality of those who were picked for coaching their national team with the most talented players are less in gained through study and qualification of applications and more of the old comrades variety, with not the best understanding of correct application of the game.

To develop your philosophy of coaching, like all professions that are founded on basic understanding principles of conduct, a coach is generally considered a role model for those in his/her team and what are the responsibilities of one who would be a coach. How to win and how to loose are both important appreciations that all coaches must learn and to deal with them in a professional manner is very important to overall success of a coach.

A national team coach should avoid references to unethical recruitment. When discussing the team matters, a national team coach has