Football training ideas and coaching skills
Practical training ideas: how to plan a session, coach the key skills, and keep every player busy, whatever the age, numbers or weather.
How to plan a football training session (with a free template)
A simple four-part structure for youth football training sessions, how long each part should take, and a free planner that builds the session for your numbers.
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How to teach kids to defend in football (1v1 and beyond)
The four coaching points that make young defenders better at 1v1 defending, the practices to use, and how to progress to defending as a pair and a unit.
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Coaching young goalkeepers: confidence, technique and fair rotation
How grassroots coaches can help young keepers: dealing with fear of the ball, the ready position and catching shapes, simple drills, and rotating the keeper fairly.
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How to teach dribbling to kids (and stop them just kicking it away)
Why some children kick the ball away under pressure, how to build dribbling confidence with a ball each, and the games that teach when to dribble and when to pass.
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Football drills for 5 and 6 year olds: fun games that work
Simple, fun football games for 5 and 6 year olds: what works at this age, how to set them up, and how to keep a group of little ones busy and smiling.
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Football drills for adult amateur teams
Training ideas for Sunday league and adult amateur teams: drills that suit one session a week, mixed fitness and the players who actually turn up.
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Training with too few or too many players
What to do when only a handful of players turn up to football training, or when you have 20 players and one coach: games and set-ups that still work.
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How to coach passing to young players
How to teach passing to young footballers: the technique in plain words, games that make passing the smart choice, and fixes for teams that just kick it long.
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Winter and indoor football training ideas
Ideas for winter and indoor football training: games for small sports halls, keeping players warm outside, and sessions that still feel like football.
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Players not listening at training? What to try
Practical fixes when young players won't listen at football training: shorter talks, attention signals, clear rules and sessions that keep everyone busy.
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Small-sided games: why they work and how to run them
Why small-sided games are the best training for young players, how to set up 2v2 to 5v5, and how to coach during the game without stopping it.
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