It is always refreshing to be able to watch top teams in top competitions and figuring out how their tactics and physical actions could apply to your squad. From this World Cup these lessons could be beneficial to most squads in pursuit of better results.
Lesson 1) Set Plays! We have seen from this World Cup just how important these plays can be. It is not just important to practice these but for everyone on the team and in the program to be totally on board and bought in to the difference that free kicks, corner kicks, penalty kicks and throw-ins can make. Tesho came out on twitter asking if teams should have a Set Plays coach because of all the impact these plays have had in this WC. Nice to get more coaches working but the most important aspect is that the manager or head coach puts his belief in training for Set Pieces and that this belief is held by the entire team. The coaches need to plan for all the possible situations and be willing to be creative about setting up opportunities for key targets and key servers. A good use of training time is reps with the server and receiver so when the whole team is together they are already adept at making the proper service and the target or targets are also ready. A PK is also a Set Play that should be trained for just like other free kicks.
2) Making your team into a Real Team! This was obvious from the tournament and particularly the knockout matches that those teams that had a belief in each other and were willing to all do the so called dirty work were more likely to move on. These teams also have seemed to enjoy being together at the tournament. Finding ways to build your team, to bring them together, and make sure you are all enjoying The opportunity is more important than ever. This should be easier to do with a club or college team than it is with a national team. But you must do this intentionally and you must have a plan and the whole program top to bottom Working to make Your Team!
3) Being able to adapt to situations! Having a plan for each situation. Being able to attack, putting the ball into dangerous situations and getting DZT (Danger Zone touches). Providing good service while attacking in more than one way. Being able to defend in more than 1 way and being able to attack out of each way. If a team sits in, you are ready. If they press you have trained for it. This business of a team not playing the way they should have, means you were not prepared as coaches and players and that is who is to blame. Train to be ready for your side to be at their best.
This World Cup has taught us to train for our Best Day Ever Today and make Everyday the Best it can be!
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