Football training

We have some football [soccer] mad kids in our class and we are learning the skills of the game this term. I'm lucky to have four of you in my team. Hopefully Mr Webb won't poach our super-striker. Luckily, if he does, we have other goal scoring machines as well :-)

Who can tell me who this mega-famous former football star is?

Here are some links to sites with info and tips:

http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/soccer.htm lots of links to football skills 'n' drills

Frank Lampard on practicing

Soccertoons for advice, ideas, etc

Breakaway soccer stuff

Soccer Sins: [from Soccertoons]

Soccer Sin #1 - Players who pass up on shooting opportunities are of no impact on the game.

Soccer Sin #2 - The silent player who cannot communicate on the field is invisible to all.

Soccer Sin #3 - Strikers and midfielders who fail to track back on defensive transition, or unwilling to hunt down the opposition with the ball are should get accustomed to a new sport like fishing, or tiddlywinks.

And Soccertoon Clues:

Train ball touch maneuvers with a tennis ball to soften your touch and increase your foot speed.

The mother of skill is REPETITION so find the time alone to train to music and a thousand touches per day, as a minimum.

Treat the ball like an egg and do not scramble it!

If you put in 90% effort do not expect to get back 100% improvement.

Find a pattertennis court and take a ball. Play it off the walls and work on receiving turning, heading, volleys. No pressure - no one is watching! You will get comfortable with the ball and be creative. You have no limits to the creative ball maneuvers you can master in the restricted space of an enclosed court. The ball will fly and so will your reactions.

Find a soccer buddy who is as dedicated and crazy about training as you are and get together twice a week for some fun games and 1v1 competition. You will not only get competent but more importantly CONFIDENT.