Andy,
That is very interesting what you have to say about Tim because he teaches passing at the early ages also. (He teaches the complete game...dribbling and passing at the early ages). He has some of the best passing players around at the early ages and he encourages them to pass during the game! (And they usually win a lot of games).

herewegoagain

We encourage our players to pass at the younger ages also. However, we manage to get every player to use deceptive dribbling moves by expecting a piece of individual brilliance (a fake) before the pass. If all goes to plan we get a great individual play and a great team play on every possession.

I hope this clears up any misconception (if there was one).

Andy

Paul,

Good one! The only way to stay sane in my house is show absolutely no emotion when everyone else is losing it.

However, let's not get too chummy. You keep me on my toes and I'm sure to hit a nerve sooner rater than later.

Andy

Andy,
Tim's teams pass so much better than any Legends team that I have seen play the game (especially at the earlier ages). There really is no comparison. So he must be coaching different than you are. I have noticed in games that he doesn't tell the player to make a move; he asks them to get in the proper position and to pass the ball. Then in the attacking third one of his skilled players will take on the last defender to score or cross the ball.

I guess even the Boca boys sell out from time to time.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=698319&sec=worldcup2010&cc=5901

GO IRELAND!!!! BEAT FIFA'S SELF SERVING SEEDING RULE CHANGE. BEAT THOSE NASTY FRENCH!!!!

herewegoagain

We'll probably never know how good Tim's teams would have been from age 14 to 18 because of his high school coaching commitments.

Historically the Legends program has built a far greater deceptive dribbling and finishing component than any other program. Teams trained in this way when they were younger played an ever better team game as we focused more on combination play and passing components of the game between 14-18 years of age.

The major difference was the sheer number of Legends players, defenders, midfielders, (even goalies), who could use a move in high level competition in any area of the field at 17/18.

To develop players who are stll able to perform the Christiano type skills when in their late teens, the focus on deceptive dribbling has to be very intense for much longer than even the most enlightened traditional coaches believe.

When the U18 87/88 Legends won the USYSA Regional Championship, the winning goal against Busch,(now St Louis SC), came from the free kick earned when Mark Roennigke was fouled as he did a Maradona Turn.

When the U16 79/80 Legends won the USYSA Regional Championship, the winning goal came when Jason Cole beat three Omaha defenders in a solo dribble from his own half.

When the 81/82 Legends won the USYSA Regional Championship, the winning goal came when Joe Burns dribbled past 5 Javanon defenders and scored from a position 15 yards inside his own half.

Every team I ever coached into their mid-teens also played a cultured passing game. This is an exercise in simple common sense and logic. They could hold the ball under pressure until the right moment to pass, instead of being forced into passing at an inappropriate time by defensive pressure.

The Brazilians are great passers for the same reason. Everyone on Brazil's teams through the years have been such great dribblers that they hold the ball under extreme pressure until the perfect moment to make the pass.

I hope this clarifies why we have always focused so intensely on developing the best ball handlers and goal scorers (the goal scoring shot is the hardest pass) at the earlier ages.

It is very simple logic. Any child who can hold the ball until the time is right to pass and also shoot with accuracy and power, (same technique as passing but much harder), will be a very special team player as they mature.

Andy

Andy,

You keep telling us about your teams from 10+ years ago, can you tell us more about your current teams? I've watched a few Legends games and unfortunatley these players are NOT the best "ball handlers" in the world? to claim they are Brazilian is laughable. Why play in tournaments if you don't coach to win? Over the last 10 years your teams have struggled and your now a Bronze level club. I don't know why you are so arrogant?

Jo

Andy,
You are going off on a different tangent talking about past teams that have nothing to do about the line of reasoning we were discussing. You stated, "Tim will tell you that he coaches a very similar method to ours at the younger ages". What I was asking is if your methods are so similar than why does his teams pass so much better than the Legends teams and win so many games at the younger age groups?

Please don't confuse winning with development.
You make a very good point regarding the passing element but another team 'winning' more in youth football doesn't mean the players are any better or worse.
Results are usually sacrificed for development by most coaches worth their salt.

TTown



Here's Dunga's quote after yesterday's game against England:



Even if England has all their players fit, Brazil has so much more dribbling and goal scoring talent that they will be favorites to win the World Cup this summer as always.

Andy