This document discusses coaching methods for developing youth football players. It argues that solely focusing on results does not appreciate the developmental pathway players must go through. Talent identification requires a well-planned pathway allowing all players to reach their potential at their own pace of maturation. Modifying training through small-sided games can create a more deliberate practice environment and lead to positive physiological and technical development. A coach's role is to understand each player's needs and capabilities in order to create an environment for successful long-term development.

1. Talent Identification in Football
MOD003606
ARU Student # 1518088
Talent Development Pathways in Football
Lecturer: Mark Armitage
Is there more to coaching than just
shouting instructions?

2. Let’s discuss…
• Coaching is easy, can anyone do it?
• How can coaches stay ahead of the game and develop
methods that impact the future of all players?
• How does maturation play a role in the coaching and
development of a youth footballer?
• What coaching methods can be used to address a
youth footballers physical and mental capabilities?

3. The end product doesn’t tell the whole story
Talent comes in all shapes, sizes, physical and intellectual abilities. Solely focusing on the end product doesn't fully
appreciate the pathway that youth players must go through to realize their potential.
The small, fast dribbler
The slight, thinking playmaker
The big powerhouse

4. Talent identification is the process for recognizing potential to become an elite performer (Williams & Reilly,
2000). Developing this talent in each individual requires a well planned and thought out pathway which gives
ample opportunity to all participants to realize their potential at their own speed of maturation.
=
Developing Youth Footballers from the Foundations up

5. Coaches Evolving to Aid LTAD
Self-motivated and
inspirational
Detail oriented Practical experience Theoretical
experience
Understanding
players needs
Cushion, 2010, Jones 2007, Reilly et el, 2000, Gilbert, 2009

6. The Person & The Player
Considering a player, just as a player, does not take into
consideration the development issues young athletes go through in
their stages of maturation.

7. Break Tradition
Carling, 2009, Wattie et el, 2008, Mann, 2016
Age is only a number
Which player would Bio-banding
help?
Being smaller shouldn’t be an
obstacle in a players development
Every situation has solutions

8. Making hasty predictions? What could possibly go wrong?
“Look at him, he’s
got no chance, he’s
too small, slow and
will never make it”
Lionel Messi: 5 Feet 7 inches tall
Champions League Winner & 4
time Ballon d’Or Winner
Luca Modric: 5 Feet 9 Inches tall
Champions League Winner
Xavi: 5 Feet 7 inches tall
World Cup Winner & Champions
League Winner
Iniesta: 5 Feet 7 inches tall
World Cup Winner & Champions
League Winner

9. The Environment We Create is Important

10. It’s OK to modify the game, the kids will love it!
The Problem
•Overwhelming
•Unrealistic
•Demoralizing
•Why continue?
Think Differently
•What are the players
needs?
•What do we need to adjust
to help our players?
•What ways can we help
them be successful?
Small Sided Games
(SSG)
•SSG impact physiological &
technical development
positively
•SSG can lead to deliberate
practices that are quality
in both content and time
spent
Drust et el, 2000, Gabbet et el, 2009

11. Environments for Developmental Success
By reducing the size of the pitch, numbers of players and focusing on the game that
the youth players can be impacted by the most, can lead to more interactions with the
ball, interactions with team mates and help to give players a more deliberate and
economical training environment (Small, 2006).

12. Creativity from the coach can lead to more deliberate practice
A coaches role is to try and pick the right SSG set up and how to modify the game to impact
the players education, performance and enjoyment of the development process (Davids et
el, 2013)

13. Which coach do you want to be?

14. What can we take away?
• As discussed, coaching isn't as easy as it's perceived to be, rather it's a process of
applying science and tacit knowledge to ensure the LTAD of players is as rounded
as can be
• Understanding maturation of the person and the player is extremely important as
this can be the difference between players being supported in a physically and
emotionally safe environment or being looked over and dismissed with a hasty
assessment
• Modifying training & competitive games to fit youth players capabilities & grouping
players on physical maturity over their chronological age could help late
developers get their fair chance to shine
• Deliberate practices, which provides a platform for youth players to experiment
and perform in a child friendly, realistic football atmosphere, can lead the
individuals on a path that’s time friendly & developmentally appropriate

15. Thank you for listening!
QUESTIONS PLEASE?

16. References• Carling, C., le Gall, F., Reilly, T. and Williams, A.M., Do Anthropometric and Fitness Characteristics Vary According to Birth Date Distribution in Elite Youth Academy Soccer
Players? Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2009, 19(1), 3-9.
• Cushion, C J. (2010) Coach behavior. In. J. Lyle & C. J. Cushion (Eds.), Sports coaching professionalization and practice (pp. 243-253). London: Elsevier.
• David L. Mann & Pleun J. M. A. van Ginneken (2016): Age-ordered shirt numbering reduces the selection bias associated with the relative age effect. Journal of Sports
Sciences. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1189588
• Drust, B., Reilly, T., & Cable, N. T. (2000). Physiological responses to laboratory-based soccer-specific intermittent and continuous exercise. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18,
885–892.
• Gabbett, T., Jenkins, D., & Abernethy, B. (2009). Game-based training for improving skill and physical fitness in team sport athletes. International Journal of Sports Science
and Coaching, 4 (2), 273–283.
• Gilbert, W., Lichtenwaldt, L., Gilbert, J., Zelezny, L., & Cote, J.(2009). Developmental profiles of successful high school coaches. International Journal of Sports Science &
Coaching, 4, 415–431.
• Jones, R. L. (2007). Coaching redefined: An everyday pedagogical endeavor. Sport, Education and Society, 12, 159–173.
• Reilly, T., Bangsbo, J. and Franks, A., Anthropometric and Physiological Predispositions for Elite Soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2000, 18(9), 669-683.
• Small, G. (2006) Small Sided Games Study of Young Football Players in Scotland. University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland, UK: Independent Consultant Paper
• Wattie, N., Cobley, S., & Baker, J. (2008). Towards a unified understanding of relative age effects. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26, 1403–1409.
• Williams, A. M., & Reilly, T. (2000). Talent identification and development in soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18, 657–667.