Why Technical Instruction Has To Be Individual

In coaching and teaching soccer, my ultimate goal has always been to develop a competent possession-style team and/or individual players capable of making their way onto and contributing productively to such a team. My means to this end has always been to focus primarily on technical instruction, from a conviction that – especially for young (pre-collegiate) players, but even to some extent for advanced players – building and refining technical expertise is the key, or sine qua non, to success. 

Technical Instruction 

Let me begin by defining and distinguishing among technique, tactics, and team strategy. I do this because, for lack of common definitions, I often find myself talking at cross-purposes with other coaches. Simply put, many coaches will declare that they are focusing on technique in their drills and practices, when I would say they are not.

Technical instruction involves all the elements in: 1) kicking a ball – whether it be slow or fast, short or long, high or low, straight or curved, and whether it be with the instep, inside, or outside of the foot; 2) controlling the ball with all body surfaces, but mostly the foot, thigh, chest, and head; and 3) dribbling. 

Tactics encompass all elements of group play (from 1v1 to 11v11) – from a simple pass, to a give-and-go, and on up to an array of defensive, midfield, offensive body and positional behaviors, whether a player is in possession of the ball or not. 

Strategies are plans to shape defensive and offensive tactical play to a coach’s overall game plan. Most coaches use a combination of tactics when they make their plan – ones that he thinks will give his particular group of players the best chance for success, whether it involve the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, for example, or a high press, or a flat-back-four. Obviously, player technical abilities will influence a coach’s decisions on team strategy.

Tactics Interferes With Technique

When a coach designs a drill to teach technique and tactics together at the same time, I would caution that this combination will almost inevitably come at the expense of true technical instruction, which happens best in isolation (one player, one ball) and with the opportunity for ample feedback from the coach to each player about their relative success. This feedback should be of similar to a tennis pro’s analysis of the execution of a player’s forehand (backswing, stroke, follow-through) and accompanying footwork. 

After a session where a technique is addressed in isolation, that technique can be practiced and refined through a tactical drill – but even then coaches should realize that the more players involved in the drill, the more the balance tips toward tactical instruction.

For example, when two players kick a ball back and forth, the emphasis can be technical (as long as the coach gives feedback). With four players doing a 3v1 drill in a small area, the emphasis shifts to more like one-half technical, one-half tactical. A competitive drill involving 6 players moves to, say, 70% tactical, and any drill of 10 players or more is almost wholly tactical.

Conclusion

My essential pitch is that, to be truly effective, technical instruction has to be individual, with liberal correction and redirection by the coach. It is not realistic to think that drills by themselves will build technique. More often, they simply afford players an opportunity to practice their mistakes.