Barcelona Under 11's

[JCL666]

That's because the children in this country are taught to smash the ball, if anyone watches Sussex Sunday league youth level the midfield may aswell not be there, my brother played for peace haven under 14s last year and scored 20 odd goals simply because one ball over the top would release him as he is lightning.

Now attending the Ian Gilmore Academy and can say fon my own years playing and coaching I have NEVER seen anything like it, it's all about keeping the ball, and playing football, for a start how many people who have played for clubs see a warm up where you run across the pitch, do side to sides, and then play the circle, at IGFA every kid has a ball and the warm up is all about ball control while jogging, and tbh some of these kids who go are out of this world.

One other point about Spain is that there are an obscene amount of football pitches dotted about, they are everywhere!

My sons been training with Saturday Soccer up at Varndean for about 4 years. Since he started they've always been coached with the ethos of passing the ball and not hoofing it. Him and his mates are very confident on the ball.

They are 8 years old and some of the football they play is incredible.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

One of the things that really stands out is the way they move straight after a pass.That must be drummed into them from the word go.It just dosn't seem to happen over here.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Amazing. The first goal they showed there is just amazing. And then the celebration!

 

[Bladders]

It's not always a case that we cant pass it's our choice of passing, we seem hell bent on getting the ball forward as fast as possible and lack patience, hence passing to someone with his back to goal and a defender breathing down his neck.

Just watch the yellow team in the vid, if they gain possession its head down and run with it until tackled or always looking for a forward pass which inevitably gets picked off.

 

[Northstander]

Staggering or is it?

No major complex moves...in reality you play an easy ball and move or create space for your team mates?

I guess the fa know what a triangle is....thats how we should be playing and as a team.

Football is not complex...England is so far behind its scary?

 

[Mendoza]

I find it inspiring. They make it look so easy and they are 10 or 11 years old. It is probably more advanced than the England national team at present, and we are ranked 4th in the world.

Loved watching it. They are playing Arsenal U11s, who must be one of the best teams in England and made them look like like they dont know what theyre doing.

 

[DavePage]

Shame about the reefing tho’ why was there a forward in the wrong half at kickoff after the first goal?

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

There was really nothing that special in the video, it was simple pass and move... I don't get why people who are paid 100k a week to play football can't do it

 

[Doc Lynam]

All you can hear is an aggressive english man, telling kids what to do. (think its Arsenal under11's) There is part of the problem to start with, don't care if he is the manager or not.

 

[Doc Lynam]

This is why we need to get our academy built soon as. This will be the real heart of our club.

Poyet's philosophy | Sky Sports | Video | Football | Championship | Brighton

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

So many of our kids try and 'skill' other players - this video is pass-pass-pass. CWWW jnr gets regular coaching but as soon as it gets to the game they do not look for space and they do not pass - sums up our mentality.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

My sons been training with Saturday Soccer up at Varndean for about 4 years. Since he started they've always been coached with the ethos of passing the ball and not hoofing it. Him and his mates are very confident on the ball.

They are 8 years old and some of the football they play is incredible.

My son has the same coaching - although i would say the coaching is good but way behind the level that is required at a grass roots level if we are looking to improvement in the national team.

 

[JCL666]

My son has the same coaching - although i would say the coaching is good but way behind the level that is required at a grass roots level if we are looking to improvement in the national team.

TBH I was replying to the comments about the IGFA.... Saturday Soccer school isn't a pro academy though, it's about encouraging the kids so that they are confident on the ball, within an ethos based on possession and the passing game. IMO it's way beyond what was around when I was a kid (a looong time ago), and is at the very least going in the right direction.

Obviously I don't know about your lad, but my son played his first ever competitive mini soccer game this evening. Generally they had their heads up looking for space and played some great football. Of course they did try too hard in parts and nerves were a factor, but I have to say I was really impressed with the style of football they tried to play and their execution of it.

 

[middletoenail]

That video was rather Barca biased, they didn't show any of the Arsenal moves(if there were any).

That said, there surely has to be big money involved in bringing some of these Spanish coaches to Lilleshall(sic) or the new centre that has just been built in Burton. The FA need to get the cheque book out and start poaching some of the top coaches out there!

 

[anygivensunday]

What makes it even more impressive is that isn't even Barcelona's youth team. It's Barcelona USA, an affiliate team in California. Barcelona have lots of these satellite clubs across the states.

So those kids are actually american learning to play the Barca way.

 

[pishhead]

People do actually realise that these are American kids rather than Spanish and English? Here is the original blog where the aforementioned video came from.
Possession Soccer at the Youth Level Video
Very interesting website and well worth a look around.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

What makes it even more impressive is that isn't even Barcelona's youth team. It's Barcelona USA, an affiliate team in California. Barcelona have lots of these satellite clubs across the states.

So those kids are actually american learning to play the Barca way.

Either they all have Spanish backgrounds or they have learnt to speak the Barca way as well.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm bored of all the hand wringing about the state of the English game. SO many people make facile comments about the situation, derogatory comments about the coaching and football culture of the country at grass roots and youth levels upwards.

SO many people seem to know what the problem is and even more know the solution. Yet they do nothing. If you really cared you'd get off your arse and do something about it. Get yourself qualified and involved in the game and work to improving the coaching of our youngsters. I have a lot of respect for [MENTION=1877]supaseagull[/MENTION], the people mentioned in JCL666's post and anyone else who is actually getting out there and doing their best to help the kids. Until you offer more than flippant criticisms of our footballing culture you are as much a part of the problem as those you criticise.

This post isn't aimed at anyone specifically in this thread, rather at the general theme of posts in threads like this.

 

[BigGully]

Courtesy of Mendoza on FB.

Check out the way these young lads keep the ball. We are way behind in this country.

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Brilliant, but also check out that they are playing on a FULL SIZE pitch, with massive goals, all bad practice, we are told and one of the reasons we are so far behind.

So of course its helpful that the FA have brought in new guidelines, but its the coaching, the culture and the encouragement of possession when maybe not always going forward that allows these elite youngsters to play the way they do.

 

[macky]

for one we could make pitches free for under a certain age and another its very hard to get a team for kids My boys team has a waiting list