Coerver Coaching (@coervercoaching)

Ball mastery can get boring when it feels too repetitive, but repetition is still essential for development. One simple way to keep players engaged is to **add competition to the repetition.** Give players a score to beat, a race against the clock, or a challenge to outperform their previous…

“You’re losing 2-0 with 10 minutes left. What do you do?” ⚽ In this podcast clip, Alf explains a simple way to bring matchday into training: give players a game scenario, then let them work out how to respond. They get to practise making decisions under pressure, without the coach providing every…

The coach says one thing. A parent shouts another. The player is left trying to please both. Everyone wants to help, but conflicting instructions can make matchday harder for young players. In this podcast clip, Alf explains why coaches should involve parents, explain what they’re working towards…

Your players haven’t forgotten how to pass or dribble. So why does it sometimes fall apart on matchday? ⚽ The pressure changes. The score matters, time is running out and decisions feel harder. In this clip, Alf and Jimmy discuss preparing players for those moments during training. Try starting a…

Great in training, but struggling on matchday? ⚽ In this clip, Alf shares a simple way to help players prepare: bring matchday scenarios into your training. “You’re losing 2–0 with 10 minutes left. How do you respond?” Give players the situation, then let them work it out. It’s a chance to…

Your players know how to perform a skill. But can they decide when and where to use it? ⚽ In this podcast clip, Alf and Jimmy discuss how constantly telling players what to do can leave them relying on the coach for decisions they need to learn to make themselves. Sometimes, staying quiet gives…

A look inside our newest course, Coerver Matchday Masterclass. ⚽ This practice gives players a reason to keep looking up. As the coach changes the colour signal, players must recognise which goals they can score in, or switch to keeping possession. They’re practising scanning, adapting and making…

Great in training, but struggling on matchday? ⚽ You work on passing, movement and confidence all week. Then the match starts, players rush, lose possession and hesitate to try the things they’ve practised. We created **Matchday Masterclass** to help you close that gap. Our new coaching course…

Great in training, but struggling on matchday? Sound familiar? In this clip, we discuss one possible reason: we encourage players to try things in training, but when results matter, our reactions can change. Players who felt free to make mistakes suddenly become afraid of making them. Our brand…

In this clip, we discuss a frustration we hear from coaches time and again: players perform well in training, but struggle to reproduce it on matchday. It’s exactly why we created Matchday Masterclass, our new course launching this week. ⚽ The course explores what causes this disconnect and gives…

A good feint makes the defender move before you do. ⚽ In this drill, the attacker uses their first touch to move the ball towards the goalkeeper’s right, then sells the movement with a feint. The aim is to tempt the defender and goalkeeper into shifting their weight. As they commit, the attacker…

What can grassroots players learn from Spain? Keep the passes simple and keep moving. ⚽ As Alf explains, short passes and movement into space help players receive calmly and move the ball on before pressure arrives. The important part is what happens after the pass. Move to offer support again…

Let the equipment do some of the teaching. ⚽ Small goals give players a clear target and encourage them to focus on accuracy when finishing. As Alf explains, a finish can use the same technique as a pass. Players don’t always need to hit the ball harder, they need to place it better. Try using…

Does your matchday warm-up prepare players for how you want them to play? ⚽ If the game becomes “ping-pong football”, with possession constantly changing hands, start with what happens before kick-off. Instead of players queuing for a shot, try a small possession game such as 4v4 with three…

Want more intensity in your sessions? Add competition. ⚽ A simple team challenge gives players a reason to move quicker, stay focused and encourage each other, without you constantly asking them to speed up. Whether you’re working on passing, receiving, dribbling or finishing, give small groups a…

Better finishing starts with what happens before the shot. ⚽ Ball Mastery helps players become more comfortable with both feet, giving them a stronger foundation for finishing when the chance comes. Then take that into your shooting practices: work on accuracy, finishing with either foot and…

Ball Mastery is individual practice, but its purpose is to help players in the team game. ⚽ As Alf explains, repetition and plenty of touches build the control behind a good first touch. That matters on matchday. Instead of using the next touch to recover the ball, a player can use it to pass…

Spain's passing secrets: triangles and diamonds to create space. Youth games have constant turnovers. Learn short, 2-touch passes to keep possession and move into space. #SoccerDrills #YouthSoccer #FootballSkills #PassingDrills #SoccerTraining #CoerverCoaching #SoccerTips #BallControl…

Winning matters, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of player development. When the result becomes the only measure of success, players become afraid of making the mistake that costs their team the game. Instead of taking risks, making decisions and trying the new skills they’ve worked on in…

⚽️🏠 Want to make practising at home more fun? Coerver Coaching co-founder Alf Galustian shares three simple ideas: 1️⃣ Set small, achievable goals and gradually make them more difficult. 2️⃣ Add some competition by practising with a friend, sibling or parent. 3️⃣ Record your scores so you can look…

If you have a player in your team who lacks confidence and is afraid of making mistakes, here’s Xavi’s advice: Find space. When you receive the ball in more space, there’s less pressure on your first touch. You have more time to look up, assess your options and decide what to do next. More space…

Some words of wisdom from 7mlctraining 👇 Every player has natural strengths. Some are quicker. Some strike the ball brilliantly. Others see passes, defend well or stay composed under pressure. The sooner coaches recognise those strengths, the sooner they can give players a clearer direction for…

The biggest “crime” a coach can commit is leaving a child enjoying football less than they did before. Protecting players’ love of the game should always come first. Give them games. Let them have fun. Encourage them to play, smile and shake hands, rather than making every session and match about…

Being faster with the ball isn’t just about sprinting faster. Changing speed can be just as effective. Stop-start movements make it difficult for defenders to judge what’s coming and can create the space you need to accelerate away. Your touches matter too. Fewer touches can help you move faster…

Coaches often ask how to deal with disruptive behaviour. One useful strategy is to get ahead of it. Before bringing players in to listen, give them a quick warning. Let them finish what they’re doing, burn off that last bit of energy and come in ready to focus. Try using more carrot than stick…

Tackling should be the last option, At grassroots level, defending is often taught as one thing: tackling. But tackling can be messy. Players can go to ground, lose control of the ball or win it without being able to play forward. Rondos teach players another way. The player closest to the ball…

Does your pre-match warm-up involve one player passing to the coach, receiving the ball back and shooting, while everyone else waits? The player gets a couple of touches. The coach gets plenty. The rest of the team stands still. That’s a poor trade when the aim is to prepare players to start the…

Lots of coaches feel they need a completely new session plan every week. But constantly changing your drills can waste valuable coaching time. Players have to learn the setup, rules and movements before the practice can really begin. Don’t be afraid to repeat drills your players already understand…

An old favourite from the Coerver Coaching Podcast with former Chelsea coach Mark Robinson. Coaches naturally want to help, but stopping a practice too quickly and giving players every answer can disrupt the flow of a session and limit their learning. Before calling “stop, stand still”, give…

Ball Mastery is not about learning a new move every day. Choose a small number of movements and develop them properly: ⚽ Practise each move for two minutes ⚽ Gradually increase the difficulty ⚽ Finish with a 30-second speed challenge ⚽ Track your score and try to beat it next time Repetition…