Blog | How are The Coaching Manual's coaches approaching the new season?

Many leagues around the country and around the world are either back under way following pre-season, or returning to competition very soon, so we asked some of the coaches within The Coaching Manual team what their first ‘proper’ training session looked like, and why?

Steven Crane - Foundation phase coach (u11)

Steven is a FA UEFA B licensed football coach and U11 coach at a Premier League Academy, as well as Head of Player Development and Education at The Coaching Manual.

Dribbling to Create 1v1 and 2v1 situations - click here for the full session.

Session breakdown:

• Arrival game 3v3
• Dribbling 1v1 and 2v1 Skill Practice
• World Cup Tournament

“The first session back should focus on, high intensity game-related practices. The players have missed out on opportunities to be creative and have touches on the ball, so this is a great time to allow them to do this”

Paul Bright - Youth Development phase coach (12-16)

Paul is a UEFA A Licence and USSF A Licence coach, and is Technical Director at The Coaching Manual.

Transition to Defend - click here for the full session

Session breakdown:

• Transition to Defend 4v4+2 Skill Practice
• Transition to Defend Possession Practice
• Transition to Defend 8v8 Conditioned Game

"This session is an opportunity to develop your players by teaching them the right mindset when seeking to regain possession. It's a fast-paced session so as well as an opportunity for learning, it helps players prepare for the season ahead."

Lee Fletcher - Development phase coach (16+)

Lee’s coaching qualifications include UEFA B Coaching Award, and he has various experiences in Europe in different capacities. Lee is now Head of Content with The Coaching Manual..

Transition to Regaining the Ball - click here for the full session

Session breakdown

• Counter Attacking 4v2 Rondo
• 3v3 Counter Attacking Transitional - Small Sided Games
• Attacking Overloads Skill Practice

"These practices are great for replicating the pace of a competitive match, which players need to be able to keep up now the season has started - the session also requires players to hone their quick decision-making skills while under pressure."

Subscribe to The Coaching Manual

Not only does The Coaching Manual have a world-leading library of broadcast-quality session content, but with a Premium subscription, you will also have access to a wealth of resources designed to support the mental, social, and emotional growth of your players in the context of the sport.

As well as this, a Premium subscription will grant you access to the following:

• Our LMA Masterclass series featuring sessions from David Moyes, Rene Meulensteen, Alan Irvine, Steve McClaren, and more
• Access to 100s of other exclusive sessions
• Full access to our session creation and season planning tools
• The same coaching content used by the Professional Footballers' Association
• Coaching Focus Web Series (Seasons 1 & 2)

For the equivalent of just £5 ($7) a month when you pay annually, sign up and start taking advantage of all that The Coaching Manual has to offer today!

Sign up here