Understanding Coaching Instructions
Football coaching has its unique set of words and phrases that everyone is supposed to know but there are very few occasions when someone will take the time to explain what they mean.
If your child enters the academy in their early years the coach is likely to have stopped the training / game and explained exactly what they mean. However if your child has joined later, some of the instructions could pass over their head as there is an expectation they know what the phrases mean.
So here are some key ones to know.
Compress or press
This is an instruction to the outfield players to move closer to the opposition players and reduce the space they have to pass and receive the ball.
Deep or playing deep
Setting and playing the team position much closer to their own goal than they would ordinarily play as a defensive tactic.
Drop
This is asking a player or players to move closer towards their goal by a distance that improves the teams defensive position.
Goal side
Positioning yourself closer to the goal than your immediate opponent.
Hold the ball
When the player keeps control of the ball, slowing down the attack waiting for teammates to catch up to make a pass to.
Hold or hold the line
Instruction to the defenders to keep a straight defensive line across an area of the pitch to minimise the opponents attacking space and avoid breaks in the defensive line that could play an opposing player on-side.
Flicks
A fast, short pass to the left or the right using the outside edge of the foot to create an advantageous movement.
Keep it simple or simple football
Usually follows a player attempting to showboat with skills not required at this stage of football. Showboating tends to result in the opposition winning possession so the coach is insisting on straightforward passing and shooting.
Line it or down the line
Often used to direct a throw-in or pass where the flight and path of the ball runs relatively close and parallel to the touch lines.
Man on
In which ever direction you are travelling with ball you have an attacking player behind or to your side that you cannot see, so pass the ball now to avoid losing the ball.
Off the ball movement
When players haven't got the ball they can still create an advantage for their team by making attacking runs into space to draw opposition players away from the path of their attacking team mate who has the ball and can run into space made availble.
One-two
Action between teammates to move the ball past an opponent. Player One passes the ball to his team mate and runs past the opponent, whereupon they immediately receive the ball back from their team mate, who has received, controlled, and passed the ball in one movement. Your coach may also call this Give and Go.
Overlap
An attacking player with the ball is followed by a single defender; the attacker's teammate runs past both the attacking player and the opposition defender, forcing the opposition defender to either continue to shadow the player on the ball, or attempt to prevent the teammate from receiving a pass. The first player can either pass the ball or keep possession, depending on which decision the defender makes.
Playing down or through the channels
This is the empty space in front of the opponents full back and centre half.
Play the way you're facing
To move or pass the ball in the same direction as you are generally facing at that moment. This is tactic to maintain possession of ball by avoiding turning into the path of the opposition player and losing the ball.
Press or pressing
Defending players are required by the coach to move forward towards the ball, rather than remaining in a position near their goal. This is designed to apply psychological pressure on the opposition player to pass the ball earlier in less space to force an error. A successful press will recover the ball quickly and further up the pitch, or force the opponents to make a longer inaccurate kick of the ball.
Reading the game
Understanding and anticipating what is most likely to happen in the next one or two movements of play. Thereby gaining extra time or space to take an advantageous action.
Round the corner
A single one touch passing movement where the ball is switched in direction by passing the ball across the body into the path of your attacking team player.
Scan or scanning
Looking all around the pitch to be constantly aware of your position on the pitch and that of team mates and opposition player regarding their positions and movement to identify threats and opportunities.
Set or setting
A short pass, played precisely into the space immediately in front of a teammate who is arriving at speed from behind or from the side of the player making the pass; the player receiving the pass is then be able to, without breaking stride, attempt to score with a first-time shot.
Switch or switch play
Generally means to quickly pass the ball from the left side of the pitch to the right or the other way around.
Tuck in behind or inside
This generally means to move closer to the opposition player in the space where the opposition player could receive or run onto the ball.
Turning with the ball
Receive the ball facing your goal and moving to face your opponents goal.
Turning your player or man
Passing the ball past the opposition defender so they face and move towards their own goal.
Up
Instruction usually from the keeper to direct the team to move further up the pitch.
Watch the line
Instruction to attacking players to beaware of moving into an offside position.
