Am I Being Assessed?

The other day I was asked by a player, "Are you assessing me on this session?". It was perhaps one of the most insightful questions ever asked of me by a junior player. And it leads to yet another review of squad selection at both the professional and amateur level.

Bill Shankly


Bill Shankly once famously said that in Liverpool, there were only two teams, " Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves !". Quite simply this was a comment, not on the obvious superiority of Liverpool to Everton at that time, but rather that he had two squads from which to choose his players from week to week and game to game. This selection process was quite a rigorous activity involving Shankly, Paisley and the other coaches, and it was premised on the fact that, with few exceptions, the players competed for that first team and starting position every week. Shankly also exploited his talents as a "man manager" in softening the blow to a player dropped from the first squad to the reserves assuring them that it was temporary and reflected a momentary need for the first team for that particular game. All of his players went through it.

This model puts professional players under the necessary stress to play at the level that is required of them, and ensures that they never let up if they want to keep their position on the field and on the squad. It assists coaches in determining who has the desire to play, who is psychologically ready to play, and who is fit to play. Nothing comes to a player because of who they are, or what they did last week or the week before, it comes to them because they are ready to play for the squad, with their team mates and are ready for the game at hand.

Current Models


Now I am going to avoid the current Liverpool  squad because of current depth issues, and I will use the squad of several years ago managed by Rafa Benitez. This was a team that was managed to a fault. Players were used on a rotational basis. Assessments were done almost scientifically. Players like Peter Crouch were used in Champions League games, but not at home, the midfield changed almost weekly. It  enabled rest and recuperation and allowed the manager to utilize the teams assets on a game by game basis. It appeared to do away with the competitive aspect of weekly assessments of players, as the players  played on an almost union like basis. But the response of the players was one of frustration (Crouch, Bellamy,  Keene, Kuyt and Mascherano are some examples) as they did their best week in and out on the field hoping to play in the next game and the one after. It appeared that the need to succeed at training did not matter and they only need to stay healthy to be in the rotation. There was only one team at Liverpool, but they worked on different shifts.

Each model has its own advantages in particular the current model of the rotation. Lowers pressure on the player, they expect to play in certain games, but not in others, assists in rest and recuperation. The initial model fosters competition and requires all players to strive to win a starting position each week. It can sometimes lead to player friction if the players are too competitive in their efforts. This also encourages players to be at their playing best at all times, including games and practices. It also requires the coaches to know how far and hard to press players and when to ease off and let them relax, as it too is a necessary part of the training process.

Youth Approach


Now what? Back to the original question, "Are you assessing me on this session?". The answer quite simply is yes. A player, or any person is always being assessed based upon the activity they are involved in at the time. If they are at a soccer practice or game, the person will be assessed in relation to that activity. A coach is looking at how well the player listens to instructions, how well they pay attention, how they interact with other players, do they respect their teammates, coaches, referees, how well do they execute drills and skills. This list is not exhaustive, and consequently incomplete, but it shows just how many elements are being assessed at every opportunity. Assessment is both active and passive, but it is ongoing and continual. It has to be. If it isn't done, then the process of selecting the right players for a game or game situation cannot be said to be don properly. There are no guarantees and players need to expect to challenge themselves and their team mates to perform at their highest levels to :1. Make the starting line up, and 2. Make a better team.

Coaches must demand this excellence, and must enforce it in order to field and train the best squad each and every week.

SIXTY SECOND GAME  

This is a standard 5 v 5 game, using a 25 x 40 field. Ideally use two training nets and keepers in your squad of five. The object of the game is simple. Score a goal and maintain it for 60 seconds. The winner must keep the lead. It encourages a number of skills, both psychological and tactical. The first skill is to press the team that is behind and ideally win possession of the ball and play "keep away" for 60 seconds.  For the team that is behind it places pressure on them to score in a limited period of time, and to not quit. It also encourages them to press and win back the ball to attempt to equalize the score. This game can be quite physically demanding and is well suited for fitness training as well. Each game shouldn't last for more than three rounds, and stoppages should not be allowed and balls thrown in immediately by the coaches if the ball goes out of bounds.

Am I being assessed? I will be as soon as I hit "Publish".

Walk On

Hal White

Wait A Minute! Wait A Minute!!! How much should we spend?

Kenny Dalglish is ready to outbid Tottenham for Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam this summer.

The Liverpool boss visited Blackburn on Saturday to see the midfielder score twice in a 2-2 draw. Dalglish still feels Adam is the best long-term solution for the Reds’ lack of creativity – despite having a £9million offer rejected on transfer deadline day.

Spurs’ chief scout Ian Bloomfield was also at Ewood Park to watch Adam return from a two-game ban.

Daily Mirror
March 21 2011


OK I am impressed with Charlie Adam as much as anyone. Look at him. He can pass, tackle, shoot and inspire. He can create plays, and organize the defence. But he will cost between 9 and 12 million Euros. No small amount of money.


Now Alberto Aquilani, look at him. He can pass, tackle, shoot and inspire. He can create plays, and organize the defence ( he is an Italian after all). His cost? ZERO.


The comparison between these players is probably one of taste for the manager. Slightly different styles, but each able to accomplish the goal of the team. My suggestion, save the money, and focus on the central defenders. Why? If truth be told the task of premiership defending is past the central defenders for Liverpool both physically (Carragher), mentally (Skrtel) and technically (both of them). 


Carragher is being phased out and will be difficult to replace, as a person, but as a player, his replacement is out there. Skrtel needs two things. More training, and a strong commanding partner to form a new platform for the defenders and to provide a strong base to the spine of the squad.


The need is in the back. Not elsewhere. Liverpool first must strengthen the platform, and then add to the spine. Spend your money there. Redknappe will be gone from Tottenham soon enough and that squad will disappear as well. 

Tryouts : The Pain and the Pain

Tryouts: The Pain and the pain.

I will skip the obvious conclusion that there is pleasure in being selected for a team. A player puts herself out for assessment, plays their hardest, shows their qualities and makes a squad. High risk, high reward and great joy.

But what about everyone else, players and coaches alike? 

I will start with coaches.

Coaches:

It is important to remember one thing about coaches. They are first and foremost human. This very important quality tells you that they take no pleasure in sitting in a form of judgement over fellow human beings. Court room judges will often state to the gallery that sitting in judgement of ones fellow person is the hardest job of all, even in judgement of criminals. 

Who are coaches assessing? Typically young persons, with all their strengths and frailties, their friends children,  players they have known over the years that they want to succeed, friends of their own children, maybe even players they may have coached in the past. If you look closely at this list their is no on one here that they would personally want to fail.

Coaches are typically parents, who are involved with their Club and community, have a high interest in the success of all young people and are persons who want to develop success. So, the very nature of the tryout process is antithetical to the coaches persona, they are being asked to “fail” a player, when their essential purpose is to develop success.

The other challenge facing coaches is, for want of a better expression, acquiring “inventory” to create a squad. This has many contributing factors including the nature of the system the coach wants to place on the field, 5-3-2, 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 4-3-3. Each of these systems requires greater or lesser numbers of fullbacks, midfielders, or strikers etc, and complimentary skill sets for these positions.

If the system requires 4 starting fullbacks and 3 reserves and only 8 fullbacks tryout, only one player will need to be cut. A very tough call. If the squad requires 3 midfielders with three subs and 15 players show up, the tough decisions are multiplied and and the disappointment increased as well.  

The coaches challenge is to fill an inventory of the best 18-20 players, and as a consequence disappoint at  least that many players (or more), their parents and in some instances their team mates. 

The Players

Here is where the ball hits the post. So close, but no goal. What is the player? The player, as a player, is inventory, a potential physical asset to a team. But that is such a small part of the person (note NOT player). The tryout and possible selection is a very BIG thing at this instant in time, and because it is so big and because of the tension, the ego, the developing and maturing personality (remember hormonal teenagers) and personal investment placed into this by the player, its importance is magnified beyond all recognition.

The pain of not being selected is enormous and their is very little the coach can do to assuage it. But it is important to let the players know why the selections were made the way they were, that they weren’t personal, not withstanding how personal it feels, and to provide the player with the technical and tactical feedback necessary to go forward and to try again in the future. The player needs to know this isn’t the end it is just another step in the journey. It only ends if they quit.

Parents

As parents we feel pain if our child feels pain. Our response is to defend our child and lash out at the attacker. Why wouldn’t we? They cause him pain, I am going to fix that right now. This feels right, but it isn’t always the right thing to do. The first thing to do is comfort the player, let them know, at the very worst, that this a right now thing, and has no bearing on their future play or opportunities. Remember that Clubs and coaches want these players to continue to play and improve.

Another very important thing to do is to wait before you call coaches and Technical assessors after the tryout, wait at least 24 hours, and if you are still boiling mad, wait longer. Why? No one presents or hears arguments very well if they are still angry. 

Perspective, do you have it? Remember who you were watching at tryouts? Two players, three, four? Most parents usually watch their own. The coaches,they have to watch, AND assess as many players as there are present. Does the parent have a complete perspective? Probably not.

Conclusion

It feels like the end of the world, but it isn’t. It is just another step in character building, it is part of life, and I would suggest that more is learned from this challenge than in making the squad. It is an opportunity to grow.

Many years ago I called a client and advised him that his proposal had been rejected and that it would go no further. It was a significant business loss for him. He said to me "If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, well that's not so bad". He just picked up, moved forward and developed other business initiatives. He knew from experience of years that he would lose some , win some, lose and win again. He had his family, his health, and he still had his game which was his business. He knew that one failure, although painful and costly, was not the end of his world.

Not making the team is not failure it is part of the developmental process. Not continuing with the game because of a personal setback. That is failure.

WALK ON 

YNWA

Hal White

Team Selection: Why Bother? Can we make it better?

If you don't take the time to properly select your squad on game day, what problems can befall the squad? If you select your squad too soon what about then? What if your roster is set in stone?

Joe Cole and Daniel Poulsen examples of squad selection that baffle the fans of Liverpool FC. Poor Joe Cole hasn't been effective at all for the LFC all season, but to be fair his overall effectiveness has been dropping for close to two years, so why place him on the squad in Europe. My familiarity with Daniel Poulsen is limited to this season, and his play truly lacks in all aspects.

So why do you play them?

The first answer is resources. As much as a player is a person, for a team they are a resource. They are a means of ensuring that the coach can play the "Best Eleven" (see previous posting), at any given point in the season. This leads to considerations of positions, player versatility, on field compatibility, experience, player availability and injuries.

Liverpool FC is lacking in two key areas; Available players and experience. 

There was a time you could go to the bench when Alonso was out and get Mascherano, or if Benayoun was out go to Babel. You also had Reiera, Aquilani, Hyppia, Riise, Crouch, Bellamy amongst others who have come and gone from the Club, and have yet to be fully replaced. It isn't that the players on the squad are poor, the depth of the squad of three and four years ago has dissipated and the quality and experience on the bench is no longer there. 

Take this weeks game, Gerrard, and Saurez are out. Add on injuries to Kelly and Aurelio and viola, Cole and Paulsen, who are on not Hyppia, Benayoun, Riise, or Aquilani. 

What was King Kenny to do, well what choices did he have? Cole and Poulsen have a history of success and on that history he can only hope that they can deliver for LFC what they have done for other squads in the past.

One question that has gone around about these selections is why didn't King Kenny go to his reserves, or Academy players in this situation?  It would appear that the experience and depth isn't there yet, and Liverpool want to win in the Europa League., so they go with suspected known qualities., such as Cole and Poulsen.

Youth Squads


What do you do with smaller amateur squads that may have two or three divisions of player within their structure. Our local region divides them as follows: Tier 1--Tier2A--T2B. These  divisions reflect both commitment and skill levels although each level will have players who could play up a division, and others that may have been assessed too high during the initial selection process. The former group tend not to have the time or attitude to play at their potential, whereas the latter group tend to be able to play at the higher level, but are usually amongst the final selections and tend not to play as much as they want.

Officially there are no reserve squads or "second teams" in this structure, and official rosters have to be declared at an early date and are of limited numbers. It does not allow foe free transfer of players from division to division, and is based on a limited snapshot of player ability at a tryout process.

This is not correct, either in philosophy or approach.

Philosophically it presumes that the initial roster is it, and that the eleven best will remain the eleven best all season long. This ignores that players can develop or regress as the season progresses, and what seems like a sure thing at the time of selection is abjectly wrong as the season progresses. I know as I have made that incorrect assessment based on that snapshot on more than one occasion.

The approach issue is that it silos players too early in a season and their playing career. It often leads to the trap of being chosen a T2A always a T2A. This is often because of lack of training opportunities with the higher ranked players, or just training in general. Players that don't want to improve, my experience are few and far between, but those that want to become more competitive will, if given the opportunity will self identify and improve in these sessions especially if they believe there is a chance for movement upwards during the season. Secondly it requires a co-operative and flexible approach by the coaches to communicate the various strengths and weaknesses of their players during the season, and a willingness to move players BOTH for the improvement of a squad and the development of the players.

The current approach stagnates players development as their is little or no movement between squads, and coaches as a result of the system are not encouraged to assess other players as the season progresses.

SOLUTION

It isn't revolutionary but the second squad should be playing in a " T1 reserve league" that has all the benefits of the 2A league as it now stands, provincials, tournaments, league championships etc, BUT the final rosters for provincials and league finals for each division be declared on or about August 1 as opposed to the current earlier dates currently imposed. Up to that point in time players can play up and down. After that date they can only go up from the reserve squad, including playoffs, but on no more than three occasions.

This modest proposal would open up squads to appropriate in house competition, encourage players to try to improve and move up  to the first team, and open up a larger pool of players and depth on the bench for the coach and Club.

is this the only possible solution? Of course not. Is it better than the current system, of course it is. It gives more opportunities to play, train and learn at the higher levels, and most importantly it encourages competition and ope that hard work and play will be rewarded.

DRILL OF THE WEEK:

This is one I call POGO, for Play Out - Go Out . This is a 4 v 4 in a 15m x 15m grid set up with two players on the outside for each squad and two on the inside. The objective is for the inside player with the ball to pass to one of his two outside players, and once done successfully, to switch with the outside players ( hence play out go out). Each switch is a point, first to ten wins. This game encourages close touch, possession skills, accurate passing, and tight marking.

Walk On

Hal White

The Power of Dribbling

Now as parents and Coaches we are very familiar with the sausage lines of children dribbling a ball to a cone and then back. "Why?" we ask through clenched teeth do coaches do this, why can't the children just play?
Two things come to mind in this scenario;Lackof creativity onthe part of the coach , and, a lack of appreciation of the fundamentals of soccer by the parents.

I will deal with fundamentals first. Dribbling of a soccer ball is one of the essential player skills that must be developed. Dribbling is what allows a player to control a ball in tight spaces, helps them get around opponents, helps maintain possession of the ball, and is the basic building block for feints, moves and turns to get around opponents. So no dribbling no penetrating runs, no moves around defenders and no possession soccer.

The coach who fails to consider options/drills other than sausage lines will not only risk losing the parents, but the players as well. The coach should consider diagonal runs, simple cross overs, and opportunities to include passing, turns or moves.

At the UEFA training ground page there are several ball control drills I like to use in training sessions to help develop dribbling and movement skills.  The links are included below:

This drill just works the foot skills, and is an excellent warm up.

www.uefa.com/trainingground/training/drills/video/videoid=788371.html?autoplay=true

The following drill is also lot of fun and can engage a lot of players in a very small space:

www.uefa.com/trainingground/training/drills/video/videoid=788378.html?autoplay=true


Now for fun , here is the power dribbler of the world, Mighty Mouse, Lionel Messi:

Too bad Liverpool didn't get him first!

And Before I Forget   March 6, 2011, Liverpool 3 v Manchester United 1,

YNWA

Walk On

Hal White

How to Play Soccer : Soccer: Matthews Move

The "Eleven Best" or the "Best Eleven"

This is the conundrum that Liverpool needs. In fact teams would want this conundrum, and a couple of teams ( Man City and Chelsea come to mind) are having trouble sorting it out.
But what is the conundrum exactly?

Remember when your report card or now for many of you , your child's report card came home and the comment "Plays well with others" was included. But what did we focus on, the grades or marks. How we or our child compares to others.

The "Best Eleven" are those that play well with others, not necessarily, or always, amongst the "Eleven Best". This the coaching dilemma. How do coaches and managers build a squad?  What are they looking for?
Bill Shankly, the great Liverpool manager, looked for players at the top of their individual games, but more importantly, their best game was for the squad, the team, the Club. It was not for their individual glory. Shankly's personal history from a small mining town in Scotland, to his playing career, was one steeped in small "s" socialism that held that the good of the many was the highest moral objective of the individual. His view was that even the greatest talent on the pitch was on that pitch to enable the best result for his team-mates and Club. The players personal objectives were secondary.

Team Creation 

So here is the problem, who do you pick ? Is it the talented midfielder who can control the center of the pitch, can place the ball on a dime from 30 yards away, but won't train with his team mates because they aren't of his quality, and will only pass to his friends? Is it the average player that works her tail off day in day out, doesn't shoot when she should, but gets stuck in without a concern for her well being?
Who do you take from these extreme examples?
As a coach and from a player management perspective the player that works for the good of the squad, is no more important than any other player, trains hard looking to improve their own skills as well as those of their team-mates, shares their own success and celebrates the success of their team-mates. This regardless of their present skill level will bring a level of success and quality and camaraderie that is necessary to create a successful squad.
Each player on a squad, a successful squad, brings a certain level of skill to the team. Collectively these players should make the squad greater than the sum of its parts, because each player should add to their team-mates abilities on the pitch.

For this coach, the "Best Eleven" make up the best squad.
( I got that backwards last time).

Walk On

Hal White