Consequentially
The
conclusions to what I observed on the training ground are in fact
interesting to say the least. The support for the one footedness was
rather obvious especially when the arguments based on the support for
the one footedness of the player are bolstered by such points of view
as look at players like Messi, ‘Look at Messi he is all left footed’.
By pointing out Messi as the base for their arguments
this made things very revealing to me. For one thing, the one
footedness of the young players playing their football in front of these
coaches was not a problem. However on taking a closer look at the one
footedness reality in the face of the latter observation about Messi I
came to some relevant conclusions. I realised that Messi at age 11 was
nothing like what I was seeing here on this training ground.
At age eleven Messi had a growth hormone deficiency,
the fact that he was underdeveloped had given him other attributes.
Messi was light on his feet and being small had to develop fast feet to
get out of the way of the bigger boys. His father was the manager of
the team Messi played for up to the age of eleven and so he was free to
develop his style of play based on his physical attributes.
In comparison to Messi the young eleven year old here
in front of me that I observed on this training ground are different
physically speaking and many in my eyes were already built to a heavy
set proportion physically speaking at age 11.
The Playing Attributes - Add The Two Together
In
glorifying the one footedness capability lies a huge mistake. The
coaches here didn’t take into account issues involving a lack of two
footedness and so when it comes to the development of the young player -
both the diet and the training that count for everything are flawed.
Understanding dietary problems is a serious issue. It
is not the one footedness of the player that is the problem; it is the
lack of understanding its consequences on the physical development of
the young player, through a lack of balanced development that is the
problem. If the young player up to the age of 11-12 applies the use of
the one good foot to the ball and this strong foot dominates everything
then no matter what the player does the latter reality does develop an
imbalance in his physical being.
The good foot to the ball will become stronger and
the other foot will not match up in terms of strength - long term -
hence the imbalance that has its effect on the game of football. The
forward moving training environment does not address the issues of a
lack of physical balance, especially if the training domain at an early
age actually enforces the use of the one good foot to the ball. The one
footedness training concepts and the development of a strong physical
heavy set being sets its own course and that course does not achieve the
same objectives as is seen in players like Messi that had in fact a
completely different development base up to the age of 11 - setting his
future.
The Answer
Outside of the dietary
considerations and the controlled living lifestyles the training of the
young players should involve a different approach to their physical
development for football certainly up to the age of 11-12.
The balanced development of the player should include
the use of two footed training solutions. The training environment as
such should be with the ball and light in terms of the physical
movements and therefore fast feet development. At its core should be
the 'Mastery Of The Ball'.
In a few weeks time we have an opportunity to present
the game with a DVD that shows a two footedness training environment.
My advice to everyone is this: The balanced development of the player in
both physical and technical terms is crucial to their ability to play
football. Ignore the issues of a lack of balance both in terms of the
physical being (dietary considerations) and the technical development of
the player at your cost. It is never too late.
The issues of a lack of physical balance can be
sorted out with the right training methods, even late in any football
player’s career. The ability to play with the right or left foot at
will is a different matter. The latter requires training from an early
age.
The support for the development of the young player
based on the second ball game solutions is not the way forward. I urge
everyone to consider the use of lateral development two footedness
solutions to all the young players up to the age of 12.
In addition I would like to congratulate the Scottish
Football Association for announcing that from now on that children in
Scotland will play four a sides up to the age of 11-12 and seven a sides
on a half field up to the age of 13 and only full games of football
after the age of 13.
The move by the Scottish Football Association to play
four v four up to the age of 11 is certainly the right way forward for
all young children especially if this move is backed by training
solutions that cater to the development of the players skill repertoire
and two footedness playing capability at the very least on a balanced
physical and wherever possible depending on the ability of the
individual player also on a technical level.
31st March 2011, 11:03
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