How a player receives the ball determines what he can do next. Thus receiving the ball is an essential skill to work on. Arguably the best player in the world on receiving the ball is Zinedine Zidane.

One of his teammate has said the following about Zidane,

"If we don't know what to do with the ball, we always give it to Zidane! He can always handle it!"
Bixente Lizarazu *

What I think Lizararu was suggesting was that Zidane nearly always receives and controls the ball well. In other words, he keeps hold of it and then makes the right decision about what he can do next.

Brazilians are often also seen as a nation of players who are ‘comfortable on the ball’ and who are admired world wide for their skills. American coaches observing the Brazilian U17’s were very impressed with their abilities. When asked about the differences between American players and Brazilians they concluded that the Brazilians were more comfortable on the ball. Their technique and first touch were superior and that this allowed the players to focus on the tactics of the game**.

These abilities often appear engrained and there is no doubt that something must be happening in the coaching and/or playing attitude of these players that creates the skills they demonstrate. Coaches have been trying to replicate these skills in their players world wide. They often try to adapt their coaching methods and philosophy in order to achieve this. Furthermore, whole businesses have grown claiming to coach the ‘brazilian way’. The view is that the success of the Brazilian national side is so great that they must be doing something right.

However, in soccer is their a ‘holy grail’ of coaching? It would appear that what coaches need to do is to adapt and develop their own styles and incorporate what they like from various coaches they observe. Culture, playing surfaces, and climate change are just three things that can also effect player’s attitudes to development. All coaches want a Zidane or a Ronaldo to work with. However, unfortunately we can’t always have what we want. We can though create players who are more comfortable on the ball and part of this process is teaching them the basics of receiving the ball. This is not just looking at controlling the ball.

Coaches will spend a lot of time on controlling the ball in their sessions and there are many practices coaches use in order to achieve this aim. However, do they work on receiving?

Furthermore, coaches at all levels will work on skill acquisition. However, coaches do vary on how they work. In France, like many countries, technical development of the player is a key aspect of their youth development programme. They work on “skill” every day. On a recent visit to the National French Training Centre in Clairfointaine Derek Broadley (soccer-expert.com) observed that on receiving the ball the coaches work very much on repetition which challenged the attitude and mentality of young players. These skills were developed very much in isolation. Other coaches will develop these skills in a more game related environment. Whatever, way you choose to develop the skill of receiving the ball there is no doubt it is viewed as vital to a players development.

In this weeks show soccer-expert.com looks at Receiving the ball.

Receiving the ball

Derek Broadley of soccer-expert.com states the following:

Soccer players are judged by what they can do with the ball but how much time is spent on receiving the ball. In another show we look at the importance of the "first touch" itself but how much work is put into young players on getting into good receiving positions.
Coaches spend lots of time getting players to "spread out" especially when they first introduce the game. All of that time is wasted as it is a natural instinct for children to chase the "one toy" that everyone wants. It is a misconception that if we spread the players out the game will be easier to teach, especially at the younger age groups. Coaches must learn to use lots of "toys" ie soccerballs in small group play so that the young players are encouraged to get into good receiving positions to get their "toy back". Young players movement can be installed very early in the development process if the know that the ball is going to arrive! It is then vital that players learn to get into positions that will enable them to receive the ball using a variety of surfaces and from all directions. Once they are comfortable in this skill they will then find the idea of movement will be an advantage in game situations. Time should be spent on this topic in every session, as in all practises and games regardless of your philosophy receiving the ball will take place. "Trapping" the ball in front of you, at your feet, is taught across the USA but it is wrong. The ball should always be taken away from the opposition or into space, therefore to stop it in front of you is unrealistic, so why teach it? The soccer experts will indicate a more realistic way to introduce receiving the ball and coaches will see the benefits when they move into game situations and the see more creative movements in young players. Put us to the test by viewing....

The Key Coaching Points on soccer-expert.com this week are:

GET IN GOOD RECEIVING POSITION
SELECTING THE SURFACE
QUALITY OF THE 1ST & 2ND TOUCH
PLAYING IN THE FUTURE


*Quote from www.zizouplanet.juventuz.com.
** from ‘soccer journal’. Volume 48. no.3