Coaching

We explore marking, why it matters, and how you can help your team develop this essential skill. 

From make-believe games to hopscotch, the children you coach will love to play and explore new things. But do you know how you can use play in your sessions?

Here, we explain what a matchday game plan is and provide some ideas to help you create one.

For 4 to 6 year olds, a positive, engaging, and fun-filled experience of sport starts with play. Using The FA’s Play Phase philosophy can help create a lifelong love of sport.

Unsure what to say to your players on matchday? Here’s some guidance to help you approach your team talks.

Understanding your players' emotions can help you create a positive environment. So, here are some techniques you may find useful as you strive to do just that. 

Everyone looks forward to the game at the weekend. But the day can be a bit hectic. So, here are some top tips that can help you manage matchday.

Want your sessions to motivate players and give them the skills to thrive? You’ll need to create the right coaching environment. Here’s how to do that.

Looking to help your players improve their combination play? Here are the two-player core moves that they can try. 

Looking to help your players improve their combination play? Here are the three-player core moves that they can try.

Want to improve your players’ dribbling and running with the ball skills? Here, we explore what this looks like at its best and how to develop it in your sessions.

Here we explain what front foot passing is and how this under-used skill can give players an advantage on the pitch.

Never heard of The FA’s six core capabilities? No problem. Here’s an introduction to what they are and why they’re essential for coaches.

For 5-11 year olds, developing confidence on the ball is essential. Here’s how to get them staying on the ball and mastering it.

Here, we look at five ways to use the buzz of a tournament to inspire your pre-season.

Using the sole of the foot can increase attacking possibilities and enjoyment. Here, we explore the benefits and how you can encourage this skill among your players.

What helps a footballer reach the top of the game? Let’s hear from five England stars – past and present – on the football environment that gave them their start.

With insight from FA national goalkeeping coaches, Anthony White and Sam Meek, here are some tips to help you coach your goalkeepers.

England women’s head coach, Sarina Wiegman, discusses how important communication is to her approach and player development.

From smothering the ball to making a fingertip save, we explore the actions goalkeepers can take to defend the goal. 

We explore why playing in different positions matters and how to implement it with your team.

We explore equal playing time, why it matters and how to use it with your team.

Receiving is a core skill to master. But it’s not just about working on the moment someone controls the ball. Here, we explore what players need to do before the ball arrives to improve their receiving skills.

Using the STEP framework, we look at how to design sessions that work on receiving in football.

Have you taken over your child's team to keep it going? Or perhaps you’ve started a team to get them involved? Making the transition from parent to coach can be challenging. So, here's some advice that could help.

Parents can be challenging. But working with them benefits your players and the environment you create. So, with insight from The FA’s Sharon Muxworthy and Danny Fenner, here are some ideas to help you communicate and improve relationships with parents.

Communication is an important tool for a football coach. But it can be difficult to use it wisely during a game. With insight from The FA’s Peter Augustine and Warren Hackett, we explore how to use communication effectively on matchday.

Being able to reflect effectively is an essential skill for a coach. So, we explore how using different tools makes reflection easier, more consistent, and more rewarding.

From lofting the ball to curling it, we explore some techniques your players can use when passing.

With insight from The FA’s Sharon Muxworthy and Danny Fenner, we look at six ways to improve your observation skills during training and matchdays.

Using the STEP framework, we look at how to design sessions that work on passing in football.

Some practices help players to work on their technical ability. Others allow them to put their skills to the test in a real game. Here, we look at how to use these different activities with your team.

Reflecting can help you learn, adapt and grow. Of course, it’s not always easy. So, let’s explore how you can start to reflect on your coaching.

Ever wondered what makes a player good at turning? This article explores how The FA’s core capabilities can help your team master this skill.

We explore turning, why it matters and how it can help you develop skilful players.

Worried that your sessions aren’t quite hitting the mark? Here’s what to look for and how to react.

Different players have different motivations. And, to design great sessions, you need to find out what they are.

With insight from The FA's Chris Lowe and Pete Sturgess, we examine how to build positive relationships that motivate your players.

We explore the role of a goalkeeper and look at how you can help develop skilful players in this position.

We examine five ways to help your team get better at scoring goals – and stopping them too.

It’s the most popular game in the world, but how well do you know football? We examine the foundations of the sport and how they apply to your team. 

As the end of 2022 approaches, we recap five coaching articles you may have missed this year. Stand by for loads of football tips.

As we approach the end of 2022, we drill into five coaching sessions you may have missed this year.

With insight from The FA’s Matt Jones and Ian Parkes, we look at how you can help players improve their dribbling skills.

Using areas of different sizes and shapes is a great way to support your players' development. We delve into how and why.

Inspired by Laura Seth, The FA’s performance analysis education lead, we explore how to improve your observation skills.

In conversation with Vicky Fisher and Vinny Halsall, FA coach developers, we discuss how to support your players before, during and after a match.

Sorting a session doesn't need to be complicated. Here, we explain how to use real-life match scenarios to make training fun and productive. 

Ever wondered what makes a player good at shooting? Here, we explore how The FA’s six core capabilities can help your team master this skill.

From toe pokes to volleys, we explore some techniques your team can use to put the ball in the back of the net.

Inspired by Matt Jones and Ian Parkes, FA coach developers, we drill into what makes a good finishing session.

We explore finishing, why it matters and how it can help you develop skilful players.

Just getting involved in football and wondering what makes a good coach? Here are a few things for you to consider.

We explore simple ways to welcome players to your sessions – especially if they’re new to the game.

A bespoke, individualised programme for coaches looking to gain exposure to The FA Women's National League.

FA national coach developer, Amy Price, explains how you can use the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final as a template for a number of game-based coaching sessions.

International tournaments create a buzz like nothing else. Why not use the excitement to inspire and engage your players at training?

The excitement around international tournaments is a great way to inspire your players. They may be on their summer break, but their learning doesn’t need to stop. Here are 10 ways to use these events to engage your players over the summer months. 

We explore what ownership is, why it matters and how to provide it to your players. 

We explore what it means to create a good environment, why it matters and how it can help you develop skilful players.  

We explore what a format is, why it matters and how using different types can develop your team’s skills.

We explore what an inspirational opportunity is, why it matters and how you can provide it in your training sessions.

Using the STEP framework as a handy guide, this article will help you design sessions that work on challenging for the ball. 

Ever wondered what makes a player good at tackling? We explore how The FA's core capabilities can help your team master this skill.

We explore what tackling is, why it matters and how you can help your team develop this essential skill.

Ever wondered what makes a player good at passing? This article explores how The FA’s core capabilities can help your team master this skill.

We explore what passing is, why it matters and how to help your team develop this essential skill.

Using the STEP framework, we drill down into how to design football pressing sessions. 

Ever wondered what makes a player good at pressing? We explore how The FA's core capabilities can help your team master this football skill.  

We explore what pressing is, why it matters and how you can help your team develop this essential football skill.

Your players are all different, so why train them in the same way? Use the STEP framework (Youth Sports Trust, 2002) to design sessions that work for every player, no matter their ability. 

Want to give your players a flavour of 11v11 without sacrificing the benefits of smaller-sided formats? Try 7-a-side football to maximise player interaction and decision-making. 

Ready to ramp up the pace? Use futsal to sharpen your teams’ all-round skills, quick-thinking and ability to play in tight spots. It’s the perfect small-sided game.

What do your players need to work on? Whether it’s pressing or passing, for maximum contact with the ball, give 3v3 small-sided football a try. 

As we approach the end of the year, we've rounded up five footballer interviews you may have missed in 2021.

Ever wondered what makes a player good at intercepting? This article explores how The FA's core capabilities can help your team master this skill.

We explore what intercepting is, why it matters and how to help your team develop this essential skill.

Sharon Muxworthy, FA coach development officer, shares ways to help your players develop their football receiving skills.

We explain what receiving is, why it matters and how to help your team develop their receiving skills.

We introduce what it means to dribble, why it matters and how to help your team develop this skill.

After a year's delay, international tournaments were back. And so was world-class talent. But performed best in Euro 2020? And how can you develop similar skilful players?

Vinny Halsall, FA physical education officer, shares simple tips to help your players move with the ball.

Want to work on finishing but unsure how to do it? Here, we look at how to help your players develop this skill. 

Which is a skilful goal: a simple tap-in or an outside-of-the-box finish? Turns out, it can be both. To showcase this, we review five goals and highlight the skilful moments that made them possible.  

Using Euro 2020 as inspiration, we drill down into why finishing matters and how to coach it in your sessions.   

Former Tottenham, Arsenal and England defender, Sol Campbell, talks about what helped him develop into the player he was and looks at the skills needed to be a modern-day centre-back. 

We explore what a counter-attack is, why it matters and how to help your team develop this essential skill. 

England defender, Harry Maguire, discusses some of the factors that helped him on his journey from grassroots to the heart of defence for club and country. 

England men’s record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, explains how he went from casual kickabouts to one of the country's most skilful players.  

Managing potentially pushy parents can be tricky – even experienced coaches sometimes struggle. But, if you get your interactions right, parents and carers can play a huge part in developing skilful players. So, here are three simple ways to get them onside.

Leicester City defender, Jonny Evans, reflects on his career so far to highlight what helped him become a skilful Premier League centre-back. 

England right-back, Lucy Bronze, provides insight into what helped her become a world-class defender. 

Former England winger, John Barnes, looks back on what helped him excel in the role – giving advice to coaches and players alike. 

Former England left-back, Ashley Cole, reflects on what it took to master the position and develop into a world-class defender.

Are your players equipped to handle a cross? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you prepare your players to defend against crosses.

Do your players know who is doing what, and when? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you develop your players’ understanding of roles and responsibilities when defending.

Do your players know what to do when they’re outnumbered? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you get your players ready to handle overloads.

How do your players handle open space on the pitch? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you prepare your players to defend the space in wide areas.

Want to stop the opposition from taking advantage of the area behind your defenders? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you prepare your players to defend the space ‘in behind’. 

Switching from attack to defence isn’t always easy. So how do you handle transition in football? This article is part of a series on the defensive tactics of our national teams. This time, we explain how their approach can help you prepare your players for defending in transition.

Looking to improve your players’ defensive tactics? This is the first in a series of articles on what you can learn from our national teams. This time, we cover the basics of an effective defence, and what that means for you. 

Planning your training session? In a series of articles, we examine five activities to help engage and develop your players. Here, in the final part of the series, we look at four-goal games.

Planning your training session? In a series of articles, we examine five activities to help engage and develop your players. Here, we look at two-goal games.

Planning your training session? In a series of articles, we examine five activities to help engage and develop your players. Here, we look at line-ball games.

Planning your training session? In a series of articles, we examine five activities to help engage and develop your players. Here, we look at parallel games.

Planning your training session? In a series of articles, we examine five activities to help engage and develop your players. Here, we look at target games. 

Saturday and Sunday mornings can be a joy – and a challenge. If you've ever spent them managing your own emotions, a tense team or prickly parents, then these top tips could help. 

Michael Carrick, former Manchester United player and coach, discusses his approach to working with senior players at the elite level of the game. 

The FA 4 Corner Model provides a holistic approach to player development.

Michael Carrick, former England and Manchester United midfielder, shares his thoughts on the art of passing and receiving.

Planning your training shouldn’t be boring. Danny Fenner, an FA coach developer, explains how to mix things up.

Do you work with teenagers? Want to plan for the season ahead? FA county coach developer Peter Augustine has eight top tips to make football for teenagers as enjoyable as it is productive. 

Are you responsible for training a young football team? Want to develop their skills while making your sessions as enjoyable as possible? Former FA player development coach, John Allpress, has eight top tips for working with young players.

Inspired by Jonathan Pugh, England Blind head coach, we've created this list of top tips for coaching blind footballers. 

Are your players performing at their best? If not, it might be a trust issue. FA county coach developer, Adam Furness, explains why trust is so important in football training, and gives seven top tips to help coaches build it.

Effective interaction is an essential part of coaching. In this article, we explore 10 ways to improve your skills.

Training your team over the winter? Indoor futsal is the perfect game to play. FA youth coach developer, Ian Bateman, gives 10 reasons why.

During his time at Swansea City, current Leicester City manager, Brendan Rodgers, talked to us about his footballing philosophy.

We’ve all seen players fall over. But what happens if they don’t get up? Collapse is often the first sign of sudden cardiac arrest. You must be able to recognise the symptoms and take action to deal with this serious medical emergency. 

This article introduces how to recognise and manage a concussion in football. It also signposts The FA's official concussion guidance.

England manager, Gareth Southgate, explains why empathy and empowerment are key to his coaching approach.  

Inspired by Chris Morris, FA coach developer and ex-professional footballer, we explain how to develop a coaching approach that’s personal to you.

How do you respond when emotions run high? Young teams might struggle to deal with the results of a football match. Pete Sturgess, FA national coach for players aged 5-11, explains nine things you can do to help.

Need to get your players aged 5-12 ready for the new season? Pete Sturgess, FA national coach for the Foundation Phase, gives ten top tips for working with your team the summer before the season starts.

You’re expecting 14 players at a session, but only 11 turn up. What do you do? Rob Ward, U9s grassroots coach and FA Youth Award holder, gives some top tips for adapting to uneven or smaller than expected numbers at football training. 

Tricky time at training? In this article, we examine 10 common coaching problems – plus how to solve them.

Inspired by Ceri Bowley, a former FA coach mentor, we examine how football can help players develop essential life skills. 

Do you coach Muslim players? Get to know what’s involved in the Islamic month of Ramadan, so that you can make the right accommodations at this time.

So, the season’s at an end. As a coach, should you be celebrating or commiserating? Well, there’s more than one way to define success. For a balanced view of your achievements, ask yourself these five questions. 

If your coaching session plan is thrown off by something unexpected, do you know how to handle it? Here are ten top tips to deal with any surprise scenario and put your players back on track.

Poor behaviour disrupting your football training? Here are seven ways for coaches to handle behavioural issues for calm and productive sessions.

Looking for new ways to motivate your players? Try setting individual and team challenges in both training and games. These 10 top tips are a great place to start. 

Want to get football training off to the best start? Then tell your players the aims of each session before you dive in. The FA’s Lawrence Lok explains why this is important, what it looks like, and five ideas to engage your players. 

Want to up your game when it comes to coaching your players? FA coach mentor Sam Griffiths gives 15 top tips to improve your communication skills on the football pitch. 

Inspired by Merfyn Roberts, FA coach educator, we outline 10 tips to improve player behaviour.