Coaching Gaelic Footballers

Did the ref play advantage for a foul on McHugh in the penalty area?

A player in tomorrow’s final will be mentioned in pubs for not getting on the ball very often. The same player, on several occasions, may well have forced an opponent to move 20m away from where he wanted to be, leaving gaps for runners and scorers. Watch for the unsung hero.

No apologies for rabbiting on about coaching individual players….a scenario and a question: An U14 player, much more often than not, aims an accurate kick for a point but his shot drops short. This happens from as little as 20m away from goal. What things might you check?

The ‘3 up’ rule allows for plenty of experimenting. What if you let one player roam, while two others set themselves up in different starting positions, deep in opposition territory? From each of these, the two can learn how and when to break away and add impetus to attacks.

I’m sure there are plenty who can argue that decoupling club leagues from championships has its merits. However, when a club championship brings together teams that have played their seasons in Div 1 and Div 3 respectively, there’s something amiss.

Coach workshop: 9v9 game. 11 coaches attend Split into 5 groups and separated around the pitch. Each group had a sheet with a message: You are in charge of the red team. As you watch, focus on first touch. Result? All groups identified same issue Learning? A focus is vital

The Hub: Lead coach 2 assistants 15 mins of a session. U12s Tackling exercises. Here’s what I saw: Each activity started with a demo in the hub. Full squad watched for 1 min max. Lead coach ran an example and stressed one coaching point. Breakout groups for 3 mins practice.

We have become obsessed with complexity. Instructions to players, systems of play, video analysis….so many areas have fallen victim to complexity. Simplicity is losing ground. It should be gaining traction instead. Most players learn best when we keep it simple. Wake up now!

What would happen if players turned up to training every season and only played football in different sizes of teams on different sizes of pitches? No coaching allowed…just refereeing.

Redacted of course…..but still a useful example of communication between county and club about a player on a development squad.👏

If development squads are to stay, how might they improve? One area appears to be communication with clubs; specifically about updating the clubs on how their players are progressing and ways to enhance those improvements when they train and play at the club.

Might it be better to dispense with the development squad system throughout the country and replace it with a comprehensive programme of coach and player education at club level? Start all county participation and funding at minor? Give more than a plain YES/NO.

When on the ball, Paudie isn’t subjected to loads of ‘back door, back door’ calls from teammates behind the play. They trust his ability to spot if opportunities lie ahead. Unfortunately, many club players don’t give teammates time to find out if they have similar abilities.

How have Cork managed to get so much support into Croke Park? Did every other county return its ticket allocation? 😳

The best tackles in Gaelic football are led by good footwork before handwork. If you have players who struggle, check if they tend to lead with the hand rather than the foot. The most common example is when a tackler tries to make ground with a long reach, not a long stride.

When working on evasion, include practice of this move. Some call the ‘step across’. Others say ‘taking the player’s ground’. The solo runner and opponent run the same line. Let the ball player choose a moment to step in front. The opponent will be forced to slow to avoid a foul.

20m and 5m squares. Inside the 5m, start 3v3/4v4/5v5. Throw the ball in. Ball winners break out of the 20m square asap. Opponents try to win the ball back before they do. Add goals at one or more ends. DO NOT set a minimum number of passes in any square. That’s a rubbish rule.

Whether you’re watching training games or competition games, check how players are doing on each of these points. Act if you spot poor habits.

If you have an attacker on the ball who, no matter the opponent, cannot seem to get past …… he may be too fast. How can this be? Sometimes a player can be busy on the ball, ducking and diving and weaving, but doing all so quickly that he never leaves the line he started on.

Some help needed from any soccer/association football aficionados here: Is it more difficult to score a penalty with a low shot than it is to hit the ball into roof of the net? Is that why so many players in last night’s shootout opted for the latter? 😜