Lazy coaching on transitions kills player development.

If your U9–U13s are allowed to “switch off” after losing or winning the ball…

They’ll never survive even a decent level in adult football. 🧵 2.
What do many coaches say?

➡️ “Don’t worry, just get back in shape.”
➡️ “Keep the ball in your team.”

Sounds harmless.
But it builds a culture of pausing when the ball changes hands.

Coaching U9–U13?

This is the golden window for player development.
But many waste it chasing “tactics.”

Here’s why tactics should stay simple—
…and why principles are what actually shape players. 🧵
#SundayShare @SundayShare10 2.
Tactics are just team agreements.

They align the group so everyone is trying to achieve the same thing.

That makes it easier to play as a team.

It might sound cruel—

…but players must master the ball by U12.

From U6–U12 is the golden window.

Miss it, and it’s nearly impossible to build sophisticated coordination between feet, eyes, and ball. 🧵 2.
Think of it like learning a language.

Kids who start early sound fluent.
Kids who start late can still learn—
…but there’s always a ceiling.

Ball mastery works the same way.

If you coach U9–U13, the most important principle you can teach might be… Active Defending.

Sounds counterintuitive, right?

Surely at this age it’s all about mastering the ball & decision making?

Let me explain 🧵 2.
The quality of a player’s decision making is only as good as the resistance they face.

Low pressure = easy decisions.
High pressure = game-like decisions.

Without active defending, attackers learn habits that don’t work in real matches.

Football is a game of mistakes.

The key for coaches?
Learn to separate signal from noise.

Not every mistake matters.
Only the ones that break your principles truly need fixing 🧵 2.
If you try to correct every mistake, you’ll:

- Overwhelm your players
- Kill their flow
- Miss the big picture

Great coaches filter mistakes through their principles.

If your coaching staff doesn’t share the same language, you’ll waste training time explaining… instead of coaching.

Here’s why shared language is essential — and how it makes your team better 🧵 2.
When I say “Forward Mentality,” my staff instantly knows:

- Win the ball → go forward
- End the attack with a shot
- Play with speed and intent

No need for a 2-minute explanation. One phrase = clear actions.

You can’t control everything.

But you can control this:
→ What happens after you win the ball.

If your players freeze or recycle, it’s not a talent problem.
It’s a training problem.

Start with this principle: Forward Mentality 🧵 2.
Forward Mentality means:

• Attack with intent
• No pointless passes
• No hesitation

When we win the ball—we go forward.
Not just to keep possession.
To score.

Some players look sharp in drills—
But disappear in games.

Why?

Because they haven’t learned how to perform under pressure.

Here’s how we coach real skill that transfers to match day 🧵 2.
Technique isn’t enough.

It needs to show up when:
→ The pace is high
→ The opponent presses
→ Fatigue sets in

This phase is about building skill that survives the chaos of the game.

One result lies.
Even two or three can fool you.

That’s why smart coaches don’t overreact to single games.
They trust the law of large numbers.

Here’s what that means—and how to apply it to your team 🧵 2.
The Law of Large Numbers says:
The more data you collect, the closer you get to the truth.

One result can be luck.
Five games? Still noisy.
Ten games?
Now we’re getting somewhere.

Stuck choosing your next focus?

Here’s a better strategy:
Don’t chase trends.
Don’t jump from idea to idea.

Pick one thing.
Stick with it.
Refine it until it works.

Let’s talk about mastery over indecision 🧵 2.
Too many coaches get stuck in the decision-making cycle:

→ Should we be a pressing team?
→ Should we build out?
→ Should we use more rondos?
→ Should we switch shape?

The result?

You try everything.
And master nothing.

The best players don’t wait for the ball.
They move.
They offer.
They stretch.
They create space for others.

If your players freeze after passing—
It’s time to fix that. 🧵

Let’s talk about Off-the-Ball Movement. 2.
Youth football often looks like this:

• Ball passed → Player stops
• Teammates stand still
• Everyone waits for the “next touch”

But football doesn’t work like that.
The game keeps moving—so should your players.

“Kids aren’t creative anymore.”
“Where are the flair players?”
“Modern football is too robotic.”

Here’s the truth:
The problem isn’t the players.
It’s how we teach them. 🧵 2.
If your sessions are all patterns, pre-sets, and rehearsals—
You’re not building decision-makers.
You’re building followers.

And followers freeze when the game breaks the script.

Too many players hide.
They play it safe.
They pass when they should dribble.
They stop trying after one mistake.

If you want real attacking players—
You need to coach bravery.

Let’s talk about the most misunderstood trait in player development 🧵 2.
“Bravery” gets misused in coaching.

It’s not running hard.
It’s not shouting louder.
And it’s definitely not reckless play.

Bravery is this:

→ Taking initiative when it matters
→ Trying something, even if it might fail
→ Playing without fear—but with purpose

Possession.
Shots.
Passes.
xG.

Coaches get bombarded with data.
But most of it’s just noise. 📊❌

If you want to evaluate the game properly…
You need to focus on signal—not generic stats.

A thread on how to block the noise 🧵 2.
Most post-match analysis looks like this:

🟢 We had 60% possession
🟢 We made 400 passes
🟢 We had 10 shots

Okay... and?

Did your team actually play the way you wanted?
Or just rack up sterile numbers?

Most players look sharp when the tempo is slow.
But what happens when the game gets fast, messy, and real?

That’s where technique breaks down.
Unless it’s trained to survive speed. ⚡

Let’s talk: Technique at Speed
(A thread for serious coaches) 🧵 2.
Football is played at tempo.
You don’t get 5 seconds to prepare your touch.

If your training slows down to get things right...
You’re preparing for a version of the game that doesn’t exist.

Technique has to hold up under pressure.
At real speed.

Before tactics.
Before fitness.
Before systems.

There’s one truth in football:

If your players don’t master the fundamentals,
they’ll struggle the moment the level gets higher. 🧵 2.
Too many youth teams are drilled on shape and structure…

…but the players can’t:

– Control under pressure
– Pass with both feet
– Stay calm in tight spaces
– Scan and decide fast

These are non-negotiables at the next level.

Tactical masterclasses are everywhere.
Pro teams. Shape. Pressing traps. Build-up patterns.

They’re fun to watch.
But dangerous to copy.

Here’s why coaches must be careful applying these at youth level 🧵 2.
Watching elite tactics is exciting.

You feel smarter just listening.
And you might be tempted to copy what you see.

But here’s the truth:

Most youth players don’t need more tactics.
They need to understand the game.

Football is a players’ game.
(Or at least—it should be.)

But too many coaches try to remote-control every moment.
That only kills instincts.

Here’s why principles, not constant instructions, unlock real performance 🧵 2.
The game moves fast.
Too fast for real-time instructions.

If your players need you to guide every move—
you’ve already lost the moment.

That’s not coaching.
That’s control.

Your team loses the ball.
Who reacts?

If the answer is no one — you’re not training well enough.

🧵 How to Coach Active Defending
(The most overlooked trait in youth development) 2.
Most players defend like it’s optional.
Jogging back. Blaming others. Watching.

But defending isn’t a break.
It’s action.
It’s responsibility.

If you want real improvement—this mindset must change.

There are a million things you could coach.
But only a few really move the needle.

After 15 years and 600+ matches, these are the 9 principles I teach every season.
They’ve helped me build brave, fast, competitive players—at every level.

🧵 9 Principles That Actually Shape Players 2.
Principle 1 – Forward Mentality

When we win the ball, we go forward.
No safe passes. No pointless recycling.

Clarity: Attack with intent.
Finish with a shot.
That mindset alone raises the level.

What happens right after your team wins the ball?

You track possession.
Shots. Passes. xG.

But here’s the truth:
Most of those stats won’t tell you if your training is working.
#SundayShare @SundayShare10

🧵 How to actually measure if your coaching is creating progress
(and why you need your own KPIs) 2.
Stats like possession or xG tell you what happened in the game.
But they don’t tell you if your training focus is transferring.

If you want real feedback as a coach—
you need to define your own KPIs.