In the big picture the most important thing to develop is intelligence (awareness and use of space), but without a good touch and efficient and effective footwork this is not possible. So we spend a huge amount of time on footwork so that players have the tools to use space as effectively as possible.

 We are not a 1v1 or a 'skills' program.

We are a space manipulation program.

And footwork and touch development is a critically important component of this.

To develop Touch

• Outside (little toe) touch away from the body
• Inside touch across the body
• An Inside cut touch
• A Roll across the body
• A drag turn or a drag back V [90 degree change of direction0
• Can the above be 'explosive/sharp'
• Can deception be added (fake kick, fake touch, start start etc)
• Can the above be accompanied with the head being up, checking and scanning and a game like decision

Players at level 3 and above will do this using FFPs.

However a t the very early stages of the technical development process, this can be done in open space (no cones required, without a focus on FFPs) and in game.

• Tech games are great to play with young players and much better at developing footwork than technical isolation. (as long as the is sufficient repetition of the required movement patterns).
  
• So with young players TST doesn't do specific cone work [as it adds no value]. The game is a much  better teacher at this level.

Most team coaches don't even get to this stage of development (that is: offer generic non-specific footwork practice with insufficient repetition of problems or actions, no specific feedback nor direction for players) and there is definitely no attempt to further develop footwork. This may not be the coaches fault. The simple truth is that a big group is not a very good way to help players develop advanced footwork ability. The practice, feedback, correction, improvement cycle is non existent and there are so many other things a team coach needs to cover, they simply cant spend enough time on footowrk to make a difference. So they do not bother.

So this is why TST gets players to work in groups of 4 to 6 players. If there are any more at a young age or at the beginning of a players footwork journey the impact of the coaching starts to lose it effect.

So TST players at a very early stages of development, work in Groups of 4-6 whenever possible

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As players develop, these basic generic techniques then get developed into the Fundamental Footwork Patterns (FFPs) that all advanced footwork is built upon. The table below list ALL FFPs and if a footwork pattern isn't on this list then it has no place at TST.

 Fundamental Footwork Patterns

Explaining the table above

• Black text =>  Fundamental Footwork Patterns (FFPS)
• Blue text => simple fakes of simple touches (these are all a player needs initially)

Introducing these Patterns to footwork beginners

All these FFPs can again be introduced in open space (no cones required) and done as Ball Mastery exercises . [Note: Ball mastery exercises do not  move the ball between spaces and so aren't game functional].

Also note 'footwork beginners' will get bored very quickly if the footwork practice is too dry so ball mastery without a challenge will loose its appeal very quickly) or they will get frustrated very quickly if the footwork practice is too hard - hence why with young players and slightly older beginners we don't do cone work.

With very young players (levels 1 and 2) and footwork beginners, footwork needs to be developed predominately in games (the game is a better teacher at this point as long as players are not put under so much pressure that they cant practice footwork - so games need to be carefully planned). This is the first stage of footwork development.

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The second stage of the footwork process is :

It is at this point even most of the best team coaches stop developing basic footwork. They won't have covered the full range of FFPs not done any specific coaching to get the FFPs right, but will however start to introduce 1v1 moves (scissors, elasticos, step overs  etc) and think that this is the next stage of a players technical development. Most team coaches believe 'moves' come before 'touch and FFP development'. Most team coaches put complicated before fundamentals. Most team coaches believes the moves they see the very best players in the world do will make their players better players, if they just give them a go.

But this where TST differs from most team coaches, and a team mentality.  TST only cares about the individual and TST does not sacrifice the development of 'touch' because of the need to satisfy the illusion that complicated equals better.

TST is only interested in the quality of  a players TOUCH when using FFPs, regardless of whether they are doing cone work, playing a tech game or playing a small sided game (2v2, 3v3), and only when playing tech/Small sided games do we then also look at the Decision Making Processes and use of space at an individual level and hope that the choice of the appropriate footwork (the footwork patterns we teach are all players need) are slowly becoming a natural way of moving the ball. That is, the footwork does not interfere with, but enhances, the decision making processes and this done at a subconscious level.

TST needs to provide players with a level of 'practice, feedback, correction, improvement'  in regards to their touch during the application of FFPs, that a team coach could not possibly do.

This is where TST adds massive value to a players development

TST is built upon the development of Fundamental FOOTWORK patterns.

And we use cones to do this

And use games to add intelligence (which is the whole purpose of footwork and touch development).

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What does footwork using cones achieve?

The uneducated view of cones is that the coach lines up a row of cones and tells the players to dribble through them. There is almost zero teaching or learning in this. Other coaches recognize this and so conclude that cones are therefore useless as development tool. As a result cone work has become a dirty word when developing players. But these thoughts have been generated from team training environments by individuals who couldn't possibly have looked into it themselves to get a sufficient level to understanding of the pro and cons.

It's akin to a person dismissing the bible without ever reading it. If you are going to have a go a something, it would make sense that you understood the subject better than those you are dismissing.

The key thing to consider in regards to the use of cones is that TST is not a team training environment. It is not the environment where the use of cones has a got a bad reputation. TST uses cone work in a way that is beyond most 'players and coaches' comprehension and has been developed over a 10 year period, slowly being researched and refined.

There is so much that conework can achieve, and so much that payers can get from conework that they simply will not get by just playing and learning through their own trial and error, and from the little bit of individual guidance they get at team-training.

TOUCH

Firstly lets consider touch. As stated above, most coaches and players see technical development as the development of a movement pattern and so will teach a back foot touch, a scissor, a Maradona spin - all with aim of helping players get the movement pattern of a technique. Players think they have learned something, coaches think they have taught something and everyone believes that the introduction and slight development of a movement pattern is the way to becoming a better player. And it is a start no doubt.

'World renowned' academies are based on nothing more than this idea. 'If you learn this movement pattern on the ball (this technique or this ball mastery exercise etc) then you will become a better player. If you can do this one, then can you do this other one?

But this approach is fundamentally wrong and completely misses the point of what a good player needs. A good player does not need more and more movement patterns under their belts. This will do nothing but muddy the water. Almost all players (who put in the time) can do almost all techniques to some degree or another. All players can do a scissor, a step-over, and an elastico. All players who have been coached well can control a ball, take a back foot touch, move the ball out of their body with a little toe touch !!! So why aren't all players good players???

It is because after a certain point technical development is not about the movement pattern of a technique - it is about:

• The Quality of the touch (precision of weight, accuracy, timing) during the technique
• The ability of a player to become one with the ball (it is a part of them, not separate to them)
  
• Interacting with the ball  in an intelligent way (using space well to solve a problem) that is appropriate for the moment
  

This is the real technical development of a good player.

It is indisputable. Having a bunch of different ways to do the same thing adds almost zero value to a player.  What is needed is the laying down of fundamental footwork patterns, which are then tested under unceasingly difficult conditions that puts a players 'touch' in all its forms, under increasing pressure.

This is where conework comes into the picture. As stated above coaches who hate cones will say 'you don't play against cones, or cones can't tackle you'. But they miss the point. Cones are not there to reflect the game. They are there for a number of reasons :

• Firstly they allow a framework for the repetition of the specific FFP you are working on
• They act as a constraint on time and space.
  
• If a player cant put the ball in a specific place at a specific speed so that they remain 'one with' the ball, then the cones will find them out - it will let them know how good or bad there footwork and touch is.
• They can be used to develop the importance of the steps around the ball
  
• Does a player take no steps,1 step, 2 steps or 3 steps between touches.
  
• The steps around the ball are a integral part of footwork technique and critical to good ball moving (but essentially ignored by all coaches when developing footwork).
  
• If a player is putting their feet in the wrong place when moving the ball, again the cones will find this out.
• They are great for developing a rhythm and foot speed (increasing this rhythm).
  
• They are great for developing the ability to get the 'head up' while moving the ball.
  
• They offer the opportunity for feedback (internal and external) which is essential for accelerated learning and subconscious embedding of movement patterns.
• They offer a challenge for players, or something different (if teh cones are set up differently) which leads to a higher level of motivation.
• Can i get through the cones without stuffing up?
• Can i get through the cones more quickly?
• Can i get through the cones whilst keeping my head up?
• Motivation is a critical component to the development process

As stated, the cones are not there to act as stationary players, but are used for lots of other reasons, and the benefits of using cones correctly is very difficult for most players to get elsewhere.

• For players just starting out with the FFPs, the cones can just be gently guiding a players touch, and can leave a big margin for error allowing players to achieve success.
  
• For advanced players, cones* (set up in creative and imaginative ways) push a players touch & ability to use FFPs to its limits  (almost minimal conscious thought, the head off the ball, and a 'sprint' rhythm) for these players there would be no margin for error.

At the highest level, the time and space constraints are similar in regards to touch - there is almost no margin for error. Touch has to be perfect - and this takes years of constant exposure to environments that push TOUCH to its limits. Hence why technical development is about touch, balance, rhythm and intelligence and not about moves, and all these is just a tool in the space manipulation process.

So having said the above:

Stage 3 of the Footwork Development Model is: [Level 3 and up]

• Introduce cones and begin the constant progressive long term repetition of FFPs [which includes paying attention to the steps around the ball (not just the touch of the ball)] and make sure the steps, the footwork patterns and the touch are constantly tested, refined and improved.
• Players need to get to a level where the cones are not a problem . Cones are only an issue if a players touch is poor. Cones for a good player,  actually make no difference to their ability to move the ball around their feet

Stage 4 of the Footwork Development Model is:

• Increase the rhythm of the footwork - so that the foot speed is getting quicker and quicker.  Why use ladders when the fast feet and footwork patterns done using cone work and ball work will do just the same job.

Stage 5 of the Footwork Development Model is:

• 5a: Almost all FFPs need to be done with the head up (or more precisely the ball is at the bottom of a players vision, whilst the middle of their eyes are scanning and checking).
• 5b; Use the FFPs as a 'first touch and release' rather than for just ball moving patterns.
•  FFPs, they can be used in any moment.
• 5c; Start to play around with FFPs and build fakes onto the fundamentals.
• Remember that fakes are always an improvisation of something simpler and not the 'stand alone skills' that they are portrayed as.
• Understand the roots of a fake, before developing the technique and touch of a fake
• 5d:  FFPs are incorporated into a tech game and a SSG (see below for a more detailed explanation)
• 5e:  FFPs are combined like a jigsaw pieces, to really test the brains ability to switch from one pattern to another seamlessly.

Also, referring back to the table above, the other FFPs , which are a different colour text, can be added at Level 5. They are categorized as follows;

• Greys text => duplicated (but still  important) / tweaked patterns
• Red text => start to get more advanced, but need to be included as they offer something unique (which the other FFPs don't cover).
• Orange text => Advanced ways to position the body around the ball
• Purple text => Advanced ways of interacting and improvising around and with the ball

 

Stage 6 of the footwork development Model

• 6: Combine all of the above in games.

Throughout all of these stages - the appropriate application of the FFPs and more advanced skills are given the chance to develop by playing technical games designed to enhance the game functional development of FFPs.

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• For Beginners and players just getting to grips with basics and the FFPs - use a game as a teacher, whilst increasingly throwing the FFP practice into natural breaks and then asking players to appropriately incorporate the practiced FFP in the games.
• At some point players become old enough to do cone work
• But do not force this if players are not ready for it.
• If you do do cone work, then pitch it appropriately.
• It needs to pitched slightly outside their comfort zone. If it's inside their comfort zone, they will get bored quickly. If its too far outside they will get frustrated.

With all this said ; If you are coaching at TST:

• Beginners and players just getting to grips with the basics and the FFPs, need to do a rotating mix of practice and tech games for the first 2/3rds of the session.
• Players who are able to do cone work (both from a technical and a maturity point of view)  MUST spend 30 Minutes, at the start of every session doing conework at what ever stage they are at.
• In this 30 minutes every touch and every step matters - and players should get more repetition of touches and patterns, more internal and external feedback, more opportunity to do things better, than in any other development environment they are in.

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TOPICs

• All players have an underlying topic: That is find the space to hit the pass and improve the position of the ball.
• However we might be have other topics: EG; The topic might be:
• Teach the intricacies of an aggressive 1v1
• When this is the topic for the footwork,  the FFPs will still be a fundamental part of the footwork practice, however they will be just tweaked to fit an aggressive 1v1 moment.
• The FFPs which are essential in aggressive 1v1 moments are practiced along side the coaching points of an aggressive 1v1.
• This is looked at in more details later.

We are not a 1v1 program but having said this :

• Almost every moment in the game is a 1v1 in some way so its impossible to avoid the issue of 1v1s.
• The 1v1 is not always obvious or not the traditional way 1v1s are the veiwed but they are always present. A quick summary is below.
• These are main 1v1 categories:
• A pressing 1v1: Where one defender is pressing a player on the ball. In theory this is commonly viewed as a 'face-on' press (defender and player on the ball face each other) and with the objective to get in behind the press, but in reality a press can come from any angle relative to the way the player on the ball is facing and the players on the ball can find space in any direction relative to the press. (Most 1v1s fall into this category).
• Often more than one defender will pressing but the problem is the same. ea with the press and find the space.
• A defensive 1v1 - where the defender and attacker are in a bit of a stand off with neither over committing.
• An aggressive 1v1 - where the attacker deliberately attacks the defender (or the space around the defender)

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To finish and having said all this. It is really important to remember that the

Game is about space

not footwork. Touch and Footwork are just a tool used to manipulate this.

Footwork is a tool for game intelligence.

This is a really important message to get across to young players.

Stage 7 ; That's when learning about the real game really starts

Once a player is at this stage, learning about the real game kicks in. The game is ultimately a decision making exercise and an exercise in manipulating time and space to improve the position of the ball. Only players which a strong technical base can play the game 'in an advanced way', and their ability to play the game at a professional level is only limited by other attributes (physicality, mental strength, intelligence).