INTRODUCTION: BYFA European Tour 2013 The concept of a possible 2013 European Development Tour came from a discussion between yours truly and Gordon Tulloch. Gordon has been running very successful development tours to the United Kingdom (Germany also) for the past twelve years. Why don t you stop messing around with Mickey Mouse Clubs and take young players to two of the most successful Clubs on the Planet, Real Madrid and Manchester United while the comment was a little tongue in Cheek I am very passionate about learning from the best as my two trips to Brazil in the 90 s will testify. Much to my surprise Gordon phoned me a few days later and told me it was possible to plan a tour visiting Spain and Real Madrid and Manchester City (Manchester United proved a difficult option for him) as well as his usual itinerary for the UK. Now, as I put together this report, I can look back at a fantastic few weeks in which I was privy to first class coaching sessions and very competitive games in both Spain and England. The big plus from this tour was watching players I knew very well develop and mature on a day to day basis, the tough schedule left them tired and carrying niggling injuries throughout the tour, they were challenged mentally and physically in very cold climates and rose above it all to finish the tour with two very good team performances. After experiencing first hand the benefits of such tours I have no hesitation in recommending this tour to any young player who carries serious ambitions to becoming a professional football player, I have gained more experience and knowledge in the past four weeks than I have in the last few years residing in Queensland. I still am amazed why no Coach took up the invitations to participate on the tour definitely their loss. SPAIN:
BYFA European Tour 2013 Upon arriving in Madrid we were taken to our accommodation at the Ciudad Del Futbol, this is a World Class Training Facility in the outer Suburbs of Spain s Capital City. After sorting out our rooms we are taken to the Santigo Bernabeu Stadium for a tour of Real Madrid s Stadium and their very impressive museum. Guide Juan Perez. CIUDAD REAL MADRID; 1 & 2 We spend our first full day in Spain at the Real Madrid Training Complex (Ciudad Real Madrid) with Morning and Afternoon training sessions under the guidance of Real Madrid Academy Coaches - Carlos Current Coach of the U-15 Real Madrid Academy -Jose Current Coach of the U-12 Real Madrid Academy - AKA GK Coach at the Real Madrid Academy - Physio: Ivan The Coaches were impressed with the technical level of our Players and put on two excellent sessions at a very good intensity. The sessions had similar themes (we had two separate Squads) with different warm up exercises before possession games and then Coaching in the game. Key Coaching Points: Body position improved ball speed and movement, players to stay wide and create time and space, midfield and forward passing combinations creating shooting chances. GOALKEEPERS: -The goalkeepers worked a lot on technique and positioning, they worked solidly for about 60 minutes before they were called in the coached game with on going coaching throughout the game
CIUDAD DEL FUTBOL: 1. BYFA European Tour 2013 This was a full day starting with our only training session on grass in the morning, a lunchtime tour of the Spanish Football Museum and then attending an afternoon and late evening Football matches. The Coaches were - David Arroyo Pedraza (Main Coach) - Sergio Piña - Gonzalo Cuenca - The Session: The two groups again worked on similar themes with different practices but the emphasis was on front foot receiving and ball speed in various passing practices, interestingly both groups broke into small possession games before returning to more passing practices before progressing to a coached game, again the goalkeepers were brought in with continued coaching on positioning and decision making. Key Coaching Points: All control with inside of front foot, good ball speed and movement with the emphasis on switching the point of the attack trying to create a one on one situation on goal.
CIUDAD REAL MADRID: 3. BYFA European Tour 2013 After a relaxing day in Toledo (Spain s ancient Capital City) we returned to Real Madrid for a late afternoon session. The Session emphasised sound technique in ball striking which evolved into crossing and shooting, the practices were executed at a good intensity with a lot of repetition in both groups. Again the practices were different in the group but with a similar theme. Key Coaching Points: Good first touch setting up a long pass cross or shot progressing to one touch play. Goalkeepers starting position for cross or shot quick recovery and use of quick feet. The Coaches informed us they spend hours with all age groups on this type of session. This session also involved a lot of dribbling skills in the warm up with the younger group
CIUDAD DEL FUTBOL: 2. BYFA European Tour 2013 Our Second session with the Coaches was on the main Astroturf Pitch focused on ball control and possession in confined areas looking for controlled possession against less defenders, both groups worked at a good tempo with the emphasis on quick movement off the ball to support the pass and maintain possession. The session progressed to a coached game introducing the goalkeepers at this stage. Key Coaching Points: The Coaches looked for a good first touch (a safe touch under pressure) good ball protection, quick decisions and movement to create combination plays. Creating goal chances from the practice and quick counter attacks. THE COACHES; David Arroyo Pedraza (Main Coach) National Coach and Former player of the Real Madrid Academy Tactics and Technics Teacher Trainer at The Real Madrid Foundation Sergio Piña National Coach Coach at San Sebastian Club Scout for the RCD Espanyol Gonzalo Cuenca National Coach Former Rayo Vallecano Coach Coach at RFE de Fútbol
CIUDAD REAL MADRID: 4. BYFA European Tour 2013 The two sessions again took a similar theme but with different practices to prepare for the small sided and coached games. The theme was on breaking wide and getting in an early cross to create goal scoring chances. The game featured quick counter attacks and therefore was played at a good tempo also good for goalkeepers and defenders both in defending and starting attacks. After lunch at the Academy we were given a conducted tour of the training complex.
BYFA European Tour 2013 ENGLAND: Sheffield United: 1. The two groups worked on receiving and passing progressing to small sided games in tight areas on the out maintain possession under pressure. The coached game focused on midfield build up creating a shot or cross from the wing. Luke Fedorenko took the session Sheffield Wednesday: 1. One group worked inside the Dome and the other on the outside astro pitch, again similar themes but all coaches had different introductions and varied the instructions in the small sided games with the focus on long and short passing in maintaining possession progressing to the coached game. Neville Burbeary took the session while his assistant Kevin Fogg took the session in the Dome. Sheffield Wednesday: 2 This was an enjoyable couple of hours as the younger group trained with the Sheffield Wednesday s Academy teams and the older group were used in the Dome for an English FA Coaching Update session Conducted by Mick Matthews the theme was interventions (intercepting the pass) and the boys played some excellent football against each other at a very good intensity. The Coaching was first Class and the Coaches took a lot out of the Session.
BYFA European Tour 2013 Manchester City: 1. The two Coaches, Lewis Grimshaw and Mike Houghton focused on similar themes one again with different practices, the younger ones worked in an outside boxed area while the older squad worked indoors. A good intensity was used for both sessions with the older group being coached on playing out from the back. Manchester City: 2. Both Squads worked on an outdoor pitch with the goalkeepers working with a coach in one of the penalty areas. The focus was possession in a tight area keeping the ball for so many passes before playing into another grid; both balls need to be kept in the crossovers, a very good session which the players benefited from. The Coached game continued the theme into shooting (finishing) Manchester City: 3. Lewis and Mike focused on building the attacks through to the target man and a quick switch of play encouraging players to make runs ahead of the ball wherever possible, a lot of good coaching in the front third, all the City sessions were conducted with a good intensity in both groups Charlton Athletic: 1. A similar theme working on good technique to maintain possession in small areas, a good session conducted by Academy Coaches Sean Daly and Vince?
TOUR MATCHES: Game 1 BYFA European Tour 2013 BYFA U14/15 v Las Rozas FC (Madrid) Lost 1-4 The boys started well and went a goal up after 15 mins Las, Rozas equalised just before half time and took control the last part of the second half scoring three goals, by this time our opponents had put on some older more experienced players, this was a good performance by all the squad and we were punished by defensive lapses as opposed to the Las Rozas general play, which we matched throughout the game. Game 2 BYFA U16\17 v Sanse FC (Madrid) Lost 1-4 Our Older squad (including three U15 s) put up an excellent performance against a much older team, Sanse had a couple of lucky breaks which led to goals but a very good first outing for the squad we improved throughout the game and were very competitive and tactically and technically equal to a more experienced opponent fatigue started to show towards the end of the game. Game 3 BYFA U14\15 v Colmenar Viejo FC (30k out of Madrid) Lost 7-1 Surprisingly (given the score line) our boys played very well but were mismatched against a much older team, our opponents had some quality players who had a huge influence on the score, but credit to the boys they never gave up and played the type of football the Spanish Coaches have been encouraging them to play. I thought the boys would run out of legs but we finished the game on top with their defence and goalkeeper working overtime to stop us from scoring another goal, on another day we could have scored three or four goals which was extremely encouraging. This was a fantastic opponent as part of the BYFA Development tour, the Squad had a guest Appearance, from Juan Perez s son Alessandro (who is in the Real Madrid Academy) he linked in well with the boys who all enjoyed the game but not the Score. Game: 4 BYFA U16\17 v Las Rozas (Madrid) Lost 1-4 This was the game the older squad should have won, missed chances and a dubious offside goal giving them a 2-1 lead just after half time. The team more than matched the opposition and competed well on a technical and tactical level, while disappointing not to win their were many positives to come out of the performance and several players were standouts in the game, Las Rozas put the score beyond us
BYFA European Tour 2013 from a couple of set plays (which the local teams in Spain spend a lot of time on) but again we finished strongly and could have taken a couple of chances which would have put us back in the game. Game 5 BYFA U16/17 v Sheffield Wednesday FC U16 Drew 1-1 This game took a while to settle in with either team having very good possession in the first half with Wednesday playing a mixture of long and short passing football. After playing Spanish team s this game was much more physical which was no problem to our boys and we won a lot of possession in a pretty even first half, Wednesday beat the offside trap just before half time and managed to scramble the ball in for a 1-0 lead. After changing a few things at half time we started to have a good share of possession and midway through the second half equalised after a very good move playing out from the back on to the right wing switching to a diagonal ball to the left giving us a one on one with the keeper. There is no doubt our organisation and the influence of the Spanish Coaching caused our opponents some problems, the game continued in an open end to end encounter which was a fair result in the end. Game 6 BYFA U14\15 v Sheffield FC Lost 1-3 On a freezing cold night on top of a very windy Moor just outside Sheffield this was a good test of character for the young boys. We started to play well as our opponents gave us too much space early and after a couple of half chances we took the lead through a good build up and finish, during this spell we could have been 2 or 3 goals to the better but we were punished (again) for some defensive lapses. Our performance dropped off towards the end as the boys started to look very tired, several of them were happy to hear the final whistle, a great education for the team good lessons to learn.
BYFA European Tour 2013 Game 7 BYFA U16\17 v Sheffield FC Lost 1-2 The second of the evening s games and the condition s did not improve for the boys; this was a good, even, competitive game with our opponents struggling to break down our organisation. The boys created some good chances but failed to score and as the game progressed fatigue set in and the quality of the game dropped with two goals being conceded which could easily have been avoided. Another good game as part of the BYFA Development tour. Game 8 BYFA U14\15 v Sheffield United Academy U14 Lost 2-3 Just over 12 hours from finishing a game on Friday night here are the boys playing again at 9.00 in the morning. We were all bitterly disappointed as this was the one that got away (score wise) what a difference this was! the only game to date played in the daylight and the boys came out firing playing very well to go 2-0 in the first 20 minutes. After halftime United put on some bigger stronger boys who gave the game a more even look, unfortunately defensive lapses again cost us goals but this time the local Ref (surprise, surprise) had a bearing on the score by giving them a blatant offside goal and cancelling out a goal from us for offside, that aside the boys finished very well and blitzed the United goal, their keeper pulling off a string of saves and the post and crossbar denying us goals as well as one cleared off the line in injury time. Game 9 BYFA U16\17 v Sheffield United Academy U\16 Lost 1-2 This was also one that got away controlling most of the game in midfield and opening up the United defence on several occasions, we wasted most of these chances by shooting wildly over the bar when well placed to score. The day games were highly motivating for our tired players and we dominated long periods of the game but paid the penalty in not taking our chances when they came along. Game 10 BYFA U14\15 v Manchester City U14\15 Development Squad Lost 1-4 This was the first of two tough games for the squads against quality opposition. The City team struggled to break down our boy s defensive organisation and became frustrated giving us counter attacking opportunities. City moved the ball a little quicker after half time and looked to switch the play a lot more often; goals for them came from good individual skills (2 of the goals) and 2 set plays. A good opponent definitely the best team we had played but we still managed to cause them problems tactically and technically.
BYFA European Tour 2013 Game 11 BYFA U16\17 v Manchester City U16\17 Development Squad Drew 3-3 The previous night we played our best opponent for this game we played our strongest opposition on the tour this was a very powerful team. The players still had their mindset elsewhere when we went 1-0 down just after the kick off. It took a while to settle in against a team that relentlessly pressured the ball in our half. It was 2-0 to City at half time and after making a couple of adjustments to our organisation the boys started to get some possession and play some good football as they visibly tired our boys started to outplay them and we deservedly got back to 2-2 with a great move and a stunning free kick, it was great to hear their keeper yell out to his team You re letting them play Football before another good move saw us go 3-2 up after following up a good save from the City keeper. Poor marking from a corner allowed them to get a 3-3 draw, definitely a game of contrasting halves this one but a great learning process for the BYFA players. Game 12 BYFA U14\15 v Dartford FC U15 Won 5-0 It was a long time coming but we finally won a game, however we would have got more out of the defeat the previous Friday than we did from this game. The boys dominated the game from start to finish I was starting to witness boys turning into Young Men throughout the tour but now they were also playing mature football at a good intensity and served up some fantastic one touch football the scoreline flattered our opponent as it should have been closer to double figures. The highlight of this game was introducing young Michael Eaton (Under 12) in goal and how the older boys protected him and trusted in his ability. Congratulations to Dartford FC who continued to try and play good Football throughout the game in a very sporting manner. Game 13 BYFA U16\17 v Dartford FC U18 Won 2-0 This was another convincing performance and could have led to more goals had some of the forwards and midfield taken their shooting opportunities when they were created. The boys controlled the game well and were rarely troubled in defence and
BYFA European Tour 2013 controlled the middle of the park. This was an excellent team performance considering two of the boys had stayed in Sheffield one to trial at Wednesday and the other at United. A great way to end an exhausting tour, with two good team performances and several players fulfilling their potential. FACILITIES: Outside of the Ciudad Del Futbol and Ciudad Real Madrid all of the other Facilities at the Clubs where we trained and played were very impressive and all ideal for developing young players to a high level of tactical and technical competency. Las Rozas FC Madrid, Full size and smaller Astroturf pitches with four separate change rooms and canteen area. Colenar Viejo FC Astroturf stadium with small training area behind one goal, large covered stand electronic scoreboard capacity of 6000 to 10000 spectators. Sheffield United Football Academy Full Size indoor and outdoor Astroturf pitches with full size grass and smaller Astroturf training areas. Sheffield Wednesday Football Academy Full Size indoor (Dome) and outdoor Astroturf pitches two full sized grass pitches. Sheffield Football Club Full Size and smaller Astroturf pitches Manchester City (Platt Lane Complex) Two full sized outdoor Astroturf pitches plus two full sized Grass pitches, both indoor and outdoor Astroturf training areas Gorton College (Manchester) Used by Manchester City for development games with a full sized Astroturf pitch. Charlton Athletic Football Club 6-8 Full sized Grass pitches, one full sized indoor (Dome) and one full sized outdoor Astroturf pitch.
Dartford Football Club BYFA European Tour 2013 I full sized Astroturf pitch next to Stadium with six changing rooms. SUMMARY: To look back on such a busy Football Development Tour visiting six Countries in eighteen days it must be given a huge thumb s up. Believe me when I say this was a Football tour and definitely not a holiday. Looking back we would not have it any other way as the boys paid good money to become a better player not go sightseeing. The Coaching the players received was first Class top level Coaches at their organisations, Academies and Club s plus Specific Goalkeeping training at the Spanish FA, Real Madrid Football Academy and Manchester City Academy. The Schedules for attending games was a little too tight with no allowances for Match day traffic and therefore little margin for error in the schedules (We arrived late into three of the Matches) but the small mini buses we used were ideal to move players around in the English Cities we visited. With the benefit of hindsight and looking back on the tour I would change very little in the itinerary, I really enjoyed the Morning trip to Toledo before returning to Real Madrid Academy for an afternoon session. The feedback from the players was very positive with several of them having a different highlight to the tour.