English football – a new philosophy based on our old heritage?

Football in streets of England took place before any association was formed (formalised) with 100s of people chasing inflated animal bladders around streets with brawls and scrapes for the ball with little or no rules and make shift goals (eventually).

I often here from non-football people, “it’s just running after and kicking a ball, I can’t believe people like it or pay to watch it.” That’s very much a non-commercial view and simplistic but has its merits. Too many of us thought the ball does something to us when we are young and we can never get rid of it.

We know the addictive behaviours of human beings, the mobile phone is proof. If only we could positively enhance the addiction of fun with the ball again, we may start catching up with the likes of Uruguay and Chile and Columbia in terms of pure pleasure of play (I’m not comparing national teams here). On the subject of addiction, many are that influenced by the vast money-based professional game and all the tribulations and stress that go with it and the constant media feedback systems that they replicate it in kid’s football. Many parents that used to comment on the ball being chased after are now in fact chasing a dream for their children, whether that dream is to win a Sunday league game at u7 or get into a development centre or even sign at an academy.

This brings me to academies. I know the system, or at least I thought I did. It’s changed dramatically in the last 6 years. Clubs routinely have under 6-8 development centres now. Some are taking children from age 4 after scouting them (from somewhere). There is an ever growing games programme at u7 (I once wrote about academies taking kids at u9 and them never playing or helping their old friends develop and learn from them in their community, due to not being allowed to play with them) with kids travelling 200 mile mid-week round trips so the “scouts and coaches see them in games against good opposition.” How can a 4-5 hour trip on a coach to play 40 minutes (max) of football be any good for a 7 year old? Surely this is de-valuing the importance of their school work? I hear a lot about contact hours to improve players.

Let them play at home for the 5 hours you have them on a bus not the 40 minutes you have when they get there. Young people need to experience many, many, different life subject areas but this system is stopping that. I keep saying this but mini festivals with multiple pitches, all kids playing for longer with local groups, mix of ages and so on is the only thing people need to do, but who am I to suggest it, I don’t run an academy.

Scouting of talent or scouting of potential? What we are rarely told as kids is things such as “look at how that player controls the ball in such an artistic way, etc.” maybe I’m wrong but traditions such as climbing towers in Spain or bull fighting or town centre horse races in Sienna aren’t seen as brawls but moments and events of art, genius, and above all community. However controversial some are they exist because of historical culture. What is our football culture historically? Do we actually know? If you read and digest most autobiographies and articles about players such as Matthews, Finney and I’ll throw in Best, they talk of a Victorian style form of play on cobbles and between tall kerbs. They talk, as also seen in the book Sons of United of how groups of enormously talented players for many years basically came from one community. How could this happen so frequently and now it doesn’t?

Yes we talk of foreign player influence on youth development but we have allowed this to happen! The ‘glory years’ of many a club were based on their own community. The real fan (of which many don’t go anymore) valued the talent and probably helped develop it in their area. Now? The market is swamped with scouts and coaches promising the next big contract. Some, and this sickens me
have agents as soon as they sign for an academy. There really are many people simply using the game, the game that started and remains a fun addiction has turned into a commercial, brain washing operation and who allowed it?

Why don’t we produce a Sanchez, Messi, Iniesta? I think we do but we see them stuck on the left wing tracking back in the industrial team setup being told no to be fancy.

If you think back to your first taste of football as a child it won’t be a negative thought. It might be in the house as a toddler, a shot at your dad in the park, whatever it was it will have been a fun choice. You played it because you were intrigued about the ball and what it did. That’s how basic it is.
This is a reiteration but the following comments from adults (which in turn are said by young people to their peers) are still common place. I see environment of games have become better but the shouting hasn’t and the instruction (lack of education) is constant. Matches usually follow a pattern, the nervous tension of the coach usually gets the better of them in my opinion, as if they’re being judged for some reason.

Comments/ actions often heard/ seen:

“stop trying fancy flicks and stop showing off”

“pass!”

“clear it, don’t mess with it, get rid of it!”

“down the line”

“big kick”

Praise for clearances, keeper kicks, forward directional thinking rather than the best option

Applause for heading back to keeper

Applauding a hard tackle but a reluctance to applaud trying skill or an attempt at something new or creative

A culture of “don’t be busy” and “we don’t like show offs” – seen through school life and into professional youth teams

I often hear “our u7,8s are ok but they don’t know how to pass yet or play in a position.” I always reply saying “good, keep it that way.” But the blank looks of confusion are never a shock anymore.

A school culture of conformity – grammar schools, schools football and discipline – debatable with professionals into cricket and rugby?

I work in primary schools. Believe me, it’s not easy. The landscape changes all the time. In a decade we have had funding from government change 3 times. There have been 4 different changes in recommendations for PE. It usually goes back to square one until another manifesto is written. None of it I can assure you have the child fully in mind. It has what is easiest and best for a mass number of people, to make it more controllable and easier to grade and stifles creativity and individuality from
the word go. I have noticed a large change in cognitive behaviours of children.

We keep blaming games consoles as a nation – this is an excuse by already lazy parents most of whom play the damn things. Going back to being addictive types – bin it, exercise, practice getting changed so your children don’t have a change of clothes at school – what does this do to any child’s self esteem? I firmly believe the assessment criteria of children borders on ridiculous – they are assessed from day one on clip boards, assessed and many often categorised into ailments, behaviours and placed in tighter supervision. Nursery teachers with clip boards, constant testing and increasing home work is all done and given not to better the child’s development but to appease inspections to conform to national frameworks of standards so a government can publish its improved results for their next campaigns.

I saw a great quote from a description of a sixth form student who under achieved when they were predicted top grades; “she lost the love of learning.” We have to be so careful and I really think this quote relates to the drop out in football.

Do we wonder why there are so many young people leaving school and college with so few employable skills that provide too much of a risk to employers.

The country always had dribblers – Matthews, Finney, Giggs, Best, Waddle, Gazza, Hudson, Worthington, Greaves, and so on. You only have to watch 101 great goals or Leeds United the glory years or the boys from brazil or highlights of the 1986 world cup etc to see the importance of street to stadium mentality. I have discussions daily with people regarding this topic. Should children be left to just play? No one has ever been left to play. Everyone has had some influence from an adult with regards play. Some children with regards to football are told what to do. It mainly involves the result of a game. With children playing matches from under 6 now, the result outweighs the practice earlier than it did previously. The notion of any tactics (however trivial or basic) at u6 compared to u11 has reduced 4/5 years of free play or playground play as it were. The dad and son park kick about now has in many cases changed to a formal junior game. The dad’s tips can now only be passed on via several others or shouted over a group. In a one on one situation compared to a 1 on 12 situations and in a game, instruction or help becomes obsolete and useless and could well mean both techniques and relationships could suffer almost. A dad may have taught the striking of a ball for example now they shout “get in your position.”

We often here media reports and feeds mentioning determination, pride, war like spirit with regards teams, games and players on a weekly basis. International tournaments often see headlines with the flags, Kitchener style campaigns and so on. I would argue the likes of Argentina have similar spirit. Latin street spirit – has it been derived from our own English streets? Terrier like players are often mentioned. The difference is a terrier like player such as Tevez in one country is perceived the same as someone like Cattermole (who is a good player – he wouldn’t be a pro otherwise) but can they be mentioned as just terrier like. The technical ability of Tevez is what makes him stand out. The terrier- like qualities are important – in this country we praise only one part of a player first – I don’t need to say which one. If our country won or helped win several world conflicts, surely we can win at football! This is exactly how people see it.

This is one of the most ridiculous thought processes when you break it down. It is also why many in England think the manager like a Churchill figure is responsible for everything and the marching and storming instruction is what it takes. Discipline comes in many forms, not just a red faced dictator.

The Pioneers…………..

Matthews – moves evolved from him – scissors, flip flap etc. His play has been taken on not by english players but by overseas stars who yes practice variations of movements based on the old players before them, they evolve them, change them, make them quicker and so on. Are young players here encouraged to do this? Or do they have free time to do this? Doubtful!

Finney and Matthews both tee total and trained on own when team mates didn’t. This is the same as the Ronaldo’s of today. The best practice the most. They remain training when others go for a shower. Do parents facilitate this now? Also doubtful. We talk of contact time in academies. Does it need contact time or just practice time?

8 of world’s top 50 dribblers of all time are from England according to a bleacher report. I would agree. Ask most children who they love watching – they won’t talk of formations and shape they talk of the exciting players. So why aren’t they allowed to try and watch, emulate and surpass them?
Football always in fear of being banned – from its existence on streets where fights and murders blamed on football matches – not dissimilar to the thinking of many head teachers now. Many schools have banned playground football. Not through the fault of playing children but because someone or something got hit or broken. Teach them then, not ban. Do you ban maths when a child fails a times-table test?

So does the future lie in the past? Get rid of the marketing, can the kids set up their own pitches at training and games? Can the refs be removed but keep the environment safe? Can the respect barriers become Education barriers or questions barriers (or even a different word to barrier).
Can everyone play? Can we play 2 small sided games across a pitch or do we need one big pitch?

Ask the kids, I bet all would prefer to play rather than 2-3 stand and watch.

mark@proskillscoaching.co.uk