If you’re about to start soccer coaching and training for the first time, it’s obviously important to understand the various team positions. Having a basic understanding of soccer and all the positions that are involved will undoubtedly help you progress quicker and perform better. Here, I will review some basic information that will allow you to understand the team positions that you will be introduced to during soccer training. If you have any questions about the team positions after reading this article, please feel free to get in touch.
The first position that we will review is that of the defenders. The defenders serve the purpose of trying to keep the opposing team out of the danger areas and thus limiting their chances of scoring a goal. Once the defenders retrieve the ball from the control of the opposing team, they in effect become part of the attack.
If you look at world soccer today, there is a premium for defenders (in particular full backs) that can quickly and efficiently become parts of a team’s attack. Many say that defenders occupy one of the most important positions on the soccer field – but this seems a little negative?
The second position that will be reviewed is that of the midfielders. They effectively link the defenders with the attackers. So a balanced midfield plays equally on the side of the offense and the defense. The best midfielders are not only quick on their feet, but they are mentally quick as well. They are forever trying to unlock a team’s defense so their skill and technical levels are usually the highest in a team. That’s why everybody thinks they can play or at least want to play in midfield!
The third basic position you must familiarise yourself with are the forwards or attackers. Generally, these are the individuals that focus on scoring goals and so they are worth their weight in gold! Forwards also work effectively with the different other positions when the team is defending – but perhaps you shouldn’t count on this!
The fourth and final position that is essential to know and understand for your soccer coaching activities is that of the goalkeeper. A goalkeeper’s purpose is to prevent the opposing team from scoring. Although not as glamourous as the other positions – in particular when compared to forwards and midfielders – the importance of their role to a team is such that most professional outfits have specialised goal keeping coaches on their payroll.
When embarking on your soccer coaching career it’s crucial to understand that in order to maximise a player’s potential , they should experience as many positions as possible. Not only will this increase their knowledge of the game, it will also assist in them becoming more proficient at the various skills and techniques that playing and enjoying soccer requires.
Finally, it’s ways useful to know what skill sets are common, desirable and thus unite all the above positions. Such knowledge will aid in the pratical application of an effective soccer training session. One such skill is soccer speed – both physical as well as mental. In fact it’s that important that the world’s top clubs such as FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal focus much of their resources (in terms of training time and money) in it’s development.
Brought to you by The Soccer Speed Training Team
