Jan B. Poulsen - Technical advisor in OFFS

I have often heard from coaches and leaders working in so called professional clubs (latest when I worked in Armenia) that Open Fun Football Schools are not real football and it has little to do with talent developing! Why? Because there are too many activities that doesn’t look like real football = 11 v 11, it’s not serious enough and it’s for everybody = too many who are not good enough.

This perception is wrong and in the following I’ll try to explain why.

First of all 11 v 11 is not real football for children because children are not small grown ups!

Children enjoy and have a natural need for movement such as running, jumping, pushing, kicking, pulling and so on, but they typically have problems with agility, balance and coordination because the neural system is not fully developed. However this period is the fundamental stage and a golden opportunity to learn and install good motor skills.

We also know they have low power of concentration and are highly sensitive. They can only focus on one activity for a short time – max 15-20 minutes. They can only handle “now and here” situations and are not able to translate detailed instructions (tactical) into actions. Simplicity is a key word.

In the early years they are very self-focused – “me and my ball”. This is not egoism but quite natural. Later they begin to interact with peers, and they begin to develop a system of self concept and a system of morality.

The coach is a role model. Children have strong and uncritical feelings towards adults.

What then should be the objectives working with children in this age group?

1. We should give them an all round athletic experience – agility, balance and coordination

2. We should promote basic technique and ball skills – rolling and bouncing balls, dribbling, feinting, passing, shooting etcetera.

3. They should learn basic tactical principles – when to dribble, when to pass the ball, where to pass the ball, how to defend one on one and so on

4. They should learn and experience group behavior – help/being helped, accepting others and fair play in general.

How should we do it?

1. Through motivating games and exercises – relays, obstacle courses, reflex exercises, rhythmic exercises, balancing exercises using various sports equipment.

2. Through free and easy small sided games on small pitches with few players   – 1 against 1, 2 against 2, 3 against 3 and so on. The children can overlook the field and they will touch the ball many more times. 11 v 11 is not a game for children!

Now this is exactly what we are doing in the Open Fun Football Schools.

We have exercises where the children are pulling ropes, working with hula-hop rings, running around blind folded, jumping and turning and even dancing. Is this part of talent developing you may ask? Of course it is. In this way we develop agility, balance and coordination.

We have relays of all kinds with the ball, which besides developing good football coordination/technique are very good speed training, and speed training is an important part of children’s football.

We have shooting and passing exercises – sometimes using trampolines - and we only play small sided games.

Open Fun Football Schools is real football for children

Secondly shouting and scolding at the children, which I have experienced in many professional clubs during training and matches, is certainly not the right pedagogical way if you want to develop children into good human beings and good footballers.

All research tells us that the main reason for children to play football or any sport for that matter is having FUN.  Creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment where the children have fun, feel secure and free to express themselves is therefore of outmost importance for us.

We want an environment where it’s allowed to make mistakes, where encouragement and praise are the most important tools used by the coaches. An environment characterized by tolerance and flexibility. Where we listen and pay attention to each other. And we want positive coaches, who accept the children as they are. Feeling accepted should never depend only on performance.

Open Fun Football Schools is football development in the pedagogical right way

Finally -  it is commonly accepted that it takes 10 years to develop a top class football player and it’s also commonly  accepted that it is  impossible for anyone to say whether a boy/girl age 10-12 will become a top class player or not.

Finding the best players is a long selection process and the more players we can select from the better. That’s why a good youth development structure has the shape of a pyramid with a large base of children. Early selection as seen in many professional clubs is a grave mistake.

The philosophy of the Open Fun Football Schools helps create a big base of children playing football because all children are welcome to play no matter how good they are.