TURNING & CONTROL

The importance of good control with the first touch on the ball has been stressed in previous practices, and this applies particularly when a player has to change direction when the ball is passed to him.

Consider the following situation in diagram 1.

Diagram 1

Attacker (B) with his back to goal is receiving the ball from his team mate (A) - with defender (D) closing in to tackle.

(B) needs to collect the ball with the inside of his left foot, and cushion it just enough to take off the weight on the pass.

At the same time he should control the ball and turn to his left, swinging the body round ready to take route 1 towards the goal i.e. away from (D) who cannot make a challenge if the control and turn is made skilfully enough.

This pass, control, and turn should be made slowly at first (with no defender involved at all) so that (B) knows exactly what he is trying to achieve.

IF POSSIBLE THE COACH SHOULD ILLUSTRATE THE TECHNIQUE, DEMONSTRATING THE "CUSHION" TOUCH REQUIRED BY THE LEFT FOOT IN THIS CASE AND THE SWIVEL MOVEMENT OF THE BODY SO AS TO KEEP THE BALL CLOSE, AND AT THE SAME TIME ROTATE SHARPLY ENOUGH TO PREPARE TO SHOOT AT GOAL.

It should be stressed defender (D) comes into the practice once B has perfected the control and turn movement.

Once D is involved (B) should be allowed to go on and shoot at goal.

Turning and Passing in Threes

To develop the technique three players in a line can be used in a practice as in diagram 2 - one ball.

Diagram 2



(C) passes to (A) who is facing him, (A) now has to control the pass, turn quickly before passing on to (B).

The type of pass from (C) can vary, but accuracy from both (C) and (A) should be a priority. Another point to be stressed is A's cushion control, and turn.

To vary, players can exchange roles, until (C) and (B) can alter their positions and their distances from (A).

Turning on the Run

Diagram 3



In the next practice (C) 10 metres away from (A) passes to him along the ground but firmly.

(A) has to control the ball turn and take the ball round the marker (M) before
delivering an accurate pass to (B).

Alternatively (B) can make the pass which means (A) will have to turn to his left to get round the marker (M) and so he will then have the opportunity to practice control and turn with both feet.

Once again roles can be reversed.