Andy

@TheS_Resource Every session I coach I try to base on a game, using different themes and aims for the kids to understand in a real environment.

There's a perception in grassroots coaching that small sided games (SSG) are the bit at the end of the session where the coach steps back and lets the children have a kick about. The "fun bit", the reward for getting through the session and I think for some coaches there's an unspoken worry behind that, a feeling that if the players are just playing a game then what exactly am I here for? If I'm not organising, setting up cones, and delivering coaching points then I'm not really coaching, and that can make you feel a bit redundant. That couldn't be further from the truth, and I think it's one of the biggest misunderstandings in grassroots football right now, SSG's aren't the absence of coaching. They're one of the most powerful environments you can coach in, because the game itself is doing half the work for you. Every decision a player makes in a SSG's is real., there's pressure, opposition, consequence, and context. An activity can teach a child how to pass but it can't teach them when to pass or why that pass was the right one in that moment. The game does that, and your job as the coach is to help them see it. The coaching doesn't stop when the game starts, it just changes shape. Instead of standing at the front telling players what to do, you're watching, observing, and picking your moments. A quick question during a natural break in play, "what did you see before you passed that?" A gentle prompt before a restart, "where's the space right now?" A conversation with a player while they're waiting to come back on, "what would you do differently if that happened again?" Those interventions are small but they are received differently because the player has just lived the moment you're asking them about. It's not theoretical anymore, it's real and it's theirs. The reason some coaches only use SSG's as the final ten minutes of a session is that somewhere along the way we've been taught that coaching has to look busy. It has to look structured and organised and visible but the best coaching often looks like very little from the outside. It looks like a game running smoothly with a coach on the edge asking the right questions at the right time, and a player suddenly seeing something they didn't see five minutes ago. You're not redundant in a SSG's, you're arguably more important than at any other point in the session, because the players are making real decisions in real time and you're the one helping, guiding, facilitating and scaffolding them to understand why some of those decisions worked and others didn't. So if you've been treating SSG's as the warm down or the reward at the end, maybe it's worth rethinking that because the game is where the learning lives, and coaching doesn't have to stop just because the bibs are on and the goals are out.

@NorthantsFA @coachgarlick @coachgarlick well done mate, need to have a catch up soon

📣 IT’S OFFICIAL. We’re delighted to confirm Lee Garlick has been appointed as our new Coach Development Lead. Welcome onboard Lee 🤝 To read more about our new signing please click on the following link northamptonshirefa.com/news/2026/jan/…
#WelcomeLee #CoachDevelopment #Createthefeeling

I've not done a @SundayShare10 post for ages as lots of personal stuff going on. But here is one. Clubs have no loyalty to you. Don't ever think they do no matter how much you put in. Focus on you giving 100% for your team and if things aren't right, move somewhere you are valued

I've been building an app in @reactjs and @expo as I wanted it as cross platform. Now completes and wanting to test it in a live environment, for IOS I need an apple developer account. I'm building all on windows and have no Mac access, so have I just wasted weeks of coding?

Hi @romankemp, I'm the Club Welfare Officer at Kettering Town FC and we want to get involved with Together Against Suicide, can you let me know what we need to do?

@RJPcoach @Tactica1Thinker @Tactx_ @BreakthruSoccer @coach_kevin_m @CRobCoaching @Tad690 @PeterPrickett @Leecosgrove10 @JB_SoccerCoach Thomas Franks always has a tactics board when at Brentford and now at spurs. Some coaches may find it a better way to get across their ideas

@Leecosgrove10 @GlenVillaFC @WannaTeachPE Love this one, with my u13s and u14s I've added footballs and bibs that winner must take

Rock , Paper , Scissors 👊🏼🗞️✂️ Warming the legs and the brain up @GlenVillaFC Harder than it first looks , loser chases the winner or winner chases the loser ( point for tagging / reaching cone ) either way they struggle 🙈🤪credit @WannaTeachPE for inspiration

@SundayShare10 Originally Chesterfield, now in the mighty Kettering, Northamptonshire

#SundayShare Not done this for a while , so please tell us where in the world are you joining us from ? Shout out your country / city please 🙏🏼

@coachgarlick Just booked in for the 12-16 yo sessions. We can have a catch up 👍

Looking forward to delivering these! If you’re free and nearby, come along! Be sure to sign up using the link down below ⬇️

My @SundayShare10 is a request for GK gloves recommendations. My lad is GK for my u14s and needs some new gloves size 9. He wore UhlSport last season which has totally disintegrated. #SundayShare

@RJPcoach @Coach__Luca @Leecosgrove10 @SessionShareNet @BreakthruSoccer @_RFCoaching @JB_SoccerCoach @RJPcoach anyone saying something other than 4 at CDM is wrong, the standard lineup was simple - 1 GK 2 RB 3 LB 4 CM 5 CB 6 CB 7 RW 8 CM 9 ST 10 ST 11 LW

@Leecosgrove10 @AndreaPintore5 Even with small goals they are rubbish with volleys 🫣🤣🤣

@AndyFultonCoach @AndreaPintore5 Back to the original ( and best ) version mate

Just for balance , it’s not as easy as some people think 👀#SundayShare ⛳️⚽️🏌🏽‍♂️

@Leecosgrove10 @AndreaPintore5 The passing improved but they have no clue on heading and controlled volleys 🫣😂😂

@AndyFultonCoach @AndreaPintore5 Great to hear mate 🙌🏼 How did that go ?

@Leecosgrove10 @AndreaPintore5 One of my favourites, did it the other week with my u14s using 7v7 goals as I wanted them to practice lofted passes

@AndreaPintore5 Steal away my friend , here’s now it works , enjoy 👌🏻⚽️

My @SundayShare10 is a request for book ideas on the following - * coaching older kids * Support for Uefa C * 3-4-3 formation #SundayShare

@ben_andreos @SundayShare10 @coachgarlick @BCFCAcademy @Olorenshaw_Mart @CoachesVoice @touchtightcoach @CoachingFamily @coachingbadges @CoachingManual @Leecosgrove10 @_rossflintoft @SSPlanner @SessionShareNet Always some great stuff from @coachgarlick and it's about time another meet up was sorted Lee 🫣🤣🤣

As it’s the off season my @SundayShare10 this week is a podcast that I listened to. @coachgarlick The Coaches Coffee Club Podcast Really insightful listen to @BCFCAcademy @Olorenshaw_Mart about day to day at the academy. #coaching #learning #offseason #academy #development

@CCD_Essex So are you saying principles are something better to work on instead of patterns?

Andy, I think many coaches mistakenly take information on board that is not yet relevant for the players they work with. Focusing on the needs and wants of the players, aligned to their stage of development is far more beneficial for them, in the long term. Just an opinion.

*Reporting Systems* I'm looking for suggestions on systems for Accident Reporting and Safeguarding/Welfare reporting. I work for a local Trust that provides school sports clubs and holiday camps and needs to upgrade what we currently have in place. #SundayShare

My @SundayShare10 are 2 things - *Patterns of play vs principles* Last season at u13s we worked on formations and different patterns of play, which didn't work well for us. This season I'm trying something new, no fixed formation and work on principles to make us more fluid