The Daily Mail newspaper ran some great articles this week on the Arsenal Academy system in England. During Arsene Wenger's time at the club Arsenal has established themselves as a leader in youth development. Rather than spend $60 million dollars on players, like Manchester United and Manchester City, the club has increasingly developed its own players. The advantage of this model is that the players have a greater loyalty and affiliation to the club and tend to stay longer. In addition, they can be schooled from a very early age top play "The Arsenal Way". Not all the Arsenal youth players have or will graduate to the first team but as mentioned in the article, they will have a great chance at becoming professional players, at some level.
From the Brazilian Soccer Schools perspective, the article highlighted many of the ideas that Simon Clifford has been preaching for 12 years now. For players to become successful in the game, they must be practicing more and more with the ball. Steve Bould the Arsenal youth team coach highlighted again that young English players are still behind young European players in terms of weekly training time..." "Its hard because I look at Spain, France or Holland and the kids are training four, five or six times per week at young ages at 15 we get ours three times a week (which includes a game) at the very most"
Consider now the young players in Canada, who may only train once or twice a week...at a low tempo, without a significant technical component and being taught by volunteer coaching staff who have not had the opportunity to spend time learning the game and what is best in terms of youth development. Therefore, when the players do train they may not be spending time on the correct training activities.
Steve Bould, the Arsenal coach, also highlighted an important component of youth development...character! For players to play at a higher level, they must learn how to overcome adversity and develop skills to overcome "problems". Daniel Coyle also highlighted this as an important aspect of a child's development in his book "The Talent Code". The struggle to master a new skill or to work out how to receive more touches in small sided games against older or more experienced players is a very important part of development.
No player will be able to instantly juggle the ball 300 times in succession without constant practice. It is the young players that keep practicing and have the belief in themselves that they can achieve a higher level of play....despite any obstacles or setbacks...who will ultimately be successful. That player may not necessarily be the best player today, they may have been told by a Rep coach that they are too small or not aggressive enough. If they keep working on their technical ability and have the determination and passion for the game to be successful...then these types of players will be our best players in future years.
If the young Brazilian players are spending 12-15 hours a week working on their ball skills and the young European players are training five or six times each week...Canada must adopt the same philosophy towards technical development if we wish to be truly successful in soccer.
I was asked this week when Canada would have a good national team. It is a question that I get asked very often. My answer was the same as always....2030! The majority of our Brazilian Soccer Schools players will be between 25-30 by then!
During my 15 year coaching career the question that I am most commonly asked is "how are talented young soccer players developed?" "What is the secret?".
The pursuit of this answer drives many of us on and the quest has taken me to Crewe Alexandra Football club in England, discussions with top youth and professional coaches throughout the world and several hours of coaching education in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
My work during the last 12 months, I believe, has taken me closer to the answer than ever before. In November 2008, I offered my first Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS) class in Burlington, Ontario. The BSS syllabus covers every area of football and whilst our coaching is by no means exclusively Brazilian there are 4 key aspects that have their origins in Brazil:
Futebol de Salão
Emphasis on Individual Skills
Increased time training
Physical Training
The program has been developed by Simon Clifford. In 1996, Simon travelled to Brazil, as a primary teacher, to witness firsthand the way in which this country systematically produces the world's most talented soccer players. Revitalised by his discoveries, he soon founded the first Brazilian Soccer School in Leeds, and the organisation soon spread like wildfire across the United Kingdom. There are now over 700 schools worldwide, coaching 1 million children in 61 countries, and the reason is as follows; Brazilian Soccer Schools’ Futebol de Salão methods dramatically improve the technical proficiency, physiology and psychology of a footballer.
Daniel Coyle, author of the Talent Code, reviewed Simon's methods and concluded that young Brazilian players are the most skilful because ".....they’ve been practicing that creativity for their entire lives." On his blog, Daniel illustrates how the game of futbol de salao has helped create one of the world’s greatest players: during the last 10 years - Ronaldinho of Brazil. The early part of the video illustrates Ronaldino's close control, vision and anticipation of the play.
The video then takes us back to where it all began for young Brazilian players like Ronaldino - the futbol de salao court. Their skills were developed in this environment and their creativity was nurtured and developed. They were limited only by the extent of their own imaginations. A far cry from the normal development path of young Canadian players.....who are often handed an extra-small size shirt at aged 2, in U3 house-leagues, and instructed to go and play! When they get older we then pack the sidelines....and instruct them to "take a big kick!"
In truth we are not helping our younger players. We are not providing them with an environment that they can succeed in at aged 2. They should we working 1:1 with their parents at that age and spending time getting used to different parts of the foot. From there, they should be spending a significant amount of time each week with the ball on an individual basis - 20 hours a week if they wish to match the experience of young Brazilian players. Success and measurements should be based on their number of consecutive juggles, the number of pele sprints they can perform in 30 seconds ...not how many trophies they have won!
We now have 100 players/week in our program....as Daniel Coyle stated in his best selling book "The Talent Code".....in reference to the work of Simon Clifford and Brazilian Soccer Schools.....more stars are on their way!
To learn more about our Brazilian Soccer Schools work in Canada, visit our website at www.icfds.com/burlington or visit the Brazilian Soccer Schools UTube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/BSSchannel
Daniel Coyle is the author of The Talent Code Journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle visited nine of the world’s greatest talent hotbeds — tiny places that produce huge amounts of talent, from a small music camp in upstate New York to an elementary school in California to the baseball fields of the Caribbean.
He found that there’s a pattern common to all of them — certain methods of training, motivation, and coaching. This pattern, which has to do with the fundamental mechanisms through which the brain acquires skill, gives us a new way to think about talent — as well as new tools with which we can unlock our own talents and those of our kids.
The recent international game between Brazil and England once again illustrated the advantage that Brazil has over it's opponents. As defences in the modern game become much more organized and discplined in their approach, the skill of dribbling plays an increasing role as an important tactic to create goalscoring opportunities. The Brazilian Coach, Dunga, was quick to pinpoint an area that England must improve upon if they have aspirations of relistically challenging for the World Cup in 2010.
"England must learn how to dribble through us, that's what you have to do," - Dunga
Head of Brazilian Soccer Schools Richard Sutherland said: "We're still in the early stages of our work, but the game between Brazil and England demonstrated that whilst Fabio Capello has improved his side ten-fold, particularly in terms of discipline, they still trail behind Brazil in terms of technique."A basic requirement of the game is the ability to dribble with the ball, something the game of Futebol de Salao develops, but when England's passing game faltered they had no plan B."
The great Brazilian player Kaka is a great example of what is possible when players have great technical ability to run at defences. He is in my opinion a great inspiration to younger players that hours and hours of diligent practice can pay off and allow you to play the game with imagination, creativity and flair!
Carlos Alberto, captain of Brazil's world cup team of 1970, recently gave his thoughts on the different development paths of young English players and those from Brazil. The recent friendly between Brazil and England provided Carlos with a great opportunity to contrast the footballing style and philosophy of both nations. Most telling was the following quote by Carlos
"It all comes down to young players and how you develop them," he said. "Players must be able to control, pass and dribble, and these are problems that can't be remedied quickly. It needs a long-term plan and to develop such things at a very young age, something that England, as well as many other countries, lacks."
A full version of the Carlos Alberto interview can be read below
We would like to thank all our players, parents and staff for a very successful first year in Canada. Enclosed below is an article that appeared on the main Brazilian Soccer school website in the UK. Once again, we thank you for your continued support.
Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS) Burlington continues to expand in Canada, commanding the full-time services of Director of Coaching Ian McClurg.
The centre is a sub-franchise within the master franchise for the whole of Canada and it is already playing a crucial role in raising the profile of the world's largest football coaching organisation. Ian has recently added a further training base to the centre's roster to ensure that the demand is catered for, and the interest continues to grow as more and more children in the region aspire to follow in the footsteps of Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho, Kaka and many more Brazilian football icons.
BSS was founded in England in 1996 by Simon Clifford following a research trip into the secrets of Brazil's success, and the main component he imported to the UK was Futebol de Salao.Played with a size two, weighted football on a basketball-sized court, Futebol de Salao is proven to improve overall technique, and the likes of Micah Richards, Theo Walcott, John Bostock and Wayne Rooney, who have all benefitted from the BSS syllabus, only adds to the organisation's reputation.BSS Canada joins other overseas centres in nations such as Singapore, Thailand, Australia, America, Finland and Nigeria, seeing over one million children training on a weekly basis.
Head of BSS, Richard Sutherland, said: "It's testament to the hard work of all of the staff involved with BSS Burlington that they are already adding new venues and sessions."The initial stages of raising the profile of BSS in any given area is the most crucial, and Ian and his team have hit the ground running."We have high hopes for the operation in Canada, and are confident that all the children that join the centre will benefit both in footballing and personal terms."
Enclosed is a great article that represents the impact that our Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS) programs can have on the individual players that attend and also their families. As coaches, we all have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that every child in our program gains confidence, not only in a football sense but also as young people.
Simon Clifford, fonder of Brazilian Soccer Schools, offers his thoughts on a letter received from one of our parents in Portsmouth, England.
"Since we began in 1996 we have been striving to raise the level of football, and moreover football coaching, in the UK and around the globe using one fundamental point made by Juninho as our underlining principle.The then Middlesbrough midfielder stressed the need for individuals to aspire to be better people first, and that improvement in one's game would follow."
This was also a notion that the many former greats BSS founder Simon Clifford met with during several research trips to Brazil pertained to, including Pele, Zico, Rivelino and Socrates also highlighted.BSS franchisees and coaches around the globe have a unique opportunity to positively impact on young people's lives whatever their ambition. And it is for this reason that we were touched to hear of a letter BSS Portsmouth franchisee and head coach Leon Edwards received from John Lindley, the father of a member of the centre.
Whilst serving in the Military Police, John was attacked by four drunken men, an incident that left him registered disabled, in constant pain and with mobility issues. In an instant, avid sports fan John went from representing the Service in football, squad, tennis and boxing to being restricted to only minimal movement. When John's son, Andy, began expressing an interest in football, his father - unable to play or coach him himself - looked around for sessions that would cater for those new to the game without making them feel inferior. Having happened upon his local BSS centre in Portsmouth, Andy joined and hasn't looked back, both in terms of enjoyment and his development.Most poignantly in John's letter, however, was his comments on Andy's progression off-the-field. His dad commented on the increased confidence Andy now has as well as a new-found self-belief, highlighting the way in which each child is taught to beat their own targets rather than of the groups.
Whilst we as an organisation hope to transform the face of football, we also look to help each young person that attends our sessions develop away from the pitch. By promoting a positive attitude, regardless of abilities or backgrounds, we hope to inspire each player to follow and succeed in whatever they wish, and at the same time boost their confidence and self-belief. You can have the most technically-gifted player in the world but without the right attitude, the right beliefs and the right ethos, that talented may go wasted. Youngsters such as Andy can shine if they are given the support and encouragement they need from those around them, and our coaches, franchisees and players have a great opportunity to do this. Regardless of our numerous locations around the world, everybody involved with BSS can be reminded of why they got involved with the organisation in the first place, and can also feel proud of their ongoing work, from the letter below.
A copy of the letter received is included below:
Mr Simon Clifford
Dear Sir,
I would like to take this opportunity to express how Leon and his team at the Brazilian Soccer School in Portsmouth have helped not only my son, Andrew Lindley, but in turn the impact it has had on the rest of my family.Approximately seven years agowhilst serving in the Military Police, I was attacked one evening in the line of duty by four drunken men. As a result of that evening, it left me registered disabled with mobility issues and constant pain. Prior to the assault, I was extremely fit, representing the service at football, tennis, squash and boxing. As you can imagine, going from being a fully active person to relatively inactive was a very hard time and very difficult to accept and adjust.My son Andy showed a real passion in wanting to play football however I could see from watching him that he had limited skills and ability despite his enthusiasm. I wanted to improve his ability as all dads would however due to my disablement I was unable to.
This then left me with a dilemma as I wanted Andy to attend football coaching however knowing his ability, I didn't want to place him with a team or on a coaching course with kids of the same age but of higher ability.The reason I write Simon is to express how attending Brazilian football training has altered my son's whole perspective. For the first time in years Andy has found a great passion in playing football. This was primarily down to the friendliness of all staff when he first attended a few months ago. From the outset Leon, Louis, Lewis and Jamie all made both Andy and I feel extremely welcome.
Since Andy has been attending the football training, he is a changed lad. Firstly his football skills have increased two fold, however what is greater than that is that he has found personal confidence and self-belief in himself. This is all a result of attending Brazilian football. What is great to see is the constant encouragement throughout training regardless of ability and that they have created this playing atmosphere where all players respect one another in a fun and learning environment without arguments and outbreaks.
Leon and his team have helped Andy enormously and although he is learning to become a better footballer, he has also started to come out of his shell and become a better lad. My wife and I both agree that the transformation in him has been extraordinary.I have always felt very guilty that due to my accident I can't do the things with Andy such as having a kick-about on the local field etc. That was until recently. I try and watch Andy play football as much as I can as he loves it when I support him. It's also a great opportunity in seeng him doing something he loves so muchwith a smile on his face in such a friendly atmosphere.Can I please ask that you pass on my sincere thanks to Leon, Louis, Lewis and Jamieas together they have made a real difference in Andy's life. The lads are always polite and very professional in what they do, however above all that it is so clear that they have a real belief and passion in teaching the kids.
Welcome to Brazilian Soccer Schools - Burlington/Hamilton
Welcome to our new blog!
My name is Ian McClurg, Director of Coaching. We have established this blog to comunicate the benefits of our training approach in improving the technical ability of young soccer players in Canada.
Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS) illustrate that the dreams of any child, combined with daily practice and a unique devotion to the ball, can produce players of unseen levels of technical and physical ability.
The BSS syllabus covers every aspect of soccer. Our coaching is by no means exclusively Brazilian but there are 4 key aspects that have their origins in Brazil:
-Futebol de Salao
-Emphasis on individual skills
-Increased training time
-Physical Training
We hope that we can exchange ideas, highlight success stories and contribute to the debate in Canadian soccer on how we can establish a culture of continuous learning.
We hope that you will enjoy and contribute to the blog.
