Annual training plan · U14–U23

Week 1: U14/U15 – Pre-Season Preparation

3 complete training sessions with 9 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

Because training can take place more often in pre-season, it makes sense to set 2 focuses per week. Each time, a tactical or technical foundation is combined with a fitness focus. These sessions are ideal for U14/U15, U16/U17 and U18/U19 teams as well as adult teams from grassroots league level upwards.

In the 1st and 2nd training weeks, endurance and the basic techniques are on the plan. Make sure you increase the load carefully. This way, the technique training is more beneficial and no unnecessary injuries are risked.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

3 drills

As more training sessions are possible during pre-season, it makes sense to set 2 focuses per week. A tactical or technical foundation is always combined with a fitness focus.

In the 1st and 2nd training weeks, endurance and the basic techniques are on the agenda. Make sure you increase the load carefully. This way the technique training brings a greater benefit and no unnecessary injuries are risked.

Drill 1

Dribbling Area with Reactions

15 min
  • In the dribbling area the players carry out various exercises, for example running with the ball with the left and with the right foot.
  • On the coach's call — number 1 or number 2 as well as left or right — the players concerned run at speed around the outer cones and back into the area from the other side.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four red cones form a square as the dribbling area. On two opposite sides, outside the square, there is a goal made of two blue cones; the one side is marked left, the other right.

Equipment: 8 cones; every player has a ball.

Players: The players dribble with their ball inside the square, and each player is given a number. The coach stands next to the area and calls out the commands.

Coaching points
  • Have the players carry out many variations of dribbling.
  • Pay attention to close ball control.
  • Look up from the ball again and again and get orientated inside the area.
  • Look for free space.
Drill 2

Competition Format - Dribbling Relay I

20 min
  • Two teams work against each other as a relay.
  • One player from each team starts the course and passes the ball to a team-mate after the last cone.
  • The obstacles are dribbled around as quickly as possible — the drill is a competition format.

Note: As an incentive, the losing team can be given an additional task, for example short sprints or squats.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two identical lanes are set up next to each other, one per team. Each lane starts at a starting cone, leads through a slalom of poles or cones, then around a ring and back to the start in a straight line.

Equipment: Two sets of 7 poles or cones as well as two sets of 2 to 4 rings.

Players: Two teams, who line up one behind the other at their starting cone.

Note: Depending on the level of development, the distances and the number of obstacles can be varied.

Coaching points
  • Beforehand, have the players complete two or three rounds without competition so that they get used to a high dribbling tempo.
  • Pay attention to the first touch as well.
  • Look up from the ball.
Drill 3

4 vs 4 with Dribbling Goals

25 min
  • Free play to dribbling goals.
  • Each team plays to two goals. This allows the play to be made wide, which creates more space for dribbling.
  • The focus is on dribbling and on the 1 vs 1.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area, eight cones of a different colour form the dribbling goals, which are two to three metres wide.

Equipment: 12 cones and at least 1 ball.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • If necessary, limit the number of passes in order to force more dribbles and 1 vs 1 situations.
  • Go into the dribble decisively.
  • Run with the ball using the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Mix in feints again and again.
The complete session as a ready-made training plan – with animated drills in the web app. Go to the web app

Session 2

3 drills

While the focus in the first training session was on the fundamentals of dribbling, today's session aims to regain confidence in passing. All the drills are carried out with a clear overload for the teams in possession. This makes it easy for the players to stay calm in possession and to build up self-confidence after the summer break.

The session starts with a rondo, which demands speed of action as well as short passing. In the main and final parts, a positional play drill and a small-sided game in 4 vs 4 plus 4 support players are carried out. These two drills are very demanding in terms of running, especially for the defending teams, which also covers the fitness focus.

Coaching points for this session
  • Two-footed passing
  • Passes as firm as necessary and as accurate as possible
  • Demand scanning.
Drill 1

Rondo - 6+1 vs 2

15 min

The game is played 6 + 1 vs 2 for possession.

  • The players in possession try to pass the ball among themselves without the defenders winning it or playing it out of the area.
  • The player inside the area acts as a passing option for the outside players.
  • If the defenders win the ball, the player who lost it swaps position and role with the defender who has been in the middle the longest.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: The playing area is set up with six cones.

Equipment: 6 cones and at least 1 ball.

Players: Six players are positioned on the outside, three in the middle. One of the inside players plays together with the outside players.

Coaching points
  • Depending on the ability of the players, have every pass or every second pass played first time.
  • Demand passing with both feet.
Drill 2

Possession Game - 4+4 vs 4

20 min
  • Yellow and Red play together against Blue for possession.
  • If Blue wins the ball, the team of the player who caused the loss of possession switches to defending.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: The playing area is marked out with four cones.

Equipment: 4 cones and 1 ball.

Players: Three teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • Use the full size of the playing area.
  • Constantly provide three passing options: left, right and central.
  • Demand communication.
  • Pass to the foot furthest from the opponent.
Drill 3

4 vs 4 + 4 Support Players

25 minDouble penalty area
  • In a double penalty area, two teams play a free game of 4 vs 4 on two goals with goalkeepers.
  • In their respective attacking half the teams have four support players.
  • The support players are positioned on the touchlines and on the goal line of the playing area and must play first time.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two goals, six cones to mark out the playing area and the outer zones as well as two cones near the halfway line, which mark the halves.

Equipment: 2 goals, 8 cones and at least 1 ball.

Players: Two teams of four players each, one goalkeeper each as well as four support players per attacking half.

Note: If eight outside players are assigned and split between the two teams, this can lead to long periods of standing around. Six outside players are better, with the ones on the sides playing for both teams. The roles are changed regularly.

Coaching points
  • Do not block the passing lanes to the support players.
  • Use the numerical advantage cleverly.
  • Get free to become available for a pass or open up the passing lanes to the support players.

Session 3

3 drills

Building on the last focus (the fundamentals of passing), getting free and showing for the ball properly of course cannot be left out. The work is done with equal numbers or a slight overload, so that the players are forced to actively get away from their opponents.

After a short passing drill, Exercise 2 is about cleverly exploiting a slight overload.

The training session is rounded off with a 4 vs 4 and a coordination and endurance course. This once again demands intensive movement to get free as well as the players' endurance.

Coaching points for this session
  • Get out of the cover shadow
  • show for the ball in an open body position
  • Create width and depth.
Drill 1

Passing Drill - Pass and Go

20 min
  1. The drill starts with a pass to the first midfielder.
  2. This player lays the ball off to the other side.
  3. The second starting player passes the ball first time to the second, deeper midfielder.
  4. This player lays the ball off to the starting player sprinting along the line.
  5. A final pass to one of the end players follows.
  6. The end player immediately dribbles back to the start, while the second end player tries to catch that player.

Variations: Also run the passing drill down the other side of the pitch.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones at the corners.

Equipment: 4 cones and at least 1 ball — better three or more, so that the drill does not stall.

Players: 6 players.

Coaching points
  • Every pass is accompanied by a call.
  • After the first pass, set off quickly on a forward run.
  • Have the fourth pass laid off onto the outside foot.
Drill 2

Small-Sided Game - Numerical Superiority

25 min
  • The game starts with a pass from the coach to one of the support players outside the playing area.
  • The support players can enter the playing area immediately, pass to an attacker inside the area or keep passing the ball to each other until a team-mate has got free.
  • After a successful pass into the playing area the passer follows up, or alternatively dribbles over the line. The attackers use the numerical superiority and get a shot at goal.
  • The support player furthest from the ball constantly offers as an option for a back pass.
  • If the defending team wins the ball, it tries to pass it to the coach in the red area.
  • After losing possession the attackers immediately start counter-pressing and try to prevent the counter-attacking pass.
  • After successful counter-pressing the attackers play quickly forward in order to exploit the disorder of the defenders — or they secure the ball by passing it to the support player outside the playing area, who plays it back to the coach.
  • The other support player quickly drops back out of the playing area, so that the game can start again from the beginning.
  • If the ball goes out of play, after a shot at goal or after a successful pass from the defenders to the coach, the drill also starts again from the beginning.

Note: Change the roles after some time.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: The playing area is marked out with cones; a small red area is created in the centre circle.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: The players are split into 6 vs 4. From the team of six, four attackers go into the playing area, two are positioned as support players between the coach and the playing area.

Coaching points
  • Dribble towards the support player inside the area in order to tie up opponents.
  • The team-mates move out of the dribbling path into an open body position.
  • Create passing options in width and depth.
  • Play past a line and use a lay-off in order to get into an open body position.
Drill 3

4 vs 4 on Goals + Coordination and Endurance Course

25 minAbout 40 x 20 metres
  • Two teams play 4 vs 4.
  • The other four players complete the course: the agility ladder is run through with small steps, at the hurdles fast, explosive jumps follow. Behind the goals the players jog gently, on the fourth side they sprint.
  • After five minutes a rest of about two minutes follows, then the groups swap.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area, two goals stand at the ends. The agility ladder and the small hurdles are laid out all around.

Equipment: Cones, 2 goals, 1 agility ladder, small hurdles and at least 1 ball.

Players: Three teams with four players each.

Coaching points
  • During the 4 vs 4, pay attention to how the players get free on the move.
  • Demand feints, changes of position and showing for the ball in a free position.
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