I want to get good...

[b3ans]

Hey, I understand that im new to these forums but i've been browsing them for ages and i've finally decided to join.

My question is I want to get good. But I do not understand what makes a good player and what s/he need to do to become good.

I play in New Zealand, For my club I play for my top U19 team, I play for my clubs Reserve team, and I am also a bench warmer for my First Team.

I train quite alot in New Zealand standards. 3x 3 hourse 30 minute training sessions for my club, 2x 2 hour training sessions for my school, and usually 2 full games on Saturday and 1 full game on Sunday.

So that comes to around 22 hours a week. I understand that this is nothing compared to the boys my age (Just 16) in countries such as England, Ireland, Spain, all the European countries and All the South American countries.

Im not one of those people who want to become a Professional, but im not interested in money or fame, all I want to be is to become a good player.

Do you guys who have the knowledge and experience please help me in what makes a great player. Speed, control, knowledge, positioning and many more factors come into play. But my question is what is a good player.

I always try my hardest at trainings, also during the holidays do 3x 2 hour sessions in the morning. Ive always been told that I have the right attitude, but understandable that is not enough. My coach is also one of the most qualified in New Zealand, and we also have many Brazilian, Argentinian and other South American players at my club who are awesome. They control the game.

We had an ex-Chilian pro, and a Brazilian that was at Parananse(?) until the final stages of his training but was dropped cause he was too crap. But hes Awesome!

Even though im quite small, im apparently pretty fast, but what should I.
Should I - Start drinking protein shakes?
- Do my own personal training (running etc) to get a step up over
the other boys.
- Or any other ideas you guys can think of?

Thanks for reading this but im kind of in an emotional slump (lol), and I want to get good! Im not one who thinks hes the best, I love the game, and I want to become the best I can be.

So in conclusion, WHAT IS A GOOD PLAYER and WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BECOME GOOD.

Thanks guys your like my mates with the knowledge.

Ken

[Arsenalsccr]

Personally if I was you, I would bulk up and continue working on your speed, and drink a lot protein shakes and protein bars to give you energy to burn.(considering your small)

[Fulham Fan]

Do the unexpected. Soccer has a mental aspect and there are endless opportunities to get into the head of your opponent. Landon Donovan is a small player and usually an attacking one. But he can surprise his opponents by chasing back and stealing the ball from them. He flies in out of nowhere and stamps out attacks. It frustrates the opponent. Make yourself a presence out on the field. Learn to cause problems for the other team. Push when they are tired of pushing. Chase when they are tired of being chased. Pick your spots. A smart player gives the illusion of doing everything in a match. You build that illusion by frustrating the opponent, not by running yourself ragged in a tireless but anonymous way.

[Nixon]

Personally if I was you, I would bulk up and continue working on your speed, and drink a lot protein shakes and protein bars to give you energy to burn.(considering your small)

woh there, hes not tryin to lift cars hes tryin to play football, you start goin down that path an youll find your legs so big you cant walk properly. just keep up the cardio work, you got a good weeks worth of training goin on there so dont force yourself into too much else. Yes some weight lifting will help but remember thats just to stay in shape not to build shape, protein drinks help repair and build up muscle after exercise you dont want to be a arnie on the field so i would avoid these you could end up puttin on too much weight with them.

Stick with what youve got basically, dont over work yourself last thing you want is an injury one weeks rest is better than 1 month out. So know when to stop. Push yourself and try to better yourself everyday. Set yourself small goals or try to beat your own times in training. If you do want to lift weights focus on leg exercises and make sure you follow a plan http://www.netfit.co.uk/netfit.htm this site has a few things you might give a go also has a specific footballers routine, start from the bottom an work up no matter how easy it may seem at the start, its not quantity its quality you need the right mix of exercises to keep you muscle tone in balance instead of focusin on one area, it also has a good routine for that footballers six pack if thats what you want. Oh an remember only do this when you dont have a game the next day or practice an work it round your training dont do three days a week as this is for people doin relatively little you dont wanna injure yourself.

Remember one thing though dont get too caught up in looking at and inpersonating other players, skills are good but not everything they may not even suit your game. Find the strong points in your play an find a way to uses them, even ask people what they think you do best whether its running, strenght or stamina etc there are ways you can use each one. Some times we all want to be the striker an get the goals however just because you want to play a position doesnt mean that its the best for you, if a coach asks you to try somewhere give it a shot, find where you excel.

The best players in the game are the player who know there own game.

EDIT: i had a few problems with breathing before i picked up my injury last year an havent played since using it but i picked up a device called a powerbreathe, there not cheap but if you have some problems with asthma and hayfever etc however minor they may be there are none drug options on the market that ok arnt cheap like i said but they can help. The Powerbreathe basically makes you use more of your lung capacity, ive had relatively no symptoms of asthma or hayfever since using if an a dramatic increase in stamina, this may not be what your lookin for you may be as fit as a fiddle unlike me but if you feel like your being held back have a talk with your doc or use the internet. Wouldnt sugest any drug based medication as they can cause unwanted side affects. But dont be afraid to look.

[deano7]

Work about 2 weeks on your fitness first...

Then put a cone out and practise skills to beat the cone at game speed untill you are comfortable doing them..

Try booting the ball in the air and controlling it, this really does help(more than practising kick ups i think)... Then finally practise passing to a friends or against a wall with both feet.

And make sure you use the skills you have mastered in agame and the foot u have practised otherwise there was no point practising.

[Bodmanza]

Find an outdoor hockey rink with boards, and use it as a kicking wall and boot it back and forth. Then again, you are from NZ and I doubt u have outdoor hockey rinks ;p

Anyways, usually what I do is just take a ball out and boot it around. Meaning, kick it high and try trapping/controlling it with different parts of your body; practice little flicks to get you a shot at goal; sprint with the ball and try various moves/shots; just freestyle it

[nvan_football]

Find an outdoor hockey rink with boards, and use it as a kicking wall and boot it back and forth. Then again, you are from NZ and I doubt u have outdoor hockey rinks ;p

Anyways, usually what I do is just take a ball out and boot it around. Meaning, kick it high and try trapping/controlling it with different parts of your body; practice little flicks to get you a shot at goal; sprint with the ball and try various moves/shots; just freestyle it
And you're from Canada, as well as me, and there're hockey rinks in every backyard here :D .

I don't know how in NZ but in Vancouver some soccer fields are equipped with rebound walls. That's a great thing.

[scottn27]

If you do want to lift weights focus on leg exercises and make sure you follow a plan http://www.netfit.co.uk/netfit.htm this site has a few things you might give a go also has a specific footballers routine, start from the bottom an work up no matter how easy it may seem at the start, its not quantity its quality you need the right mix of exercises to keep you muscle tone in balance instead of focusin on one area, it also has a good routine for that footballers six pack if thats what you want. Oh an remember only do this when you dont have a game the next day or practice an work it round your training dont do three days a week as this is for people doin relatively little you dont wanna injure yourself.




.

would anyone else recommend this program?

[b3ans]

Hey guys, thanks for all of you who replied but i got some good news! Ive been going to my coaches schools trainings, which are, mondays and tuesdays mornings 6.30am - 8.30, and afternoons thrusday and fridays 4.00pm - 6.00pm. And i got selected to start for my clubs top team. Ive been doing that extra little bit in training and i think my coach noticed! My debeau is this Saturday so i hope i play well.

Thanks guys for your help and encouragement!

Ken

[deano7]

So what did u do?

Go to more trainings and put more effort in or did u follow a plan??

Is that plan on that website any gd?

[Nixon]

So what did u do?

Go to more trainings and put more effort in or did u follow a plan??

Is that plan on that website any gd?

Heh hate to sound like one of those comercials but i did one there simple plans along with a regular routine of squash an football an got my shape back in less that a year, got out of shape an was 89kg an 27% body fat, went down to 71kg an 17% body fat, although did my knee in last year so now at 74kg an 18/19% but worked for me an i eat like a pig :).

[deano7]

Did your performances improve?

[Nixon]

Did your performances improve?

Heh yer increased flexability better stamina an reflexs etc as youd expect however went in football trials for a uni team an did my knee in screwin about with a few mates down the part not played much since but yer definate inprovements, think it just loosens you up abit more lets you stretch that bit further. Just godda pick the right one for you but there well balanced routines too many people do random lifting and stretches missing out vital areas and muscles, cant really moan when there free either.

I still play a lot of squash an my court coverage is way better than before. I advise squash to anyone lookin to improve reflexes and manourerabillity (damn poor spellin) only thing is can be hard on your knees.

[servotron]

The best players out there are the ones that have three things:

1 Knowledge of the game
2 Knowledge of their OWN game
3 The ability to utilize that knowledge

Knowledge of the game means watching what's going on around you.. paying attention, getting open, seeing open players, and playing your position. A further extension of this knowledge is knowing the OTHER positions, the ones you are not playing so that you can anticipate your teammates' next move and get the ball to or from them with greater effectiveness. Even further than that is knowing your teammates' tendencies to capitolize on that even better.

Knowledge of your OWN game means that you know what you're good at and what you're not. If you don't have a rifle of a shot, don't take shots from further out than 18 yards...if you can't make a cross-field pass every time with confidence, use the shorter ball, if you're not the fastest guy on the team and you need to progress down the field, don't try to outrun your marker......etc etc etc.

Lastly, the ability use that knowledge comes only with conditioning and training. You have to be in enough shape and strength to physically accomplish what your mind is telling you to do. I see it all the time... the guys in my leagues who obviously have skills, but don't have the legs/lungs/mentality to follow through with a run, or make the extra hustle for a long ball, or whatever... you need to be in good enough condition to utilize your knowledge of the game, as well as properly execute technique on kicking, throwing, et all.

The best thing is, you can work on all three of these things simultaneously! Practicing is of course the #1 way to improve, but you can also watch the professionals, but instead of watching the guy with the ball, watch everyone else... look for open balls and potential plays before they happen, and you will mentally be able to see those kinds of situations forming in a real game atmosphere much more easily than if you just wing it every time you're on the pitch.

Hope this helps!

[Slug]

Listen to Servotron.

Knowledge of the game is one attribute sorely lacking in too many players. Learn everything you can about the game. As he said, know the roles and attributes of everyone on your team.

Knowing yourself is important. Play within yourself and play to your strengths in games. Play away from your weaknesses, in games.
Then in practices, work like hell on your weaknesses. Don't be afraid to try what you're not so good at. That's what practices are for.

Above all, play with confidence. An aggressive mistake is better than timidity or hesitation. But recognize when you've made a mistake, analyze it, and correct it for the next time. I always had a saying when I coached: If you make a mistake, redeem yourself, immediately. This means, don't hang your head or sheepishly say, "My bad," or "Sorry." Do something good right away.

The joke about Alexi Lalas, former member of the USMNT, was that, "his second touch was always a tackle." Obviously this was meant to ridicule his woeful "first touches," but at least he knew enough to redeem himself, immediately.

As a coach I always prized the confident, poised, solid player over the players who were more interested in doing something flashy than doing what was best to help the team. Good coaches will always recognize and value the player who can execute a deft one touch pass or a well read interception more than the player who feels he has to do something spectacular, with a minimum of six touches on the ball, everytime it comes to him.

Above all, believe in yourself.

[b3ans]

Hey guys, thanks for the adivice aye. And ive also got some great news!

Last week at our final training, my coach selected for me to play right back (my proper position) for my clubs top team! I had previously played one half, even though I started as a striker, according to my coach 'To get the feel of the real game.'.

But this week I started as right back, played the full 90mins, and against my teams grades leading team. What a start, I was soooo nervous.

Even though we went down 3-0, apparently i didnt play that bad of a game, and even though im not up to the technical expertise of the players in my team, apparently im getting there.

So I have reached my goal. I finally started and played for a full game for my clubs top team. What a experience. It much more fast paced and technical then all the other games ive played. But its great to be surrounded by players much better then you, to improve your own ability.

Id like to thank all the people who helped me keep my chin up, and give me advice when i felt like ********.

And I didnt do anything special like runs or anything. My typical routine for the week is now

Monday- 5.30-9 (occasionly 6.30-8.30am)
Tuesday- 5.30-9 (occasionaly 6.30-8.30am)
Wednesday- day off
Thurday- 4-9pm
Friday- 4-6pm
Saturday- 9.30-10am (game) and either 11.30-2 or 2.30-5 (game)
Sunday- 11.30-2 (game)

That comes to the grand total of 20 hours and 30min minimum or 24 hours 30min maximum per week.

And like most people said to me here, I find that it is all mental, all the trainings are hard on the body, but like my Brazilian playmaker says 'Brazilians play with a smile, they love the game, thats why the train hard and play hard, but with a good mind.' To me this means that be positive about what you did right and wrong, but always play for the love of the game.

Thanks guys for all your help, and ill keep you updated.

But personally I know ive still got a long long way to go. Im still 16 years of age, but I will keep on trying hard. Who knows what will happen then. The skys the limit!

Ken

[Nixon]

Hey guys, thanks for the adivice aye. And ive also got some great news!

Last week at our final training, my coach selected for me to play right back (my proper position) for my clubs top team! I had previously played one half, even though I started as a striker, according to my coach 'To get the feel of the real game.'.

But this week I started as right back, played the full 90mins, and against my teams grades leading team. What a start, I was soooo nervous.

Even though we went down 3-0, apparently i didnt play that bad of a game, and even though im not up to the technical expertise of the players in my team, apparently im getting there.

So I have reached my goal. I finally started and played for a full game for my clubs top team. What a experience. It much more fast paced and technical then all the other games ive played. But its great to be surrounded by players much better then you, to improve your own ability.

Id like to thank all the people who helped me keep my chin up, and give me advice when i felt like ********.

And I didnt do anything special like runs or anything. My typical routine for the week is now

Monday- 5.30-9 (occasionly 6.30-8.30am)
Tuesday- 5.30-9 (occasionaly 6.30-8.30am)
Wednesday- day off
Thurday- 4-9pm
Friday- 4-6pm
Saturday- 9.30-10am (game) and either 11.30-2 or 2.30-5 (game)
Sunday- 11.30-2 (game)

That comes to the grand total of 20 hours and 30min minimum or 24 hours 30min maximum per week.

And like most people said to me here, I find that it is all mental, all the trainings are hard on the body, but like my Brazilian playmaker says 'Brazilians play with a smile, they love the game, thats why the train hard and play hard, but with a good mind.' To me this means that be positive about what you did right and wrong, but always play for the love of the game.

Thanks guys for all your help, and ill keep you updated.

But personally I know ive still got a long long way to go. Im still 16 years of age, but I will keep on trying hard. Who knows what will happen then. The skys the limit!

Ken

Nice one mate, an yer find a new goal an dont stop smiling in a game. Makes you play better and pisses of the oponents.

[b3ans]

Too true mate! Cant play like the English, always frowning and serious! No offence intended but id rather play like the Brazilians, always happy, smiling and in a good mood, playing for the love of the game.

Ken

[Nixon]

Too true mate! Cant play like the English, always frowning and serious! No offence intended but id rather play like the Brazilians, always happy, smiling and in a good mood, playing for the love of the game.

Ken

Hay man im english, i may never smile but during football i do. Ive had people clean me out on fields so muddy it blocked my ears so much that i could hear my mate askin if i was gonna take the penalty an still been grinnin, funny sh1t football :)

[b3ans]

Yeup, funny old game football. But everyone still loves it.

Ken