The Soccer Education Specialists

General Player Development Programme

The Super Soccer Academy General Player Development Programme is a progressive programme, which begins with the very young and continues through to older youth players.  The programme is divided into several phases, each of which acts as a necessary building block to the succeeding stage.

The goal of the programme is to provide players with a continuous development programme throughout their youth playing careers, resulting in the production of confident, composed and intelligent players who are dynamic and explosive in attack and disciplined in defence.

 Phase One - Ages: 5-8 (Mini Soccer Players)

• Phase One concentrates on the individual soccer player and having them experience a soccer-based physical activity. One of the main goals of any session would be to maximise the “Activity Time” for any of the players; that is, all movement and little standing around. Coaches focus on ball control and dribbling.

  Phase Two - Ages: 9-11

• The main transition from Phase One to Phase Two involves a minimal change of focus from the individual to the team. Possession of the ball through correct team shape and composure is emphasied early. A practice  consists of  uneven-sided possession games progressing from 3v1 to 5v2 to 4v2 to 6v3 to 3v(3v3). Players are encouraged to create width, length and depth in attack and support during possession play. Players are taught to win the ball as a team and not give it away. Defensively, players are taught to win the ball individually through proper stance and tackling techniques. Possession is taught as an important aspect of team play from which the team attack initiates.  

Phase Three - Ages: 12-14

•  Phase Three concentrates on team combination play. The experience continues to emphasize maximum activity time. Emphasis is placed on creating space and breaking down the opposition through pressure. Quick ball movement is required and encouraged. The main objective of this phase is to achieve forward penetration by spreading the defending team through quick diagonal passing. Defensively, players are taught to defend using "pressure, cover, balance.  Defensive concepts such as channelling, covering and communicating are stressed. Coaches are encouraged to teach patterns of team play.

 Phase Four - Ages: 14+

•  Phase Four emerges from the concept of Total Soccer- all players become attackers when the team is in possession of the ball. And, all players become defenders immediately when the ball is lost.  This requires extensive functional drills, which emphasize the attacking and defending roles for all positions on the field. The concepts of possession and penetration learned from the previous stages are applied to the eleven a side team in relation to ball position on the field and playing position.  Phase Four involves plenty of shadow play and is more tactical and structured. Defensively, covering and communicating is applied to different situations on the field of play.