Breaking traditional moulds to embrace international style

12/09/2019

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  Ben Cheung (second from right) and the coaching team experienced a very different summer with the youngsters.

Should football training be one-size-fits-all, where every player follows the same regimen? Not according to John Peacock, Consultant of Manchester United Academy who has shared his thoughts at the HKJC Pass It On – District Elite Coach Education Workshop. Several coaches who took part in the programme over the past two years took Peacock’s words to heart this summer and began using a positional training model to open new doors for the Hong Kong District All-Stars team. From selection to training, the coaching team took this team of 15-17 year-old elite players to challenge squads from Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was definitely a very different summer for these youngsters!

Targeted training helps players perform better

The positional training method shared by Peacock – who led England to achieve the UEFA European U17 Championships in 2010 and 2014– allows for players to receive targeted training according to the needs of their different positions. For example, strikers practice tactics for cracking the offside; midfielders learn group tactics and passing skills; defenders work on set plays, and goalies train their reflexes and ball-handling skills.

Local football teams usually go for the one-size-fits-all type of training. However, different positions require different kinds of skills and techniques to cope with their individual needs. Is it appropriate to keep on applying traditional training methods?

Samuel Bensley, Grassroots Football Manager, HKFA, shared his thoughts about the limitations in Hong Kong: “Positional training is widely applied in England and some European countries. Due to the limitation of football pitches and other resources, it is not feasible for football teams in Hong Kong to hire several coaches and apply positional training in their daily routine.” According to Bensley, positional training is not a major topic in the Level A & B football coaching courses in Hong Kong and even in the Asian Football Confederation.

Train as if it’s a real competition for better results

This summer, Ben Cheung, Steve Chow and Kit Wong, the coaching team of the Hong Kong District All Star Team, attempted a breakthrough in the traditional training model. Head Coach Ben said: ‘We’ve never tried this before, but Peacock taught us that if we run the training sessions as if they were a real competition, we would see better results. There are a lot of details involved in this, and that is what really sets the coaches apart.”

In order to make the training sessions as close to the real game as possible, the coaching team divided the team into four groups by player positions - forward, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper. According to the needs of the different positions, the players were trained separately. At the end of the session, they regrouped and played a practice game. In this way, the players could apply what they learnt during the training session in the game and experience a more intuitive understanding of the training. Cheng Cheuk-hin, one of the key players, felt that this new approach was refreshing: “In the past, there were fewer targeted trainings, such as how to beat the off-side trap. I feel very happy to have such a rare experience.”

Applying hi-tech elements to training

The coaches also used drones to record the training sessions and practice games, and then they analysed the footage with the players during team meetings. Kong Chung-sau, one of the players, thought that this kind of training was very effective: “The video clips help us understand the details and mistakes that we can’t see on the pitch, and then we can improve.”

Whilst perhaps they are a long way from being world-class coaches, Ben said: “I truly believe that as long as local coaches keep on learning and are open to different ideas, and keep the best interests of the team first, then the distance between us and the international standard will become closer. At the same time, I hope that all participating players can have a brand new experience, understand their potential and strengths, know how to improve, and prove their ability in the future.”

The coaches and the district football elites both have benefited from this two-month training experience. In view of the fact that positional training has resulted in remarkable progress for the players and the team, Ben and the coaching team have decided to apply this training method to the district team, if resources allow. Although the coaches and the players have gone back to their district teams to prepare for the new league season, they believe that what they have learnt this summer will help them to make a breakthrough in the coming season. They also look forward to meeting up again soon and to welcoming new challenges in the future.