West Ham United Academy (UK) Development Philosophy
Tony Carr – MBE
Academy Director, West Ham United Football Club
Tony Carr is one of the most influential figures in English football. It is not just that seven of the England squad that travelled to the 2010 FIFA World Cup have come under his guidance – Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe – but because he is committed to the grassroots of the game. For four decades he has given back to the sport after seeing his own playing dreams dashed by injury and he has created an outstanding legacy.
The core of the West Ham United Academy Development Philosophy is based on the following;
Technique
The natural starting point in the development of a player — getting the body into good position to receive the ball, choosing the proper body part to receive the ball, being strong and balanced on your feet, and then applying the proper touch on the ball are all essentials in building a solid foundation for good technique.
Instruct your players to receive the ball on the ‘half-turn’ as this will give the player many more options. Receiving the ball using the ‘back foot’ requires the player to position his body, and in particular, his feet when receiving the ball so that he can comfortably and quickly play it on.
When time and space become a premium, players with better technique will have more time on the ball and be more successful within using the ball. An absolute priority is to develop a clean first touch. Receiving and position the ball as it arrives, allows more time to release the ball with an accurate, well timed and well-paced pass. The first touch is the key to becoming a quality player. A good first touch allows you to keep the ball or to play it off first time, thus creating a serious problem for the defender.
Attacking Play
With a solid grounding in technique established, you can now begin to coach your players in attacking play. The greater the control a player has in the final third, the greater the chance to dictate to your opponents. It is especially important to keep the ball and probe for scoring possibilities. In attacking play, all the players must contribute, from the keeper and the backs to the forwards, everyone has a role
to play.
Perhaps the key to good attacking play is passing angles. Running, passing and looking in straight lines narrows the view of the game and lacks creativity. It is important to pass short and long and to play angles, not just straight lines.
Third Man’ Running
It is more than just the player with the ball and one player off it; passing must include consideration for the ‘third man’. In teaching a player ‘third man’ running; pay attention to wide angles, avoid straight line running. When you make wide runs, you open up more room to play into. The art of the ‘third man’ running is in the speed of execution. With constant practice and repetition, this will become automatic when the game pressure kicks in.
Setting up Play
This involves 2 disciplines: first, the delivery of the ball to the front men, and, second, the way in which the front men decide to hold the ball, control it, turn, or deliver the next pass. You must be confident enough to play in to marked players and move opposing defenders around to break down the defense as a whole. It is important to play the way you are facing, to open up defenses by movement and to make penetrating
passes.
Assessing Young Players
How do you balance first impression with long-term prospects? Use the following 6 criteria as a guide:
- Natural ability and technique/skill
- Knowledge and awareness
- Courage and bravery
- Character and mental toughness
- Speed and mobility
- Anticipation
Most young players will not be blessed with all 6 of these, so choose from those who have as many as possible. When playing small-sided games, you will find out if the player sees other players and is aware of what is going on around him. It will be easy to assess his technical ability as well.
*Information sourced from West Ham United International Academy website
