OZIL Academy Football Club

Why use both feet?

This infographic highlights the benefits of using both feet and gives some useful take home tips.

Current vs former

Ozil Academy vs OZIL ACADEMY

TODAY AROUND 09HRS

VENUE OZIL GROUND

FootballEducation462

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Compactness

Defensive Compactness is about minimizing the spaces between your team mates while defending and dictating where the opponent can have and pass the ball.

The central space is the first and fundamental area to be protected.

Educate • Develop • Inspire
WorldClassFootball

FootballEducation

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Lifestyle

If you truly care about your players - you will care about their lifestyle. Talent cannot reach it's full potential without a disciplined lifestyle.

Educate • Develop • Inspire
WorldClassFootball

FootballEducation

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Center Back

As a center back, when your team is in possession, your first and fundamental role is to provide support in terms of ball circulation.

Don't get carried away and want to become the point of reference in the attack looking for assists and goals. Maintain the structure.

Yes, there might be exceptional circumstances that require compromise, for example, if you're a center back with aerial prowess and you're team is desperately looking for an equaliser in the dying minutes of the game. In this case you might remain upfront as a point of reference.

We saw this in the Europa League quarter final match between Manchester United and Lyon. When Man United were trailing, Harry Maguire literally played as a striker, a target man to be precise, and eventually scored the winning goal.

But generally, your role in possession is to provide support.

Educate • Develop • Inspire
WorldClassFootball

FootballEducation

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Wingers

As a winger, when running with the ball, there are three fundamental qualities you need:

1. The quality of running with the ball at a high pace while maintaining control of the ball.

2. The quality of changing direction while running with the ball.

3. The quality of running with the ball while keeping your head up.

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WorldClassFootball

Coaches: two ideas for you…

ONE

Want to help players who have dropped in confidence? Here’s a few ideas:

1. Tap into memory - “Tell me about you at your best” gets them mentally rehearsing and remembering success

2. Take away performance - give them permission to perform lousy in training. Free them up!

3. Strip their game back to actions - and ask them to execute every action in a confident manner. “Show me a confident pass…show me a confident run”. Help them be a great actor to experience the feeling of confidence

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TWO

Coaches - use water breaks to help players remember what you’ve just been working on…

As they physically rest they can still mentally process the previous session and the key learning points…

This can be an important time in training because of something called the forgetting curve. Players immediately start to forget what they’ve learned as soon as they’ve learned it…

So, having them mentally rehearse what they’ve just experienced in an activity can help cement the to-be-learned information in long-term memory.

How?

Simple - ask them questions about what they’ve just learned and just experienced…and ask them to think about the answer. That’s all!

Current Ozil Academy

under 13 and 17

Academy

FootballEducation

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Defending

We often teach players about patience when they are in possession of the ball, but patience also applies when defending, especially when marking.

Don't dive in, especially against skillful players. As long as you are between the attacker and the space he wants to dribble or pass into - wait for the ball to be exposed then make your move to win the ball.

Educate - Develop - Inspire
WorldClassFootball

FootballEducation

~Dear Young Players

MasterTheBasics: Physique

Attitude is not measured in kilograms. Even with a small physique you can still have a big impact on matches. Play with intensity. Play with intelligence. Play with inspiration.

Educate • Develop • Inspire
WorldClassFootball