John McDermott (Academy Director) Tottenham Hotspurs Managing Upwards Academy Managers Licence 2009

Know Thyself
Key ingredients to forming the most successful companies Get the right people on the bus Wrong people off the bus Right people in the right seats Figure out where to drive it

How can you get your knowledge? Where do you go for it? Your role educationalist? Know your club Staffing Philosophy Plan to implement Know your industry (expertise) He is a Hoverer a bit of everything. 5 Pillars of Youth Development Book: Miesl Recruit the best players and potential Create the best learning environment Nurtured by the best coaches Holistic support Pathway and opportunity

Managing Upwards Why People above know the bigger picture The Academy is a means to an end People above hire and fire Carry the purse strings

Tottenham Box Overload Approach 4/3/3 or 4/4/2 Create 5v2/ 5v3 by stepping into the box

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Dawson

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Playing through/ in between the lines quick one/two play (very South American) Also encourages full backs to attack the space left behind by wide players coming into the box. Tottenham Hotspur Youth Academy Values/Cultures Developing the 24 hour professional Minimum expectation: Be professional Maximum expectation: Be good enough to play 1 st team football. Psychometric testing used to assess character (levels of hunger) Staff must put the interests of the players first. The sessions and decisions are made so that they are right for the player. Player Development Philosophy Work done to help A players (Working at the rate of the best player not the weaker player) Every session is tailored to the development of the A players in the group and other players are there to improve and to speed up the development of the A players to the 1st team. Social Development Aspect:

Library visits in inner-city London to improve literacy levels in themselves and other young people, coaching in the community, black history month, kick and cook initiatives. Social responsibility gives young people the holistic approach required. They promote themselves and their clubs (ambassadorial roles). Syllabus technical and tactical mix Core technique Style and intent Creativity and risk-taking big parts of approach Physical element Use of Technology A DVD is produced for every game. It features; Attacking entries Crosses Attempts on goal Corners Free kicks Counter attacks Coaching points Opposition Players receive their own copies to study their own development.

Skill Development Session Structure Each session starts with a 10 minute rule Purpose: extra time to address specific weaknesses in addition to the actual session topic. 6 sessions per week x 10 minutes = 1 hour per week 43 weeks of year = 43 hours of additional work on weaknesses (e.g. left-footed players working only on right foot) Agreed with the coaching staff (e.g. left-footed Goalkeeper opening up on right side and playing out with right foot). Problem-solving sessions with practices that demand INTELLIGENCE. QUICK AND THICK WONT SURVIVE The Summer Birthday Debate (Club recognition)

15% of current Spurs players have a summer birthday (later maturation to be taken into account) Staff relaxed, player-led, helpful Scouting a major concern of the club is that scouts miss the subtleties of less effective players who have the greatest potential (maturation etc.)

Working with a 4/3/3 system Friday morning session (preparation for Saturday match) 2 coaches (John McDermott and Alex Inglethorpe) worked 2 diferent practices simultaneously with 8 players (practice A) and 12 players (practice B). Then swapped over after 25 minutes 1) 10 Minute Rule 2) SAQ (fast footwork drills) 10/ 15mins Focus: Planting foot, accelerate/ decelerate, cut inside man and spin across man 3) Skill practice A PRESSING/ QUICK PLAY/ COUNTER-ATTACKING

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15 YARDS LONG X 12 YARDS WIDE, 4 MINI GOALS 5 GOALS TO WIN A SET 5 SETS TO WIN 2 GOALS FOR BALL TO TARGET PLAYER 1 GOAL FOR SHOT THROUGH SMALL GOAL 8 to 12 players (use spare players as ball boys to encourage speed) Keep ball when you score Defending 3 work hard to press to retain ball. Only 1 defender can break the line to press in opposing half (slide, equal distances, relationships, nearest man). Target man can apply pressure from behind but must return to base line. Focus on reaction and counter-attack on regain. Work very hard to defend, create a BLOCK of defenders to break down stop the shot. Encourage attacking players to: move ball quickly (purpose), pop it off and play through gaps (risk taking), combination play and rotation of players (overlaps, wall passes etc..) Decision-making and patience (control the game) retain ball and wait fro gap if defenders block the route to goal.

Skill/ Unit work Practice B 3 Central midfielders and 3rd man running practice

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Width of the central zone 6 yard area

X X X #4 #8 #10 Width of the centralT 6 yard area zone

GK Working with the #4, #8 and #10

GK Width of the central area 6 yard area (encourage narrow pitch) Length of the area box to box Target players down each flank (play for the team in possession) Target player (central striker) on edge of each box (ball must go through them to create 1 v 1 scoring opportunity). This central target player must set ball back for third man running. Other wide flank player can join in final third and a player can break from midfield to join in.

12 players needed in total.

 6 v 3 overload practice (3 midfielders + 1 striker + 2 wide target players) with 2 goalkeepers 2 touch maximum Opportunity to enter final third 2 men can join in when Target player has it wide position (e.g. Target striker and 1 breaking midfielder) SET ball back for third man running Quick play and break the line of defence by bouncing the ball round players in tight areas.

4) 4/3/3/ (3/3/3) Match in 3 x 15 minute periods

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9 V 9 + 2 Goalkeepers Width of penalty area only (narrow pitch) Length: Box to Box Timed games: 3 x 15 minute matches Play hard/ match tempo Encourage rotation of wide strikers deep into midfield to allow attacking midfielder to drive into attacking areas 20 minute spell exciting not sterile Encourage overlaps, midfielders running beyond attackers, rotation of midfields/ wide players with defenders to get ball from keeper. Coaching points Cant always score or play penetrative pass so retain possession and wait for opportunity to probe (Go in, come out). Do jobs in both boxes. Pull it back from bye line, get across keeper (first defender) Communication use of voice to get message of urgency across to team mates. Watch for too many turnovers of possession (keep ball) Fast feet of strikers can be the difference between being able to set the ball back for the set up and missing the opportunity. Who has control of the game? Risk taking, rotation to come and receive ball from keeper/ defenders.

Technical Session U14 to U20 Alex Inglethorpe Under 18s Coach 1) Light jogging and warm up 5 mins 2) Technical practice 1 5 mins

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O1 fires ball into O2, O2 receives and can do a turn before firing the ball into O3 through the gates. The Xs must cover the ground quickly to protect the open gate but will always leave 1 gate open in doing so. O3 must keep the ball close and work an opening in this tight area and can escape by bursting through the open gate to score. Then swap players. 3) Core stability and dynamic jogging/twisting etc 5 mins

4) Passing 10 minutes PART 1 - fire it in PART 2 overlapping runs

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PART 3 aggressive off the shoulder

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PART 4 Twos

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Details Give ownership to players to solve problems through Parts 1-4 Movement off the mannequin aggressive, off the shoulder, creating angles Brave 1st touch away from mannequin

 Communication with gestures the hand gesture leaves the clue Xavi/Iniesta Spanish pass beat the lines and fire it in. 5) More stretching and jogging/ twisting etc.. work with conditioner 5 mins 6) Combination play and passing 5 mins 18

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Details CB/ 3 x CMs/ 3 x CFs mirrors 4/3/3 Encourage rotation between positions Find spare cone the pockets Encourage one-twos, step overs, megs etc. Fire in first pass/ softer return pass (if player follows to receive again) Opposite movements Play on angles

 Change the point of attack both laterally and centrally (into Number 9) 7) Light jogging and stretching 5mins 8) Turning in tight areas 5 mins

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Good 1st touch Draw in the 1st defender and turn away, Draw 2nd defender and turn away Draw 3 rd defender and turn away Finish by firing ball in.

Turns cut back the ball, step overs etc.. 9) Stretching and light jogging 5mins

10) Wide players driving inside/outside the fullback 15 mins

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Drive on inside and draw DF

Take on outside

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Add Defender to encourage wide player to drive inside fullback and between 1st central defender Encourage combination play with Centre forwards (one-twos etc..)

11) Receiving and shooting in tight areas 8 minutes

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Details Os do a turn with the ball on outside and when Coach calls their name, they fire the ball into X. X must work off the shoulder and move to the ball, receive and strike. Tight turns on outside Quick reactions and Spanish pass Sharp receiving skills in tight area

12) 2 v 2 attack and defence 8 minutes

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Details Os can play off outside Floaters for wall pass only to retain possession. If X regains possession, they must play back to O1 first before they can receive the ball back and take possession of the game. Floaters on 1 touch 2 minute rounds x 4 sets Head control when shooting

Observations of Alex Inglethorpe Attention to detail How to receive? When? Where? Who? Why? Quick fire rounds of high intensity work (e.g. 6 x 3 minute rounds with no intervention other than words of encouragement) Allows for creativity in players and provides ownership to them to find solutions through guided experimentation Praise, positive, great (gentle) manner Fun, creative sessions with lots of movement, passing and finishing. Light jogging, dynamic movements and stretching between each part of the session. Relates aspects of the session very well to modern players and Tottenham players (e.g. What does Modric do in this situation?) Attention to firing the pass in and continual references to Xavi and Iniesta and the Spanish way