Bravery on the Ball is one of my 9 coaching principles. And I believe it's one of the most important behaviours we can develop in young players. Too often, players choose the safest option. They pass backwards when they could turn. They avoid receiving the ball under pressure. They pass to a teammate instead of taking an opponent on. Sometimes these are good decisions. But sometimes they're simply afraid of making a mistake. That's what I want to change. // 1. Encourage players to take responsibility I want players who are willing to receive the ball, even when an opponent is close. Players who don't hide behind opponents or avoid difficult situations. For example, imagine a midfielder receiving the ball with an opponent pressing from behind. Can they receive, protect the ball, and turn? Can they recognise an opportunity to play forward? Or is the best decision to play back to a teammate? All three might be good decisions. The important thing is that the player has the confidence to recognise the situation and make a decision. // 2. Bravery doesn't mean taking unnecessary risks This is an important distinction. I don't want players trying to dribble past three opponents every time they receive the ball. And I don't want them forcing difficult passes when better options are available. Bravery on the Ball isn't about making the riskiest decision. It's about having the courage to make the right decision, even when it's difficult. Sometimes that means dribbling past an opponent. Sometimes it means receiving under pressure. And sometimes it means protecting the ball and keeping possession. // 3. How coaches react to mistakes matters Imagine a young player trying to turn under pressure. They lose the ball. What happens next? If the coach immediately shouts at them to play it safe, what might the player learn? Next time, they might avoid turning altogether. This is why I try to evaluate decisions rather than just outcomes. Was there space to turn? Did the player recognise the opportunity? Was the decision reasonable? If the answer is yes, I want to encourage that behaviour, even if the execution wasn't successful. We can improve the execution through training. But it's much harder to develop brave players if they're constantly afraid of making mistakes. // 4. Train bravery through game situations I believe bravery develops when players repeatedly face situations that require it. For example, use a 4v4 or 5v5 game with opponents applying real pressure. Encourage players to: Receive the ball under pressure. Turn when space is available. Take opponents on in 1v1 situations. Protect possession when necessary. Find solutions instead of avoiding difficult situations. Some simple coaching cues: Can you receive? Can you turn? Can you take your opponent on? What did you see? What could you do differently next time? The idea isn't to demand risky actions. It's to create an environment where players feel confident enough to try, make mistakes, learn, and try again. // One final thought. We often tell young players to be brave. But then we criticise them when their brave decisions don't work. We can't expect players to take responsibility if we're only comfortable with their decisions when they succeed. Bravery on the Ball isn't about avoiding mistakes. It's about having the confidence to make decisions, learn from mistakes, and keep trying. // P.S. Want to build brave, fast, and competitive players? Learn how to apply these 9 principles inside Football Coaching Hub. Try 7 days free: skool.com/football-coaching-…

Forward Mentality is one of my 9 coaching principles. And it's probably one of the easiest to misunderstand. Forward Mentality doesn't mean always playing forward. It doesn't mean kicking long balls, forcing difficult passes, or attacking as quickly as possible in every situation. It's about teaching players to look forward first and recognise opportunities to progress. Let me explain how I approach it. // 1. Look forward first Whenever a player has the ball, I want them to recognise what is happening in front of them. Can they: Dribble into available space? Pass to a teammate in a better position? Break an opponent's defensive line? Combine with teammates to progress? If there's a good opportunity to go forward, I want them to take it. // 2. Don't force forward actions This is where decision-making becomes important. Sometimes the opponent has closed the space. Sometimes the forward passing options aren't available. Forcing the ball forward isn't necessarily brave or intelligent. In these situations, keeping possession can be the better decision. But there's an important difference between keeping possession with purpose and simply passing the ball around. // 3. Recycle possession to create the next opportunity Let's use a simple example. Our centre-back receives the ball during build-up. A midfielder moves into the space between the opponent's pressing lines. If the passing lane is open, I want the centre-back to recognise it and play forward. But what if the opponent closes that passing lane? Instead of forcing the pass, our centre-back might play sideways to the other centre-back or back to the goalkeeper. Why? To change the angle, move the opponent, and potentially create a new opportunity to progress. That's still Forward Mentality. // 4. Train the behaviour, not just the action How do we develop this in training? I like using directional small-sided games where players constantly need to recognise opportunities to progress. For example, a 5v5 game with mini goals. Players can pass forward, sideways, or backwards. But I want them constantly looking for opportunities to break lines and advance. Some simple coaching cues: Can you play forward? Is there space to dribble? Can you break a line? If not, how can we create a better opportunity? We can also use KPIs to reinforce the behaviours we want to see. For example, tracking how often players recognise and exploit opportunities to progress, rather than simply counting forward passes. // One final thought. If you constantly tell players to pass forward, they may start following your instructions instead of reading the game. That's not what we want. We want players who recognise situations, make their own decisions, and understand when to progress and when to keep possession. Forward Mentality isn't about always playing forward. It's about always looking for the opportunity to do so. // P.S. Want to build brave, fast, and competitive players? Learn how to apply these 9 principles inside Football Coaching Hub. Try 7 days free: skool.com/football-coaching-…

Here are 9 game-proven coaching principles you can use tomorrow. I've developed these principles through years of coaching. They guide how I design training sessions, develop players, and approach matches. They're not formations or fixed playing patterns. They're behaviours I want players to develop, regardless of the system we play. #SundayShare // 1. Forward Mentality Look forward first. Can you pass, dribble, or combine to progress? If not, keep possession and look for the next opportunity. 2. Bravery on the Ball Encourage players to receive under pressure, take opponents on, and make decisions. Don't punish every mistake. Players need the confidence to try. 3. Active Defending Don't just wait for opponents to make mistakes. Close space, apply pressure, challenge for the ball, and make life difficult for the opposition. 4. Technique at Speed Good technique must work at match speed. Train players to execute actions quickly, under pressure, and with limited time and space. 5. Transition Awareness When possession changes, react immediately. Win the ball? Look to attack. Lose it? Apply pressure or recover your defensive position. 6. Balance of Individual & Team Encourage individual initiative while maintaining collective responsibility. Players should recognise when to solve situations themselves and when to use teammates. 7. Courage & Competitive Edge Demand players who compete. Challenge for duels, fight for second balls, recover after mistakes, and don't shy away from difficult situations. 8. Off-the-Ball Movement Players without the ball must remain active. Create passing options, move opponents, attack available spaces, and support the player in possession. 9. Desire to Score & Win Develop players who actively look to create chances, score goals, and win games. Possession should have a purpose. Encourage players to be decisive near goal. // One important point: Don't try to coach all nine principles tomorrow. Choose 2–3 that your team needs most. Design training situations where those behaviours are needed. Reinforce them consistently. Gradually increase the difficulty. The goal isn't for players to remember nine principles. The goal is for those principles to become visible in how they play. // P.S. Want to build brave, fast, and competitive players? Learn how to apply these 9 principles inside Football Coaching Hub. Try 7 days free: skool.com/football-coaching-…