I see a lot of posts on here that ultimately all could be grouped under the umbrella idea of how best to improve having been a late starter/late bloomer in football. I have coached at a number of clubs, professional and schoolboys at high level in Ireland, with a decent career in and out of semi professional football myself having not been blessed with natural technique myself. Having both coached players who have gone on to full national representation and everything in between the best - non person/player/position specific advice I can give anyone is the following.
- You need to play small sided games as often as possible, ideally 5 aside with walls around the pitches at first. You need to get as many touches on the ball as possible in a fast paced, dynamic non stop play environment.
- You ABSOLUTELY need to as often as possible, play with players better than you. If you are among the better players in your game, you need to find a new game. It will be embarrassing and you will suffer for a while, but your touch and passing, at speed under pressure, will never develop otherwise.
- If you get the chance to play with Spanish/Brazilian/Argentinian players or any country that plays Futsal, that will massively help your understanding of the mechanics of the game and how to find spaces on the pitch before you receive the ball.
- Once you start getting better at having the ball fired in to you at pace and not having it bounce off you, or passing with pace and accuracy without losing the ball very often (choice of pass here too) then start adding in 7 aside games. Here youll be able to add an element of tactical development because the game moves a bit slower but still with lots of touches.
- You are not 'a position' until youre playing competitive 11 aside. If youre playing SSG dont ever try to just play in one part of the pitch all the time. Find spaces where you can get the ball the most times and learn different ways to adapt to where you are in relation to teammates and opposition.
- When youre feeling comfortable at 7 aside level (never stop playing 5 aside once a week min) then you can try 11 aside..but understand, very very little football development happens at 11 aside. Its the competitive part of football. Getting better happens when youre free to touch the ball as much as possible and make mistakes. in 11 aside you will be asked to do tactical things, with the technical ability you already have. 11 aside even at amateur level, isnt really about developing technically, its about developing game awareness or winning.
People that do individual work on their footwork, agility, and touch if possible through wall play, cones or the spring walls will definitely develop quicker.