The following training course is designed to build stamina, improve ball control, and help to develop mental endurance, all at the same time. It consists of three parts of roughly equal distance. First, the player walks with the ball under control, then he jogs with the ball through the slalom, and finally he sprints to the third marker. It is important that the final stage is a sprint , not a jog. For this reason, it is better to kick the ball to the final marker, and then to sprint without the ball to retrieve it. Alternatively, use several balls. If your team’s ball control skills are not so good, then they could jog with the ball to the first marker, and walk through the slalom instead.
The course can either be in a simple, straight line, where players go out and return, or you can build a triangle. It doesn’ matter which you choose, but try to keep you course distances consistent so that you can record players’ progress. The course can easily be made into a relay, or a race by having two or three courses in parallel depending on how many players are at training. The main advantage of this course is that it improves ball skills as well as stamina, and players are less likely to lose interest.
Fartlek
In team training, the coach whistles or shouts when to change pace. Press ups, sit ups, and squat jumps can easily be included.
Shuttle Runs
In this case, you split into teams of three or four, and run as a relay team. The number of repeats depends on the level of fitness of the team.
Indian File Run
This is a variation on fartlek with each person running in a line (file). Each time the coach blows the whistle, the last player in the line runs to the front of the line.
Individual Races
Each player is timed over the course, and each time is placed on a board. The coach sets each player individual goals, such as catching the next player, extending the lead over the previous player, or improving the time. Alternatively, start the race with the slowest player first, followed by each player in order according to their times on the previous race. Based on past performance, each player should finish at the same time based on their ADR Training and CPC training skills.
Team Running
The squad is split into teams of three or four, and each team has to run against the others. The idea is that the members of each team encourage each other, running most of the course as a group rather than running separately.
Continuous Relay
This exercise requires a large number of players. Divide the players into teams of six to nine, and position the members of each team around the pitch at roughly equal distances. The idea is to run a relay around the pitch with several repetitions. The first and last players must start the race at the same positions.
Paarlauf
This is a demanding exercise, which involves pairs of players running half laps against other pairs. Both players start at the same position, half-way down one side of the field. The first player runs a circuit around half of the field, returning to the starting poisiton. Then the second runner, runs around the second half of the field in the opposite direction, returning to the same position. There should be several laps, but the number depends on your fitness levels.
Hill Running
Hill running is demanding, and the extra encouragement (or risk of embarassment) from other team member is helpful.
Circuit Training
The advantage of circuit training as a team is that of motivation. A partner can help record scores and times on each exercise, and provide encouragement. Each score could be written down on the team notice board to stimulate competition, and to see improvements from week to week.
Spain’s mantle as the top team in the world has been slightly diminished of late, as poor results in friendlies against Spain and Costa Rica have tarnished the end of 2011 for La Roja. Vicente Del Bosque has a plethora of players to choose from however, with a strong base from Barcelona and Real Madrid making up the majority of the team.
Holland impressed during the qualifying rounds, and again must go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Bert van Marwijk’s men, similar to Spain, have had an under-par end to the year however, as the Oranje lost their last qualifying game to Sweden and were put to the sword by Germany in a recent friendly, losing 3-0.
On of the downfalls of hosting a major tournament is the fact that you do not get to take part in qualification, and Polish fans will hope that Franciszek Smuda’s men do not suffer due to a lack of competitive fixtures. Solid performances in friendlies over the last 12 months have seen the host draw with Germany and beat the likes of Belarus and Hungary; the home crowd will also play a key part in their chances.
Ukraine have had inconsistent form over the last year, and with the glory days of Sergei Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko over, Oleg Blokhin has had to look to the youth in his side.
England have been inconsistent over the qualifying rounds, and despite showing their quality at times can also lack creativity and the ability to break teams down. Fabio Capellowill be buoyed on by an unbeaten qualifying campaign and friendly victories over Spain and Sweden, but will look for more from his team if they are to pose as realistic challengers.
Germany, as always when a major tournament rolls round, must be considered as serious contenders.
Italy traditionally have blown hot and cold when it comes to international tournaments, and the Azzurri this time round have shown inconsistency and a lack of a real killer instinct in the qualifying rounds.
Dick Advocaat’s Russian side will fancy their chances of upsetting some of the bigger names, as the proximity of the tournament favours the Eastern European side. A solitary defeat in qualification has shown that Russia are an emerging superpower in the game, and they undoubtedly harbour a number of excellent players.
Portugal were beaten to the top of Group H by Denmark, but the Iberian nation powered past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs to book their place at Europe’s top table. Coach Paulo Bento has ruffled some feathers since taking charge of the team, with veteran duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa retiring from international football after falling out with the former midfielder.
The Swedes have a technically gifted and balanced side, made from a mix of players playing in their homeland and the top European leagues. Erik Hamren’s side qualified as a top runner up in qualification, and had they not had Netherlands in their group may well have topped a pool.
Slaven Bilic’s men made the finals by comprehensively beating Turkey 3-0 in the playoffs, and should not be written off. The Croats follow Luka Modric’s direction, and the Tottenham playmaker has the ability to hurt any side in the world, whilst Bayern Munichattacker Ivica Olic will be keen to add to his tally of 15 international goals.
France have not shown enough quality to make it into the top pots, and the French public will not be happy as being deemed as a fourth-tier side. A late goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured Les Bleus automatic progression to the tournament, but their form in qualification was nothing to write home about.
The Emerald Isle will be competing in the European championships for the first time since 1988, and a wave of expectancy has washed over the country since a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia ensured Ireland’s place at the finals.
The Danes qualified for the tournament by topping Group H ahead of Portugal, and Morten Olsen’s men will go into the competition full of confidence.
It is fair to say that the Czech Republic are not the force that once saw them challenge for international tournaments in the 2000?s, but Michael Bilek’s men will still provide a tricky test to their opponents next year.