u/Guilty_Ad2985

Hi all,

I have an important game coming up in a few days, and the team we're playing has a very big and physical midfielder, usually floating around the left side. Once he has the ball at his feet, he can essentially do whatever he chooses, as all players just bounce off him.

How would you guys deal with this? I tried a man-mark in our last matchup, but he was able to body our players off the ball. I'm afraid of doing a double mark, as that leaves another midfielder open. We play a 4-3-3, and I don't really want to change formation.

Hey all,

Wanted to share my story as a 21m coach so far, and see if anyone had any thoughts or opinions, or is in a similar place to me at would like to connect / chat!

So, for some background, since graduating HS I've been coaching fullish time (in season 35-45hrs a week, out of season varies.) Currently, I'm sitting on a USSF C license and should be getting my UEFA C this summer. I hope to be getting my USSF B license next year. In terms of living, I'm still with my parents and have made quite a strong amount of savings from working and no expenses. I've done some higher education here and there, but I'm still not sure on what would be best for my career goals and desires, which I'll breakdown here.

Essentially, my dream is to have a well-paying full time role in a professional club, most ideally in England or Europe. Right now, I'm very open to as many things that have some involvement on the pitch as possible. Whether that be coaching the first team, academy, designing youth programs, recruiting, tactics, etc.. So far as a coach, I've been able to get some great opportunities, coaching highschool as an assistant and head coaching teams at a club level. The highest level team being players on the bubble of JV / Varsity football for a decent school (right now they're u16).

I could honestly go into so many different subplots of what I'm thinking in terms of my career, but my main goal at the moment is to just be the best coach possible. A lot of that for me is studying and observing other high level coaches I respect, and educating myself with licenses. I'm literally obsessed with becoming the best coach possible. Just to be clear, it's because I absolutely love my job and want to be the best for the players I have influence over.

I guess the point of this post would be to question what you guys think I can do to improve my current standing. I'm currently working at a local and smaller level club, where I feel trusted and respected. Every season has been a huge jump for me, so I feel very happy with the situation I'm in. Again, I've thought about school to maybe further confirm more administrative roles in the sport, but also am not sure if that's what is often required / looked for!

As mentioned, I have way too much to say, and would rather keep it simple so people have more interest in reading and responding, lol. Please, if you feel you're at a similar point in your career or have similar aspirations, send me a quick message so we can chat - or if you're at a further stage than me, I'd love to hear from anyone to be honest! I find so much enjoyment in sharing ideas and experiences with other coaches.

Thanks!