Football Season Planning: Why Most Coaches Don't Have a Plan – and How to Build One

Why Most Coaches Lack Real Season Planning

Honest diagnosis: many coaches spend their time on administration rather than planning.

What administration looks like:

• Preparing sessions for next week
• Coordinating match fixtures
• Reporting missing players
• Organising tracksuits

What planning looks like:

• Defining season goals
• Distributing core focus topics across the season
• Varying training load (high/medium/low)
• Keeping track of long-term player development

Most of this never happens – due to a lack of time, uncertainty, or simply because nobody demands it.

The result: training takes place, but without a clear thread running through it. Without progression. Without any overview of whether players are truly developing over the course of the season.

The 4 Building Blocks of Season Planning

Season planning does not have to be complicated. Four building blocks are all you need.

Building Block 1: Season Goals (1–3 Goals)

What should this squad be able to do by the end of the season that they couldn't do at the start?

Good season goals:

• "Our defence remains more compact than last year"
• "We play passes under pressure in tight spaces without panicking"
• "All players are able to play in 2–3 positions"

Poor season goals:

• "We will win the league" (too dependent on factors outside your control)
• "We will improve everything" (too vague)

Aim for a maximum of 3 goals. Less is more – especially in youth development.

Building Block 2: Focus Topics Across the Season

Which training themes take priority in which phase?

Example of U13 season planning:

This distribution does not mean you never train defence in October. It simply means the primary focus is passing – and other topics are secondary.

Building Block 3: Training Load Distribution

Not every training week should have the same intensity. Load must be varied – this is known as periodisation.

4 load levels:

1. High load: Intensive training sessions, maximum learning load – during the build-up phase

2. Medium load: Standard training intensity – regular competitive weeks

3. Low load: Reduced training volume, more free play – ahead of decisive matches or following injury waves

4. Recovery: Minimal training or complete rest – after tournaments, during school holidays, or after highly intensive phases

Why load management matters:

If you train at full throttle all the time, you lose players to fatigue, injuries, and declining motivation. If you vary the load intelligently, development stays steady.

Building Block 4: Tracking Player Development

Are your players developing over the season? You should be able to answer this question four to six times per season – not just relying on gut feeling, but backed by a structured rating system.

How to track player development systematically is explained in a separate article. The key rule here: your season plan creates scheduled assessment windows – decisions are based on planned observation periods, not fleeting impressions.

U13 Practical Example: Season Planning in 3 Phases

A concrete example with a real squad: U13 side competing in a regional league, 2 training sessions per week plus a matchday.

Phase 1: August–October (Build-up)

• Focus: Passing and ball control
• Load: High (pre-season preparation + early league phase)
• Assessment: Season start assessment of all players (September)

Phase 2: November–February (Stabilisation)

• Focus: Defensive stability, pressing fundamentals
• Load: Medium, with a recovery week following the winter break
• Assessment: Mid-season review (December)

Phase 3: March–May (Final Phase)

• Focus: Tactical system, combination drills, positional play
• Load: Medium, tapered down before crucial matches
• Assessment: End-of-season evaluation (May)

Once you understand the method, setting up this plan takes roughly 30 minutes.

5 Practical Steps for Your Season Planning

Coach OS and Season Planning: 1.5 Hours Instead of Several Hours

Manual season planning takes considerable time. Coach OS handles this in two straightforward steps.

Step 1: Enter your season schedule (training days, fixtures, holidays) once. This takes about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Enter your season goals and focus topics (optional, 10–15 minutes).

From that moment on, Coach OS automatically factors in:

• Which phase of the season you are currently in
• What the intensity level of the current week should be
• Which training focus aligns with the current phase

When you generate a session in the AI training session planner, it automatically suggests drills tailored to the current phase of your season.

Time spent: Around 30–45 minutes for initial setup, rather than hours of tedious manual planning.

3 Myths About Season Planning

Myth 1: "Season planning is only for professional clubs"

False. Grassroots and volunteer coaches benefit the most from a simple season plan – because it streamlines everyday decisions. "What are we working on today?" is answered by your season plan.

Myth 2: "A season plan is set in stone"

False. A season plan is not a straitjacket; it is a compass. If the situation changes (injuries, unexpected results, new tactical findings), you adjust the plan.

Myth 3: "You don't need a season plan for U12"

Equally false. Especially in younger age groups, a structured distribution of core topics ensures that players develop systematically rather than by pure chance.

When Is the Right Time for Season Planning?

1 week before the start of pre-season.

Not earlier (you lack reliable squad details), and not later (or you will miss the foundation phase).

During this week: define your season targets, map out phases, assign focus themes, and fix your evaluation windows.

Conclusion: Season Planning Is the Best Investment for Your Everyday Coaching

One hour of season planning saves you dozens of hours of second-guessing across the year. You know what you are training today. You know why. And you know what comes next.

→ Test season planning in Coach OS for free: coach-os.com

Further Reading

• Opposition Analysis: Preparing Matches the Right Way