The Coach as Director
A helpful way of thinking: the coach is not an actor. They are a director.
That means: you are not the centre of attention. You create the conditions in which players can act. You observe. You intervene when necessary – but not out of a need to be constantly visible.
A rule of thumb that has proven itself in practice: observe 70 per cent of the time, intervene 30 per cent. Those who do the opposite – constantly talking, explaining, correcting – rob players of the time to experience the game. And experience is what truly teaches.
That also means: silence on the pitch is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that the coach trusts the process and lets the players do their job.
Preparation: 8 Points for a Structured Session
Half the work is done before training begins. If you step onto the pitch without having thought things through, you will realise it as soon as the first drill falls flat and you have no idea what step to take next.
Here are eight points that solid preparation covers:
Set an Objective
What should the players be able to do better after this session? Or understand better? Or have experienced?
Without a clear objective, there is no meaningful structure. The objective does not need to be complex – "improve passing and movement in a 3v1" is concrete and realistic for a single session.
Define the Session Type
Not every training session has the same character. Three fundamental formats:
| Session format | Focus | When useful |
|---|---|---|
| Drilling | Technical repetitions, isolated, low pressure | Introducing new techniques, consolidating fundamentals |
| Training | Applied techniques under pressure, tactical setups | Transferring techniques into match situations |
| Playing | Free-play formats, high match tempo, few interruptions | Automation, enjoyment, match preparation |
All three formats should feature across a week's training programme – with a growing proportion of playing depending on age and match proximity.
Plan Three Phases
Every session has a structure: warm-up – main part – wrap-up.
This sounds trivial. But mistakes happen precisely here: a warm-up that drags on too long and leaves no energy for the main part. No wrap-up because time ran out. Or a main part that has nothing to do with the session's objective.
| Phase | Duration (approx.) | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 10–20% of the session | Activate the body, mobility, establish focus |
| Main part | 60–70% of the session | Work on the session's learning objective |
| Wrap-up | 10–15% of the session | Cool-down, reflection, debrief |
Choose the Method
How will the content be delivered? Demonstrate and let them try? Small drills with corrections? Match formats without interruption?
The method depends on the learning objective and the age group. The younger the players, the closer the method should be to actual play. No 10-year-old learns technique through long lecture-style explanations – they learn by trying it out.
Balance Load and Recovery
How intense will the session be? Are there sufficient breaks? Does the session follow a match or a rest day?
If you do not ask these questions, you risk either too little stimulus (players get bored) or too much (quality collapses).
Build in Individualisation
Not all players are at the same level. A player who already excels at a drill needs an extra challenge. A player who struggles needs a simpler variation.
Good drills have built-in variations – one level easier and one level harder. If you plan this beforehand, you will not have to improvise during training.
Prepare Equipment
Cones, bibs, balls – everything is laid out ready. That sounds obvious. But turning up on the pitch and having to set up first loses the players' attention before the session has even begun.
Plan the Review
What will you briefly discuss after the session? What should the feedback look like? Which questions will you ask the players?
Investing two minutes at the end of the session – what went well, what are our key takeaways – turns an isolated event into a genuine learning process.
Delivering the Session: 5 Principles
Preparation is one half. Delivery – how the session is coached on the pitch – is the other.
Principle 1: Explain clearly and concisely
Long explanations lose players. Children always, teenagers usually, adults frequently.
The rule of thumb: explaining a drill should take no longer than 60–90 seconds. Whatever is not clear by then will become clear once they start playing.
Poor explanation:
"Right, we're doing a 4v2 pressing drill where four players stand on the outside circle and two in the middle. The four have to keep possession and the two try to win it, with the outside players having to pass immediately when pressed, and the two in the middle should try to..."
Good explanation:
"Four outside, two in the middle. Four keep the ball, two try to win it. If you lose it, you switch. Any questions?"
The content is identical. The remaining attention span is fundamentally different.
Principle 2: Show first, then explain
Whenever possible: do first, describe second. The brain processes images faster than words.
Have a player demonstrate the drill – or briefly demonstrate it yourself. Then a quick explanation. Then get started immediately.
Benjamin Franklin's principle applies directly here: those who listen forget. Those who see remember. Those who do understand.
Principle 3: Ask questions rather than giving commands
The difference between "do it like this!" and "why do you think we're doing it this way?" is enormous.
Questions activate players' thinking. They process the answer themselves and retain it better. In addition, coaches learn more about their players' understanding – and about gaps that still need addressing.
Example questions instead of instructions:
- "What happens if the striker makes that run earlier?" instead of "Run earlier!"
- "Why did we just concede that goal?" instead of "You're out of position!"
- "What would you do differently in that situation?"
This requires patience. And it transforms the pitch dynamic – towards a team that thinks along with you.
Principle 4: Allow mistakes
Stopping play to correct every single mistake immediately deprives players of the chance to find their own solutions. It also disrupts match tempo so frequently that effective playing time drops.
Not every mistake requires an instant reaction. Repeated mistakes need a clear pointer. Mistakes caused by a lack of understanding need an explanation. Mistakes that are part of the learning process need time.
The question for the coach is: does this mistake need my intervention right now – or will it resolve itself?
Principle 5: Adapt the tempo
Different groups require different paces. What comes naturally to an experienced U16 side must be built step by step with a U10 group.
This also applies within a single session: if a drill runs too fast and quality drops, take a step back. If a drill has become dull, add a variation or move on.
When to Intervene, When to Observe?
This is the pivotal decision on the pitch. No formula solves it completely – but there are clear scenarios for both.
Intervene when...
- Safety is at risk – clear foul situations, aggressive behaviour, physical danger
- A fundamental mistake repeats itself – after three or four repetitions, a targeted stop helps more than letting play run on
- Players are disorientated – the group no longer knows what they are supposed to do
- The dynamic turns – players get restless, conflict arises
- Crucial core coaching points are missed – certain techniques become ingrained incorrectly if not corrected early
Observe when...
- Things are flowing – players are engaged, quality is there
- Mistakes are part of the learning process – minor errors from which players can learn on their own
- Effort is being made – even if not yet successful, a player shows commitment and a willingness to experiment
The Triad: Move, Observe, Intervene
A simple guide for coaches on the pitch:
Move: Do not stay rooted to one spot. Move around the pitch, take in different perspectives, change your lines of sight.
Observe: Watch actively. What works? What does not? Why? Where are the patterns?
Intervene: Targeted and measured. One clear message. One impulse. Then return to observing.
Coaches who live by this triad project authority on the pitch – because they are not constantly reacting, but acting with purpose.
Dealing with Inattention
Inattention in training is not laziness. It is a signal.
A player who does not listen during an explanation is either overwhelmed (does not understand what is meant), underchallenged (bored), distracted (thinking about something else), or lacks connection with the coach (trust is missing).
What helps
- Short drills rather than long ones – attention is a finite resource, especially with children
- Variety throughout the session – a monotonous tempo over 90 minutes kills attention
- Involve the players – players who explain, observe, or demonstrate stay focused
- Direct communication – if someone genuinely tunes out: a brief, calm, one-to-one word, never public humiliation
What does not help: shouting, making sarcastic remarks, or repeatedly lecturing the whole group. That creates more disruption than it solves.
The 4 Key Takeaways
| No. | Principle | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preparation = half the session | Thinking ahead allows you to lead on the pitch |
| 2 | Observe 70% of the time | The coach is the director, not the lead actor |
| 3 | Communicate clearly and briefly | Lengthy explanations lose players |
| 4 | Ask questions instead of giving orders | Players who think learn more |
FAQ: Leading a Training Session
Training Sessions That Stick
The sessions players still remember years later are rarely the ones with the most elaborate drill design. They are the sessions where they experienced something – a breakthrough moment, a challenge overcome, or the right word from the coach at the right time.
That does not happen by accident. It comes from preparation, observation, targeted intervention – and knowing when to simply let the game flow.
The coach who observes 70 per cent of the time and intervenes 30 per cent is often the one who achieves the greatest impact. Not because they do less – but because they do what actually helps with greater precision.
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