Peter Lovell  (10.22.08 )

I agree with professor Alves. Many football institutions and/or coaches these days make many mistakes in regards of the training. Every training session should be designed with game like situations. For those that might say now "what about the fitness?"... Well, the fitness should be included within the same structure. If you have to work on relays, you can do it with game like situations where you include the field and the ball. Always making the recovery phase as active as possible. How many times we see these days footballers on a game running 60 yards one way, 30 the other way and when they finish the 30 they have to make an accurate intervention with one touch on the ball.... Either they are not accurate with the pass or they boot the ball because they know they will most likely be inaccurate and they react based on the lack of confidence. No need to say that these factor doesn't make the game look as pretty as we would want it to be right?
That is one of the many reasons why what Prof Alves says is so important.
Players running so much in training and yes, being able to run for ever on the pitch but this is football... As the great Maradona once said: "if this is the case why don't we just hire Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis as forwards"...
There are many different physical interactions in a game that require not only a physical preparation but a physical, psychological, technical, coordination, etc all together. How? Designing trainings on a game like situation.
Specially youth are paying the consequences of this. Everybody wants to win win win instead of taking advantage of the golden phase for learning and brain storing of an individual.
An example is specially the USA. Parents or just amateurs that never played the game before "coaching" youth and making a 8 YEARS OLD!!!! run laps for 40 min...............
Then they have to go to Europe or else and suffer a critical change/adaptation when they can get there at least ready in a football matter.
The bottom line is that to perforn in a opera you have to practice over and over singing on stage.... Football is to be practiced on the field in a game situation training and playing as much as possible depending on the team needs and competitions. And believe me... as much you play and work in the field the more the athletes work and without even noticing the tiredness since they are enjoying.. May God bless you all and fulfill your hearts with His Holy Spirit, Love and Wisdom.

KUNLE  (10.15.08 )

nice 1!