How to add ‘rough and tumble’ play to your coaching programme

Practice | Activities | Carl Wild | 07.09.2021

Carl Wild, former foundation phase lead at Manchester City Girls Regional Talent Club, outlines how ‘rough and tumble’ play was introduced to the club’s coaching programme. Getty images / Jon Buckie - The FA

Read part one of this feature here.

Learning: 

• How to link ‘rough and tumble’ play with small-sided games

• How futsal can help players develop skills to be effective in ‘tight areas’

• The psychological benefits of adding ‘rough and tumble’ play to your coaching programme

To be able to add ‘rough and tumble’ play [RTP] into the players training, adjustments needed to be made to the technical, physical and games programme.

 With the technical element of training, this mainly involved removing unopposed practices and ensuring the players experienced competition and contact throughout every session. Therefore, at no time are the players practising their ball manipulation or learning specific skills, or just concentrating on their technique in receiving and passing the ball.

Instead, they participate in small games - 1v1’s, 1v2’s, 2v2’s. 3v2’s etc - that in their nature are highly competitive, fast paced and physical. This can be seen within diagram 1 below, where the area size, pitch set-up and rules of the practice, allow a number of the characteristics of RTP to flourish.

Description•One player enters the pitch through the central gate and attempts to pass in to one of the two small goals.•They can only attempt to pass into one of the goals once they have entered into the ‘end zone’.•As soon as the player attempts to pass in to a goal, a player from the other team enters the pitch and attempts to pass in to one of the opposite two goals.•The player who was just an attacker becomes a defender and looks to stop the new attacker from passing in to the small goals.•This rotation of roles continues constantly; Players enter the pitch as the attacking player, then transfer to becoming the defender, then exit the pitch, before entering the pitch as an attacker again.Possible alterations•The length and width can be altered to meet the needs of your players, just ensure it allows for close contact.•The four small goals are replaced by two goals with goalkeepers.•The small goals are replaced by gates which the attackers have to drive through (They can then leave the ball and go and defend).•Practice is two versus two instead of one versus one.•In a two versus two practice after attacking one of the two attackers has to touch the goal or a cone near the goal, before they can defend.

Description

•One player enters the pitch through the central gate and attempts to pass in to one of the two small goals.

•They can only attempt to pass into one of the goals once they have entered into the ‘end zone’.

•As soon as the player attempts to pass in to a goal, a player from the other team enters the pitch and attempts to pass in to one of the opposite two goals.

•The player who was just an attacker becomes a defender and looks to stop the new attacker from passing in to the small goals.

•This rotation of roles continues constantly; Players enter the pitch as the attacking player, then transfer to becoming the defender, then exit the pitch, before entering the pitch as an attacker again.

Possible alterations

•The length and width can be altered to meet the needs of your players, just ensure it allows for close contact.

•The four small goals are replaced by two goals with goalkeepers.

•The small goals are replaced by gates which the attackers have to drive through (They can then leave the ball and go and defend).

•Practice is two versus two instead of one versus one.

•In a two versus two practice after attacking one of the two attackers has to touch the goal or a cone near the goal, before they can defend.

“As with any form of play it is imperative that the players are given freedom to express and enjoy themselves, whilst doing so within a safe environment”