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Coaching Craft: How to Get a Faster Tempo
Full 60-Minute Practice: Possession vs Fast Breaks
Coach Project: Tempo Challenges
“The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” – Pelé.
From Slow to Go: How to Build a Faster Tempo in Your Football Practices
In the modern game, speed is essential. It leads to quicker decision-making, better off-the-ball movement, and an ability to adapt under pressure—all essential qualities in today’s fast-paced game.
Here are ten practical ways to help you build a faster tempo into your team’s training sessions, along with specific examples you can use.
1. Small-Sided Games with Limited Touches
Small-sided games with a two- or one-touch limit keep players on their toes, forcing them to think quickly and release the ball fast. Run a 4v4 game with a two-touch rule. After five minutes, reduce it to one touch for an extra challenge.
2. Time Limits for Attacks
Setting a short time frame for attacks after winning the ball encourages players to transition quickly and prioritise forward play. After regaining possession in practice the attacking team must get a shot within 10 seconds, to become the possession team. This adds urgency and improves decision-making.
3. Countdown Clocks for Passing Practices
A countdown clock in passing practices encourages speed while helping players focus on maintaining quality and accuracy under pressure. In a rondo, challenge the team to complete 20 passes within 30 seconds. If they succeed, gradually decrease the time to increase intensity.
4. Narrow the Field Dimensions
Smaller fields mean players have less space and time, forcing quicker passes and better support off the ball. In a 4v4 game, narrow the width of the field to half its usual size. (30 by 10) This forces faster play as players adapt to a lack of time and space.
5. Competition-Based Passing Drills
Adding competition to passing practices encourages teams to move faster and stay sharp, as players work to beat each other. Split your group in half and set them away with a passing pattern to see who can reach 10 rounds of it the fastest. The competitive drive increases intensity.
6. Transition Scenarios
Practices that mimic game-like transitions from defence to offence push players to switch tempos quickly and decisively. In a 4v4 game, if a team loses possession, they have three seconds to win it back for an extra point. This builds speed and awareness.
7. Conditioned Games with Score Incentives
Adding scoring incentives for quick plays creates a natural urgency and motivates players to look for fast, forward options. In a full-field game, award double points for goals scored within 8 seconds of winning the ball. This encourages players to attack with purpose.
8. Limited Time for Free Kicks and Restarts
Restricting the time allowed for free kicks and throw-ins builds a habit of fast restarts, keeping the game’s rhythm high. In any practice, give players four seconds to restart play after a stoppage. If they take too long, the ball is turned over to the opponent. This keeps them sharp and ready.
9. Progressively Smaller Playing Areas
Shrinking the playing space as the practice progresses forces players to make quicker decisions under increasing pressure. Start with a large area for a 6v6 game, then reduce the space every five minutes. Players adapt to tight conditions, driving a faster pace.
10. Rotating Defensive Challenges
Frequently rotating defenders bring in fresh energy, which forces attackers to play faster and adapt to new challenges. In an 8v4 possession, change the defenders every 20 seconds. The attackers must keep up their tempo against new opponents.
“If you train badly, you play badly. If you work like a beast in training, you play the same way.” – Pep Guardiola
Full Practice: Possession vs Fast Fast Breaks
5v3 | Break Out Possession Practice
⚽️ Created On: @SSPlanner
Aim:
Regain possession and secure the ball.
Set-Up:
On a 60 by 30 pitch, split it into three equal thirds. Each team has its outer third. Each team aims to keep possession of the ball in their zone for as long as possible.
How to Play:
The ball starts in one of the outer thirds (⚫️s). The attacking team gets a 5v3 in their zone. The other ⚫️ attacker is fixed into the middle third ready to defend if the opponent (🔴)wins it.
The current defending team (🔴s) has two players waiting in the central zone and 1 player in their attacking zone.
The ⚫️s look to keep the ball in their zone (every 5-8 pass sequence is a goal)
The 🔴s look to win back possession and transfer the ball via their middle players into their possession-scoring zone.
🚧 Constraints:
🏆Reward: A regain and successful ball transfer is also a goal.
👨🏫 Review: The pass quality and support play away from the ball.
🚫 Restriction: Touch limits on the possession team.
6v6 (+2) | Possession vs Pressure | SSG
⚽️ Created On: @SSPlanner
Aim:
Work on controlling possession and reacting to losses of possession
Set-Up:
Set up a 60 by 40 space with the pitch funnelled toward the box's corners. In each box have a GK with a larger goal behind them.
How to Play:
⚫️s are the possession team, they aim to work the ball from 🟢 Gk 1 to 🟢 Gk 2 then score past GK1 on the way back.
🔴s win possession of the ball and score in the goal past the last 🟢 GK to touch the ball.
🚧 Constraints:
🏆Reward: Have a shot timer, the team who works the ball from target and back to score the quickest gets a 2-goal bonus at the end of practice.
👨🏫 Review: Playing over around or through, reactions to win back the ball
🚫 Restriction: ⚫️s Only have 10 seconds in each half or the ball is turned over to the 🔴s.
6v4 into 3v2 | Regain and Score |
⚽️ Created On: @SSPlanner
Aim:
Win possession and break quickly towards the goal.
Set-Up:
Add a large playing zone onto the edge of the box (approx 40 by 30 yards), Place two mini goals on the corners of the shaded box and one larger goal in its normal place.
In the D on the edge of the box have a target player ⚫️ 1, In front of the dashed line place two 🔴 defenders.
In the shaded box have 6 x ⚫️s vs 4 x 🔴s.
How to Play:
⚫️s work a chance to play off the target ⚫️1 for 3 x ⚫️s to break out of the shaded area and play 3v2 vs 🔴s. ⚫️s must be beyond the dashed line to score.
If 🔴s win the ball in any zone they try to score in the two mini goals.
🚧 Constraints:
🏆Reward: 1st time passes into the 3v2 zone unlocks target ⚫️1 to join in and a recovery 🔴 which makes the break out into a 4v3.
👨🏫 Review: When to speed up or slow down the passing tempo.
🚫 Restriction: Only 1st time passes into the target player count but the target can now turn and get at the waiting 🔴s.
“Success isn’t determined by how many times you win, but by how you play the week after you lose.” – Pelé
Coach Project
Task 1: “Tempo Challenge – Faster Play in 5 Minutes”
Objective: Set up a small-sided game that encourages quick play and decision-making under pressure.
Instructions:
1. Set up a 4v4 game in a 30x20-yard space into mini goals
2. Apply a two-touch limit for each player.
3. Add a 10-second countdown for each possession. When a team wins the ball, they must attempt a shot on goal within 10 seconds. This pushes players to make quick decisions and prioritise forward passes.
Reflection Questions:
How did your players react to the time pressure?
What adjustments did the players make to keep possession or create chances?
Were there specific players who adapted quickly, and if so, what did they do differently?
Task 2: “Crafting Coaching Points for High-Tempo Play”
Objective: Develop clear, actionable coaching points that reinforce the importance of playing with a high tempo and help players understand how to achieve it.
Instructions:
Identify Key Tempo Aspects: Think about the specific aspects of tempo you want to emphasise, such as quick decision-making, immediate transitions, fast ball movement, or effective positioning. Choose 3-5 key focus areas that are most relevant for your team’s needs.
Write Coaching Points: For each key area, write a concise coaching point that’s easy for players to understand and apply in training or games. Keep each point actionable and clear.
Test and Refine: During your next practice, share these coaching points with your players during a high-tempo practice. Observe how they respond and whether the points are helping them play faster and more decisively. Adjust the language or focus if necessary based on how the team responds.
Reflection Questions:
Did players understand and apply the coaching points effectively?
Which points made the biggest impact on their tempo, and why?
How might you further simplify or reinforce these points in future sessions?
Please feel free to get in touch or share your ideas, actions, and interventions. We would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, post them here; we will do our best to answer them.
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