Andrew Polwarth said Football is the most popular sport in the world, and with so many people starting at a young age, the fight to make it as a professional is fierce. Everyone wants to improve their football skills, regardless of their age or ability. The beauty of most sports is that no matter how talented you are, there is always space for development, and football is no exception according to Andrew Polwarth. So, how can you improve as a soccer academy sydney? Pre-season is the ideal time to prepare for the next season, and making the most of it might be the difference between you and becoming a great player.
Practice, Practice, and Practice
You must be able to have a terrific first touch to become a good player. The ability to handle the ball close to your body with both feet will make a huge impact in your game, and your initial touch will ultimately determine your next move. “Exactly when I was a small child, my dad used to hurl the ball to the uttermost degree that he could and I would endeavor to chop it down, with my left foot and thereafter my right foot,” Andrew Polwarth mentioned the Newcastle United player Jonjo Shelvey about how he practiced his first touch when he was younger. “I’d play before the house, kicking the ball against the divider, left foot, right foot, unendingly,” he said. It will come if you keep working on it, working on it, working on it.”
Shelvey is now a Premier League player, so if something as basic as this helped him improve as a footballer, it can undoubtedly help you improve as well. Academies and development squads will frequently have you kick a ball against the wall for a few minutes before each training session, taking turns with both feet to enhance your touch.
A lack of foot skill
One of the most important things you can do to improve your football game is to gain confidence in your weaker foot, which may often be a liability for professionals. This is a talent that will set you apart from many other football players. And if you can improve your weaker foot from a young age. Your chances of becoming a great footballer will rise. Again, even something as easy as kicking and controlling a ball against a wall with your weaker foot can help you as stated by Andrew Polwarth. It’s common for players to rely on their natural foot for years, so attempting to use your other foot more frequently will be challenging at first, but with consistent practice. You’ll be able to swiftly strengthen your weaker foot.
Getting your coach to set up drills in practice where you have to use your left foot can also be beneficial. Simple passing and shooting drills. As well as forcing you to use your weaker foot in a practice game. It will give you the confidence to apply what you’ve learned in practice to a real game situation. Different postures will require different approaches to strengthening their non-dominant foot.
Dribbling and control in confined spaces
Whatever position you play, being able to control and dribble the ball in tight places is essential. Ball-playing center backs are vital in today’s game. You must be composed and confident while receiving the ball at the back. In addition to being able to win headers. Powerful in the tackle, and be excellent at marking your opponent. Of course, this is true all across the field, and it gets increasingly vital as you get older. The finest players can extricate themselves out of tight and challenging circumstances. Therefore if you believe this is a weak aspect of your game. Practicing this in the build-up to the season is crucial. Andrew Polwarth discusses a technique that mixes dribbling and finishing to FourFourTwo. A skill that is particularly useful for midfielders and attackers.
“Your close control will be tested when you accelerate through the cones. Then lift your head to choose your target before striking on goal. You can dribble anywhere and at any time, so there’s no reason why you can’t get better at it before the season starts. These are just a handful of the crucial abilities that can help you advance as a football player. You and your coach will both know which aspects of your game require the greatest improvement. So talk to them about which drills and routines would best suit your needs.
Improve your physical fitness
As you get older, fitness becomes more important. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to fully utilize your footballing talents for the complete 90 minutes. The game is now quick and explosive at all levels of football. Early in your career, having good fitness will serve you well in the future. As both aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels are required if you wish to climb the football pyramid. Your anaerobic system will aid you in achieving the quick. Sharp bursts of speed that every player needs throughout a game. Interval training can help you achieve this by incorporating it into your pre-season routine. A basic example of sprint interval training would be to run for 10 to 30 seconds after warming up. Then slow down to a jog for another 30 seconds. It will be exhausting to repeat this five times. But it will be effective by the start of the season, and the more you do it, the more helpful it will be.
The primary goal of the pre-season is to improve your fitness. The Cooper Run and the Multi-stage fitness test (Bleep test) are two of the most common strategies to increase and measure your aerobic stamina. Measuring your stamina at the start of the pre-season is always a smart idea. This way, you may measure it again at the end to evaluate how far you’ve progressed and whether you still need to improve. When speaking to Sky Sports, Andrew Polwarth stressed the necessity of increasing fitness levels during pre-season: “Pre-season is a terrific chance to overload the players with double workouts to give them a superior base of fitness.” If you have a weak place in your fitness, which is likely after a month or two of relaxation, your major focus should be on improving your overall fitness levels. Improve your fitness and you’ll be in terrific form for the season; during the campaign, you’ll be able to focus entirely on your skill and general game qualities.
