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Change The Game


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It’s about time that football was changed from Grass roots level, the FA have put in loads of money into Grass Roots level in recent years to try and improve the image of the game and to ultimately improve the National side. However, how do you improve as a player when you’re not playing?

It’s time to have football at Junior Level up to whatever level Combo is maybe, as roll on roll off subs, therefore letting everyone who’s involved in football have a decent run out, rather than just turning up and only getting 5 minutes, or sometimes not getting a game at all. So basically four hours of their Saturday afternoon gone, for nothing, no wonder some teams struggle from week to week getting players, because there’s probably been occasions when players have turned up and not played. This is particularly important at Junior Level for Under 18’s and down. They’re kids and therefore need to be playing the game to learn anything from it, rather than sitting on the bench getting cold and having a bit part to play at the end if the game is comfortably won or something.

Football is meant to be about enjoyment, there’s no financial rewards for clubs below SWL so why can’t it go back to being the recreational sport it once was before the Sky Sports era took over. If you had roll on roll off subs, that would mean you could have 15 lads or girls getting a game of football on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday and actually enjoying it.

And whilst I’m at it as well, what is it with all the competitive kids football? Under 8’s league or something, what on earth is the point on that, you go to watch one of these games and you just see all players follow the ball into areas and the ball just pinging around with no control. Kids should be coached, not playing in competitive games where points are at stake.

It’s no wonder we’re light years behind Spain, Holland, Germany, France, South Americans when it comes to playing the game correctly, its all about cut and thrust rather than actually enjoying time on the ball and giving it to someone who’s in a better position than yourself.

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Good grief Darren, when I started playing there were no subs just a bare eleven and it wasn`t until the sixties that one sub was allowed and if you can remember we won the world cup in 1966. I personally are not in favour of roll on roll off subs to me it would be americanizing the game we love.

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But its about participation is it not? we're limiting the opportunities for youngsters to take part in the game. If you're allowed 3 or even 5 subs to roll on roll off, it increases that level of participation.

And yes, I remember the days of 1 sub, but I'm not looking at the higher level end of the game.

Anyway, when you started playing you were lucky to have boots!!! ;)

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But its about participation is it not? we're limiting the opportunities for youngsters to take part in the game. If you're allowed 3 or even 5 subs to roll on roll off, it increases that level of participation.

And yes, I remember the days of 1 sub, but I'm not looking at the higher level end of the game.

Anyway, when you started playing you were lucky to have boots!!! ;)

Surely children must learn, as in life itself, that if they want to achieve then they must compete. Schools have taken away competitive sports days and now children do not know how to compete. When i went to school with Tom Brown, we were shown that being competitve would help you achieve.

With regards to kids football and them all chasing the ball - surely that is an issue for the coaches but quite often these coaches have never ever played the game and are only text book coaches.

Roll- on subs - wont improve the quality of any player.

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Rubbish, if they're going to persist with competitive football, then why not have it roll on roll off? its about enjoyment isn't it?

Kids football should be about coaching and not about the competitive side of things, instead of playing in a match for an hour, they'd get a lot more and learn a lot more out of having a good coaching session.

As manager of Helston, surely you'd love to have roll on roll off subs? you'd then keep 14 players happy each week, rather than risking the chance of losing one or two, because they're not playing. As I said, its mainly for the youth though really.

And as for coaches, they need to be looked at as well, I played with a UEFA B coach a few weeks ago, played in goal, and didn't even realise that you can't pick the ball up after you have dropped it, this is a UEFA B coach!!!!

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I agree with about the kids but they must learn about competition because they will face it thru thiers lives.

I would not want roll on subs because you are negating players who train really hard so that they are strong for the whole ninety minutes and not just half an hour and then have a rest - how many games are one and lost in the last period because one team has been stronger and fitter?

Maybe I am wrong but ultimately i am not managing to keep people happy - all my squad know that if they are the in the best 11 then they will play providing there is not someone better in that position - it would not be fair to drop someone to keep someone happy - keeps both the player in the position and the player wanting the position on their toes. Yes, we use our squad to give the subs as much game time as is possible and sorry if they dont like it, I will not stand in their way. I give up my time to achieve the prizes as do my players and i make no excuse for that.

There are plenty of pub teams if thats what the individual would prefer

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Hi Darren,

Couldn't agree more with your post and much of the reasoning behind it. It is worth saying that many in The FA do too, and lots have been championing the premise of rolling subs for quite some time. And thankfully, your post comes at a time when there is some very good news regards this proposal.

Nick Levett, who is the extremely impressive, young, National Development Manager for Youth football, was told when he came into post that he had more chance of "scoring in the Champions League final" than changing the ruling on subs. Luckily, it would appear Barcelona may have to sign him up...

Last week the IFAB (International Football Association Board), who are the official law makers for the rules as we know them, have approved a two year trial across the four home nations to modify the amounts of substitutions allowed. This extends to junior and adult football although details of how far up the pyramid this will impact to are yet to be released. However, The Scottish FA have suggested this change would increase participation by 100% - from approximately 65k to 130k.

My interest is in youth football, and it is a huge step forward for the development of our young players, after all, players can only improve when they are playing and learning about the game. Mr Levett, and others at the FA, are working really hard to change the way we coach, but more importantly, the way we ask youngsters to learn. They are hugely in favour of escaping the win at all costs mentality that still prevails so widely. People often blame The FA, but quite a lot of the problems must be laid at the door of parents and coaches who impart the imperative they place on winning at the feet (and minds!) of their children. As The FA have proved, the children themselves rank winning pretty low on the overall scale of why they play. There is of course a time for competitive opportunity and its importance in the sense of it being an opportunity to learn the game and all the decisions needed to be made during it – but it is about applying this the right way and at the right time.

Only last month I watched an U12, 11 a-side game on a very wide, adult pitch, when the left back of one team (of whom I had a vested interest in watching) touched the ball 3 times in the whole game and took four throw ins. I couldn’t help but wonder how much he learnt. On the same field later that same morning, an U9 game had a defender who tried a Cruyff turn on the edge of his box, and didn’t quite manage to perform it. He lost the ball and the opposition had a shot at goal. The 9 year old was then told, in no uncertain terms, by most of the parents that wasn’t what he should do. Needless to say, next time he got on the edge of his own box he smashed it up-field and out of play for a goal kick. What was the reaction this time? A big well done from all watching, as he avoided giving away a goal scoring opportunity.

These experiences only reinforce the ideologies espoused by the likes of Jose Mourinho who said: “In England you teach kids how to win, in Spain and Portugal they teach kids how to play”.

The FA are really pushing their proposals which will be phased in over the coming years, and they are well worth a read. A good summary can be found here - http://www.clubnewsletter.co.uk/2011/feb/faproposals.html

It will no doubt take a long time for perceptions and techniques to change, but at least The FA are being pro-active in trying to move forward and encourage more modernistic ways of teaching and learning. It will be interesting to see how the Youth league adopt these proposals and the impact it has on both participation, but also the way in which we as adults conduct ourselves.

Hope this was of some interest.

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Amen to that, exactly my point!

Its all very well for the teams at the top of the leagues that are dominating games, but what about those that are struggling at the bottom, that are basically providing a football team for the community to enjoy. I've been there in Div 3 of Fal Hels league and battering teams, by 6 or 7 goals each week, its not really a great deal of fun, especially if you're at the back.

Grass roots football is all about participation and enjoyment, if people are only going to do it for the competitiveness of it, then slowly but surely, the leagues are going to dwindle. At the end of the day, the level of football that we play, is a hobbie, its meant to be enjoyable, its a break from work and chance to have a laugh with your mates.

The Youth side is the main issue behind my post though, I'm not sure if they play competitive football in Spain at such a young age as we do over here? but there's a blue print out there somewhere that has worked and we should follow it

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I think clubs need to be more honest with players, I have played for 3 clubs this season as I couldn't get a game due to too many players. Wasting my Saturday afternoons has me off enough times. Once you move to a new club the players already there will ?m always get priority for starting the season.

Just wish managers would tell you in preseason "probably gonna have a few people playing in that position" or "your not really good enough" instead you turn up week in week out and get the last 10 mins out of sympathy.

Rolling subs could help or increase to 5 subs per game, let's face it most players aren't that fit to go flat out for 90mins

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The Youth side is the main issue behind my post though, I'm not sure if they play competitive football in Spain at such a young age as we do over here? but there's a blue print out there somewhere that has worked and we should follow it

Just shot yourself in the foot Darren.

I have seen Barca v Real Madrid Under 11's on Spanish TV, watched by a crowd of 2,000, certainly no roll on roll off subs in that game. If those two clubs are the blueprint, then once again, The FA have not learnt anything from the best of the worlds footballing nations.

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Ridiculous idea. We use roll on roll off up to under18 level. Then it should stop. Yes players play for fun and enjoyment, but they also play to be in a successful side. With roll on roll off you would never have any consistency in a game, a player's game or momentum could be disrupted and a teams style could be effected with over use of subs.

Part of been a good manager is knowing how to man manage your team or squad and know when and how to use one of the three subs your allowed.

I'm a primary school teacher and I strongly believe in a competitive sports programme. Dealing with success and failure is an essential life skill. By learning how to win and lose graciously at an early age it equips them well for their adult life. Sports days and other sports events at school are still competitive. Football leagues, tag rugby, high 5 and towerball, swimming galas and cross country events all still reward those ranked highly. Coaching and training should lead to a competitive end result.

Knowing how to win and lose is part of the game.

Losing makes you hungrier to experience winning and winning makes you want to continue to have that 'winning feeling'.

Gone slightly off topic but if you want to just participate, drop down a league to get more game time. The reason someone is not playing regularly is often because they aren't good enough. At the start of this season I wasnt playing as much as I would like, so I have dropped down a league, got my confidence and fitness back and will be ready to give it another crack next season. And yes i am still enjoying my football.

Roll on roll off is for youth participation.

I often agree with you Darren, but unfortunately not on this occasion. X

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It is used at youth level? You were saying it to be used up to combo?

Of course learning how to play the game is a priority. But do you always have a good training session? Do you always complete a session without making mistakes? At the end of a session how often do you play some sort of game where there is a winner and loser? Pretty much every session.

Winning is why we play, there is no better feeling no matter what level it is. Yes participating matters, but people play the game, starting with children, because they want to be successful.

I agree about something needed to be done coaching wise at youth level as a national programme. These days there is much more professional coaching done locally at youth level.

Of course the impact isn't going to be immediate. But give it 10-15 years and we will notice an improvement locally and nationally in the standard and success.

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