In November 2018, the Football Association of Ireland announced the return of Mick McCarthy as head coach of the senior national team. Stephen Kenny was placed in charge of the under 21s, with a view to succeeding McCarthy after the 2020 European Championships. Ireland managed to qualify for the play-offs, where they were due to...

Before last season’s Champions League triumph with Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp hadn’t experienced a major trophy win since 2012. Despite his relative lack of silverware, the 52-year-old is widely considered to be one of the world’s best coaches. Klopp’s impact on the game stretches beyond his list of honours. His ability to impr...

In order to achieve the objective of progressing the ball into the spaces close to the opponent’s goal, a central element of any game model must involve the consistent creation of forward passing lanes. As we will see, an attacking team’s basic build-up structure can help to maximise the number of quality options ahead of...

With 27 trophies to his name so far, Pep Guardiola will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest football managers of all time. A disciple of Johan Cruyff, Pep is a major reference point for most aspirational coaches around the world, with many inspired by his 'Juego de Posicion' philosophy....

Arsene Wenger’s 22-year spell in charge of Arsenal saw him lift 10 major trophies, as well as overseeing the club’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium. During his time in North London, he guided countless talents on their way to becoming established, world-class stars. Furthermore, the Gunners played some of the most elegant foo...

A key part of Pep Guardiola’s philosophy, there are a wide range of methods through which a free player can be created in the attacking phases. The benefits of having an unmarked player in each stage of possession are clear, with retention and progression of the play becoming far more seamless. However, achieving it isn’t...