While many fans grew up watching their favourite teams deploy wingers and strikers in relatively rigid and defined roles, football’s evolution has meant that forward lines in the modern era are typically far more fluid and dynamic. With that in mind, this article will address the roles of both central and wide forwards. With insights
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
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
During their return to the Premier League last season, Wolves made a habit of preying on clubs much bigger than themselves. Portuguese coach Nuno Espírito Santo guided them to 16 points against the top six, a record bettered only by title winners Manchester City and runners up Liverpool. While Nuno’s team excelled in the championship
Currently in charge of German second division team Stuttgart, Tim Walter is one of the most innovative figures in modern football. The 43-year-old spent last season training Holstein Kiel, and his bold approach drew admiration from coaches across the globe. As we will discover in this article, Walter deploys a wide variety of inventive methods
During their incredible 2018/19 campaign, Erik ten Hag’s Ajax represented football at its most intelligent. Despite their entire squad costing less than Cristiano Ronaldo, Ajax managed to overcome the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus on their run to the Champions League semi-finals last season. It wasn’t a typical underdog story, however. They continually took
When coaching build-up play, it’s important to give players alternative routes of progression. Every coach will have a preferred method of building attacks, but the opponent’s approach to defending will change from game to game, and even within games. It is therefore essential to implement a varied approach that accounts for the different challenges that