Aspire in the World Fellows Book - 2023

/52 Our responsibilities involve organizing the game ideas, structuring training methods alignedwith it, and centralizing data from various sources, including training sessions and matches. A key objective is simplifying the reporting process to present information to our technical director. Like other departments, our focus is on preparing players for the first team, with an individualized approach recognizing each player’s unique journey. Our goal is to ensure every player is equipped and ready for the transition to the first team when the opportunity arises. We aim to shift coaches’ mindset towards player development, emphasizing it as the primary goal over winning. Winning results from various factors, including scouting, training, and individual player development. Our approach centers on providing coaches with a player pool, expecting improvement over the season for potential first-team opportunities. We conduct two assessments per season, before and after initial matches, aiding understanding of team dynamics. Assessments cover technical-tactical aspects, creating position-specific profiles. Coaches then evaluate players, identifying weaknesses hindering first- team progression and recognizing strengths propelling them forward. Using a structured process and an input platform, this assessment and improvement cycle aims for continuous development throughout the season. We emphasize mastering basics, aligning with Johan Cruyff’s foundational principles. Training starts with individual skills, focusing on excelling at fundamental aspects. Positional games concentrate on technical control, passing, decision- making, and body shape. Video analysis makes players aware, and three types of individual training are incorporated. One set involves specific drills, while another focuses on small tactical scenarios. Simultaneously, individualized training addresses specific concepts lacking in players. Coaches maintain a detailed report with specific targets for each player, ensuring equal attention to all, preparing them for potential advancement to the first team. It’s important to shift the coach’s mindset towards long-term player development ratherthan justshort-term success. By dedicating time to analyzing players’ specific needs during different training phases, we create a continuous improvement cycle. Coaches focus on individual players during positional games, addressing their weaknesses and providing targeted feedback. This process extends to matches, where actions are captured, analyzed, and shown to players, closing the loop of development. This player-centric approach aligns with our philosophy that success follows from nurturing and enhancing each player’s capabilities. Ourcomprehensiveapproachintegrates games, training methodology, player profiles, and tactical work seamlessly. When delving into tactical aspects, we focus on decision-making scenarios, especially during build-up play. We simulate various situations players mightencounter inagame, guidingthem on the decisions and skills needed to navigate these scenarios successfully. This ensures that our players are well- equipped to handle different in-game challenges, aligning with the club’s overall vision and strategic objectives. It’s crucial for the coach to set aside ego and for the entire club structure to support and guide him in areas that need improvement. When everyone, including the leadership, is aligned with a shared vision, it makes the coach’s job easier. It becomes an educational process for the coach, emphasizing the importance of the club’s philosophy and objectives. This unity ensures clarity and consistency throughout the institution. MarcVinyals BarcelonaFC: Director of Methodology inFootball 11