David Garcia is a coach and coach educator in the US. He undertook his formal training as part of the Spanish F.A

Show notes

David Garcia's Journey to a New Perspective on Football Coaching

David Garcia's journey to a new perspective on football coaching began when he moved to Spain to pursue his Uefa licensing. He was struck by the way players were treated with more respect for their intelligence of the game and the more holistic approach to training. Through his blog and coaching career, he has developed a new perspective that emphasizes the link between technical and tactical aspects of the game, which he learned through his Uefa courses in Spain.

Understanding the Connection between Game Situations and Technical Skills

David Garcia suggests that coaches should focus on understanding game situations and intentions when developing technical skills in players. By observing how players solve problems in game situations, coaches can provide opportunities for them to improve their skills accordingly. Garcia also recommends asking players about their intentions in certain situations to differentiate between poor decision making and poor technique.

Integrating Tactical Challenges into Training

Michael asks David how to create training drills that incorporate tactical challenges while still maintaining the integrity of the technique. David acknowledges the difficulty of recreating game situations in training but suggests using small-sided games and variable practice to simulate game-like scenarios.

Designing Training Activities

David Garcia describes his approach to designing training activities, which involves creating specific game situations and manipulating various constraints to encourage certain player interactions and combinations. He emphasizes the importance of starting with a clear goal and working backwards to create the necessary conditions for that goal to be achieved. Garcia also notes that he is often surprised by the creative solutions that players come up with during these activities.

The Spanish Football Culture and Emphasis on Player-Ball Relationship

David Garcia shares his surprise at the emphasis on player and ball relationship in Spanish football. He notes that there are many games focused on maintaining possession and manipulating the ball, even in tight spaces. This is emphasized in training sessions, where protecting the ball as an individual is heavily emphasized.

Analyzing Patterns and Decision Making in Football

David explains how he notices patterns in players' tendencies and decision making by observing games and players. He discusses how this process sparks curiosity and leads to asking new questions to find theories and solutions. Michael adds that this analytical skill is important for coaches to win games and suggests training oneself to get better at it.

Improving Attention and Learning through Consequences

David Garcia emphasizes the importance of attention in coaching and how it can be improved through setting goals and consequences. He also discusses the role of accountability and responsibility in developing players' attention and problem-solving skills. Michael Wright adds to the conversation by discussing the use of AI in football and the importance of players being able to react in the moment.

Attention and Tactical Analysis

Michael and David discuss the importance of attention in coaching and tactical analysis, and how it can affect the outcome of a game. They also talk about the need for intentional and voluntary attention, and how it can help coaches notice patterns and solve problems.

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