Self on Soccer: WHUIA National Camp 2011 - Rome, GA

National Camp 2011 v Nature

Nature incorporated into the opening practice this morning. Mushrooms doubling up as cones for our warm up touches drill. Tried to see if they would survive. They did - for 17 seconds....

Now, if you like a chuckle, check out these two clips on youtube......
a) Me scoring at Upton Park - click here....
b) A tour of English dialects - click here....

This is the penultimate day of the Rome, GA West Ham United International Academy National Camp. The weather had decided to pretend it was England and give us a wet cool drizzly morning. Lovely. It gives the grass a slick coating that zips the ball across the ground. Magic.

Here is the group running the touches drill - they'll switch to a double touch skill in the middle. Most the groups were fine tuning to set up 11v11 games and allow players to show what they can do. We've been pushing them hard so it is interesting to sit back and let them play. It's unreasonable to expect them to include everything in those games - but we hope and are interested in seeing how many players try to bring the concepts covered into games.

Here's KD showing a simple practice keeping the ball up - he has to do it with the non kicking foot stationary on the floor. Below is a shot of 2v2 in a small space with 4 corner goals -

Great skill and determination here - attacking the space. The goal is in front of you when playing the game, so you have to go forward at some point - preferably as a first option.

OK. It all sounds rather official - so let's take a look at three famous coaches..........

Jose Mourinho (left) It's the smouldering Italian look with a clear look of disdain about anything his team does. Required clothes - woolen jacket and a scarf of the clubs' colors.

Bob Bradley (right) Now we are standing aimlessly and looking unsure about what to do as the Mexican team thump 4 goals past my lot. Clothes. Same as son.

Avram Grant (left) Missing in action. Scott Parker is probably running the team talk right now. Shame really - let's hope big Sam can continue to whip the lads into shape. Word from the coaches back home is that was exactly what was happening.

Right - Matching outfits. The three amigos in Macron capri pants setting a new fashion at dinner.

Last clip - Ian Bishop and Ian Yuill showing their skills...