An initial reflection on the current state of youth football in NSW & Australia
A reflection on youth football, performance pathways, and why relationships must come before results.
Author: Tim Palmer
My career spans youth development, coach education, and technical leadership across both mainstream and Paralympic pathways. I’m open to conversations around sports leadership, coaching, inclusive sport, and development roles where people, culture, and long-term impact matter.
Integrating video throughout the player development process
Video is ubiquitous in modern football, but how can it be developed and delivered in a youth development program?
A style of play, or a style of player?
There is a strong focus on a style of play in many youth academies, but should this be focused on a style of player instead?
How can we develop effective goal scorers from set pieces in youth football?
Although set pieces are widely accepted as crucial in modern football, they are not considered in depth in most youth development programs. How can we change this?
Exploring England’s curious use of deep full-backs in build up play
Gareth Southgate’s use of Trippier and Walker provided some interesting questions in England’s Euro 2020 opening match
How can we coach players to drive with the ball effectively?
A look at the importance of driving with the ball and how coaches can implement it using the constraints-led approach
Chelsea pull out Manchester City’s back four in the Champions League final
Thomas Tuchel’s side cleverly dragged Pep Guardiola’s wing-backs up the field, creating space for others to create goal scoring chances
Bringing a game model to life using the FFA National Curriculum as a case study
Using Australian football’s much-discussed National Curriculum, this article provides insight into the coaching process behind bringing a game model to life
Analysis of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool defensive system
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have a clear, organised defensive system married with a superb, strong mentality
Asian Cup 2019, Match Analysis: Australia 0-1 Jordan
Analysis of Australia’s 0-1 defeat to Jordan in their opening match of the 2019 Asian Cup
Detailing Maurizio Sarri’s game model in possession, and Chelsea’s current issues
An extensive look at Sarri’s style of play in attack, and areas of improvement in Chelsea’s current implementation
Thomas Tuchel bringing skill acquisition theory to life at PSG
A video of Thomas Tuchel explaining the evolution of his coaching methodology with specific reference to the use of deliberate pitch modifications to create emergent behaviours has stirred interest in the use of constraints-led coaching in football.