Raids Expose Soccer Fixing Across Europe

BOCHUM, Germany — European law-enforcement officials said Friday that they had arrested the leaders of a far-reaching gambling cartel that is thought to have conspired to influence the outcome of 200 soccer games in nine countries across the continent. Read more here

Makocha wa Tanzania Hamtusaidii

Kwa muda mrefu sasa tumekuwa tukisikia malalamiko juu ya Kocha Marcio Maximo wa Taifa Stars, malalamiko haya yamekuwa yakiongezeka kutokana na baadhi ya makocha maarufu wa kitanzania nao kuchochea kelele hizi.

Maximo amekuwa akilalamikiwa sana kwa mambo makuu mawili kwa sasa;

1. Kumuacha Golikipa Juma Kaseja Juma
2. Kuwaacha Athman Idd na Haruna Moshi

Limeongezeka jingine la kuwa kamuita kipa namba mbili wa stars katika kikosi cha Taifa.

Naomba kwa upeo wangu mdogo niyaongelee haya matatu.

1. Sidhani kama tiba ya Stars ni Juma Kaseja golini; Juma Kaseja sio Kipa mzuri kiasi hicho inavyodhaniwa. Ninachoweza kusema kwa sasa ni kuwa nyota ya Juma Kaseja inang'aa machoni kwa watanzania na si kwamba ana kiwango kikubwa sana golini. Wanasimba wanasahau kama kuna kipindi walikuwa hamtaki kipa huyu kwa sababu ya kufungwa na huku wakisema yeye ndio chanzo. Simba wanasahau jinsi alivyokuwa akifungwa katika mashindano ya Tusker mwaka ule Kagera sugar ilipoivua Simba ubingwa huo.

Juma Kaseja amekuwa kipa namba moja ya timu ya taifa kuliko makipa wote wanaocheza sasa,kipindi chote hicho ameisaidaje stars? Watanzania wanakumbuka mashindano ya Kagame yaliaofanyika hapa mwaka juzi? Watanzania wanakumbuka jinsi alivyokuwa akifungwa na Mbui Twite? Wanaomlilia Kaseja kuwa ndio kipa bora Tanzania, wamemuona Amani Simba awapo golini? Si kweli kuwa Kaseja ndio tiba ya matatizo ya Tanzania katika soka tuangalie tatizo halisi,na sio kwa kutafuta shortcut. Tatizo letu kubwa lipo katika kukuza vipaji vya magolikipa.

Nenda katika timu yoyote uone kama makipa wanafundishwa ipasavyo; walimu wengi hawatilii mkazo program za magolikipa katika timu zao. sio ajabu kukuta makipa wa timu wakifanya mazoezi peke yao bila mwalimu. Mwalimu anakuwa busy na program zingine za timu kama ufungaji, viungo nk.

2. Hili la akina Athman Idd na Haruna Moshi nalo la kulipigia kelele. Kuna asiyejua nidhamu za wachezaji hawa? Au ndio yale mambo ya mzazi kukana kwa kusema mwanangu sio mwizi ilhali wajua fika tabia ya mwanao. Ni mara ngapi wachezaji hawa wameadhibiwa na vilabu vyao, TFF? na hakuna aliyepiga kelele. Leo wanaadhibiwa na Maximo watu wanakuja juu, au kocha mgeni hana haki ya kuadhibu mchezaji wa Tanzania?Tunafuga ubovu ambao hautusaidii kabisa.

Labda nimalizie kwa kuwakumbusha Makocha wazalendo maamuzi yao waliyoyafanya hapo nyuma ambayo hayana tofauti sana na kile anachofanya Maximo kwa sasa.

S.Mziray: Kocha huyu wakati akiwa kocha mkuu wa timu ya taifa aliwahi kumuita kikosini mchezaji Magadula ambaye alikuwa hajawai kucheza super ligi hata mara moja.

Sunday Kayuni: Aliwahi kumuita kikosini mchezaji Nteze John Lungu ilhali machezaji huyu alikuwa akisotea benchi katika timumyake ya Simba.

Wito wangu kwenu nyote ni kuwa hatuisaidii timu ya taifa kwa kupiga kelele zisizo na msingi, tutambue ukweli tufanye kazi kulekebisha matatizo yaliyopo katika taifa. Sio lazima wote tuwe makocha wa timu ya Taifa, tunaweza kutoa mchango kwa Taifa kwa kulea vipaji hata katika maeneo tunayoishi.

Mbona sijaona kampeni za watu kumpongeza Maximo pale timu inapofanya vizuri? Ina maana toka apewe timu hajawahi kufanikiwa? au tunafumbia macho mafanikio na kuangalia matatizo?

High Pressure Defense (Defensive Swarm)

If young children are put onto a field with a soccer ball, divided into teams, and just told to use their feet to kick the ball into the goal of the opponent, they will instinctively play "swarm ball" (or "magnet ball" or take the "beehive" approach to the game. Why? Because they all like to be where the action is which, oddly enough, is where the ball is. As a result, they instinctively are applying a defensive style which is known as "high-pressure defense", in which several players try to surround the opponent and keep him from going forward.

Is the swarm a "bad" thing? Not necessarily so, at least from a defensive standpoint, as long as any attackers that choose to stay out of the swarm are accounted for. The swarm actually tends to be very effective at shutting down attacks by an opponent until the opposition learns to spread out on its attacks and develops the skill to accurately pass the ball to open players. Moreover, kids tend to adjust automatically as the swarm becomes less effective, so the size of the swarm naturally gets smaller over time even without coaching intervention.

Whether or not to permit a swarm obviously will depend on the number of players that you have on the field. In 3v3 or 4v4, it will be harder to swarm with more than 2 players, because you will leave your goal wide open. In 6v6 or above, it is possible to use a multi-person swarm fairly effectively.

England v Brazil: John Terry a doubt for Doha friendly through injury

England captain John Terry has emerged as a doubt for the friendly international against Brazil in Doha because of an ankle injury after he failed to appear for a scheduled press conference though England manager Fabio Capello remains confident he will play. Read More http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/worldcup/6560492/England-v-Brazil-John-Terry-a-doubt-for-Doha-friendly-through-injury.html

Nigerian footballer facing lashes in Sudan pleads innocence

A Nigerian football star sentenced to 40 lashes in Sudan for driving under the influence of alcohol insisted on Thursday on his innocence and said he could not imagine himself being flogged.

Stephen Worgu

"I am not guilty of this crime ... and I cannot even imagine myself being flogged so I don't put my mind there," said Stephen Worgu, 20, who plays for Sudanese first division outfit al-Merreikh of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city.

Read more: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/159902/nigerian-footballer-facing-lashes-in-sudan-pleads-innocence

Developing Thinking Players

Developing Thinking Players By Rene Maulensteen


What should be the coaches aims for the session?

-Create drills/games which revolve around technical challenges

-Cover all learning methods during the session
-The final aim of the session should be shaped and achieved by the technical challenges-Structure the drills as much as possible but remove the structured coaching
-Avoid complexity
-Each challenges should be built on as templete for the full game scenario
-Perform the same skill on both feet
-The aim is mastery of technique in a problem solving setting
- the more techniques a player is able to do and the more intelligently they can be applied the more effective they will be during performance
-Give the players time with the ball when ever possibleDeliberate practice within the context of the game 1
-Deliberate practice should not be focused on just one movement but should make use of variable pracitce to maximise results
-Drills/games should flow easily to keep high interest
-Use game realistic circuits which involve all of the following

1-Moving off the ball revolving around switching positions

2-Movement of the ball with patterns based on non switching positions

3- Continous movement

4-Contact on the ball using a variety of parts of the foot/other body parts.

Preferably ending with a shot at goal each should have a few basic progressions.Deliberate practice within the context of the game 2

Build on the pattern play above to create problems within the specific context of the game during a small sided games using 2v2 and then 4v4 games.

2v2

-Start from 2v2 to coach the first player to the ball and the supporting player combined with the player on te ball and support player-Use vairations of end zones, goals and nuetral players or wing/target players

4v4

-These should be built on the technique challenges of the previous 2v2

-Use 4 main formats:
-4v4+GK 25x25 yard grid
-4v4 two goals game 30x25 yard grid
-4v4 four goals game 25x25 yard grid
-4v4 end line/zone games 25x20 yard grid


Main coaching points during this part of the session:-

Ball Control
-1v1 skills
-Creative play
-Passing and movement at high speed

What advantages will this give?

The main advantage is to give the players the dual benifit of deliberate practice and guided discovery. By repeating variations of techniques within problem solving settings players begin to think more effectively during performance. Using the above two formats the players can do this in the context of the principles of play while still getting high touches.

Internalising the coaching points

It is not enough for coaching points to be practiced they need to be internalised mentaly.

Use the Speak, Show and Do method.

Tell the player as simply as posibble what you will do, show via drawing a diagram then perform the finished move, skill, pattern ect.Covering all learning styles and using three layers of reinforcement of the coaching points to focus plyer mentaly. Deliberate practice with out understanding and motivation can cause deteriation of skill level both on a physical and mental level.

The main coaching areas for development

-Good positioning both attack and defending
-1v1-Fighting for second balls-Movement off the ball both attacking/ defending
-The use of techniques to solve tactical problems
-Understanding of tactics-Passing and possession
-High speed of play
-organisation of set plays

When creating problems for players to solve players should be asked how they would use techniques combined with right tactics to help them solve situations where the teams against them are capable of aspects of any of the above of their sub groups.

Six variables contributing to winning games

-Winning 1v1 situations
-High work rate
-Team cohesion
-Playing to set system of play or game plan
-Winning mentality
-Goals and saves

Six factors of effective performance

-Athletic skills
-High range of techniques mastered
-Game intelligence
-High speed of play under pressure

After considering the development of players for the game in order to get peak results the aim should be to take a players natural potential in as many of the above 10 areas as possible and enhance it as much as possible .....then keep them there for aslong as possible. Development should be judged by how much a player contributes with individual factors to the above team factors.