FREE FIRST TOUCH

Here's a wee thought for next season.
How about bringing in a rule that all goalkeepers must throw/roll out the ball to the defender who gets his first two touches for free.
I have seen this happening in the summer league at the pitches at Glasgow airport and it helps teams to play better football rather than , who's goalkeeper can kick it the furthest.
Whats your thoughts.

NOSEY PARENT COLTS2000 wrote:

Here's a wee thought for next season.
How about bringing in a rule that all goalkeepers must throw/roll out the ball to the defender who gets his first two touches for free.
I have seen this happening in the summer league at the pitches at Glasgow airport and it helps teams to play better football rather than , who's goalkeeper can kick it the furthest.
Whats your thoughts.

in principal it sounds good, however trying to stop kids from tackleing a defender untill he has taken 2 touches would be a nightmare, its hard enough trying to get some coaches implamenting current rules. (like kick-ins should be a pass and treated like a free kick with the ball being fired across the width of the pitch, no direct free kicks..etc).
the goalkeepers kickouts shouldn't cross the half way line at 7 as side level, but i think that coaches should be encouraging their goalkeepers to think of other options other than punting it up the pitch. I am lucky, my wee keeper will throw, poll & pass the ball out to one of his players (as well as punt it up the pitch) but that is what he is taught to do at training.
What would stop a defenders first touch passing the halfway line - unchallanged for his second touch to be on to a forward who then scores (i know its extreme but could happen).

Hi Gordy -marker zones could be put out at each side of the park to try and help the kids/coaches to where the limit of second touch should be.
I will get a better idea of this after this summer as my young nosey son may be playing with a team from down that way to keep hom occupied.
My experience of this last year was when my older sons watched his pal play who was a 1997 .
Yes these guys are a lot older but this year 2000s are playing.
I will try and keep you informed.

NOSEY PARENT COLTS2000 wrote:

Hi Gordy -marker zones could be put out at each side of the park to try and help the kids/coaches to where the limit of second touch should be.
I will get a better idea of this after this summer as my young nosey son may be playing with a team from down that way to keep hom occupied.
My experience of this last year was when my older sons watched his pal play who was a 1997 .
Yes these guys are a lot older but this year 2000s are playing.
I will try and keep you informed.

keep me posted, would be good to know how well it is implamented, i do agree that there needs to be more passing in the game which should be encouraged at a young age, it is a word you dont hear very often from the touch line "PASS". But i also think that parents, teams & coaches need to spend time with their goalkeepers and work with them, its the hardest position to fill on the pitch and a thankless position, you are never going to be the goal scoring hero that wins the game but you will be the one that gets the blame for the one that got passed you.
As a coach you will hear me shout from the touchline "STOP" to my keeper to make him think about the pass rather than punt it up the park, we should be working with keepers to think about the game, not just the big kick.
please do let me know how the Free Touch thing works out, sounds like an interesting idea.

I think this would be a great idea as unlike you a lot of teams do not have a goalkeeper

forgot to say i think this would encourage the kids to start playing from the back

Dez colts wrote:

I think this would be a great idea as unlike you a lot of teams do not have a goalkeeper

dont want to brag, but i've got 2 goalies...lol. it is good to encourage the boys to play footbal from the defence, we rotate our players from time to time, giving everyone a feel for different positions on the pitch which i think helps with their football as individuals, but maybe sacrifices perfomance as a team from time to time, but when they drop back to the position they are comfortable playing in they are more confident players.

It is a good idea and would give certain players more touches of the ball per game,i have told our goalie to roll/throw the ball when he has the ball but what happens is before the defender has a chance to even look up he is usually swamped by the opposing players,which inturn usually keeps you penned inside/around your own box.

I tell the kids and especially the goalie that "football is played on the ground and not in the air"simple words but very effective.

Craig
Grangemouth BC 99s