Veron concerned by poor results
Veteran Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastien Veron claims under-fire team manager Diego Maradona is struggling to put together an efficient team of 11 players despite having a dearth of quality at his disposal.
Two-time champions Argentina last week slipped to fifth in the South American World Cup qualifying standings, a place below the automatic qualification slots, after conceding four defeats in their last five games.
While Maradona, who is still considered a football God in his native country, is spending this week in Italy at a spa resort, Argentine football chiefs have been holding crisis talks.
Veron meanwhile admitted in an interview with La Red radio station he was concerned about Argentina’s qualifying chances, and claimed that Maradona has picked players who are not on the kind of form needed to play for the ‘Albiceleste’.
“We’ve got great players but the coach (Maradona) hasn’t really unearthed his best team yet,” said Veron, a former Manchester United player who is now captain of Estudiantes in Argentina’s top division.
The last time Argentina, World Cup champions in 1978 and 1986, failed to make the finals was in 1970. After recent defeats to Brazil (1-3) and Paraguay (0-1), Veron believes they are in a precarious position.
“Anything could happen,” said the 34-year-old when asked whether Argentina were in danger of not qualifying.
“The fact is that there are players in the team who are not in their very best form.”
Veron highlighted Barcelona’s highly-regarded striker Lionel Messi, but defended the player by saying: “At Barcelona they play a game of short, quick passes which is different to the way Argentina play. Here, everyone expects Lio (Messi) to dribble through five players and then score a goal. But he can’t do everything himself.”
Maradona on Monday missed a meeting involving Argentina general manager Carlos Bilardo and Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and vice-president of world governing body FIFA.
According to Argentine press reports, Grondona intended to ask Maradona to delegate more responsibility to Bilardo, who was the coach of Argentina in 1986 when Maradona captained the side to World Cup glory in Mexico.
Argentina host already-eliminated Peru on October 10 before travelling to neighbours Uruguay, who trail them by a single point, four days later.
Failure to finish among the top four would force Argentina into a two-leg play-off to secure their ticket for the finals in South Africa next summer.
Things To Do At An Under 7 Soccer Training
Young soccer coaching is a challenging task and the coach must plan out the training session based on the age group of the players. For example, if he has to coach players under the age of seven, he must know the various things to do at an under 7 soccer training.
The coach will have to use special techniques to train them to shoot and score more goals. Players under the age of seven look for fun in the training session, so you must plan out accordingly.
Let them practice various drills in which they could score more goals. The more they will score goals, the more they will enjoy the training session.
Kids love chasing the ball and there are their kind of joy just in chasing the ball and get a chance to touch and kick the same. They take it as a challenge that they have to chase and touch the ball.
The U7 coaches should design the training session to run shorter period of time. the longer training sessions for the kids at this age will bring no good results. Keep it short – Thirty to forty minutes.
Another benefit of the shorter training session is that this way, the excitement of the soccer experience then remains fresh in the minds of the kids. They would like to come back.
You can expect the players less than seven years of age to shoot the ball. The maximum they can do is kicking. At this stage, the best way to keep their interest in soccer is to let them practice drills and games that involve scoring the goals.
There is no greater pleasure for a kid in soccer than scoring a goal. Let them focus on scoring the goals, and well, that is what the objective of the game is.
The goals and objectives of a soccer training session for players under the age of seven must be specific to their age. It is very important for the coach to develop a list of goals and objectives for each age group.
Overall, there is a wide range of specific things to do at an under 7-soccer training, and if the coach is looking for productive results from their training sessions, they must keep in mind the above things.
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of things to do at an under 7 soccer training. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.
Soccer Cleats – To Stud Or Not To Stud
Soccer boots, only correctly called cleats when they have the ground gripping teeth on the bottom of the shoe, have always been fodder for debate, among those who believe the screw in stud to be better than the molded teeth for traction or reliability. Many of the modern changes to soccer boots has come more from concerned parents, demanding the safest footwear for their young players, than it has from professional players, as might be believed.
There are basically three different types of soccer boots available, those being molded cleats, screw in studs, and these called 'astros' which are designed especially for use on astro turf. A good molded cleat is probably the best beginner boot, if play is to be on grass. They are easy to care for, and hitting them against each other or a wall will knock off most muddy, grassy build-up. Other than that, a rinse with warm water, and allowing them to thoroughly dry before wearing again will provide for about all the care these durable cleats will need.
If finances allow, it is wise to have two pairs of these soccer cleats for your young player, to insure one is thoroughly dry before re-wearing it. In the case of tournaments, where 3 or more games are played in a singe weekend, it is a great relief for those hard working feet to have fresh boots to put on. It is wise to note here that soccer slides, or sandals, are a very important item in the soccer bag. If the cleats are worn on hard surfaces for any length, the cleats will wear or break off much quicker than normal field use would cause.
When your player is ready to try screw in studs make certain they are fully prepared for the additional maintenance these boots will typically require. The simple cleaning of them is much the same as other molded boots, however, the screw in studs, or cleats, is where the care of these soccer boots makes a real difference in the performance they will afford the player.
The studs are available in plastic or metal, and it may be wise to determine which is allowed on your field, particularly if it is for youth play, prior to making your choice. It is possible that the sanctioning body at your playing fields may not allow screw in studs at all.
After you have made the decision to purchase soccer cleats with screw in studs, and have determined that the playing fields in your area do allow them, go to a sporting goods store that knows soccer, and has sales associates who will take the time to ensure your player gets a good, snug fit. This would be true even in the molded cleats, of course. Make certain the studs are screwed in tightly, and always carry extra studs in the soccer bag.
Inspecting the studs as the cleats are cleaned and put away after a match will prove wise, and help prevent a lost stud during a game. Never continue to play with a missing stud, it is harmful to the overall stability of the player, and can easily distort the hole so a new stud may not fit properly when replacing it is finally attempted. At first break in the game, replace the missing stud.
Astros are easy to care for, and can be used on grassy or hard surfaces. Basic cleaning is similar to the molded cleats.
Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer cleats page.
Soccer Balls For Every Use
As long as there have been children, someone in every corner of the world has been kicking a ball, or some semblance of one, around the ground, at or through a target. Soccer balls have been improvised from every conceivable source, including animal skulls and bladders, coconuts, and even human skulls.
Over the decades every type of animal skin, including the obvious leather, was used as a means to keep the ball more closely rounded. In 1836, Charles Goodyear developed and patented vulcanized rubber, and by 1855, he had translated his discoveries into the designing of rubber soccer balls.
Fast forwarding through the years, we now have exceptional balls, sanctioned by FIFA, The Federation of International Football Associations. In a statement regarding the importance of a good ball to a good game, the February 28, 1988 of FIFA Magazine states, "The football is more than just stitched leather.There can be no game of football without a ball and the better the ball, the better the game."
The FIFA mark on a soccer ball is an assurance of rigorous testing towards a ball of proven quality standards and performance. Today's players depend on the FIFA mark of excellence in all levels of play, both recreationally and in the competitive arena.
Another recognized mark for choosing a soccer ball that will stand up to long field time and weather extremes is the NFHS, which is the National Federation for High School Associations, a sanctioning body for all high school sports, including soccer.
Soccer balls come in both leather, widely recognized as the best ball for numerous reasons, such as shape retention and weather resistance, and also in synthetic leather, which can be a viable choice for the beginning recreational player. Once the player has come to recognize the difference in ball handling though between the natural and synthetic leather ball, it will be time to make the move up to one of the many available to choose from in every color and necessary size.
The top three sellers, and most readily available in sporting stores as well on from online retailers, are Adidas, Bremen and Nike. Among those, it is Adidas that offers the public the opportunity to play with the same ball used in Major League Soccer games, the +Teamgeist. It retails for 130.00, so although, it may not be the first ball you buy, it is sure to be one you will find delightful to work with once you have tried it. It offers superior reaction, spherical retention, and it may be the most accurate football ever produced. Proponents of this ball claim no other ball can compare with the +Teamgeist in flawless performance, both on the ground and in the air.
Many of the high end balls are only available in size 5, the adult size, with a few expanding their repertoire to include the smaller size 4 ball. To get the youth starter ball in the requisite size 3, the consumer can expect to pay only 10.00 to 20.00 for a great beginner ball, in many choices of colors. Puma and Lotto have long been good choices in the entry level range of ball, offering fine performance and durability for the money.
Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer ball page.
Soccer Training Equipment – The Basics
You cannot imagine a soccer training session without proper soccer training equipment. There are certain equipments that a coach must have and there are certain other equipments that each and every player should have. Let?s go exploring.
Well, there is not a very long list of equipments for the coaches, but whatever it is, the coach must have the following ready at the time of the training session.
? Perhaps, the most important equipment for a coach is a whistle. A whistle is essential for a coach because it works as an effective mean to get attention from the players. The coach can also use the same to start or stop a particular activity.
? If the coach has designed some timing activities in the training session, he must have a stopwatch with him.
? Lots of soccer drills and games require the coach to use cones. Therefore, he must have proper number of small cones. Cones are basically used to mark a specific area in the field.
? The duties and responsibilities of the coach are vast. He also needs to look after the players. Since soccer involves lots of physical activities and therefore, the coach must have a first-aid kit to cure the minor injuries.
? Last, but not the least, the coach must not risk running a training session on his own alone. It is very difficult to manage everything alone and no matter how efficient a coach you are, in order to get effective and productive results from the training session, it is important that you take the help of assistants.
? The players must come in their uniform.
? If it is outdoor soccer training, they should wear Rubber soccer cleats. On the other hand, if it is indoor soccer training, tennis shoes will do.
? Each and every player must come with their own ball. Again, the size of the ball must be in proportion to the specfic age of the players. Here, I must add that the coach should also have some spare balls because most often than not some of the players forget to come with their own balls.
The goalkeeper however requires some specialized soccer training equipment, such as brightly colored uniform so that he could easily be recognized, gloves to protect the hands and Elbow and hip pads because they have to dive several times on the ground.
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer training equipment. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.
