PUSKAS ACADEMY HOSTED GARY & CARINE IRELAND MAY 15-20, 2024

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"It's vital that players are efficient in the moments they are on the ball, so optimizing & harmonizing seamless ball-body actions is paramount. We focus on the 'science' of technique and situational technical training, emphasizing 'Input-Action-Output', meaning pre & post actions, whole body-ball upper body control, posture, coordination, flexibility, and equilibrium actions not just the action/skill or 'move' itself" said Gary Ireland

"I played and coached with Gary, Carine and his brother Simon and father Victor in the USA for 10 years before and learned a lot from him. We have been in contact ever since, and when the idea of ​​a professional  program focusing on individual training came up, his name immediately came to mind, as he previously worked with Wiel Coerver, that is, he learned something that we can also use in our training. Alberto shares a similar philosophy, one that fits in with the vision we have created  for the individual development of players. Gary, Alberto and Carine are all reputable and experienced professionals who have extensive  knowledge, are dedicated and enjoy what they do. I thought we could benefit from their knowledge. The fact that they came to us to pass on  their knowledge is an opportunity for us. In the academy training, special emphasis is placed on the individual development of  the  players, which is why I invited those football professionals who can  help us in this work” said Peter Horvath   

"Even though some trainings are described as ‘unopposed’, that is just a ‘physical’ perspective. Whenever I would work solo, which was a lot, my brain was creating the environments, opposition and other challenges that not even a ‘physical’ opposition could generate or match". said Simon Ireland

"Nowadays, when the focus is on team play in football but the individual training of   the players is not emphasized enough. In fact, we shape the player so that the game is shaped as well. The details are extremely important,  both from a technical and tactical point of view, and the players demand  these components. The first must therefore always be the individual.  If  we want to see an enjoyable game, that's the key” said Alberto Lampo (Juventus FC Head of Individual Technical Development)

Between May 15- 20, 2024 Dynamic Soccer founders Gary & Carine Ireland and Juventus FC Head of Individual Development Alberto Lampo were special guests of leading 1st Division professional club Puskas Academy led by Academy Technical Director Peter Horvath.The event, conceptualized by Peter and Gary and observed by 25 Academy coaches saw Gary, Carine and Alberto with the assistance of Peter present 3 days of technical sessions for 50+ U14-19 Boys/Girls Puskas Academy players on various themes. Peter Horvath led daily Coaches Roundtable interactive discussions with Gary, Carine and Alberto fielding questions from Puskas Academy coaching  staff and sharing each others views on player development.This was Gary and Carine's 5th visit to Puskas Academy and Alberto's 2nd. 

The purpose of the event was centered on the importance of players becoming  more technically competent and developing the ability for players to  self practice, self correct and be able to train with the right quality,  content, frequency and intensity as well as the importance for coaches  to be able to teach and demonstrate the requisite material. Peter wished  to inspire his coaching staff who all gave great feedback and were  impressed by the world class quality of the demonstrations from Gary, Carine and Alberto. For example Peter said to Gary that he was doing the exercises smoothly and that some of his coaches  told him that they never seen anybody move with the ball like Gary which was a testimony to Gary's return to action following extensive knee surgery 2 years ago. 

The purpose of the sessions was to highlight the 'Science of Technique' i.e optimizing  players efficiency and highlighting the importance of upper  body  control and posture, coordination, flexibility and importance of  controlling players' equilibrium including calibration, re-calibration impacting with Gary & Carine's focus on this occasion on (IAO) 'Input-Action-Output' (pre and post action whole body movements- not just the action/footskill or move itself) in contrast to their previous visit where they trained Puskas Academy players on ball manipulation and body control (ankle, knee flex, mobility with ball including turning, lunging, hopping, cutting, and pausing/hesitation actions,1/2 actions etc.)  

The event was held in conjunction with Europe's best U17 Boys Tournaments-The 16th Annual Puskas Academy Suzuki Cup featuring:

• Real Madrid
• Honved
• Sporting Lisbon
• Panathanaikos
• Genk
• Juventus FC
• Glasgow Rangers
   

Previous clubs include: 

• AC Milan
• Flamengo
• Feyenoord
• Hagi Academy
• Bayern Munich
• Dinamo Zagreb
• Osiek
• Slovan Bratislava
   

Coaches Roundtable Discussions were presented by Peter Horvath with panelists Gary Ireland, Carine Ireland, Alberto Lampo were supported by Puskas Academy directors & Juventus FC re-affirmed that advanced ball-body technical material:  

• Optimizes players ball comfort and familiarity
• Improves players' confidence
• Enhances players' decision making
• Enhances tactical understanding
• Improves team strategy

About Puskas Academy

The Puskas Academy facility (see video) features: 

• Mens 1st team training facilities
• Women’s 1st team training facilities
• Boys and Girls Youth Academy teams training facilities
• Youth player dormitories
• Puskás’ personal memorabilia 
• Hotel 

Pancho Arena: named after Ferenc Puskás nickname at Real Madrid is considered one of the most beautiful stadiums in world. It hosts mens 1st team games and the annual Puskas Suzuki Cup. The  Hungarian Government, Federation and Professional clubs have made  significant investment including the construction of new club stadiums  and national stadium as well as substantial nationwide club Academy  funding. Hungarys football resurgence has seen their men's national team  lose only 3 times in 20 games since 2022, beating England twice and  drawing once, beating and drawing with Germany and drawing with  Italy and France. Hungary qualified for EURO 24 and Budapest's Puskas Stadium will host the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Final. Hungary is considered one of the best national teams in football history and its coaches are credited with the success of Benficas Golden Team and Grande Torino team. Hungarian football is renowned for being innovative, introducing 'Total Football', pioneered by the 'Father Of Modern Football', Englishman Jimmy Hogan who is credited as the architect of the coaching and playing style of Hungary's 'Mighty Magyars' 'Golden Team' led by the 'Galloping Major', Ferenc Puskas, shocking the football world by beating England 6:3 in the 'Match of the Century' and 7:1 in the re-match. Hungarian players are among the most successful in history: Kubala & Kocsis (Barcelona), Puskás (Real Madrid), Bene, Hidegkuki, Bozsik, Czibor (Barcelona), Albert, Detari, Nyilasi. FIFA award for worlds best goal is called the 'Puskás Award'  

"Demonstrating  with quality validates the material I teach because young players don't want to just hear me simply speak about actions-they want to see it. This gives me credibility in the eyes of the player when they see their teacher doing the material or showing and talking, going through the technical and physical actions explaining the movements and reasons behind them. For example. the  situation and context of where, when and why to make certain actions-  what part of the field and where and when to make the actions based on the defenders proximity and positioning. So its not 'just' about making  actions for the sake of it. It's important for a teacher to stay as long as they can on the field and teaching young players through their demonstrations and movement.  It means a lot that players and coaches recognize  the quality of my work and how it helps them, challenges and inspires them. It's important not to forget what it was like to be a young, hopeful dreamer as a player- Coaches, stay in touch with your players!". Gary Ireland 

DAY 1: Wed May 15

Session 1: 

Puskas Academy Technical Director Peter Horvath  moderated this session led by Alberto Lampo Juventus Head of Individual Player Technical Development and assisted by Peter, Gary and Carine Ireland. The focus was on ball manipulation, combinations specific progression from isolated double step mirror move to half pressure to complete 1v1, full pressure(U19) designed to improve fluidity and comfort with the ball, improve balance, flexibility with the ball and dexterity. Alberto also did what he describes as 'Groundmoves (street soccer) and frontal and dorsal 1-2 & wall pass (U14) Peter Horvath, Gary Ireland and Carine Ireland  supported Juventus FC's Alberto Lampo on  tricks, sequencing hybrid street football exercices and ball  manipulation with a focus on bending of knees, ankle flexibility. The  material is  designed to optimize players' interest in the ball and to  train them to  be able to self practice without coaches supervision. Gary, Peter, Alberto interviewed for Puskas TV and website. See video here 

Session 2: 

While Alberto Lampo was interviewing with Puskas TV, Gary and Carine took over Alberto’s session for thirty U/19 Puskas Boys Academy players (among some of the best players in Europe),  such was their trust for one another’s material and the fact they speak  the same 'technical language' and confidence that they could show  continuity and relate their material to Alberto’s theme,  thereby providing the coaches and players seamless progressive content.  This continuity of teaching is only possible through a coaches  knowledge and physical/technical ability to illustrate and describe the  reasons and value of the actions as well as trusting that the coach has  the adequate teaching ability to make an impression on the players. The  validation of a coaches competency comes from the endorsement of the  leadership- in this case Peter Horvath. 

Gary and Carine showed ‘Pre-Matthews’ exercises and went deeper into progressive actions from Alberto’s first session of ‘staggering’ and ‘straddling’ (Zidane & Neymar inspired actions) where they showed ‘stalling’ actions, carrying ball deeper under the body/knee in order to protect the ball and details such as loose/flexible hip and ankle actions, body lean and eye/head fakes as well as adding progressive combinations such as Lunge, Scissor, Matthews-Scissor, Stepover), highlighting the importance of ‘loading’ which requires multiple actions using the same leg (these actions cannot be replicated in a gym with weights or bands-they are unique to the action with the ball) to unbalance opponents before making the definitive ‘action’ (e.g Neymar/Matthews actions). After the first games of the tournament, the opening ceremony was attended by  all of the teams and appreciation for Ferenc Puskas and the tournament by the event organizers was made.

DAY 2: Thursday May 16

9am-10:30am a Coaches  Roundtable was attended by 20 Puskas Academy coaches moderated by  Puskas Academy Technical Director Peter Horvath asking Gary, Carine and  Alberto various questions on Day 1 content as well as a variety of things  pertaining to youth  development such as the purpose of Academies focus  on developing players and not developing teams and for coaches not to  pursue meaningless team results and success but to focus on player  development being 'center of the village'. One question posed to Gary,  Carine and Alberto was "what do you look at when you see game if you are not interested in team performance"? Gary stated that he doesn't watch whole games as a spectacle in itself. and doesn't look at  the cosmetics nor the system or play unless it relates to impacting body shape and positioning nor team strategy. Instead he looks at "micro-moments" and 'actions' of players 1/2 a second before players receive the ball and after the ball. Gary said he didn't remember players numbers but instead recalls actions and players movements and posture and that its a few seconds or split second that matter when an action impacts the outcome  of a game: a great first touch before shooting or receiving; shifting  ball from one foot to another at the right time; the depth of an action  and angle of body and head fake, or actions that provide teammates cues off which to create movement off.

Also  discussed was the value and importance of unopposed training, self  practice and isolated training. All guest coaches supported the  importance of this even in team environment and the importance of  players use of imagination when training alone. The coaches voiced their  opinion that those who oppose self practice or training in isolation  dont understand that most of the worlds best players self practiced  alone and made their biggest improvement outside of formal team settings  and that those naysayers usually criticize something that they cannot  do themselves and rather than support the material and validity of this,  they tend to criticize. These are typically systems based tacticians or  come from educational/no football specific sports science backgrounds   or who have had limited experience as a player and never discovered the  love of ball. 

10:30 am-12. Gary Ireland ran a session observed by 25 coaches from across Hungary including  Technical Directors current and former national team coaches and  observed by Juventus F.C Head of Player Development Alberto Lampo. Peter Horvath also participated due to his familiarity with their work and to inspire and encourage other Puskas Academy coaches to join in the session.  Peter Horvath helped the players as he has done these types of exercise with Gary and Carine many times in the past.

Gary planned several exercises laying out cones in different configurations  so he could show the watching coaches and participating players the  progression of exercises, from 1 player: 1 ball to 2, 3 and 4 players. Gary explained that the series of cones was not necessarily how the coaches  should set up the training session and that they were designed for  illustrative purposes and pointed out that coaches and players could  select the the of exercise depending on the amount of players training  and what the desired outcome was. Gary went through  each segment of the exercises explaining the benefits of each one. At  one time he discreetly left the session for a few minutes to show how  players self-managed the exercises in order to come up with solutions on  their own rather than always being dependent on a coach, to which the  players reacted very positively. Gary also explained that various outcomes can be achieved using the same exercises:  

1) Carrying and guiding the ball closely under the body using multiple touches 

2) driving with the ball in order to develop speed by taking less touches on the exit

3) Longer duration to develop power and stamina and to rehearse while fatigued

4) Active recovery in the form of juggling when ‘resting’ in between sets in order to build stamina

5) Created various outcomes to the exercises and included  multiple players to improve passing and combination play and to activate the receiver, layoffs, and wall passes and leaving the ball/take overs. 

6) Variation of actions and outcomes single and double actions, frontal & reverse/turnout actions, showing how the exercises could be altered to develop different turns  and approaches.

Gary demonstrated at slower, then faster speeds and with detailed precision a  series of dribbling, guiding exercises showing progression from 1-2-3-4 Player exercises with focus on calibration, receiving and transferring the ball to protected foot, upper body posture (use of arms, hands, fingers, shoulder for protection and added effect) dipping, lunging, cutting in order to shift the opponent. Carine made several demonstrations showing double actions on same and both feet as well carrying ball in 'straddle' position and front foot dribbling. Players were advised to be looser in their spine, shoulders, hands/fingers and arms as well as ankle, hip and knee in order to be able to feint. Gary and Carine also showed the importance of the hop after the lunge action in order  to not only be efficient in the actions but to prevent injury. The lunge  and hop requires extensive upperbody control which allows for less 'drag' and more mobility, speed, and ball-body protection. 

DAY 3: Friday May 17

9 am-10:30 am Coaches Roundtable was attended by 20 Puskas Academy staff members moderated by Puskas Academy Technical Director Peter Horvath asking Carine and Alberto various quesitons on a variety of things pertaining to youth  development. Peter, Gary. Carine and Alberto described the importance of  training players with extensive technical material ritualizing the  technical material so that players could self practice and thereby own  their own development and take charge of it.

10:30 am-11:30 am Gary and Carine ran a session for U17 & U/19 Puskas Academy girls  team with the focus on collective play which required players to combine  with teammates. This led to another exercise requiring combining with  teammates through use of back foot/opening up (270 degrees) with  combination passes across and with outside of the foot (focus on not  looking at supporting player but instead looking at 'weak' shoulder of  the defender) and a series of wall passes and doublepasses actions.  

11:30 am-12 am Gary Ireland and Carine Ireland ran a session with 3 U14 & U15 Puskas Boys Academy players on midfield turning exercises with Peter Horvath observing, including receiving with back foot, lunging, step across and matthews counter actions which are important for being proactive and  managing the defender with attackers back to pressure. This theme was  inspired by players not being 'clean' or efficient and being predictable  when turning which leads to defenders controlling the attacker. By practicing these dorsal (back to opponent) actions, players  can move the defender and not lose possession and optimize vision and  increase attacking options and therby enhance decision making. 

Alberto Lampo ran a crossing and finishing exercise for U14/15 players with triple move with cross the ball in the box, 3  ways (pass de la muerte, smooth cross to the second post and cross behind the defense),  the central backs should mark space and the attacking player.

DAY 4: Saturday May 18

9 am-10:30 am Coaches Roundtable was attended by 20 Puskas Academy staff members moderated by Puskas Academy Technical Director Peter Horvath asking Gary, Carine and  Alberto various questions on a variety of things pertaining to youth  development.Puskas coaches stated that the field practical sessions led  by Gary, Carine and Alberto along with Peter were inspiring and that  they enjoyed the interaction and feedback and emphasis on player  development. They discussed the action of several Genk players who were  very brave on the ball and not simply content to pass backwards for the  sake of passing backwards. In one instance the Genk CB turned away from  pressure then made a second (backwards) turn which enabled him to play  down the line where most would have been content to let the GK have the  ball. In this way they took more risks in game situations. The coaches  discussed the importance of ones own playing style and identity as a  player, rather than merely playing a number. Gary mentioned that he  never coaches/teaches only 1 v 1. He explained how attacking players  need not worry about just beating one player and that they should  consider always the 2nd and 3rd opponent and possible outcome of  situations. 

Puskas Academy Men's 1st Team played Debrecen in the final league game of the season winning 4:0 and qualified for European competition next season. 5 Puskas Academy graduates played in the game with 3 goals scored by Academy players- a testimony to the Puskas Academy youth sector led by Peter Horvath.

Coaches Meetings and Social:  

We had discussed for some time gathering the attending coaches from all clubs attending Puskas Cup for a social meeting which took place in the Academy conference room  where coaches discussed all things related to football including each  clubs’ unique approach to development. Peter arranged for over 30 coaches from Puskas Academy, Real Madrid, Honved, Sporting Lisbon, Panathinaikos, Genk, Juventus and Rangers attended the event including Gary Ireland, Carine Ireland and Alberto Lampo. Over the course of the week of the tournament many coaches integrated  and exchanged ideas on best practice and philosophies. All coaches  highlighted the importance that technique and not systems were the most  important aspect of player success. In particular we recognize Genk as  being at the forefront of development in European football and their  support through Michel Ribeiro was evident, despite his last minute  unavailability to attend. And the Panathanaikos coach stated that  individual technical player development is at the forefront of their  mission. 

DAY 5:  Sunday May 19

PUSKAS ACADEMY 0 v REAL MADRID 0 

DAY 6:  Monday May 20

3rd PLACE PUSKAS ACADEMY 0 v JUVENTUS 0

(Juventus won on penalties) 

FINAL REAL MADRID 2 v SPORTING LISBON 1

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By Dynamic Soccer (May 25, 2024) 

info@dynamicsoccer.com 

http://www.dynamicsoccer.com