"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, 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
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 4th 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:
Previous clubs include:
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:
About Puskas Academy
The Puskas Academy facility (see video) features:
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 dont want to just hear me simply speak about actions-they want to see it. It also gives me credibility in the eyes of the player when they see their teacher doing the material or at showing and talking going through the actions explaining the movements and reasons behind them. There are many coaches who can show a few skills but only a few who know how to actually show the application. 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 obviously. But in any case why wouldn't a coach or teacher not want to stay as long as they can on the field and show through movement? I understand some cant due to injury or age but my advice is to try to stay in shape..eat well, exercise. Injuries are too much of an excuse. I've had many surgeries and trained to get back in shape to move again. 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- stay in touch with your players!". Said Gary IrelandDAY 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 exerices 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 and 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 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 responded by saying that he doesn't watch whole games and doesn't look at the cosmetics nor the system or play or team strategy. Instead he looks at '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 movement 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 transfering 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 sesssions 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)
"Demonstrating is very important to me. I had knee reconstruction to enable me to be able to prolong my ability to demonstrate. I also love enjoy moving and love to feel the ball at my feet and move my body in harmony with the ball. We must not forget what its like to be a player so we can relate to children who are typically visual and tactile learners. Demonstrating even at slower speeds provides critically important strong visual moving picture for all players, including professional players, not only young players. I have had some incredible teachers and fellow coaches in my career who have inspired me and I've aspired to become. My father is one who always took pride is his ability to demonstrate brilliantly and he was a massive influence in me and many others. To this day he takes care of himself and keeps in great shape. Wiel Coerver was in his 60's demonstrating better than any professional player I've ever seen as was his right hand man Michel Mommertz who both Simon Ireland and I learned a great deal from when we were working as their assistants, and Carine (Ireland) is world class demonstrating better now than when she was playing and takes care of her personal fitness and presentation. You wont find someone better than Carine who can not only demonstrate the material but teach it brilliantly. Simon (Ireland) is an incredible demonstrator of the highest order. Hubert Vogelsinger was a brilliant teacher who well into his 60's was demonstrating better than most of the professional players he had on staff. Of course Peter Horvath has been a close partner of ours in this process and not only understands the importance of teaching technique but also shows by example and 'lives' it through the demonstrations he shows his players at Puskas Academy. Alberto Lampo also fits in this category and we share a lot in common. I saw this in Pepijn Linders (ex-Liverpool FC/current Red Bull) when he came to California and invited me to join in his sessions.He made it clear to me then as he has publicly made since over the years that the main influence in his career was most definitely Wiel Coerver. I hope Pepijn remains with the younger players despite taking a managers role. Ricardo Moniz and Rene Meulensteen (ex Manchester United) were hugely inspired by Wiel Coerver and Sir Alex Ferguson hired Rene based on his work with Wiel. (Saul Isaacson Hurst was a protege of Ricardo at Spurs). Others such as Tom Sermanni and Abner Rogers are still on the field teaching and I have the utmost respect for the value they place in technical teaching wich is why they are partners and advisors of Carine and I. Ex-Liverpool FC Academy Manager John Owens was always a great supporter of our work. Christopher Sullivan is another who is a world class technician who understands the value and importance of technical training and someone I've spent considerable time with exchanging ideas, refining actions and developing our craft together. There are a few others I can mention such as Hemmet Ouassaidi and Tom Byer has always been an advocate of the critical importance of technical development especially at the youngest ages". said Gary Ireland