Dutch players and teams are well known and respected around the world for their superior technical and tactical abilities as well as the uniform structure of their playing and training methods.  The KNVB, the Dutch National Federation, highly recommends that teams from the youth level all the way to the professional team play a 4-3-3 formation. 

This allows for a seamless transition for players moving from one level to the next.  In addition, the Dutch structure creates a progressive training environment because all of the coaches trained in the KNVB coaching education program are exposed to similar drills, exercises and small-sided games to develop the techniques, tactics and functional play of their teams.

Dutch Drills for Total Team Training begins with an overview of the positions and responsibilities of each player in a 4-3-3 formation before moving on to the drills and exercises used by Dutch coaches to train their players to become ‘Total Footballers’.  The drills include: Dynamic Warm-up, Fitness Drills and General Drills that include passing, moving and dribbling before moving on to specific functional sessions to train player’s to be effective in each position on the field.  The functional sessions begin with the defenders and move through the triangle midfield before finishing with the forwards.

Whether or not your team plays the 4-3-3 formation, the detailed diagrams and complete explanations of the Dutch drills and exercises in this book will allow you to use these unique and successful training methods to improve the technical ability and tactical understanding of your team.

Dutch Drills for Total Team Training is written by Robert Podeyn who has extensive coaching experience in the Netherland and in the United States.  Podeyn has earned coaching certifications from the USSF, NSCAA and KNVB as well as working directly with both AFC Ajax and Vitesse Arnhem.  Podeyn has spent the last six years as a professional coach at the college and club levels and currently coaches Northwood University and Vitesse Dallas, both in the Dallas, Texas area.