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.