At Carbeile Junior School in Torpoint, Cornwall we are playing a three a side game called FUNino. This is an abbreviation of Futbol a la medida del Nino or basically football designed for children, part of the Horst Wein Youth Football Model. This model is used in Spain and has been called the revival in “street football.” The game is aimed at the 7-9 year age, but it works well with 10-11 year olds. I have used it to improve the technical ability of my U13s and I know a coach who used it successfully with an adult team.
It is a 3-a-side game played on a small pitch 30m x 25m with two small goals, old measurements of 5foot by 4 foot. At each end is a 6m scoring zone. Over the last six months the school team practices have been built around this game. The players experience frequent repetitions of important game situations, not just those set by the coach and this enables them to learn and master them. Obviously there is scope for the coach to intervene and improve players where necessary using open ended questions to get the players to think. The two wide goals encourages peripheral vision. Each team has a squad of 4 players. Every time a goal is scored one player in a preset order is substituted. As the game is 3-a-side there are no set positions so the players learn to play the game and not a certain position. There are many pre-game drills which encourages many skills and team play opposed and unopposed.
The South East Cornwall Primary Schools Football Association has embraced this game and has already held two FUNino tournaments, one for year 4s and one for years 5 and 6. Both were highly successful and the feedback from children and parents alike was very positive. Where else can you watch a fast skilful game of passing football that lasts 9 minutes and ends up as a 6-6 draw! (The length of matches can be what you want it is not set at 9 minutes.)
For those interested in finding out more visit - http://blog.thebeautifulgame.ie/funino/
There is also a book “Developing Youth Players” by Horst Wein:-
ISBN-13 978-0-7360-6948-9
There is a DVD from soccertutor.com called “Coaching Game Intelligence in Youth Football”
Hope you have fun trying this and the coaching that goes with it. We have at Carbeile.
John Robertson
Teacher in charge of football Carbeile Junior School
Secretary of SE Cornwall Primary School FA
