Floorball – Mourinho – Psychology and youth coaching

According to Mourinho he values the psychological factors the team above anything else, he wants his players to play with controlled aggression and self-confidence. Mourinho’s approach to youth football is simple.
He uses small sided games with high amount of ball touches based on the Dutch system, but he works isolated with the parts of his tactical system.
His requirement before any youth player is promoted to the first team, is that they master the color box thinking, tactics and have been through the 36 football drills at least once. Otherwise the youth players will not be promoted to the first team.

Youth floorball practices and drills

José Mourinho’s leadership is charismatic, trustworthy, and respectful and he uses an attitude of invincibility, which he seems to be able to move into his players.
Many times he uses the media and newspapers to focus on him, in order to remove the attention and pressure from the team.

He also uses the media in some cases to create a negative view of the teams possibilities of success or to create an enemy outside the team before big games, in order to motivate the players.

Norway Structured Development and Clear Vision

The most impressive presentation during the coach training, was the Norwegian one. So good content and fantastic presentation by Roy Johansen (National team coach) and his colleague from Olympic coaching team.

Roy Johansen Norway Hockey
Roy Johansen to the left

Norway started their development by thinking of, what are the best teams / nations doing? What does the best hockey (floorball) player do, what skills do they have, and what skills are they masters of?

Then they continued with working with their own team identity, who are we? What can we be best in? What can we control? Can we chase the other team all over the rink?

As an output from this, Team Norway could get some answers and identify areas to focus on. The key area was the answer to the questions, What can we be best in? What can we control? We can be physically prepared.
Therefore they
– Created a physical training development stair, with defined levels of, what is world class.
– Started an “Ironman” competition for all players and teams, that is run before the season starts.
– Defined their way of playing hockey (floorball)
– Defined team values, or valuing words to describe wanted behavior within the team.
– Set goals short and long term

Team Norway Hockey, Victory over Latvia during World Championships 2012

“Extreme goals – Requires extreme process”
/Team Norway

To be continued…

4-1 System / Set Up Russia

I wrote earlier about the Swedish 2-2-1 set up and quite aggressive forecheck, if you then look at the World Champions in hockey Russia, you find almost the opposite, very defensive 4-1 or V set up. When the forecheck is started they have almost a 2-2-1 set up, that is transferred to a wall or trap when they stop the attack from the opposite team. Not maybe fully transferrable to floorball, but I hope this post still will create some thoughts outside the box…

Russia 4-1 system, set up, tactic in Hockey / Floorball

2-2-1 Floorball Set up / System

2-2-1 Normal or Offensive Floorball Set up / System

2-2-1 Salibandy normaali tai hyökkäävä asetelma

2-2-1 is in my mind very easy and a simple set to use in floorball. P1 is the key on steering the opponents attacks towards one border.

You can “visually” be balanced in 2-2-1, meaning how the other teams see your positioning. But you can decide by your forecheck that you will try to force all the breakouts to just one side, so you start neutral, but you will close one side by your running and positioning.

2-2-1 Floorball Defensive Set up / System

2-2-1 Salibandy Puolustava Asetelma

2-2-1 Floorball Set up / System, checking or steering to left

2-2-1 Salibandy oikealta ohjaus vasemmalle

By deciding to move players forward on one side (right in example), you will force the other team to make their breakouts on one side, this way you can limit at least some breakout options for the opposite floorball team. It’s a bit risky but at least you will be aware of it.

By strengthening one side or almost closing it, you can also confuse the other team, since many of the set ups are very balanced. Of course you should try force the other team to play up on their weak side or on your own strong side.

2-2-1 Floorball Set up / System, checking or steering to right

2-2-1 Salibandy vasemmalta ohjaus oikealle

Floorball 2-1-2 in practice

2-1-2 in Floorball

2-1-2 set up / system in floorball visualized in practice (division 1 in Sweden).

Read more or see theoretical pictures of 2-1-2 set up / System in floorball >>