Honing Your Technique ~ Performance Expert Advice ~ Lucozade Sport Football

Amateur Football:

Jason Cundy - Honing Technique & Skill

Jason Cundy was voted Chelsea's Young Player of the Year in 1987, having impressed onlookers with a string of assured performances which had the supporters labelling him the club's best youth product since Ray Wilkins.

A ball playing centre-half, Jason was a powerful figure that showed great composure on the ball, whilst also displaying superb technique. Jason went on to move to Tottenham for £800,000 after which he had successful spells with Ipswich Town and Portsmouth before he retired in 2000.

Jason Cundy will prove an asset to the expert panel as his passion for the game, extensive experience at the top-level and energetic personality will enable him to help amateur teams hone and improve their technique and skills.

Coaching Session Three - Honing Technique & Skill

Download this Coaching Session (PDF format)

As a former international who played alongside the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Jason Cundy has seen his fair share of flair and knows a few tricks of the trade. And as a Lucozade Sport Performance Expert, he is keen to pass on his experience to amateur teams that are looking to improve.

Having been announced as the Lucozade Sport Performance League Team of the Month for November, players from Raynes Park Rovers FC (RPRFC) were given a football skills master class during a 'Barclays Premier League club-style' training session with Cundy in Surrey.

As Cundy makes clear, the key is being able to transfer the skills that players build up in training into the weekend fixtures. There's little point to perfecting tricks that won't be used in games and so each and every skills session needs to be tailored to improving actual performance.

The Session

Short passing and light touches - working both feet to develop an all round game

JC tips: Work in pairs to improve sharp passing and movement on the ball. Stay soft on your feet and use your instep and outside of your boot to help build speed and accuracy.

Close ball control and beating your opposite man

JC tips: Keep your head up and be aware of space and players around you. Hone the technique and movements first before increasing speed.

Developing match skills - putting them into practice under pressure

JC tips: Have the confidence to try new skills and tricks in games and learn from any mistakes. Concentrate on good footwork and be committed every time you're on the ball.

Questions & Answers

I have seen a number of players on TV performing the step-over. What's the best way to perfect this skill?

The basic idea of the step-over is to make it look like you're going in one direction, but a quick change of feet sends you in the other. Players like Robinho and Cristiano Ronaldo are great exponents of this particular skill. The best way to perfect the skill is by breaking the move down into smaller parts, practising each one and then bringing it all together.

Firstly, start with a static ball in front of you and bring your right foot around the ball, in a circular motion from left to right. Repeat for your left foot and continue the routine a number of times. The next step, once you are comfortable with this, is to start with the circular motion (on your right foot) followed by a movement to the left-hand side with the ball, using the outside of your foot, and then stop. Repeat in the other direction with your left foot, and start the drill again. The final stage is to dribble past a static player or cone, as if you were attempting to beat an opponent. Slowly approach the defender, perform the circular motion with your right foot and dribble away with the outside of your left foot to the left side of the cone. Turn around and repeat on the other side, a change of pace once you've executed the move is also key to take you past the defender.

As you become more comfortable with the drill, try and increase the speed of your execution. Before long, you'll be leaving opponents in your wake!

Jason Cundy - Honing your technique

John Brewer, Performance Director of the Lucozade Sport Science Academy, shares his top tips on nutrition that will help develop your power.

Speed, strength and agility all rely on having plentiful fuel source within the muscle capable of releasing explosive power - carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an extremely efficient in providing energy rapidly. This rapid energy release is essential in all explosive movements in football such as sprinting and jumping. Carbohydrate should make up around 60% of the total energy intake, and this level is necessary to enable high intensity movements to be performed throughout a match. Without sufficient carbohydrate, your pace and ability to react to situations quickly will deteriorate, and as a result so will performance.

Re-fuelling during a game is also essential to maintain performance through to the final whistle. A traditional half-time orange will do very little to rehydrate or re-fuel your muscles. Eating solid food during a game is also not advisable as physical activity impairs digestion, and may possibly lead to stomach complaints. An isotonic drink will contain the optimal amount of carbohydrate, fluid and electrolytes that will fuel performance right to the end of the game.