Soccer Journal July-August 2011 5

other. The teams are wearing the same colors (for ex-ample, red v. white) on both fi elds. Each player is num-bered 1 through 6. The coach yells a number (or two or three). Those players change fi elds. For example, if the coach yells “Red 3-4-5,” the players with those numbers change fi elds. At Ohio Wesleyan University we add another variation: We have the teams attack in different directions, so when the players do change fi elds they have to determine which direction they are going. Look at the decisions that must be made and the situations that are changing. As the players move

into the next fi eld they must assess the fi eld and see what is going on and react accordingly:• Which team has the ball?• Where is the ball on the fi eld?• Where are my other three (new) teammates?• Where do I go to best help the team?• Am I defending? Where?• Am I attacking? Where?

And the players on the fi eld when a change is made also must see the fi eld and make decisions:• Who has the ball?• Where is the ball on the fi eld?• Are we numbers up (i.e. 6 v. 3) without the ball?

Press• Are we numbers down without the ball? Fall back

and defend• Are we numbers up with the ball? Attack with speed• Are we numbers down with the ball? Possess and/

or counter

The situation changes every time a change of play-ers is made. The situation changes in a soccer game. Good players learn to see it, read it and make the correct decision(s) to take advantage of the situation. The players also utilize all four of the soccer pillars in an exercise like this: The Mental, The Physical, The Technical and The Tactical.

Mourinho puts his players into ever-changing situations in training so they identify the changes and learn how to react. As Joe Cole of Chelsea said, “You learn things in every one of his training sessions and don’t even know it!”

He may have lost a bit of his luster this year after his antics in the Champions League games against Barcelona, but many soccer coaches around the world still are interested in what makes José Mourinho tick. Why is he so successful? What does he do in training that creates these great teams?

There is no question that he has been successful at the highest level in four European countries. His players love playing for him. His assistant coaches go on to be very successful. His training sessions are fast-paced and innovative.

When he was at Chelsea, he created a document that showed his “39” activities for the fi rst team and the Academy Program. He used only these 39 activities in training. The results were measureable by the number of trophies Chelsea won. Chelsea star John Terry said “…training is enjoyable every day, and you learn so much. Even the players on the fringe of the fi rst team enjoy training. The players just love Mourinho’s coaching and man management!” That is really high praise from a very good player.

The document surfaced in the United States a few months ago. You may have seen it. You may even have a copy. The Five Favorites section in this issue and the next will share 10 of these activities with you. I think they are worth a look.

Mourinho uses what he calls “The Global Method of Coaching Soccer.” The website Soccer Science and Coaching offers insight into the Global Method, which suggests that the coach should incorporate all four of the pillars of soccer into every exercise. Instead of isolating just one of these pillars (i.e. Fitness by running sprints), Mourinho will use all four pillars: Physical, Mental, Technical and Tactical.

Global Training is composed of four areas:• Small-sided games• Adjustments to the games• Adjusting training from the model of play (i.e. train

in positions the players will use in the system: 4-4-2; 4-3-3 etc.)

• Effectively creating the weekly cycle of sessions between games

Small-sided games incorporate all four moments of a game: attacking, defending, transition from attack to defense and transition from defending to attack. Included in these games is technique, conditioning, tactical awareness and decision-making. The games can be manipulated to add an important fi tness com-ponent to the session. For example:• 2 v. 2 – 4x2 minutes; 2 minutes rest, in a 30x20

yard grid – 80% HRMax• 3 v. 3 – 4x4 minutes and 30 seconds; 90 seconds

rest, in a 40x25 yard grid – 90% HRMax – with man marking close to 100%

• 4 v. 4 – 4x4 minutes, 2 minutes rest, in a 40x30 yard grid – 90% HRMax

• 5 v. 5 – 4 x 6 minutes, 90 seconds rest, 45 x 30 yard grid – 80-90% HRMax

• 6 v. 6 – 3 x 8 minutes, 90 seconds rest, 50 x 30 yard grid – 80% HRMax

• 8 v. 8 – 4 x 8 minutes, 90 second rest, 75 x 45 yard grid – 80% HRMax

Adjustment of games can happen in a number of ways:• Adjusting the area size and shape: the larger

the area, the more decisions players will make; a smaller fi eld will increase the speed of play.

Coaches also can use areas of the fi eld (e.g. defensive third, attacking third, etc.)

• Adjusting the number of touches on the ball: the fewer the touches, the faster the speed of play

• Numbers up/Numbers down: the Dutch have done this for years; this is a way to manipulate the activ-ity to work on tactics

Adjusting training games to the model of play means all training exercises are done in the formation the team has chosen to play. All passing exercises and small-sided games should have players playing with the players they play with in a game and in the position they will play in a game. A 4 v. 3 exercise may have the four starting midfi elders playing against three second-teamers in the shape of the 4-4-2 midfi eld (i.e. diamond, etc.).

Effectively creating the weekly cycle between games. Mourinho uses a low-to-high intensity model. For example, if he has a game on the weekend and trains every day of the week, the cycle might look like this:

Game>>Recovery>>Low Intensity>>Medium Intensity>>High Intensity>>

Low Intensity>>Match

We would have to use a “quicker” cycle since most teams in the United States play more than one game a week.

Let’s look at Activity 5 in the Five Favorites article. Many of you have seen this depicted on the web. It is said to be the fi rst session Mourinho does with a new team. He has two games of 6 v. 6 going on next to each

The Mourinho Mysti que What makes “The Special One” so successful?

What makes José Mourinho tick?

Why is he so successful? What does he do

in training that creates these great teams?