Coaching Quick Feet to Dummy the Opposition

No matter how young your players are they should practice ball manipulation. This is the ability to push, move, drag or manipulate the ball and become its master, says Tony Carr, Academy Director at West Ham.

Key Coaching Tip

Quick feet speed and control are vital to this technique.

Mastery of the Ball

In the past we've looked at how step overs can give your players the confidence to be comfortable with the ball in all situations, especially in 1v1 confrontations. This week the
side drag gives your players a skill to hold on to the ball and tease and dummy the opposition players.

REMEMBER, REPETITION PRACTICE IS THE KEY AND THE YOUNGER THE PLAYER THE BETTER

Using the right foot drag to the left

With the sole of the right foot on top of the ball, the player performs 3 or 4 ‘sideways’ drags of the ball, figure 1, always using the right foot; he drags to the left, planting his foot down to the ground after each action. Quick feet, speed and control are the key.

Push the ball away to the right

The progression is to dummy by dragging the ball left, but just roll your foot over the ball, planting it on the ground then quickly using the outside of the same foot (right), push the ball away to the right, figure 2.