Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, October 25th: Football youth training starts with “dreaming”
Xinhua News Agency reporters Yue Chenxing and Li Guangzheng
Just after 6 o’clock in the evening, it was already dark in Tokyo, but on a brightly lit football field in the suburbs, the training of the young players had just begun. This is the training ground of Tokyo FC Football Club in Onumacho, Kodaira City, about 30 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. From time to time, we can see children arriving one after another with schoolbags on their backs, accompanied by their parents. The youngest among them is less than 10 years old.
Training next to the U10 venue is Tokyo FC’s U18 echelon, and a group of visitors from afar are observing their daily training. The Chinese Football Association recently held an international exchange training class for elite youth coaches. 24 youth coaches from all over the country went to Tokyo, Japan to exchange and learn with the Japan Football Association, Tokyo FC, and Tokyo Green Football Club. One of them is to observe the training sessions of the youth training echelon of professional clubs.
“All their training and game scenes are the same.” Several coaches exclaimed in unison after watching the training on the sidelines. Since most of the coaches who participated in the training class also coach youth training echelons of similar age in China, they were deeply impressed by the intensity of confrontation and the level of commitment of the players throughout the training. During the exchange, the reporter learned that Tokyo FC’s U18 players have cultural classes in the morning of every training day, go to the field to train after class, and play a game on the weekend. In the opinion of the coaches, the training time is not long, but the effect is very good.
“Now our training methods are basically the same as theirs, from preparation activities to ball training to confrontation, but their basic skills are more solid, and their personal skills are getting closer and closer to the world’s advanced football countries.” Head coach of the U17 echelon of Shanghai Shenhua Football Club Tao Jin told reporters that the team has conducted training matches with many teams such as Omiya Squirrels of the Japanese U18 League this year, so he has some understanding of the Japanese team and their attitude towards training. This enthusiasm is worth learning.
Chi Jianfeng, the youth training coach of Shanghai Lucky Star Football Club, believes that the concentration of Japanese young players comes from the development of habits. “I think the habits of their players during training are quite excellent, including the rehydration time and their efficiency. Having such a habit shows that he has gradually developed it when he was very young or during his football journey. It is very important to develop good habits. It is conceivable that after 8 or 10 years of accumulation, they will naturally form such a training model when they reach U18.”
Paying attention to long-term training and basic skills training is the foundation for the rise of Japanese football. When you walk into the Japan Football Association, you can see decorative paintings with the word “DREAM” hanging on the walls everywhere. In 2005, the Japan Football Association launched an ambitious “Japan Football Association Declaration” with the goal of allowing the Japanese team to win the World Cup in 2050. champion.
The goal that sounded like a “dream” at the time does not seem so far away now. Over the years, Japan’s youth training system has become more and more perfect from top to bottom. Not only top players, but also an endless stream of football talents support the continuous development of youth training. It can be said that it has entered a virtuous cycle.
During the nine-day exchange, in addition to the training and game observation of the professional youth training echelon, there were also lectures arranged by the Japan Football Association to conduct courses combining football theory and practice. Japan Football Association youth training coach and former professional player Motoki Tsuyoshi said that in the more than 30 years since Japanese football became professional, the J-League has continued to expand from the original 10 teams to now having three levels: J1, J2, and J3. There are a total of 60 teams in the league, which continuously supplies talents to the national team. The Japanese team has also entered the World Cup finals for seven consecutive times since 1998, and has gradually gained the strength to compete with the world’s top teams such as Germany and Spain.
Tsuyoshi Motomoto said that the Japan Football Association introduced a technical research group in the late 1990s to conduct detailed statistics and analysis of international and domestic competitions, such as which players are in the winning team, what skills need to be mastered to adapt to future football development, etc. , and then “customize” training plans accordingly according to different age groups. U12 focuses on individual skills, U15 emphasizes small-scale cooperation, and U18 cultivates tactical literacy and team awareness.
Not copying the successful system, but drawing on the strengths of others and scientifically and systematically cultivating players and coaches according to their own country’s conditions, which is also one of the secrets of Japan’s youth training to this day.
Former national team player Han Peng participated in this exchange training as a youth training coach of Shandong Taishan Football Club. He said: “My biggest feeling is that Japanese young players really love this sport, and they love it from the heart, including Japan. “Han Peng believes that many domestic young players are no worse than Japanese players in terms of talent. The period from 10 to 15 years old is a critical period. We must focus on cultivating players’ autonomy and create opportunities for them to play and grow. environment.
The cultivation of young players is inseparable from “Bole” and requires excellent youth training coaches who can provide them with correct and beneficial guidance. Sunina, the head coach of the Changchun Volkswagen Women’s Football Youth Team, knows this very well. “After a group of players entered the Changchun Women’s Football Team at the age of 12 or 13, the coaching team has indeed put in a lot of effort, both from me personally and from the support of the club.” She believes that in addition to the technical aspects of football, young players are more important in life. Care and companionship are needed. Youth training coaches and players grow together. This is one of the reasons why excellent coaches are rare.
“Being a coach is very hard, especially a youth training coach. Retired players can become excellent coaches through learning. More retired players should devote themselves to youth training. I believe that in the near future, the level of our youth training will definitely improve. Improve.” Han Peng said.
After a practical class, the reporter followed the coaches and left the training venue – the “Dream Stadium” of the Japan Football Association. The eye-catching words at the door may be the direction of the Japanese football youth training: because you have dreams, you can forge them into steel.
Football development does not happen overnight, especially youth training. The rise of a football power begins with a dream and ends with persistent youth training and scientific training. (over)
Published in: Beijing
