Prepare players for the move to nine-a-side

The changes players will experience when they transfer from playing seven-a-side to nine-a-side are arguably the most challenging they will come across during their developmental journey.

Not only will they have to cope with the extra number of players and both a larger playing area and goals, they will also have to manage the additional challenge of the extra laws (including offside) and the greater emphasis that is placed on tactical understanding.

To help the players through these changes, we can provide them with support during training and matches. 
This can start while they are still playing seven-a-side and continue throughout the time they play nine-a-side.

Support through training

The most obvious time we can support the players is during training, introducing them to the new rules they will have to get used to and starting to work on the tactical requirements of the new format.

Add the offside law: Introducing the offside law within practices and training games will support players with their understanding of offside in preparation for the move to nine-a-side.

We can also design or adapt practices to help players understand how the offside law impacts the principles of the game, both in and out of possession.

For example, having a practice where teams win a point by receiving a pass in an end zone can be very effective. 

This will only work, however, if the players are only permitted to enter the end zone once the pass has been made.

Essentially, the lines separating the main area and the end zones act as offside lines. 

This simple practice, which I have reproduced on page five for coaches to follow, will help your players develop an understanding of how to time their off-the-ball runs, plus the weight and placement of passes required to break the offside trap. 

Split the pitch into areas or zones: Another effective strategy is to split the pitch into areas or zones, which can be used as ‘guides’ for the players or to implement specific rules.

If we split the pitch horizontally into four, for example, we can say to the players that when their team is out of possession, they should not be in more than two of the quarters.

"During training, introduce players to the new rules they will have to get used to..." 

This simple challenge helps players to understand the need to remain compact as a team and can even be used to introduce a specific strategy such as a high press or low block.

If we split the pitch vertically, we can say that if the ball is in a wide channel, there should be no players in the opposite wide channel; or if the ball is in one of the two central channels, that there shouldn’t be any players in the wide channels. 

We can also use this for the team in possession, challenging players to have at least one player in all four channels.

Support through matches

Don’t move to nine-a-side too soon: Many coaches will prepare their team for the change in format by arranging nine-a-side exhibition games or tournaments before they are meant to make the transition.

However, this is not really preparing them for the new format - it is just getting them to play it earlier.

We need to be careful when we are doing this. We should not introduce the new format too early, as the whole purpose of having different formats is that each one has been identified as being the most suitable for the development of that particular age group. 

Once a team starts playing a new format of the game, it is likely they will not return to playing the previous one. Therefore, we should not be in a rush to get them playing nine-a-side. Instead, we should be maximising the time they have playing seven-a-side.