I read this in FourFourTwo, January 2007 magazine. A quote from Arsene Wenger. Thought it was interesting.
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"How good is the quality of your touch? This can be decided from a young age, maybe as young as 12. At that age you can tell if a player is technically gifted or if they will be average for their whole life"
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Come to think of it, I remember seeing a video of barcelona under 13s, and in terms of technque, I couldnt find fault.
There was a another quote about small sided games that I thought was interesting. Although theres no mention of smaller goals, it reminded me small goal football.
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"In 11-a-side you can slip out of the game. With five-a-side, you must stay focused, keep movng, wanting the ball, and that, for me, is a key to its popularity. It's also why it is so important to the game and why I have my players playing small-sided games."
"In 11-a-side, you may get 20 touches in 90 minutes; in five-a-side you get the same number in a fraction of the time. You are confronted with decision-making all the time so your technical ability and skill is constantly tested and improves. It is the best way to prepare you as a footballer."
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