Calcio Coaching: A session with Napoli’s Rafael Benitez
A new era has begun in Naples as the former Liverpool coach, Rafa Benitez, has been entrusted with leading the Partenopei now that Walter Mazzarri has left for Inter.
Below we bring you a coaching session by the Spanish tactician.
Warm Up
The players do a simple slow jog around the perimeter of the pitch
As per fig.1, player one passes the ball to player three.
Three then passes to two (outside of the small makeshift goal) who controls the ball, dribbles through the goal towards the coach.
Two then dribbles around the coach and and passes to the next in line. The drill then continues.
Stretching – 10 minutes
After the above exercise is complete the players then will go through a stretching routine concentrating on the lower body.
Similar to the previous, player one passes to player three. Three passes back to one who then hits a longer pass to player two.
Two then passes to three and at the same time runs through the small goal ready to receive the pass back from three.
Two then dribbles round the coach and lays off to the next in line.
Stretching – 10 minutes
More stretching of the lower body muscle groups.
Drill 3: Technical Exercise 3 – 10 minutes
Player 1 passes to player three.
Three plays a ball to player two who has made a run in behind the coach and takes the ball first time then dribbles at speed back to player one.
On a pitch as per fig.4, a 10v10 game is played with a maximum of two touches.
Players can move around as they wish in the four marked zones.
In each zone a maximum of four passes are allowed before the ball must be switched to a different zone.
Abdominal crunches, press ups and tricep raises.
Drill 5: Conditioned game 20 minutes
9v9 match played as per fig.5.
Normal rules but a goal can also be scored through the small lateral goals if a team mate receives a pass directly.
Cool down – 10 minutes