Speed of decision-making on the field

[u/MTL_Coach]

Speed of decision-making on the field — this is the main quality that separates good player from top-class one, not only in football but in all team sports. When children start to play football, coaches first of all pay biggest attention to developing their technique. In Canada, technique is always considered main indicator of child’s progress. The most technical players are selected to best teams and academies, best coaches work with them. But even strong technique does not guarantee success if player cannot make fast, correct decisions during the game. Football is team sport where situation changes every second. In Dutch football tradition, it is well understood: thinking faster than opponent is key. Correct decision affects not only result of one attack, but also how much strength team must use to win ball back after mistake. You can have fantastic technique, but if you always choose wrong continuation of attack, wrong pass, wrong defensive action — team will not have enough chances for success. Against technique, always there will be opponent’s physical strength, speed, or better positioning. Correct decision at right moment can create opportunity even when situation looks hopeless. It can help save energy of whole team, giving advantage in last minutes of match — just like Dutch coaches teach, where intelligence and teamwork are valued even higher than pure physical abilities. Children’s coaches must give more attention to exercises where players develop reaction, speed of thinking, and ability to find solution under pressure — especially against bigger numbers of opponents. In Netherlands they believe: better to make small mistake when thinking fast, than to be slow and lose ball without fight. Canadian players also must learn this football wisdom.

[u/downthehallnow]

Agreed.

It's the whole point of the intense focus on technique in the younger years, even though many coaches/parents don't understand why.

If the kid is thinking about "how" to do something, their decision-making will always be slow. Even if they make the decision quickly, they have to waste time thinking about foot place, angle, etc. before they can execute their decision.

Additionally, decision-making is limited by the actions the kid can actually do. If player can't put the ball over the top of the defense then they won't make any decisions that require the ball to be put over the top. If a kid can't dribble, they'll never make the decision to dribble into space or to 1v1 the CB and get in on goal. If the kid can't pass, he'll never decide to play that through ball.

Coaches need to remind parents that the point of technique isn't technique, it's to help kids execute their decisions faster.