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340 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 198 ratingsSoccer Education for the Serious
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Episodes
Ep 284: Housekeeping, the EUROs, and the 3 Best Players in the World
June 24, 2021 23:13 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBAfter too long a hiatus, we’re committing to an episode per week. Here, we start with touching on the EURO’s. Specifically, France, the possession stat and how it must be contextualized. Then, we name the 3 Best Players in the World, and how that is deduced. No, Ronaldo is most definitely not one of them. […] The post Ep 284: Housekeeping, the EUROs, and the 3 Best Players in the World appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 283: USMNT Olympic Qualifying Failure – What’s the Excuse Now?
April 01, 2021 19:13 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBPointing to the: * Coach * Player(s) * Schedule * Player availability * US Soccer or stating that the Olympics isn’t that big a deal anyways … you name it, it all misses the mark, it’s all superficial, and it all conveniently serves to distract the fans, the customer base, from looking at the underlying […] The post Ep 283: USMNT Olympic Qualifying Failure – What’s the Excuse Now? appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 282: The Training Formula That Can Help You Create a Competitive Advantage Over Your Opponents.
October 20, 2020 15:49 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBThe key to achieving a significant degree of competency is repetition. Furthermore: The key to making up that technical debt we described in the previous episodes, is repetition. The key to creating a moat, a competitive advantage, over your competition, is repetition. The key to achieving your goals is repetition. But not just any repetition. […] The post Ep 282: The Training Formula That Can Help You Create a Competitive Advantage Over Your Opponents. appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 281: How Can We Catch up to the Best Players and Nations in the World?
October 13, 2020 14:56 - 41 minutes - 56.4 MBTechnical debt is a concept in software development that reflects the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy (limited) solution now, instead of using a better approach that would take longer. If you choose, you can read the full Wikipedia entry. But in short, the longer you postpone doing things *correctly, the […] The post Ep 281: How Can We Catch up to the Best Players and Nations in the World? appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 280: You Want to Help Your Player Achieve Their Goals, Right? Start Here.
October 06, 2020 16:52 - 36 minutes - 49.7 MBI m sure you ve heard these terms before: Work Ethic Sacrifice Mentality Grit Culture Grind etc Or the saying: Hard work beats talent when talent doesn t work hard. It s just the reality. If you want to get back those 6 pack abs, it s not going to happen by sitting on your ass, eating Cheetos, drinking […] The post Ep 280: You Want to Help Your Player Achieve Their Goals, Right? Start Here. appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 279: A Huge Deficiency in the Suburban American Soccer Player
September 29, 2020 17:12 - 36 minutes - 50.8 MBAcross the globe, players of all ages from 7-year-olds to adults benefit from the street game that informal pickup culture the American player lacks. The barrio, as Hispanic/Latino cultures call it, is where strong mentalities, ball skills (of the smooth, not mechanized variety), and the dark arts of the game are forged. This is […] The post Ep 279: A Huge Deficiency in the Suburban American Soccer Player appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 278: American Players Must Improve This Before We Can Contend With the World’s Best.
September 22, 2020 17:22 - 39 minutes - 54.2 MBIn this episode, we dive a bit more into Soccer IQ. While the correct decisions are sometimes governed by the current scoreline, run of play, the opposition, time on the clock, etc., what most people fail to realize is the most fundamental guide. The correct decision, by and far, is the one that retains possession. All […] The post Ep 278: American Players Must Improve This Before We Can Contend With the World’s Best. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 277: Listen to This before You Say a Player Is “Elite”
September 15, 2020 18:28 - 39 minutes - 53.7 MBJust as it s important to discern what is a much-preferred team environment for player development, so is the capacity to discern what an elite player is and isn t. Having a good model for elite allows you to properly calibrate your measuring stick, and consequently be able to better identify, judge, and rank the shortcomings in […] The post Episode 277: Listen to This before You Say a Player Is “Elite” appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 276: The One Training Tool Every Soccer Player Should Be Using
September 08, 2020 18:38 - 34 minutes - 47.1 MBWhen you re not training with your coach, learning the game from TV, or playing with others Go Find a Wall It is the single greatest tool for developing your technique. Nothing else comes close. Claudio Reyna, one of the few quality players to survive the US Soccer landfill, shares a brief story with us. […] The post Ep 276: The One Training Tool Every Soccer Player Should Be Using appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 275: The Truth and Lies About Possession Soccer
September 01, 2020 17:20 - 34 minutes - 47.8 MBThere is a movement towards possession-based soccer in our country and it s about time. The possession-based game, in one manifestation or another, has dominated global football for decades. But unfortunately, it has taken an extreme interpretation and execution of possession, in Barcelona/Spain, to awaken us in the United States. As a result, the word […] The post Ep 275: The Truth and Lies About Possession Soccer appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 274: Introducing the 5 Components of Player Development
August 25, 2020 17:45 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBYou cannot relay solely on playing in a structured club environment to fully develop a player. There is so much that should be happening outside of the club environment, away from the coach, on the players own time that contributes significantly to the development process. In this episode, Gary Kleiban joins me to discuss what […] The post Ep 274: Introducing the 5 Components of Player Development appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 273: Here’s the Unvarnished Truth About American Soccer’s Culture Problem.
August 18, 2020 16:07 - 52 minutes - 71.8 MBIn American soccer, we have a diversity problem. But it’s not a racial diversity problem, it’s a cultural diversity problem. That’s right. Racial diversity does not equal cultural diversity. The lack of cultural diversity is one of the biggest issues we suffer from, but one of the least talked about. Around the world, every club […] The post Episode 273: Here’s the Unvarnished Truth About American Soccer’s Culture Problem. appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 272: Who Can Claim Credit for Developing a Player? The Answer Isn t as Simple as You d Think.
August 12, 2020 21:04 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBWho can actually take credit for a player “making it”? Furthermore, what does “making it” even mean? Does it mean something different in different situations? What’s the context? Specifically, we talk about who can claim credit for a players development and ultimately their trajectory? Can a coach claim credit? Can a parent/mentor claim credit? Can […] The post Ep 272: Who Can Claim Credit for Developing a Player? The Answer Isn t as Simple as You d Think. appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 271: What Is and Isn’t Remarkable About American Soccer?
August 04, 2020 21:35 - 36 minutes - 49.5 MBIn previous episodes, we’ve discussed language and why it’s wise that we update our soccer vocabulary. Well, in this episode, we’re to focus on just one word. The word is: remarkable. Gary Kleiban joins me to answer some of these questions: What is remarkable? What isn’t remarkable? What are the good and bad sides of […] The post Ep 271: What Is and Isn’t Remarkable About American Soccer? appeared first on 3four3.
Ep 270: Who’s Really Making Money Off Youth Soccer?
July 28, 2020 21:31 - 1 hour - 94.3 MBBeing a coach, administrator, trainer, or educator in youth soccer is a job like any other. Why should anyone be expected to do it for free, or for minimum wage, or for less than minimum wage? That’s the expectation in American youth soccer, though. Those who make money in youth soccer are often unnecessarily demonized. […] The post Ep 270: Who’s Really Making Money Off Youth Soccer? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 269: How to Use Foundational Rondos and Really Improve Your Players
July 21, 2020 20:30 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBThe biggest misunderstanding of the rondo is that it s been perceived as just circle keep away. Where you have some number of players on the perimeter and some defenders in the middle. The classic circle keep away warm-up. That s what most coaches think a rondo is. As you’ll hear us say, rondos, especially foundational rondos, […] The post Episode 269: How to Use Foundational Rondos and Really Improve Your Players appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 268: Why You Should Expand Your Soccer Vocabulary and Get Rid of These Limiting Words and Phrases.
July 14, 2020 20:47 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBThe language used throughout American soccer is weak, and ugly. Using words like pace and phrases like whip in a cross instead of words like elegance or skipping by a player. Depending on your particular vocabulary, it can expand or limit your judgement of the sport as a whole. Today, we re going to discuss the […] The post Episode 268: Why You Should Expand Your Soccer Vocabulary and Get Rid of These Limiting Words and Phrases. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 267: Why You Need to Develop Pattern Recognition and Pattern Matching.
July 07, 2020 22:37 - 53 minutes - 73.7 MBIn this week s episode, Gary and John continue covering the topic of early talent identification. This is part 2 of this series. You can find part 1 here. In this round, we tackle additional important topics, such as: How to calibrate yourself to see and read the game differently. Why you need to develop pattern […] The post Episode 267: Why You Need to Develop Pattern Recognition and Pattern Matching. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 266: Do You Know What “It’s Just a Game” Really Means?
June 30, 2020 22:09 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MBHave you ever found yourself saying the phrase It s just a game ? Well, I know I have. But, over the years, and even more so recently, I ve realized that it s so much more. And today we re going to talk about why that phrase is so prevalent in American soccer and the realities of what sport […] The post Episode 266: Do You Know What “It’s Just a Game” Really Means? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 265: How to Properly Calibrate Yourself to Identify Talent at Early Ages.
June 23, 2020 19:36 - 57 minutes - 79.1 MBIn this week’s episode, Gary and John begin covering the topic of early talent identification. How can we improve it? Why do so many people get it wrong? What is the gold standard? One very important aspect of this is the language that is used. I don’t mean bad words. I mean the language used […] The post Episode 265: How to Properly Calibrate Yourself to Identify Talent at Early Ages. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 264: You Want Diversity in MLS, and the National Teams? Okay, These Things Must Change.
June 17, 2020 20:08 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBAs a soccer nation, we have a diversity problem, on and off the field. And in more ways, than you might think. Although we generally seem to be aware that a diversity problem exists, we don t appear to have a good grasp of the root causes, which is likely why we have not made significant […] The post Episode 264: You Want Diversity in MLS, and the National Teams? Okay, These Things Must Change. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 263: Why Would Someone Want to Own an MLS Franchise That “Loses” Money?
June 09, 2020 17:26 - 56 minutes - 77.3 MBIf MLS owners aren t making money from their franchises, why would they even want to own one? This is a question that has been bouncing around in my head for quite some time. It resurfaced the other day as I was listening to Joe Rogan and Reggie Watts commentate on a video of Robert Kraft, […] The post Episode 263: Why Would Someone Want to Own an MLS Franchise That “Loses” Money? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 262: The Costly Effects of Entrusting Your Soccer Education to MLS and Incumbent Media.
June 03, 2020 16:27 - 33 minutes - 46.5 MBDue to the amount of content and content creators that are out there, it s crucial that American soccer coaches, parents, and fans know that there are levels to interpreting and talking about the game. So, if you want to properly interpret what s happening in the soccer landscape, whatever that means to you, you need to […] The post Episode 262: The Costly Effects of Entrusting Your Soccer Education to MLS and Incumbent Media. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 261: The One Element Of Player Development You Can’t Get Wrong
May 21, 2020 19:49 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBUnderstanding that an ultra-competitive training environment is the most important element when it comes to development in structured club soccer is crucial if you are trying to make the best decision for where your player needs to be. The training environment is oftentimes hard to judge. That is why things like clubs and leagues tend […] The post Episode 261: The One Element Of Player Development You Can’t Get Wrong appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 260: MLS Said That Parity Is Something Good, But That s Just Not True.
May 16, 2020 16:01 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBMLS, and many other soccer influencers, have painted parity as the holy grail for American soccer. They have said time and time again that parity is something good, but that s just not true. From a sporting sense, parity is a path to mediocrity and it is detrimental to the overall team, player, and coaching development […] The post Episode 260: MLS Said That Parity Is Something Good, But That s Just Not True. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 259: The Solution to Your Competitive Environment Problem
May 06, 2020 16:19 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBWith everything that is going on, and parents having to make judgment calls on what team to play on, what club to join, and what league is best to be in, there is a very simple solution if you are questioning the competitive level and the developmental benefits for your player. If your player is […] The post Episode 259: The Solution to Your Competitive Environment Problem appeared first on 3four3.
The Balancing Act Most Coaches Fail at, and Most Non-coaches Don t Appreciate
April 28, 2020 18:14 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBThere are a number of different influences players will encounter throughout their youth career. The household/parent/family influence. The playing on your own influence. The pickup game influence. The structured club training influence. The personal training influence. There are a number of different components embedded within each of those influences. All of which can, and should, […] The post Episode 258: This is the Balancing Act Most Coaches Fail at, and Most Non-coaches Don’t Appreciate...
Episode 257: Here’s How We Improve the Quality of Soccer In America, From Top to Bottom.
April 21, 2020 19:04 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBHere are links that are relevant to the episode: MLS Academies Need More, and Better, Competition The 1 Soccer Policy that Cripples the National Team all the way to 9 Year Olds Not Allowed in American Soccer Leicester City FC On Enabling Change in the US Soccer Pyramid Bottom-Up and Top-Down Okay, let s […] The post Episode 257: Here’s How We Improve the Quality of Soccer In America, From Top to Bottom. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 256: The Development Academy Is Over.
April 14, 2020 09:07 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBThis is not speculation. It has already happened. Now, it’s all about how we disseminate the information that is about to start flowing. This is going to be an amazing opportunity to see precisely how decisions that are made in the boardroom directly impact our living rooms. Our families, our players, our coaches, our livelihoods […] The post Episode 256: The Development Academy Is Over. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 255: Here’s How Players Can Impress Coaches During the Shutdown.
April 08, 2020 17:26 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBOn thiss episode, Joey Cascio joins me to discuss what we can learn about our players when they re forced to work on their own. Do the players do the work? Or not? Do the players have what it takes to push through tough times? Or not? Do the players have the special traits required to […] The post Episode 255: Here’s How Players Can Impress Coaches During the Shutdown. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 254: Your Twitter Questions Answered (March 2020)
March 31, 2020 12:32 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBOn this episode of the podcast, John answers your questions that you submitted on Twitter. All of the questions are presented below with his answers, additional thoughts, and links to things that were mentioned during the episode. This episode is also available in video format. You can watch that here. Twitter Questions and Answers 1) […] The post Episode 254: Your Twitter Questions Answered (March 2020) appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 253: Follow the Leaders
March 11, 2020 15:31 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBWhat do Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey have in common? More than you think. In this 14-minute episode, we put the obvious things aside and rewind the tape all the way to the beginning of their development process. The success both players had is largely attributable to their older brothers introducing them to the game […] The post Episode 253: Follow the Leaders appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 252: Who Can Claim Credit For American Player Development?
February 26, 2020 16:36 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBThere are more American players making waves in European club soccer than ever before. More and more teenagers are signing professional contracts, domestically and abroad. It is safe to say there hasn t been this much excitement about an entire generation of American players in many, many years. But that brings up some interesting questions. How […] The post Episode 252: Who Can Claim Credit For American Player Development? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 251: A Huge Deficiency in the Suburban American Soccer Player
February 19, 2020 17:00 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBThis episode is about Player Development. It’s not the first time we ve talked about it on this podcast. It’s a broad topic. Which means it certainly be discussed again. Because we re getting close to launching our first online course geared towards individual player development, I feel like it s an important time to dive in on […] The post Episode 251: A Huge Deficiency in the Suburban American Soccer Player appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 250: Quality Pro Player Development or Recreation? People don t know the Difference.
February 12, 2020 16:19 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MB(The original article and all of its comments can be found here.) A line must be drawn between two camps: Those who ultimately view soccer as recreation. Those who are about creating professional footballers of the highest quality. Both have vastly different requirements. 1) Recreation This does not mean the rec soccer community as […] The post Episode 250: Quality Pro Player Development or Recreation? People don t know the Difference. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 249: See How Easily You Can Excite U.S. Men’s National Team Fans.
February 04, 2020 16:08 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBAfter having some time to sit and think about what we saw, Joey Cascio and I recorded our thoughts about the USMNT’s performance vs. Costa Rica. Following the annual month-long USMNT camp, seven players made their first appearance with the senior team. One of those players is someone we know very well, Uly Llanez. Congratulations […] The post Episode 249: See How Easily You Can Excite U.S. Men’s National Team Fans. appeared first on 3four3.
Honorary Episode 248: The Road Map Kobe Left Us
January 28, 2020 17:16 - 7 minutes - 7.17 MBKobe Bryant s addiction to basketball, and obsession with becoming the best version of himself, was a net-positive for the World. Through basketball, he was able to inspire an entire generation of fans, athletes, coaches, and many others. And as an outsider looking in, it appeared to me that he was able to (almost perfectly) balance […] The post Honorary Episode 248: The Road Map Kobe Left Us appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 245: Here Are the Criteria to Judge Gregg Berhalter in 2020
January 16, 2020 18:33 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBIn this episode, Joey Cascio joins me to discuss Gregg Berhalter’s interview with the American Outlaws and our takeaways for the upcoming year of U.S. Men’s Soccer. This interview with the national team coach was one part of a three-part of a series recorded and produced by US Soccer in coordination with the biggest supporters […] The post Episode 245: Here Are the Criteria to Judge Gregg Berhalter in 2020 appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 244: How to Gain an Advantage Using Throw-In’s
January 15, 2020 18:08 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBThrow-ins are one of the most ignored aspects when it comes to training soccer players and teams about how to gain an advantage over their opponents. All too often throw-ins are just rushed and thrown down the line. Which is sad, because there is so much more that can be done from throw-ins. And there […] The post Episode 244: How to Gain an Advantage Using Throw-In’s appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 243: What Are the Biggest Misconceptions of Playing Possession-Based Soccer?
January 09, 2020 19:31 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBOn this episode of the 3four3 podcast, Joey and I discuss some of the misconceptions of possession-soccer. It s pretty common to see members of the media, or people on twitter, attempting to discredit possession-based soccer. One example of this is how Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are talked about in the media when they do […] The post Episode 243: What Are the Biggest Misconceptions of Playing Possession-Based Soccer? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 242: How to Execute Short Goal Kicks
January 07, 2020 19:02 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBIn this episode, Joey Cascio joins me to discuss the details of how to execute short goal kicks. Building out of the back is a critical element when playing possession-style soccer and goal kicks are a big, big part of that. It is important to understand that at the highest levels of the game, building […] The post Episode 242: How to Execute Short Goal Kicks appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 241: What Separates the Best from the Average?
January 02, 2020 19:30 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBIt’s the start of a brand new year. Which means there is no better time than now to talk about work ethic. Because that is what separates the best players from the average. In this episode, John reads one of 3four3’s evergreen articles written by Gary Kleiban. The article, Work Ethic – An Elusive Player […] The post Episode 241: What Separates the Best from the Average? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 240: A Quick Discussion About Rondo’s with Brian Kleiban
December 24, 2019 16:36 - 10 minutes - 9.71 MBWhat s so special about a rondo? Johan Cruyff said, Everything that goes on in a match, except shooting, you can do in a rondo. The competitive aspect, fighting to make space, what to do when in possession and what to do when you haven t got the ball, how to play one-touch soccer, how to counteract […] The post Episode 240: A Quick Discussion About Rondo’s with Brian Kleiban appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 239: Do You Notice These Fundamental Actions When You Watch a Game?
December 20, 2019 17:33 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBOn this episode, Joey Cascio joins me to discuss the recent Clasico. We did not break this down as we would normally do for a USMNT game. Instead, we decided to discuss some fundamentals, and also some special moments, and we used examples from the match to highlight those specific actions/concepts. To name a few… […] The post Episode 239: Do You Notice These Fundamental Actions When You Watch a Game? appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 238: Elite Soccer Player Characteristics
December 17, 2019 16:17 - 10 minutes - 9.57 MBThis episode of the podcast is an article written by Gary Kleiban that was originally published on the 3four3 blog in August 2009. You can access the original article here: What s an Elite Player? Normally, the date doesn’t matter when these posts are revived. But in this case, I believe it’s important to point out […] The post Episode 238: Elite Soccer Player Characteristics appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 237: Find Out Why Spanish Coaches Are Interested in Developing American Players.
December 11, 2019 17:13 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBOn this episode, I’m joined by Luis Martinez, Toni Navarro, and Joe Campos. Luis is the Academy Director for Valencia CF, one of the most productive and successful youth academies in the world. According to him, Valencia’s youth academy was recently ranked top 5 when it comes to how many players are currently playing professionally […] The post Episode 237: Find Out Why Spanish Coaches Are Interested in Developing American Players. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 236: Mathias Schober, Schalke 04 Youth Academy Director, Discusses Scouting, Recruiting, and Developing Players
December 05, 2019 16:57 - 33 minutes - 31 MBMathias Schober is a former professional goalkeeper in Germany. He is currently the Academy Director at Schalke 04. He oversees their entire youth soccer operation from U8-U19. Erik Stover, a former guest on this podcast, introduced me to Mathias. Erik works for Match IQ and is helping Schalke increase their footprint here on American soil. […] The post Episode 236: Mathias Schober, Schalke 04 Youth Academy Director, Discusses Scouting, Recruiting, and Developing Players appeared first on 3fo...
Episode 235: It’s Time to Hold American Soccer to These Standards
December 03, 2019 15:48 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBJoey Casico joins me again to break down the recent Atletico Madrid vs. FC Barcelona match. Both teams provided excellent examples of what it takes to play top-level football. Nearly every player on the field demonstrated perfect execution of the fundamental skills and details required to play their respective styles. This game was a masterclass. […] The post Episode 235: It’s Time to Hold American Soccer to These Standards appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 234: “The Mirage of CONCACAF” and Our Thoughts on the USMNT vs. Cuba.
November 21, 2019 18:06 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBAlright, that’s a wrap for the USMNT in 2019. We finished the year with a 4-0 victory against Cuba in the CONCACAF Nation’s League. The scoreline does not tell the entire story, though. Eleven months into “the process” of developing an identity and style of play with the national team came and went without any […] The post Episode 234: “The Mirage of CONCACAF” and Our Thoughts on the USMNT vs. Cuba. appeared first on 3four3.
Episode 233: Here’s Why USMNT’s 4-1 Win Over Canada Was NOT Progress.
November 18, 2019 17:43 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBJoey Cascio joins me again to discuss all of the latest news and action surrounding the USMNT program. In this episode, we discuss: USA’s 4-1 in the CONCACAF Nations League over Canada The brief, but exciting time that Alex Mendez and Richie Ledezma shared together on the field for the U23’s American-born Efra Alvarez starting […] The post Episode 233: Here’s Why USMNT’s 4-1 Win Over Canada Was NOT Progress. appeared first on 3four3.