24 sessions across 12 weeks. Two 90-minute sessions per week. Building a possession-dominant, aggressive pressing identity from day one.
Every session serves one purpose: building a team that dominates the ball and hunts it when they lose it. Here's the phased approach.
Establish the non-negotiables. Build-up play from GK, pressing triggers, body shape, and fitness base. Players learn what we do and why.
Move from understanding to execution under pressure. 11v11 phase play, transition speed, and opponent-specific pressing shapes.
Fine-tune under match conditions. Decision-making speed, alternative formations, and mental toughness in high-pressure scenarios.
Session Structure (every session): Warm-Up & Activation (15 min) — Technical/Tactical Block 1 (25 min) — Block 2 (25 min) — Game-Related Practice (20 min) — Cool Down & Debrief (5 min). Every session finishes with a game. Every game has conditions that reinforce the session's theme.
Click any week to expand. Each session is fully structured with timings, drills, and coaching points.
These drills recur throughout the 12 weeks with progressive overloads. Master these and the system runs itself.
GK + 2 CBs + 2 FBs + 2 DMs build out against increasing opposition. Start with 2 pressers, add 2 every few weeks. The gold standard drill for build-up confidence.
Start with unopposed shadow pressing — 11 players press an imaginary build-up. Then progress to live pressing against a back line with increasing realism.
4v2 → 5v3 → 8v4 rondos in positional grids. Players must stay in their positional zones. The ball must travel through the grid, not around it.
5v5 in a tight area with 2 neutral players. On turnover, the team that lost it must win it back within 6 seconds or concede a point. Pure gegenpressing training.
FB overlaps, winger cuts inside, #10 arrives late. Rehearsed patterns that end with a shot. Quality over quantity — every rep must be match speed.
3 corner routines (near post, far post, short). 2 direct free kick routines. Rehearsed weekly from Week 5. Assigned personnel and movements.
Measurable targets to track progress. If we hit these by Week 12, we're on track.
Ball progressed from GK to the final third cleanly, without going long, at least 70% of the time.
Averaging 60% possession or higher across all competitive and friendly matches.
Average time to win the ball back after losing possession — gegenpressing working as designed.
Every player understands and executes pressing triggers without hesitation. No passengers.
Every outfield player sustaining 25+ sprints per match — the fitness base for pressing football.
Three fully rehearsed corner routines that every player can execute in their sleep.