We were recently joined on the MSC Podcast by Nate Weiss, Individual Development Coach at VfB Stuttgart in Germany's Bundesliga. During the conversation, he shared his unique journey from playing college soccer in US with NC State, to playing professionally in Europe, and then transitioning to the individual development side of the game.
A couple of the big takeaways for me personally was firstly Nate's insight and perspective into 'technical training'. There is a stigma around unopposed practices in the coaching community but Nate's experience at the highest level, along with time on task with elite players, has increased his commitment to this type of work and he encourages coaches to do the same. He believes passing is a fundamental skill that players must master if they are to progress through to the professional ranks. Below is an example that Nate shares through his Instagram page.
Another aspect of the interview that I really enjoyed was Nate's insight around ball-striking. I believe it's something that we should talk a lot more about in the coaching community and, although maybe it's not the most glamorous aspect of skill development, it can become so important to player profiles. It's not only shooting where players can benefit from it, but also in passing ranges which can help improve defenders and midfielders in the build. Below is another example from Nate's Instagram page (which I highly recommend following) which shows how he slows the action down and focuses on what specific part of the foot to use. Nate explains this in the interview.
You can watch the full interview with Nate below. Please subscribe to our YouTube page for more free content. You can also listen to the interview on iTunes.
This article was written by Gary Curneen. If you would like to support the free content at Modern Soccer Coach, our new book is out now!! 'Detail' is a collection of takeaways from the interviews we have done on podcasts and webinars throughout the past four years. It is also a personal perspective of how Gary views the game, experiences on why he has changed (both good and bad), and what lies ahead for the coaching community. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY.
