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Winter plans · Four age groups

Indoor training, sorted for winter

Smaller spaces, shared halls and darker nights shouldn't mean a lost winter. Pick your age group for eight weeks of sessions built for indoor areas, so your players keep improving until the pitches are back.

Choose your age group How the plans work

Pick your age group

Each plan is pitched at what that age group needs, with practices sized for the space you're likely to have indoors.

Ages8–10

8 weeks · 2 sessions a week

Ball mastery, turning and dribbling, with plenty of 1v1s to attack and defend.

View the 8–10 plan
Ages11–12

8 weeks · 2 sessions a week

Dribbling, 1v1s, passing, receiving and turning, building to overloads, possession and finishing.

View the 11–12 plan
Ages13–15

8 weeks · 2 sessions a week

Creating space, support play under pressure, pressing as a pair and finishing, with practices from Martin Hunter, Mike Phelan and David Moyes.

View the 13–15 plan
Ages16+

8 weeks · 2 sessions a week

Creating space, pressing, penetration and finishing, with practices from Martin Hunter, Mike Phelan and David Moyes.

View the 16+ plan

Two sessions a week. Three practices each.

Every plan works the same way, so you can pick it up and run it.

01

One theme a week

Each week has a theme, from creating space and support play to pressing and delay, so your winter builds towards something rather than repeating the same drills.

02

Practice, progress, play

Every session follows the Play-Practice-Progress-Play model: a practice, a progression and a game to test it, each with timings, player numbers, area size and kit.

03

Open it in full on TCM

Every practice links to The Coaching Manual, with video, diagrams and coaching points. Full sessions need a Premium subscription.

Coaching Manual-441

Built for the space you've actually got

  • Small areas. Most practices run in 15×15 to 30×20, so they fit a third of a sports hall.
  • A kit list on every practice. Players, balls, cones and bibs, so set-up is quick when you've only got the hall for an hour.
  • From coaches who know. Practices from UEFA Pro Licence tutors, Pro Licence holders and Premier League academy coaches.

Indoor training FAQs

How do you run football training in a small sports hall?

Shrink the areas, not the intensity. Most practices in these plans run in 15×15 to 30×20 metres, which fits a third of a typical hall. Split the group into small-sided practices running side by side so nobody queues. Agree a rule for balls off the walls before you start: in play, or a restart.

How long should an indoor football session be?

Each session in these plans has three practices of 10 to 20 minutes, so 45 to 60 minutes including drinks and transitions. That suits most hall bookings. Hard floors and tight spaces make football more intense, so shorter, sharper practices work better indoors than long ones.

How many players do I need?

Most practices work with 8 or more players. A few in the 13–15 and 16+ plans are built for bigger groups of up to 20, and they're marked on the plan. With fewer players, shrink the area and play smaller sides, such as 3v3 instead of 4v4. With more, run the same practice in two areas side by side so nobody's queuing.

What kit do I need for indoor training?

Balls, cones and bibs. Every practice lists exactly how many. A low-bounce or futsal ball makes a big difference on a hard floor, because it stays down and keeps the game on the ground. Players should wear flat-soled indoor trainers, not studs or blades.

Do I need goals?

No. Many of the games use small goals, cone gates or end zones, all of which you can set up with cones. If your hall has pop-up or futsal goals, use them for the finishing practices.

What is Play-Practice-Progress-Play?

It's the session structure used in every plan. Players start with a game, move into a focused practice on the week's theme, progress it to add pressure and decisions, then finish with a game where they use what they've learned. The game at each end keeps the session feeling like football.

Are the plans free?

Yes. The plans and every practice overview are free. Opening the full practices on The Coaching Manual, with video, diagrams and coaching points, needs a Premium subscription.

Which plan should I choose for a mixed-age team?

Choose by what your players need rather than the oldest player's age. If most of the group still needs lots of touches and 1v1 work, start with the younger plan, and use the progressions to stretch your stronger players.

Can my whole club use these plans?

Yes. With a club account, every coach gets the full library, and you can add an age-appropriate season plan to any team in minutes.

For clubs

Moving the whole club indoors?

Give every coach the full library, add an age-appropriate season plan to any team in minutes, and set ball mastery homework so players keep going between sessions.

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or email sales@thecoachingmanual.com