** Language warning**  (If you’re easily offended by swear words, maybe don’t watch!)

Let me explain, in case you don’t already know, what The Hong Kong Soccer Sevens is. The clues are in the name, yes it’s played in Hong Kong (annually) and yes this is a seven a side football tournament (not the sport with odd shaped balls that is so commonly connected with Hong Kong), played on a regulation 11 a side size field at it’s spiritual home The Hong Kong Football Club at the heart of Happy Valley (maybe more famous for it’s horse racing) on Hong Kong island.

The tournament is split between the main tournament and the Masters. The masters has seen numerous world stars of football come to show off their talent (albeit at a slower pace). All I can say is that to see some of these players it epitomises the anecdote “form is temporary, class is permanent “. The tournament has been graced by Didier Six, Lothur Matthias, Jean-Marc Bosman, Andy Cole, Peter Beardsley, Des Walker the list goes on and on.

Rumors are always rife before the tournament about which teams will come and play. In years gone by the regulars were always Rangers and Celtic of the Scottish league and Aston Villa of the English Premier league. Due (I am lead to believe) to financial constraints, this year we would not have the Scottish representatives at the tournament and they would be replaced with some other teams. Other teams that have participated in the past are Manchester Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, The Kaiser Chiefs, Boca Juniors, Urawa Red Diamonds, Guangzhou Evergrande, Shanghai SIPG, the Australian National U21’s it’s a long list of quality teams from all corners of the globe.

After you run through this amazing list you go down to the lesser known (to the world outside of Hong Kong) professional teams of Hong Kong’s Premier League, BC Rangers, Kitchee FC and then going down another level, teams made from players at the Hong Kong Football Club who participate in the professional leagues of Hong Kong but maintain their amateur status, after this is the second Hong Kong Football Club team The Captains Select made up of those “left over” (for want of a better phrase, no disrespect) first team players and then players from their amateur league teams.

Then last but not least, bringing up the rear of all of this are the whipping boys of the tournament, the no hopers who come to make up the numbers and play for the privilege of being on the same pitch as future football legends, The Yau Yee League Select. A team comprised of players from Hong Kongs longest serving amateur league. School teachers, bankers, insurers, desk jockeys, publicans, bar staff, bar “proper-uppers”, players from every walk of life there is in Hong Kong and general lovers of the peoples game.

I’m not entirely sure how the coach selection process was done by the Yau Yee League before, but this year it was agreed that the process to find a coach(s) for the coming sevens tournament for the Yau Yee League Select team would start with an advertisement on the leagues website.

The request for interested parties to make application for the unpaid position to coach the Yau Yee League Select team went up on the leagues website with only a couple of weeks left of the season.

I’d like to think that my experience and coaching qualifications from the Football Federation Australia and the English FA put me in with a chance. The other string to my bow, as I suggested in my application, was my experience of coaching sevens football to numerous youth teams over the last many, many years of my professional coaching career. It might be little league, but believe me when I say the standard is very high, both technically and tactically.

A week later and I received an email from Matt Seddon (Yau Yee League representative and Select team manager) telling me the good news that I had been selected, along with James Dean (another coaching professional) to plan for and coach the team that would compete in this years tournament. Tommy Vincent (Yau Yee League representative) completed the Yau Yee League Selects management “dream team” for the coming tournament.

James and I were brought together supposedly to pick out some “canon fodder” for the pro teams arriving in Hong Kong in around 7 weeks time. Obviously this was due to the outstanding resumes, credentials and experience both James and myself possessed. I was later to find out (true or not?) that we were the only two people who had applied, so I guess we were the perfect candidates for the job.

It was then released which teams would be coming to the tournament and among the expected Aston Villa (five times champions) West Ham Utd, Leicester City, Newcastle Utd there were some new big names to the tournament, Stoke City and Athletico Madrid. We were ecstatic when the draw was made.

So trying to cut this (what is becoming a longer than expected) long story short, we had around 6 weeks to cut down a squad of over 40 nominated players to a squad of ten and coach them for what we wanted to try and achieve in the tournament (preferably something a little better than “cannon fodder”).

#believe

After day one of the tournament was complete, we took some praise from the tournament organisers on their social media page.

We had defied the odds and through victories over Stoke City and Hong Kong’s National U20’s Team, we had shaken off our “cannon fodder” status, had knocked Stoke and Hong Kong out of the Cup competition and we were through to the next round along side Athletico Madrid, who had a lucky 2-1 victory over us after coming from behind with the aid of light penalty (my story, my poetic licence!)

The results :

Yau Yee League Selcet 2-0 Stoke City

Athletico Madrid 2-1 Yau Yee League Select

Hong Kong National U20 1-2 Yau Yee League Select

So this put us into the Cup competition to play West Ham Utd, which although we had a few chances, West Ham took an early lead, sat on their one goal lead for most of the game and deserved their 1-0 win. (https://youtu.be/rgM53HQ5nmY?t=1357)

This put us directly into the Shield competition and set us up for a dream semi final against Aston Villa, the one team that had won this tournament more than any other team and we took them all the way to extra time and penalties where our goal keeper (Eugene Kan) has earned himself legend status and received an honourable mention at the post tournament dinner https://youtu.be/sw1_6SeHPcE?t=4810

“The Crazy Gang have beaten the culture club”

Would you believe it, the part timers from the “friendly league” of Hong Kong have knocked out the five times Champions of the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens and the one club that has produced more England Internationals than any other. The Yau Yee League Select marches to the final of the Shield competition.

The final proved to be a bridge just a little too far. Although we stayed in contention throughout, had a couple of good chances denied on the line, had a good penalty appeal turned down, we just couldn’t quite beat the professionals for the winners medal. BC Rangers played well throughout, had strength and experience in their team (along side some up-coming youth) and had scored a couple of good goals.

Yau Yee League Select 1-3 BC Rangers

Our guys gave everything they had left all the way to the end and the final 3-1 score line flatters to deceive our opposition who scored their final goal deep into added time when the game was already won.

I could not be prouder of our all round team performance and looking back at training on hill tops in thunder and lightning storms, standing in one inch deep of “black rain” water, I am now 100% sure the football gods were smiling on us all the way back then.

During a long a painful Covid lockdown in Hong Kong, I pieced this little memento together of the fun we had.

Success is the ongoing pursuit of meaningful, well-defined goals. According to Locke’s Goal-Setting Theory, setting clear, specific, and challenging goals greatly increases motivation and performance. So, how do we effectively set and achieve our goals? Start by working backwards.

1. Define Your Ultimate Goal: Begin with your overall aim—whether it’s winning a football match or mastering a skill. In football, the ultimate goal is simple: score more than your opponent. But to do that, you need a plan. Locke’s theory emphasizes that goals should be specific and challenging but achievable. A vague goal like “play better” won’t help much. Instead, aim for “improve ball control to reduce turnovers.”

2. Break it Down into Smaller Goals: Once you know your ultimate goal, break it down into smaller, more specific goals. This approach aligns with Locke’s theory, which stresses that setting smaller sub-goals helps maintain focus and motivation. For instance, if your ultimate goal is to win the game, smaller objectives might include:

• Learning how to create scoring opportunities
• Perfecting your shooting technique
• Developing strategies to regain possession
• Practicing defensive tactics to stop your opponent

Each smaller goal contributes to the larger goal, giving you clear, actionable steps to follow.

3. Increase Commitment Through Challenge: Locke’s theory highlights that the more challenging the goal, the more effort and commitment it inspires. For example, when you focus on something specific like “improve accuracy in shooting with your weaker foot,” you’re challenging yourself, which increases your investment in reaching that goal. Make sure your goals stretch your abilities without being unrealistic.

4. Use Feedback to Adjust: Another crucial part of Locke’s theory is the importance of feedback. Regularly check your progress on each small goal. Are you mastering your defensive positioning? Are you consistently creating goal-scoring chances? Feedback from a coach or self-assessment helps you adjust and stay on track. Coaches can help you prioritize and refine your goals, making sure you’re always moving toward your larger objective.

5. Write it Down for Clarity: Locke also notes that writing down your goals enhances commitment. When you see your goals on paper, you visualize them and stay focused. This helps to maintain motivation as you work through each stage of the process.

By breaking your ultimate goal into manageable steps and following Locke’s principles of specific, challenging goals with regular feedback, you’re more likely to stay motivated and achieve your desired outcome.

In football and life, success is about clarity, consistency, and progression. Whether you’re on the pitch or pursuing personal growth, setting clear, well-defined goals will keep you moving forward toward your bigger dreams.

Here’s a useful tip: Do not tell unnecessary people your goals, tell only people who will encourage you to commit to the goals you set out to achieve.  (see the video below)

“The 5 P’s” is a handy acronym often used in the British military, designed to help you remember a key idea:

Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

This serves as a reminder to players that training isn’t just about the here and now—it’s about preparing for something bigger. It also keeps everyone aware that there’s always more to focus on as we train.

In addition to the core 5 P’s, we can consider five other P’s that are directly related to how our team plays football:

Passing, Possession, Position, Pace, Pressure.

Let’s break them down:

1. Passing

The ball always moves faster than any player. The team that passes quickly and accurately will almost always have the upper hand. Since football is played with our feet, ground passes are the easiest for teammates to control. With defenders constantly closing down space, the most successful pass is typically about 10 yards (9.144 meters).

This is a distance that, with practice, every player should be able to complete successfully 100% of the time. That’s why I emphasize short, quick passes to keep the ball moving and maintain control. Being confident to be able to pass and receive is incredibly important.

2. Possession

The ball is your most valuable asset. With it, you can win the game; without it, you can’t. When we have possession, it’s crucial to use the ball wisely—make decisions that are in our favor, and don’t panic. Keep possession when needed, and be ready to move quickly when an opportunity to attack presents itself. We should never give up possession of the ball cheaply. We can do this by understanding the attacking principles of play. 

If we do lose the ball, we must act quickly to get it back, showing both focus and determination.

3. Position

Based on our formation, what phase of play we are in (ie: do we have the ball or not) and where we are on the field in relation to our teammates, the ball and the opposition. When we have the ball, positioning is all about creating angles and opportunities for the teammate with possession. It could mean moving to a position to receive a pass or moving to draw a defender away to open up space for others. Again, all based around the attacking principles of play.

When the opponent has the ball, a player’s job may be to press an opponent, or to fill space in ways related to our team’s formation or our collective team philosophy at any given time. Again, this is often based around the principles of play, but often players can have specific instructions, while other players may need to adapt to what is happening in the moment. Communication is key here—players should talk to one another to ensure everyone knows where they need to be.

4. Pace

Pace isn’t just about speed—it’s about timing. A pass should be delivered at the right moment, just as the receiving player arrives. It also applies to how our team reacts as a whole. For example, if the opponents have everyone packed into the final third (near  their own goal), we may not want to rush. Instead, slow down, pull them out of their defensive shape, and strike with pace when the moment is right.

Want to see this in action? Watch how Brazil plays Argentina in this futsal match. Brazil holds possession while Argentina defends efficiently. When an Argentine defender breaks rank, Brazil seizes the opportunity to attack swiftly.

5. Pressure

Pressure is created when there are more players in a smaller area of the pitch. You can easily demonstrate this during a training session, by reducing the size of the area that you play in. Less space means a higher concentration of players in the space, increased pace of passing and movement of players to maintain possession. 

The application of pressure is predominantly the requirement of the defending team, or the team without the ball. Pressure can be applied to try and win the ball back, and more often is created in areas of the pitch that would provide the opponent a high chance opportunity for scoring or creating a goal (such as in Zone 14!).

When we lose the ball, we often immediately press to regain control of the ball, by reducing the opposition’s time and space to make decisions and ultimately force errors that transfer possession of the ball back to us.

When we have the ball, we might be seen as putting pressure on an opponent by following our attacking principles and moving the ball into their half and closer to their goal. This forces our opponents to defend/compress nearer the ball (which creates the pressure). We try to make them do this in areas of the field that ultimately creates more space (reduces pressure) in the other areas of the field that we actually want to attack, like those in front of the goal (zone 14).  If the opposition does a good job of applying pressure on us that might cause us to lose the ball, we can release the pressure by playing the ball back into our half — where having more space and time allows us to regroup and keep possession.  (Again, you can see this in the Brazil v Argentina futsal video)

All these principles reflect conversations I had with Michel Bruyninckx, the Academy Director at Royal Standard Liège Football Club, whose insights helped shape my approach.

Michel uses the acronym MAT to guide his players: Movement, Angles, Timing. These ideas align with the 5 P’s but specifically focus on attacking play. Michel encourages players to move the ball with their first touch, which changes the angles on the field and forces the opposition to react. This allows us to dictate the flow of the game.

Michel also shared a simple but powerful insight that will change how I coach 1v1 situations:

In a 1v1, you dribble to attack space, not just to “take someone on.”

The key point is that when you’re in a 1v1, moving forces your opponent to move, which opens up new spaces to exploit—either by passing or dribbling. It’s not about flashy moves; it’s about controlling space and time.

Football isn’t just a series of individual battles—it’s a game of evolving space and moments. Understanding this makes all the difference in how we play.