HOME Football Answers Football COACHING Q&A

Football trial

what are the skills I should be looking for in a trial

Tony PalmerCoach, United Kingdom

1 answer

ANSWERS

Nolan PacovskyPlayer, United States

Usually you would want to focus on some specifics depending on the position because they all have different roles, but hereâs what I would look for

Forwards/Wingers: Crosses, Shot Accuracy, Dribbling in 1v1s,
Midfielders: Playmaking, Crosses, Long Shots,
Defenders: Spatial Awareness, Pass Intercepting and Lane Closure,
Goalkeepers: Positioning, Diving, Spatial Awareness, Long Passes, Being able to read the Play,
In General: Speed, Short Passes, Communication, Quick Reactions, Pressuring, Arial Battles, and Tackling

After finishing this only just saw itâs was posted 7 months ago so sorry if i bothered.

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

search our library of 500+ football drills
create your own professional coaching plans
or access our tried and tested plans

Football

STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_football

LATEST COACHING TRENDS

Set Piece Defending: Should Your Team Use Zonal or Man Marking?

Set pieces account for roughly a third of all goals in football, yet many coaches spend surprisingly little time coaching defensive organisation at corners and free kicks. This article compares zonal and man marking systems, explores hybrid approaches, and provides a practical session structure for building set piece resilience into your team.

April 2026

Sportplan Coaching

First Touch Under Pressure: The Skill That Separates Levels

A player's first touch determines everything that follows: whether they can play forward, turn, or simply retain the ball. This article explores why training first touch in isolation is not enough, and how to design sessions that develop this critical skill under realistic game pressure.

April 2026

Sportplan Coaching