Something us Tiger supporters know all too well .....Nathan Buckley calls for return to coaching fundamental skills Jesper Fjeldstad
Herald Sun January 31, 2010 COLLINGWOOD champion Nathan Buckley says football needs to shift its focus back to kicking and other fundamental skills.
And AIS coach Jason McCartney said young players with sub-standard kicking skills would not survive today because a premium is placed on retaining possession through accurate disposal.
Clubs can't afford them, with fewer balls sent to contests, and turnovers proving more costly.
Statistics can be misleading, with players often chalking up a high number of kicks and being lulled into thinking they are having a good day.
Instead, what has happened is rival teams allowed that player the ball because his disposal by foot is not as damaging as his teammates.
"With the advent of zones there's more pressure on the ball carrier than ever before," McCartney said. "You need to be very crisp with your kick.
"We talk about the variety of kicks you need to have and you've got to be able to hit that 25-30m target reasonably flat.
"The other one is the weighted kick. If you've got flaws in your technique with that ... (you're in trouble).
"With a couple of guys, oppositions don't mind if they have it because they know they might cough it up.
"Others they'll try to shut down because they know they can run and deliver."
Full article at:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/nathan-buckley-calls-for-return-to-coaching-fundamental-skills/story-e6frf9jf-1225825241030
