Coaches Corner

🎙️ Deep Dive Drive – Episode 53: Are You Coaching the Game… or Just the Ball?

Kris Hatton Season 1 Episode 61

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0:00 | 7:37

In this episode of Deep Dive Drive, recorded on my morning commute, I explore a question that sits right at the centre of player development:

Are you coaching the game… or are you just coaching the ball?

It’s easy for sessions to become focused purely on technical actions — passing, dribbling, shooting — all centred around what happens when a player has the ball at their feet. But football is far bigger than that.

The real game happens in the moments without the ball.

In this episode, I talk about:

  • Why understanding the game is more important than just executing techniques
  • The importance of movement, positioning, and awareness off the ball
  • How decision-making shapes performance
  • Why scanning, communication, and understanding space are crucial skills
  • The difference between teaching techniques and developing football intelligence

This episode is a reminder that great players don’t just react when they receive the ball — they understand the game before the ball even arrives.

If you want to develop smarter, more complete footballers, your coaching has to go beyond the ball and into the wider game.

Teach the game. Not just the touch.

One drive at a time.

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