04/10/2026
SH PAC FC U12s
MYSL U13s Division 1
Squad: Max (GK), Frankie, William, George, Dan, Luca, Freddie, Aayan, Ben, Harry, Arthur and Owen.
We chose to play a year up because we wanted these boys to be challenged, to learn and to discover more about what they are capable of. This morning gave us all three.
Another physically strong opposition, with the difference in size noticeable from the moment we arrived.
In the first half, that physical advantage told. They were winning the first contact and collecting the second ball, making it difficult for us to establish possession and get our football flowing.
But our boys held their ground. We were slower going forward than we wanted to be, yet there was strength in how we stayed in the contest. They kept giving themselves a chance to find a way into the game.
Half time arrived at the right moment.
Sometimes the most important part of coaching is reminding a child of something you can see clearly, but they are still learning to believe about themselves.
These boys have the tools.
The scanning to recognise pressure before receiving. The body orientation to open the pitch. The first touch to move beyond an opponent’s reach. The supporting angles to give a teammate more than one option.
They can combine in tight spaces, use a set pass to find a player facing forward and recognise when movement beyond the ball can take an opponent away from the next passing lane.
We did not need them to become bigger footballers at half time. We needed them to trust the footballers they already are.
And at 11 years old, they need to know that our belief in them does not disappear when a game becomes difficult.
Their response after the break was outstanding.
The boys came out and played proper football. There was quality, commitment and a determination to use their ability rather than let the physical difference decide how they approached the game.
In possession, the challenge was to make the ball and our movement do more of the work. Create separation before receiving, offer support beyond the first pass and change the angle when the direct route was blocked.
Playing forward does not always mean forcing the first forward pass. Sometimes a short combination draws an opponent out, a set back brings a teammate into the game, and the next pass breaks the line.
That is the intelligence we want our boys trusting. Moving the opposition rather than repeatedly meeting them in a physical contest.
Out of possession, the focus was on connection. Pressure on the ball supported by cover behind it, compact distances between players and an awareness of where the next pass or second ball could arrive.
Against a stronger opponent, positioning and anticipation matter. We might not win every first contact, but we can prepare for what follows, protect the space underneath the contest and react together.
The effort behind that second half deserves real recognition. They could not have given us more.
Now we have something important to build on.
The first half of last week’s match and the second half of this week’s match have shown us the football this group can produce.
The next step is connecting those halves within one performance. Carrying that belief from the first whistle, trusting their decisions and finding their rhythm earlier.
We are not asking them to reach a standard they have never shown us. They have already shown us it is there.
These boys are so humble that I do not think they realise just how well they are doing. They are taking on an older age group, working through difficult moments and still finding the courage to play their football.
I hope they go home knowing we see it.
The effort. The learning. The quality. All of it.
Proud coach again.
Sean.
