Inside football blog: Swindon Town Development Centre at Brimscombe Industrial Estate. 09/01/2015

Went in to the session feeling good and I'm happy to say I was greeted by a full compliment of 16 players. The theme of this week's session was "dribbling" and after a 5 minute creative warm up led by my colleague and friend Jay Leman, 22, we began. My initial plan was to combine a session working on dribbling as well as focusing on developing their passing technique.

I began the session with something I did in a one-one coaching session the previous week with my students George Tully and Maxwell Moses aged 7 and 5. I split the group in to two and had each group start behind a line of 5 cones on their side of the pitch. All I initially asked them to do was dribble through the cones (going away from the goal), dribble around one cone, sprint to another, turn, run through the gates and have a strike at goal. Initially, the players began the session slowly and I stopped it. I asked them to accelerate when they went past the fifth lined up cone, slow down and accelerate again - just like you would in a game.

I progressed the session by doing rolls and touches through the 5 cones. Then I asked them to do a 'beat the man' move through the gates, before shooting. After that I added a defender to turn the exercise in to a skill drill. The boys were ALL good and responded when I asked them to go faster. They show respect and do their best.

I went in to a drill passing the ball across the pitch while the remainder of players dribbled through. Don't pass the ball against the players. I then got them to do a little passing drill in two groups, but it didn't work, before allowing the guys to play some football In a 4 v 4 game. They're looking good and Certain individuals are improving quickly. They are really begin to think and look like footballers.

It is my responsibility to keep pushing them and discovering new and effective drills, which will bring the best out of the players. Combined with the techniques and systems I can use to help to improve their football skills even more. That's it for this week.