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To go Round the Back…  x12
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| Planet Field Hockey |
August 8, 2001 
Jools Autret
> Page Views 11747
To go round the back…
As a defender, I always find it frustrating not to get the ball when you are the only option available. Midfielders and forwards usually forget that our role apart from defending is one of support.
They should learn to go round the back!!!! They always (or often) want to go forward. But the defence is so important to make them achieve that. The role of the defence is not confined to one of tackling and passing forward. Rather (well, I strongly believe so) the defence line is there to "attract" the opponents in a trap. To make them come forward, producing a gap between lines, allowing midfielders more movement. However, I understand the concerns of midfielders and forwards: "what if they lose the ball stupidly, allowing the other team to score?". Well, as the old say states : "Practise makes perfect". They have to rely on their fellow partners! They are useful as well.
To start with:
I would put 4 players at the back with the right and left back with a very important role: giving options to midfielders and go forward. Exercises such as 5x5 should be organised where the aim of the defence is to bring the ball as long as they can; playing in triangles with a lot of passing. EASY STUFF.
To go round the back is also helpful to learn how to clear the ball. This is different from "getting rid of it". Which people often do. Too many times, players play right in the centre, the most dangerous thing to do, against the golden rule. I would rather see a player striking the ball out, towards the side line and perhaps shout and express his/her disappointment (although against the team spirit).
Few options are usually available.
The ball should go round the back with the centre back or the sweeper and then play left or right and immediately offering support. Passes must be precise, with enough strength. Other options can be given by midfielders, "calling" for the ball by moving towards the side lines!
To go round the back involves not only the defence but also the midfielders. On that kind of exercise, aerial balls can be practised.
It is crucial for a team to use the defence (everybody knows that…). I know that skilful players will always find a small gap to pass the ball but how many times do they find the gap but nobody to receive the ball? Too many. Hockey is a game of strategy. The aim is to keep the ball, build a strategy and score, not to push forward and eventually score.
I have played left wing recently, and I understand why forwards don’t always come back…But I am not the fittest and I always do my best to help my team mates.
Jools 
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Comments on this article
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tim
08-08-2001 11:29 am
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Round the Back
What the hell do the red dotted lines signify?
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jools
08-08-2001 6:31 pm
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hellish red stuff...
dear tim,
as I said before, computers are hard to use...but I am ready to explain that to you. They basically mean that the player moves, as you might have noticed, players do run on a hockey pitch...this is my humour, probably as good as my diagrams
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jolly
08-08-2001 9:07 pm
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Should be taught earlier
I often find that this very important aspect of the game is not taught to juniors at an earlier age (u13 - u15). As you say it is a different aspect of the game. I am currently coaching an u15 team and before I taught them the back pass, they just used to belt it up without any thought resulting in a loss of possesion. I keep on drilling to them that possesion is the most important thing in a game and back passes are another way of maintaining it. Good article!
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Gilles
08-09-2001 3:33 am
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Round the back
I think jools has an interesting sense of humor :-), and he's explaining the foundations of modern hockey as well: the defenders' play around the back creates the movement needed to open gaps for the midfielders and forwards. Of course this option became general with the astroturf, because on grass it was sometimes tricky to play the ball around teammembers. Nevertheless, today many players keep playing rather forward (kick and rush-style)which sometimes can create surprises but most of the time this ends up in loosing the ball to the opponents. Playing around the back is something about having confidence in the skills of all players, creates more involvement, and keeps the team in control of the pace that it wants to put. Far more relaxing and constructive. I suspect this type of play is something that one has to learn and train, especially the youth. It reflects the degree of being open to exploring new options and that many ways can lead to a "Goaaaalll".
Cheers.
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jools
08-09-2001 10:13 am
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Thank you
thank you for your support.
Jolly you are right, these are things that people do not work on a lot. To pass towards the back is not a waste of time, unless wrongly executed, but rather a good way to take the opponents by surprise, you make them come forward, take their position and you accelerate when they are weaker. All you said is true!
To gilles, thanks a lot as well, your analysis is very interesting, I do believe like you. Team spirit is to be maintained in and out of the pitch. Confidence in partners is a key to success. As you said the astro has brought many developments to the way hockey used to be played.
Thanks
Jools
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Bob the Builder & Harry the Hockey player
08-16-2001 3:08 am
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Nice Ideas
Nice ideas,
I only wish you could take a course in Flash. Although difficult for you, it would be much clearer (besstest) for the reader.
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jools
08-16-2001 3:42 pm
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Graphs and articles...
Dear all,
I just want to tell you that there is a poll on PFH that could help me a lot so if you want things to change, just vote and I promise to do my best to help everybody...To Bob and Harry, sorry mates, my english is good enough but I don't understand you, if you could tell me what Flash is because I am a bit dull and I need some explanation as far as internet and computers are concerned as I believe I have qualities in some fields...
Thanks for your comments!!
jools-the-nutter23@wanadoo.fr
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Tim
08-31-2001 7:56 am
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Tips
In addition to what has been said regarding working the ball round the back, the following must be stressed:
* since there's an inherent danger, positioning is of the utmost importance; meaning your defenders must learn to make themselves available & on receiving the ball must have a destination
* in the diagram the defence is set up in an almost U-shape.It must be stressed that when working the ball round the ball the back,look to make the least passes.Which means at times u want to shift into a T-shape or V-shape which allows u to make 1 less pass. ie 3 instead of 4
*timing is also important.Ideally you would like to split the field in half straight down the middle.This means for eg, u encourage play down the left hand side for a short period & get your opponents to stack their defence on what would be their right hand side.Then the idea is to switch flanks & catch them on the counter on their weakened left hand.
* communication. Its essential to have a 'brain' in the middle of the field who can direct matters on the field ,however, all players should expect/anticipate receiving the ball at any given moment.
* Similarities with other sports:
I look to soccer/football for similarities. Soccer players have great vision & always have a destination for the ball.In addition they run off the ball very well.I make my team watch videos of ,eg the olympics, in a critical manner which not helps them develop their positional play but also their tactical awareness.This is particularly effective when coaching youth hockey, if they can visualise ,it helps them conceptualise which in turn improves their understanding. Even diagrams can be helpful.
Hope my 2cents worth strikes a chord.
lerato79@yahoo.com
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Jools
08-31-2001 11:04 am
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Tips from Tim
Although I did not understand things the first time, I must say that you said some very important things!!! Thanks for your contribution.
I would like to remind people that these are situations that are likely to happen...however one must bear in mind that a team is made of 11 players, this is just to make one part of the team work on a specific situation.
Tim is absolutely right about communication and to give option!!!
jools the nutter
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mel.emery
11-28-2001 11:40 am
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going around the back??
Hi,
I feel such a fool asking this. But, what the "Donald Duck" is that all about???
Can you give me an idiots guide to "going around the back"
slaters
Mel.
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Jools
11-28-2001 2:44 pm
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to go round the back...explanations
To go round the back means that instead of using square passes, you make sure that the ball is passed and the players are placed so that it goes round...nothing difficult about the concept and the idea behind it as the main aim is to switch from left to right or right to left...so that you make the opposition moves, to destabilize them...that's it!
hope it helps...
jools the nutter:p
ps: the donald duck thing sounds so american, are you?
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Andrew
05-07-2002 12:29 pm
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I support u
Our coach is also trying to get us to take i t back and switch. An important thing he said is that when a wing gets blockedin the corner, drop it to the link, who then either plays to centre link or left half....
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