An intermediate football club coach is in a bind:
“I’ve a panel of 30 lads. In trial games I’ve always played the best backs against the best forwards, but now others tell me the best way to go is Possibles versus Probables or A versus B. What should I do?”

An intermediate football club coach is in a bind:
“I’ve a panel of 30 lads. In trial games I’ve always played the best backs against the best forwards, but now others tell me the best way to go is Possibles versus Probables or A versus B. What should I do?” 

For a start, count yourself fortunate that you have a panel of 30. So many clubs fail to keep that many on board up to adult level.

Having enough bodies for two teams leaves you in the happy position of being able to play trial games, which are invaluable to deciding your best 15, and then getting them to play as a team.

We put your question to a man who has coached and succeeded in the most demanding role in football – two-time All-Ireland winning Kerry coach, Jack O’Connor of Dromid Pearses.

“Early in the year I’d always play the best backs against the best forwards,” says the south Kerry man. “It toughens them up and gives them a more realistic challenge.”

But come the business end of the preparations, O’Connor advocates a change of tack.

“At this stage you have a strong idea of your starting 15 and I would play A versus B. A huge part of football is getting your backs to link up effectively with your forwards and this is something that needs to be worked on.

“Most teams are fine until they get up to halfway, but you need to be drilled in what to do at that point. The half-back line in particular are crucial. They kick most of the ball into the forwards.

“A versus B is very important for them. And, also, the forwards get used to the type of ball coming into them.”  

So, in answer to our intermediate coach: the best thing to do is follow the lead of men like O’Connor who do not stick rigidly to one particular format of trial game. Adapt your needs to the stage of development you are at.

Championship success in Gaelic Football is largely to do with timing your preparations; attaining your peak level of performance at the optimum time. And if the last hundred plus years has told us anything, it’s that there’s no-one better at timing a championship run than Kerry.

The Coach is compiled by Liam Horan. Questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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