Phases and Principles

Module: Master The Game: 12-18 Years Old Classroom: Use The 360TFT Game Model Original Location: https://www.skool.com/coachingacademy/classroom/62d426ee

TLDR

Every moment in football fits into one of four phases: In Possession, Out Of Possession, Transition to Attack, and Transition to Defend. What separates good players from great ones is how they think and act within each phase. This framework breaks those moments down into teachable principles that connect to game-relevant actions players must master to impact matches.

In possession, I coach players to take up purposeful positions, retain the ball under pressure, break lines intelligently, and create finishing opportunities. Out of possession, I teach compactness, pressing cues, anticipation, and 1v1 resilience. The two transition phases, often where games are won, require speed, clarity, structure, and mental sharpness.

These aren’t just concepts but behaviours I train, repeat, and refine over time. Together, these phases form the backbone of Master The Game. They help me teach with intention and help players understand the ‘why’ behind every decision, no matter their position, system, or style of play. This framework ensures that every coaching moment connects to game reality and builds genuine understanding rather than just mechanical responses.

The Core Topics Behind Master The Game

Every moment in football fits into one of four phases:

What separates good players from great ones is how they think and act within each phase.

This framework breaks those moments down into teachable principles. Each principle connects to game-relevant actions that players must master to impact matches. These aren’t just concepts, they’re behaviours we train, repeat, and refine over time.

The Four Phases

In Possession

We coach players to:

Out of Possession

We teach:

Transition Phases

The two transition phases, often where games are won, require:

The Backbone of Master The Game

Together, these phases form the backbone of Master The Game.

They help coaches teach with intention, and help players understand the ‘why’ behind every decision, no matter their position, system, or style of play.

This content is part of the 360TFT Football Coaching Academy - Use The 360TFT Game Model