Pre-Season Football Training Guide: Complete 6-Week Preparation Plan

Why Pre-Season Preparation Determines Your Season Success

Pre-season isn’t just about fitness. It’s about building the foundation for everything your team will do over the next 9 months.

What successful pre-seasons achieve:

• Physical preparation for match demands
• Tactical understanding and automatic responses
• Team chemistry and communication
• Individual skill development continuation
• Mental preparation and goal setting

The Problem with Traditional Pre-Season: Most coaches focus purely on fitness or purely on tactics. The 360TFT approach integrates everything simultaneously, making players fitter AND better at football.

The Complete 6-Week Pre-Season Framework

Week 1-2: Foundation Phase

Physical Focus: Base fitness and injury prevention
Tactical Focus: Basic team shape and principles
Team Building: Getting to know each other and establishing culture

Week 3-4: Development Phase

Physical Focus: Sport-specific fitness with ball
Tactical Focus: System understanding and roles
Team Building: Communication and leadership development

Week 5-6: Integration Phase

Physical Focus: Match-intensity training
Tactical Focus: Game situations and set pieces
Team Building: Competition preparation and mental preparation

Week 1: Foundation Building

Session Structure (90 minutes):

Warm-Up (15 min):

• Light jogging with ball work
• Dynamic stretching sequence
• Basic passing patterns

Physical Development (25 min):

• Aerobic base building
• Core strength circuits
• Flexibility and mobility work

Technical Skills (25 min):

• First touch under pressure
• Passing accuracy drills
• 1v1 situations

Tactical Introduction (20 min):

• Basic formation shape
• Player roles explanation
• Simple possession games

Cool Down (5 min):

• Light stretching
• Team discussion
• Next session preview

Key Week 1 Objectives:

✓ Assess individual fitness levels
✓ Introduce basic team principles
✓ Establish training intensity expectations
✓ Begin building team communication
✓ Identify leadership qualities

Week 2: Building Connections

Physical Progression:

• Increase training intensity by 10%
• Add position-specific fitness elements
• Introduce agility and reaction training

Tactical Development:

• Formation Understanding: Players learn their positions in 4-3-3 or chosen system
• Pressing Triggers: When and how to press as a team
• Build-Up Patterns: Simple ways to play out from the back

Sample Week 2 Training Session:

Warm-Up with Purpose (15 min):

Station 1: Passing triangle with movement
Station 2: 1v1 duels in small area
Station 3: Shooting from different angles
Rotate every 5 minutes

Fitness Integration (20 min):

3v3+2 possession games in 30x20 area
4-minute games, 2-minute active rest
Focus: Maintaining possession under pressure
Physical demand: High-intensity intervals

Tactical Blocks (30 min):

11v11 positioned practice:
- Ball starts with goalkeeper
- Build through midfield
- Create chances in final third
- Stop and coach every 2 minutes

Week 3-4: System Integration

Advanced Tactical Work:

Attacking Principles:

• Width and depth in possession
• Creating overloads in wide areas
• Penetrating through central areas
• Finishing patterns from wide positions

Defending Principles:

• Compactness and pressure
• Cover and balance
• Transition from attack to defense
• Set piece organization

Position-Specific Training:

Defenders:

• 1v1 defending techniques
• Communication and organization
• Distribution under pressure
• Aerial duel preparation
• Learn More: Complete System methodology for detailed position-specific development

Midfielders:

• Receiving in tight spaces
• Switching play quickly
• Box-to-box fitness demands
• Link play between lines

Forwards:

• Movement in the box
• Hold-up play techniques
• Creating space for teammates
• Clinical finishing under pressure

Week 5-6: Match Preparation

Match Simulation Training:

Tuesday Session:

Full 11v11 match simulation
- Official referee
- Full match conditions
- Tactical adjustments at halftime
- Post-match analysis

Thursday Session:

Set piece masterclass:
- Attacking corners and free kicks
- Defensive organization
- Throw-in routines
- Penalty taking practice

Saturday Session:

Match preparation:
- Light technical work
- Team shape rehearsal
- Mental preparation
- Final tactical reminders

Physical Conditioning Throughout Pre-Season

Week 1-2 Focus: Aerobic Base

• Volume: High
• Intensity: Medium (70-80% max heart rate)
• Methods: Continuous running, long possession games
• Related Reading: Winter Football Training Guide for seasonal adaptation methods

Week 3-4 Focus: Anaerobic Power

• Volume: Medium
• Intensity: High (85-95% max heart rate)
• Methods: Interval training, small-sided games

Week 5-6 Focus: Match Simulation

• Volume: Match-realistic
• Intensity: Game intensity with recovery
• Methods: Full games, competition simulation

Team Building Integration

Week 1: Getting to Know You

• Player introductions and background sharing
• Individual goal setting sessions
• Team bonding activities off the pitch
• Communication style identification

Week 3: Building Trust

• Partner challenges and support exercises
• Leadership rotation opportunities
• Conflict resolution practice
• Collective problem-solving activities

Week 5: Competition Preparation

• Mental preparation techniques
• Pressure situation training
• Team identity establishment
• Pre-match routine development

Sample Daily Training Plans

Early Pre-Season Session (Week 1):

Monday - Foundation Fitness

Warm-up: 15 min - Ball work and mobility
Fitness: 25 min - Base building runs
Technical: 25 min - Passing under pressure
Tactical: 20 min - Formation introduction
Cool-down: 5 min - Stretching and reflection

Wednesday - Technical Focus

Warm-up: 15 min - Dynamic movement
Technical: 35 min - 1v1 and finishing
Small games: 30 min - 4v4+2 possession
Tactical: 10 min - Set piece introduction
Cool-down: 5 min

Mid Pre-Season Session (Week 3):

Tuesday - System Development

Warm-up: 15 min - Position-specific preparation
Tactical: 40 min - 11v11 shape work
Physical: 20 min - Sprint intervals with ball
Game: 15 min - Conditioned game applying session theme
Cool-down: 5 min

Late Pre-Season Session (Week 5):

Thursday - Match Preparation

Warm-up: 20 min - Match tempo preparation
Set Pieces: 25 min - Attacking and defensive
Match Sim: 40 min - Full intensity scrimmage
Analysis: 5 min - Key points for weekend
Cool-down: 5 min

Monitoring Progress and Making Adjustments

Fitness Monitoring:

• Weekly fitness testing (simple shuttle runs)
• Heart rate monitoring during sessions
• Player self-assessment scores
• Injury tracking and prevention

Tactical Development Tracking:

• Video analysis of key moments
• Player understanding questionnaires
• On-field decision making assessment
• Set piece execution success rates

Team Cohesion Indicators:

• Communication frequency during games
• Support behavior between players
• Response to adversity in training
• Leadership emergence and distribution

Common Pre-Season Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Too Much Too Soon

• Problem: Overloading players leads to injuries
• Solution: Progressive loading with rest built in

Mistake 2: Fitness Only Focus

• Problem: Players get fit but don’t improve at football
• Solution: Always train with the ball when possible

Mistake 3: Ignoring Team Building

• Problem: Technically good team that doesn’t play well together
• Solution: Integrate team building into every session

Mistake 4: No Clear Progression

• Problem: Random training without building toward goals
• Solution: Each week builds on the previous week’s work

Mistake 5: Neglecting Individual Needs

• Problem: One-size-fits-all approach doesn’t develop all players
• Solution: Position-specific work and individual development goals

Making Pre-Season Enjoyable

Variety in Training:

• Different formats every session
• Competition elements throughout
• Player choice in some activities
• Regular position rotations for fun

Recognition and Motivation:

• Weekly awards for different qualities
• Progress celebration moments
• Individual achievement recognition
• Team milestone celebrations

Player Input:

• Session feedback opportunities
• Training preference discussions
• Goal setting involvement
• Leadership role rotation

Preparing for the Season Ahead

Final Week Checklist:

• All players match-fit and confident
• Team understands basic tactical system
• Set pieces practiced and organized
• Communication patterns established
• Individual roles clearly defined
• Mental preparation completed
• Equipment and logistics organized
• First match lineup and tactics decided

Setting Season Expectations:

• Individual Development Goals: Each player has 3 specific areas to improve
• Team Performance Targets: Realistic but challenging team objectives
• Playing Style Identity: Clear understanding of how the team wants to play
• Values and Standards: Non-negotiable behaviors and attitudes
• Assessment Tools: Use our Coach’s Compass diagnostic to identify team strengths and development areas

Transitioning into Regular Season

Week 7 and Beyond:

• Maintain fitness levels achieved
• Continue tactical development
• Integrate new players if needed
• Adapt system based on early match experiences
• Build on pre-season foundation

Remember: Pre-season is an investment. The work you put in during these 6 weeks will pay dividends throughout the entire season. Focus on building strong foundations rather than trying to perfect everything immediately.

The teams that prepare systematically in pre-season are the ones still playing their best football at the end of the season.

Want more systematic coaching methods? This guide is part of our complete coaching methodology and seasonal training resources. The 360TFT Academy provides complete seasonal training programs with ready-to-use sessions for every phase of the football calendar. Join 1200+ coaches getting better results through systematic preparation.