Player development
Parents often ask us what professional football training really looks like, and whether young players can benefit from the same approach. The honest answer is yes, when it is adapted properly. This article explains how professional players train, and how we bring those same standards into our sessions for children across Rochdale, Bury and the wider Manchester area.
How do professional footballers train?
Professional players train most days of the week, but every session has a clear purpose. A typical session lasts around 90 minutes and blends technical work on the ball, tactical understanding, physical preparation and small sided games. Nothing is random. Each drill is chosen to build a specific habit that shows up on match day.
Just as important is what happens around the session. Professionals warm up properly, work at high intensity for short bursts, and recover well. The biggest lesson for young players is not the volume of training, it is the quality and focus of every minute.
What that means for your child
Children are not small adults, and professional training should never be copied directly onto a seven year old. What can be copied is the standard. Clear objectives for every session. High repetition of the right techniques. Honest, encouraging feedback. A positive environment where players are challenged at their own level.
That is exactly how we coach at S&S. Our 1 to 1 sessions, small group training and football camps are built around the same principles used in professional academies, scaled to the age and ability of each player from U6 through to U15 and beyond.
Coaches who have lived it
This approach comes from real experience. Coach Zack Stokes spent 10 years at Burnley FC Academy, competed internationally in Holland and Germany, played for Stockport County and in high level university football in the United States. Coach Dean Stokes is a former professional footballer at Port Vale, part of a promotion winning squad, a UEFA qualified coach and a Physical Education teacher with over 20 years of experience.
Between them they have seen exactly how professional environments develop players, and they bring that knowledge into every session we run.
How many hours should a young player train?
Professional adults may train for several hours a day, but for children the right amount depends on age, enjoyment and recovery. For most young players, one or two focused coaching sessions a week alongside their club football is far more effective than constant training. Short, high quality sessions build better habits than long, tired ones.
If you are unsure what is right for your child, we are always happy to talk it through and recommend a sensible starting point.
Try it for yourself
We offer a limited number of free introductory sessions so players and parents can experience our coaching first hand. If you are looking for professional standard football training for your child in Manchester, we would love to hear from you.