It's great that Premier League is restarting - but kids have just as much right to play

Finally we have a date for the Premier League to restart, and thank goodness for that.

But kids at grass roots levels have as much right to play football as our elite stars.

We cannot have children watching games being played behind closed doors on TV and asking their parents: “Why am I not allowed to play?”

Scientific evidence suggests younger age groups are the least vulnerable to contracting coronavirus and chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, says it’s safer to play outdoors.

With lockdown measures being eased another notch on Monday, the FA have told me they will be working with the Government to issue clear and immediate guidelines for the restoration of coaching down the pyramid.

That’s good news, but the directive has to be clear, concise and NOW.

Other sports – notably tennis, golf and cricket – are up and running again, within certain limits, and I have two major worries about football.

One: If the Government and FA don’t publish explicit guidelines for the return of small-group coaching in football, I fear some kids will just go down to the park and kick a ball among themselves, regardless of social distancing rules.

Surely it’s better if sessions down the park are organised and comply with the rules?

And Two: In the long term, football at junior levels is going to need more investment than ever – or the supply chain of talent right up to professional and Premier League ranks will be broken.

I’m talking about access to pitches, maintenance of playing surfaces, helping parents who may have been laid off or forced to take pay cuts during the shutdown, and keeping clubs afloat.

Former chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Damian Collins has sent a letter to the FA and EFL, as well culture secretary Oliver Dowden, calling for urgent action to “save professional football as we know it.”

I am grateful that Mr Collins also recognises the importance of a clear plan to bring back coaching in grass roots football as a priority. He even tweeted about my questions to health secretary Matt Hancock at a Downing Street briefing last week.

I’m disappointed that Mr Dowden has proved elusive, despite my efforts to contact him.

But shadow sports minister Alison McGovern tweeted it was “great news” that the FA will be working closely with the Government about the latest social distancing guidelines, and what they mean for grass roots football.

And I have been in touch with the task force set up by the Government to get sport back up and running, and I am waiting to hear back from them.

I’m not saying I have friends in high places, but hopefully I have provided a voice for thousands of boys and girls aged 7-16 who have had 11 weeks of their childhood taken away by a pandemic.

And hopefully I have given a voice to thousands of parents who stand on a touchline, often in the cold and wet, to provide kids with their football ‘fix’ every weekend.

The social media reaction to my appearance at the Downing Street briefing has been overwhelmingly supportive.

A few of you seem to think it was a vanity project, or that I did it for personal glory.

Wrong! I was passionate as a player and the captain of four Premier League clubs and now, as a parent who coaches an Under-14 team on Sunday mornings, I’m a passionate advocate of grass-roots football.

After the Prime Minister’s announcement on Thursday that groups of up to six people can meet outdoors, the way is clear for small-group coaching sessions for juniors which comply with all safeguarding and social distancing requirements.

I would love to think the Government and FA will open the doors for us from next week, and these are the sessions I would like to put on for my Under-14 team:

1 to 1 session

1. Ball mastery 15 mins

Player has a ball, coach has a ball

Player and coach work in 10m x 10m box and the two boxes are 10m apart

The coach demonstrates different technical actions for the player to follow (step over, double step over etc.)

2. Passing and receiving 15 mins

Coach and player 12m apart

Both player and coach pass the ball to each other using different techniques (side foot, driven pass, lofted pass)

3. SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) 15 mins

Fast feet work through cones or over ladders

Coach observes the player’s technique from 3m to keep social distancing

When the coach needs to correct/coach the player’s technique the player will exit the practice to allow the coach to demonstrate from a safe distance.

4. Shooting 15 mins

The coach serves the ball to the player from either side of the goal

The receiving player is 10m/15 m away

The receiving player takes a good first touch and then with his second touch shoots at goal

Continue the process but keep changing the angle the ball is being served in from

Group coaching: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 players

1. Ball mastery 15 mins

Each player works in their own 5m x5m grid/box

Each player performs a technical action set by the coach

Kick ups, turns, forward moves, side moves

2. Passing and receiving 15 mins

Players work in pairs 10m/12m apart with one ball per pair

Players score a goal/point by passing the ball through a gate placed in the middle of the practice

Players will use different passing techniques and both feet to get the ball through the gate

Play for 3 mins, most goals wins

Challenge the players by making the gate smaller each round

3. SAQ work 15 mins

The coach sets up 2 SAQ drills 5m apart

The players line up 2m apart at the start of the drill the go through the sequence the coach has set

Once the player has reached the end of the sequence he returns to the start of the practice and the next player goes.

While in the queue all players remain at least 2m apart

4. Shooting

The players are in two lines facing the goal

All players are are 2m apart

Team 1 on the left, team 2 on the right

Both teams are 8m apart

Each player has their own ball

The players takes it in turns to dribble at a mannequin facing their team, perform a forward move to beat the mannequin then shoot at goal

After each shot the players retrieve their own ball and return to their team

Most goals scored wins, change sides every 3 mins

• Social distancing will be maintained by placing cones/flat discs on the floor where the players form a queue.
• Each player will also have their own designated area around the pitch to place their equipment/ drinks bottle.

In the United States, the ‘Return to Play’ guidelines for football – at all levels - are clearly mapped out in four phases.

For the well-being and mental health of our young people, it’s time to let the kids play football again here, too.

If we deny them any longer, we risk our children turning their backs on football and having the fittest thumbs and fingers in Europe – because they will spend all day on the X-Box or PlayStation instead.