Simple to use Pre season 7 weeks plan for football coaches with drills – 3rd Week

Below is an example of a simple 3rd week of a pre season 7 weeks plan period. The 3rd week is used by football coaches to add some friendly games and to work on the strength and anaerobic aspects of the physical condition. Many exercises will have fewer players and will be more intensive. The pre season should always follow a basic guidelines structure to endure the efficiency of the training and also the safety of the players.

Before reading the below, you should first read the 1st week of the pre season 7 weeks plan.

Read the first two weeks of the pre season plan:

For professional teams, the 3rd week of the pre season is offered to visit a training center either abroad or inside the country. The training center should be at a high altitude. Football coaches will have more time with the team to work their game model.

Day 1

Morning – Off

Afternoon – 75′

  • 10′ Light running
  • 10′ Dynamic strength and football steps exercises (back steps defense, side running etc.)
  • 15′ Rondos 5 v 2 or 6 v 2
  • 10′ Core stability exercises
  • 20′ Phase of the game – Tactics (Work on defense) – mainly low intensity
  • 10′ Core stability exercises


Day 2

Morning – 80′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Technique working in two’s (passing, receiving, feints, dribbling)
  • 10′ Passing drill
  • 40′ Basic Stretch Aerobic Endurance (work with the ball and without the ball – with 2′ between the sets) – work on 2 x 4′ with 2′ break in between and then change groups and rest for 2′
    • Group A – Play a 7 v 2 possession game with transitions
    • Group B – Play a 7 v 2 possession game with transitions
    • Group C intensive running without the ball and with the ball outside the pitch
      • Pyramid Fartlek runs
      • Sprint 5 m forward (85 – 90% HRMAX) and jog slowly back and rest
      • Sprint 10 m forward (85 – 90% HRMAX) and jog slowly back and rest
      • Sprint 15 m forward (85 – 90% HRMAX) and jog slowly back and rest
      • Sprint 20 m forward (85 – 90% HRMAX) and jog slowly back and rest
  • 10′ Core stability exercises
Pyramid Fartlek runs for football coaches training
Pyramid Fartlek runs

Afternoon – 90′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Passing drill
  • 16′ Possession Game in 2 zones – work on pressing and counter-pressing (3 x 4′ with 2′ break between the sets) – see below the image
  • 25′ Small Sided Game with the teams continuously getting inside and out – Play 6 v 6 v 6 with two teams playing and one resting. The team who concedes the goal gets out and switches with the resting team (3 x 6′)
  • 20′ Phase of the game – Tactics (Work on high pressing)
  • 10′ Cool down
Possession Game in 2 zones - work on transitions
Possession Game in 2 zones


Day 3

Morning – 75′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Dynamic stretches and football steps exercises (back defense, side running etc.)
  • 23′ Basic Strength exercises in 10 stations – 2 x 10′
    • In each station, there are 3 players
    • They work simultaneously for 25 seconds and for 20 seconds work on passing in 3s. Rest for 35 seconds
    • Between the 2 sets rest for 3′
  • 10′ Possession games in tight areas – 3 v 1 in a 7 m x 7 m box – 3 x 2′
  • 10′ Work on tactics in 2 groups
    • Positioning of the back 4 defense in the defensive 1/3
    • Attacking lines – work on attackers and midfielders combinations in the final 1/3
  • 10′ Cool down

Afternoon – 85′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Technique working in 4s (passing, receiving, feints, dribbling)
  • 15′ Positional Game (like Positional Game 4 v 4 + 3 neutrals) – 3 x 4′ with 1′ and 30 seconds break between
  • 12′ Small Sided game 6 v 6 with tactical elements – 2 x of 5′ and 2′ break in between
  • 15′ Set pieces
  • 10′ Cool down


Day 4

Morning – 70′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Warm up with the ball and passive drill 2 v 1
  • 15′ Work in Speed-Power and transfer the drill to a 2 v 1 situation (2 x 5′)
    • The players are split in 1/2 pitch based on their positions and complete 6 – 7 speed-power exercises and then go for a 2 v 1 finishing action
  • 15′ Work in Speed-Power and transfer the drill to a 3 v 2 situation (2 x 5′)
    • The players are split in 1/2 pitch based on their positions and complete 6 – 7 speed-power exercises and then go for a 3 v 2 finishing action
  • 10′ Cool down

Afternoon – 90′

  • 5′ Light running
  • 15′ Passing drill
  • 30′ Phase of game – work on tactics (4 x 5′ with 2′ break between)
    • The players relationships should be 6 v 4, 7 v 5 etc.
    • Preferably work on the defensive aspect of the game model
  • 20′ Game 1 1v 11 in 3/4
  • 10′ Cool down


Day 5

Morning – 85′

  • 8′ Light running
  • 15′ Warm up without the ball (see example for 4 line warm up without the ball)
  • 20′ Strength (work in circle in 10 stations)
    • In each station work in pairs
    • They work simultaneously for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds
  • 3′ Active break
  • 55′ Work in two groups
    • Group A: Shadow game – tactics without opponent (for example work on the build up)
    • Group B: Foot tennis
  • 10′ Cool down

Afternoon – off


Day 6

Morning – off

Afternoon – 90′

  • Friendly game – play 2 x 40′
  • Football coaches should give 40′ to each player
  • It’s a game where players can also be tested in different positions

Conclusion for the Pre season 7 weeks plan

The above is just an example of the 3rd week of a Pre season 7 weeks plan. Football coaches can use any possession or positional exercises he wishes to implement his game plan.

The Pre season 7 weeks plan can be amended by football coaches and physical condition trainers to apply for a youth team U17, U19, or a senior team. For coaches who work with amateur teams, the morning and afternoon sessions can be blended. In the first week, a coach should emphasize the physical condition and then start to increase the tactical training exercises.

For pre season 7 weeks plan individual and collective exercises check the Coach Voice Academy platform. This is a platform that all football coaches should check.

Coach Voice Academy platform for Pre-season 7 weeks plan

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