The co-founder of Give Us Back Our Game, Rick Fenoglio from Manchester University compiled a yearlong study of Manchester United’s 4 v 4 pilot programme (U9s). When comparing it to the 8 v 8 game he came up with the following findings.
‘In simplified, modified games, players learn to be aware and to improvise, to concentrate, and to recognise the situation. Skills are important, of course, but the value of skills is to be able to use them efficiently in a fraction of a second. Our practices should be one quarter skill training and three quarters applying those skills in endless situations.’
