North Essex Alliance Walking Football League by Gavin Aplin
When I first applied for funding to launch a Walking Football initiative at Brightlingsea Regent Football Club I wasn’t sure where the project would go or how many lives it would touch.
Some 3 years later and with a worldwide pandemic in between, I can confirm it has been one of the most worthwhile things I have ever undertaken in football.
To some, Walking Football is still a bit of joke. Middle aged men (and woman) trying to re capture some past glories by playing the slowed down version of the beautiful game. To those who participate it is often a lifeline not only to carry on playing the game they love but to meet new people, make new friends and be a part of a team environment with everything that can bring.
Walking Football is more challenging than you would think. You have to be accurate with your passing, be comfortable with your control and be able to anticipate the next pass or movement very quickly. You cannot make a bad pass better by running after it.
Communication, shape and teamwork is all important.
The Walking Football community in Brightlingsea has continued to grow and with between 16 and 20 players regularly attending training, the Club decided to enter the inaugural North Essex Alliance Walking League.
Eight teams compete in the League playing round robin League fixtures every few weeks.
Brightlingsea had very little experience in playing in a competitive League and despite the quality and hard work of the players, found ourselves bottom of the League after the first few rounds.
I once again offered my services as a coach to help support and mentor the team and fine tune the talent we already had. A few pointers here and ideas there has worked wonders with all of the players and things have started to improve in training and in the games.
Coaches can have lots of ideas and visions on how to play football no matter what the format but, it needs the players to accept the challenge, take on board and be open to the ideas and most importantly work hard to improve and implement the Coach’s vision.
It does not matter if a player is 15 or 50 if they are willing to work hard, challenge themselves to get better, fitter and stronger and put the work in, things will improve.
The previous round of matches had seen us climb off the bottom of the table and sit in a mid-table position.
The aim on Sunday at Halstead was to further consolidate our position and pick up the point to further climb the table.
Our fixtures matched us against Rowhedge, Wivenhoe and Clacton 60’s.
Goals really are at a premium in walking football. Twenty minute matches and a 3 touch rule make it imperative you 1 – don’t concede and 2 – take your chances.
In the first game I set up with a 1231 formation. It is important that you dominate the main central areas of the pitch at all times especially the middle of the pitch. These pivot areas form the top and base of passing triangles and players need to be aware to occupy these.
With no offsides the strikers can sit in behind defenders but is important they offer themselves for quick balls into feet, especially as an out ball for the goalkeeper.
We dominated possession against Rowhedge but struggled to create many clean chances. With hindsight, I could have been a little braver in possession but did not want to expose the team out of possession and wanted to keep a solid shape and not lose the first game.
After a nil nil draw and hearing Wivenhoe had nicked a win I felt it was time to be more aggressive and go on the front foot.
We played Wivenhoe in the next game. They are notoriously difficult to break down.
As a team near us in the table we needed to beat them.
Therefore I decided to go 1123.
In possession we would have 3 attackers with one of the holding midfielders breaking to support. Therefore in good possession 4 players in and around the opponent’s D.
This would mean pressing hard out of possession so as not to allow a quick out ball to the opposition forwards and dropping as a team to support our loan defender.
The system worked almost immediately with several shots on the opposition goal and some fast neat passing in possession.
When we did lose the ball everyone worked hard to block passing channels and track their opposite number.
Both of our goals were well worked and finished clinically. A well-deserved 2 nil win.
My thoughts immediately turned to our last match against one of the Clacton teams.
A well drilled and competitive team with some good footballers they, like many of our opponents, are tough to break down and more than capable of taking their own chances when they arise.
We had drawn against them in previous games but I felt if we were brave again and with the team gaining confidence and beginning to take our chances, I saw no reason to change the previous formation. Even with changes in players due to fatigue, injury or sin bin, Brightlingsea stuck to the game plan and shape which for any coach is pleasing.
We played this game straight after the Wivenhoe match but this actually seemed a blessing as our passing and movement was so slick at times it drew positive comments from many watching.
A goal either side of half time saw us run out 2 nil winners.
Seven points from a possible nine yet again sees us sit in 3rd place in the League.
From my point of view, it is a credit to all my players not only those who participate in the League but everyone who comes to training and brings the enthusiasm, work rate, willingness to learn and improve and above all SMILES.
I am so proud that all the hard work is showing some reward. Long may it continue.
UP THE WALKERS, UP THE R’S
From one very very proud Coach.