The FA 4-Corner Model

What is the FA 4-Corner Model?

The FA 4 corner model is a four-category approach to player development that enables a player to develop as an athlete and as a person. It considers more factors than usual development models, including a players' social and emotional needs and their footballing skills. The model can be used on youths at the beginning of their careers and can benefit them, honing their skills until they become football professionals at the top of their careers. It was developed by the football association to help coaches at a grassroots level develop youth players, impacting them positively.  

What are the 4 Parts of the Model?

The four key categories in the FA 4-Corner model are technical and tactical, psychological, physical and social, and the idea is that coaches look at all four aspects when trying to improve players' performance. Let's take a closer look at each of the sections.  

The technical quarter of the model focuses on the player's skills within football, focusing on their technical executions, passing ranges, defending in one-on-one situations, and individual flair. The tactical part of the model focuses more on a player's game intelligence and their ability to visualise and understand the game. It looks at the impact that an individual can have on the game and their positional awareness amongst other players in the team. The physical quarter is based on physical fitness, including speed, flexibility and strength. While the psychological part looks at how coachable a player is, how much they can control their emotions, social skills, and character. Finally, the social quadrant focuses on a players ability to integrate and interact with other players/team members, coaches and other staff members. 

It can easily be seen that if one of the aspects listed above is a player's weak spot, it will negatively impact their performance in other areas. Therefore, it is important that a coach analyses a player's performance in all areas to see improvements in any.  

The Four Corner Model leads to well-rounded coaching, which promotes player wellbeing. The idea is that coaches should not simply focus on one of the corners, ignoring the other aspects, as this will not lead to the development of a well-rounded player. For example, if a coach simply focuses on football techniques and tactics but ignores a places wellbeing, they will not be able to perform as well on the pitch as expected, given all the extra training. The model aims to allow coaches to know their players better, giving them better coaching and advice.  

The 4-corners model allows coaches to look at each of their players as individuals, identifying their individual needs, strengths and weaknesses and tailoring their support accordingly. It allows coaches to understand that a player's development happens over a longer period of time and that results will not be seen overnight. As a player develops, coaches will need to re-evaluate their training, adapt to their progress and give them appropriate challenges throughout the coaching process.   

Conclusion 

The 4 corner model is an effective way to approach player management to get the best out of your players by focusing on all their needs and skills, rather than just their ability to score goals. This is why it is recommended by the FA, so why not try it out today?