Pre-season guidelines The traditional method of dividing the pre-season into three sections (first build condition, then improve technique, and finish with tactics) is outdated. Contemporary models are fundamentally game-oriented and always focused on the ball; they're structured in terms of the demands of the game: Coordination and speed training begin as early as the first few weeks. Basic endurance is developed almost exclusively via ball games built around technical/tactical concepts. Interval and endurance runs without the ball are used only rarely, as a change of pace. Ball games with teams both small and large are not just for improving basic and match-specific endurance; they must also teach technical/tactical concepts. That way, you start introducing players to your tactical objectives right from the start. Then, in the weeks and months that follow, you can refine each aspect of your game, step by step. Soccer-specific endurance is developed by means of ball games that feature: brief workouts (20-180 seconds), intense physical exertion (HR over 180!) and appropriate rest periods (HR back down below 120). For efficient and motivational endurance training, there are plenty of practice activities to choose from, from 1 v. 1 to 4 v. 4, plus numbers-up and numbers-down games.