With Christmas over and children across the country breaking in their new football, jersey or boots Shamrock Rovers have published a number of brilliant videos of drills that can be done on the street.
Utilising former Irish footballer and current coach Damien Duff, the videos are simple drills that children can replicate on any safe road or street. The genius innovation has been paired with the hashtag #FootballLovesUs with Glenn Cronin and Duff demonstrating each drill themselves.
#FootballLovesUs #ChaseGame #DufferWins ? pic.twitter.com/CDRA9Sw6mo
— Hooperman ☘☘ (@hoopermansrfc) December 26, 2017
#FootballLovesUs #Triangle pic.twitter.com/4TNPIr8Wqq
— Shamrock Rovers F.C. ?? (@ShamrockRovers) December 27, 2017
#FootballLovesUs #SpaceInvaders pic.twitter.com/HTJTer5zaP
— Shamrock Rovers F.C. ?? (@ShamrockRovers) December 27, 2017
The videos pair the organised structure of coaching drills with the basic street football familiar to many. Increasingly people bemoan the rise of video games as a reason for the decline in street footballers. The videos are a superb way to encourage children to change that. Not to mention demonstrating the fact Duff never lost it.
Rovers have invested heavily in their academy set up at Roadstone Group Sports Club recently. They now have a floodlit FIFA Pro Astro pitch with plans in place for a footballing building, a 7-a-side pitch, modular dressing rooms and an outdoor gym.
With creative mind at the helm, it will be interesting to see what Rovers academy can do for Irish soccer over the next few years.
