Technical
Ball mastery, first touch, dribbling, passing under pressure. The foundation of everything else, you can’t coach tactics into a player who can’t control the ball.
Children coached seriously, without losing the joy.
The Matico method explained, four pillars, low ratios, structured progression. Built by coaches, refined over six years.
Feeding the country’s best academies
Why The Method Matters
Between “keep them busy” and “academy gatekeeping”
There’s a wide gap between “keeping kids busy with football” and “academy gatekeeping that crushes most of them.” Matico sits in the middle.
Our method is built around the assumption that every young player, the natural and the late bloomer, the one who plays at break and the one who has to be persuaded, deserves real, structured, intentional coaching from someone qualified to give it. What follows is the method we apply across every Matico programme.
The Four Pillars
Four pillars. Every session. Every player.
Every Matico session is mapped to all four. Not three. Not whichever the coach feels like that day.
Tactical
Positional awareness, pattern recognition, decision-making in possession and out of it. Coached live in small-sided games, where the lessons stick.
Physical
Age-appropriate conditioning, agility, balance, coordination. Built directly into warm-ups and integrated drills.
Mental
Composure, resilience, response to mistakes, communication on the pitch. Coached explicitly, the soft skills that separate good players from great ones.
1:12max ratio
FA Approvedprovider
Enhanced DBSevery coach
DSL on-siteevery session
5-starparent rated
The Coaching Loop
Five steps to a better player
The same loop runs at every camp, every weekly session, every term. Repetition compounds.
1
Assess
Every player starts with a baseline so we coach to their level, tailored to where they are today.
2
Focus
Each day or session has a theme. Progressive drills build the skill layer by layer.
3
Apply
Players test the new skill in real match situations, with coaching support live on the pitch.
4
Build
We set standards then help every child reach them. Repetition builds confidence and ownership.
5
Report
Parents and players receive clear, honest feedback on progress and what to work on next.
Want to feel the difference?
The fastest way to see the method is on the pitch.
Coach Standards
Coached by people qualified to coach kids
Every Matico session is led by a coach with the credentials to teach children football properly. Continuous CPD throughout the year, every coach, every season.
- Minimum FA Level 2 across every Matico coach
- UEFA B Licence or higher for senior coaches
- FA Advanced Youth Award for all Athletes Club coaches
- FA Safeguarding certification renewed annually
- Level 3 Paediatric First Aid for every coach on every session
- 20+ hours CPD per coach per year
Building your young footballer’s toolbox
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“The coaches actually coach, they don’t just run drills and shout. The four-pillar method gives my son something to work on between sessions, not just during them.”
James, parent of Marcus (12)
Want to see the method in action?
Free first session at the Development Centre. Free trial at Athletes Club. No commitment either way.