Working together to grow as a player and a person

19/02/2019

Villarreal B players act as reference points for academy players through working together

In football, it’s necessary to have idols and players as a reference point, as it is in most professional environments. To grow in the football world, it is fundamental that younger kids have a mirror they can look in. A model to analyse and from who they can try and learn movements to try and put them into place on the pitch.

Villarreal CF’s Methodology Department, who are constantly working to create dynamics and fruitful activities in regards to personal and sporting development of the academy players, have put into place a new work dynamic based on co-operation, comradeship and individual growth. Thirteen Villarreal B players have been picked to act as reference points for our U18 and U17 players.

Goalkeepers Diego Fuoli and Joan Femenías, defenders Pepe Castaño and Roger Riera, full-backs Xavi Quintillà and Andrei Ratiu, midfielders Ramon Bueno and Manu Morlanes, wingers Mukwelle Akale, Fran Álvarez and Iván Martín, forwards Dani Villa and Simón Moreno have mentored a small group of our U17s and U18s, with home they will take under their wing to advise them, help them and try and give them responses to personal and footballing questions that the youngsters have.

The activity, which hopes to increase cohesion, unity and companionship among Yellows Academy footballers, also sees the involvement of coaches from the Mini Submarine and U17 and U18 coaches from the Villarreal youth team, with the backroom staff playing an important part in helping the dynamics of the group.

There will be four sessions, whereby the participants can get to know each other, listen to various point of views and grow on the football field with advice from other players. The first activity, the only one to have taken part to date, saw a presentation, where, with the help of psychologists from the Yellows Academy, the U17s and U18s were able to get to know their new mentors and listen to advice they gave them to overcome all sorts of obstacles and get a better knowledge of what amateur football, which is just around the corner, is like.

Forward Álex Forés, who took part in the activity alongside Villa and Moreno, underlined that the dynamic was really helpful: “They helped us a lot, telling us about their experiences and what they have had to do and how they’ve felt to get to the Reserves. We can use that to learn how to react in diverse situations in the future, whether it be sporting or personal.”

The three sessions that are still to take place will happen in the upcoming months, and in them, the Yellows will focus more on footballing material. In groups, they will analyse work, capacity and specific problems of a player in their position, in order to be able to battle all theoretic aspects on the pitch. Finally, the Villarreal B footballers will introduce the U17s and U18s to complementary work, additional training sessions where players strengthen their work in specific aspects.

The groups made up of positions are as follows:

Goalkeepers (Joan Femenías and Diego Fuoli):