I found the series to be interesting, odd in parts, and somehow off-putting. In my eight years of involvement in "elite" boys soccer (as a parent and club president), I've seen variations of these folks along the way. I don't pretend to be in a position to judge their opinions or decisions.
One of the things that makes sport so compelling is that there is seldom a "right" way to do anything. A fast, good shooting basketball team against a big, powerful defensive team is an intriguing game. Stoke against Arsenal is an intriguing game. Bubba Watson, who's never had a golf lesson in his life, and has a swing no one should try to imitate, is better than 98% of his fellow professionals who can't leave home without a coach, a psychologist, a nutritionist and a massage therapist in their NetJet.
That said, most would agree that there are certain individual fundamentals and basic philosophies of team play that increase the likelihood of success. To my mind their are three particular areas that are generally under-coached - close control (incl the ability to receive a firm pass), passing (incl playing with one's head up), and movement without the ball. Understanding how movement off the ball creates the situations in which successful attacking moves can occur is not sufficiently emphasized, in general. Movement is too static or sequential, as opposed to dynamic and comprehensive. Players don't seem to understand (again, in general) that everything they do, everywhere they go, or don't go, matters greatly to what happens next.
I am very excited about the training program and philosophy being implemented by Claudio Reyna at US Soccer. It is modeled after the Real Madrid program and addresses all of the above, and more. US Soccer will demand that its principles be followed by the DA coaches and teams. While its impact won't be immediate, over time it will have a hugely positive impact.
