What should you do if you receive the ball with your back to goal with a defender closing you down? 🥴
Coach Ash shows us three ways out:
First time. 💨
Body feint or a skill on the turn, and you’re gone the opposite way to where he thinks you’re going. Sharp, decisive, before he’s even set.
Protect it. 👊
Touch back towards where the ball came from. If he goes tight, get your body and your arm into him. Be aggressive, shield it, and roll your weight away from him.
Create the space. 🧠
Push off your man, face him up, and now it’s a 1v1 you’re driving into.
None of it works without commitment. You have to be aggressive. Movement has to be sharp. Touch has to be tight and clean.
Receiving under pressure is where you stand out in a game because beating your man gives you a huge advantage in a game.
Soccer Hub Blackpool
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Offering an advanced football programme 🟣⚽️
25/08/2026
Great experience for our lads last week getting to play against Everton FC Academy! 🔥
As the summer closes soon, its good to reflect back on the work that’s been put in over the past few weeks 👏
Thanks to all the parents and players who have continued to commit to Soccer Hub Blackpool and the work we’re doing here.
We appreciate you all! And there’s only more to come 🫡
1.5 million boys play organised football in England.
Around 13,000 are in an academy.
Half of those are gone before their 16th birthday.
Of the ones who make it through, 16% at a Category One academy go on to make a senior league appearance. At Category Three, 5%.
Those numbers aren’t there to put you off.
They’re there so you understand what you’re actually competing against.
Talent gets you spotted.
It doesn’t keep you there.
The players who last are the ones doing the extra work when nobody’s watching, staying focused with your habits and commitment, and going into every session wanting to be better than the day before.
It’s a decision, made daily, by players who want it more than the one stood next to them.
So be different. Train like the numbers are against you. Then go and be the exception. 🟣
22/08/2026
Coach Scott is at the heart of Soccer Hub Blackpool 💜
He brings bags of experience when it comes to academy set ups and the expectations of academy players.
This allows us to bridge the gap between a grassroots level player, and getting them to the academy level.
Now he's into his 4th year at one of the best academies in the country, Blackburn Rovers FC.
Soccer Hub Blackpool will continue to grow and develop top grassroots players thanks to Scott's experience and hard work. 🫡
We have coaches who love football, love coaching and bring academy experience across the board.
This is why we have the best environment on the Fylde Coast to develop your young player into a top footballer. 🟣
It’s an offensive 2v1... 🤯
You’re the one on the ball.
What now?
Drive at the defender. Make him commit.
The moment he does, the free man is free to play the pass to.
If he doesn’t commit? Keep driving.
Take him closer to his own goal until he has to make a decision.
And if he still hasn’t? You might just be in range to take the shot. ☄️
The point is this: don’t wait for the defender to decide. Make the decision for him.
Overloads happen in every game so understanding how to utilise them is key!
19/08/2026
Our players have been smashing it all summer!
Loads of fixtures to push our younger groups and top quality 1-2-1s with academy players 🔥
We are being recognised as one of the best local environments for young players to make the step up.
It's because our sessions and our approach to coaching are all built on the mindset and attributes of academy players.
We push our players to deliver what would be expected of them in an academy as well as encouraging them to be resilient, competitive and confident.
We're only a DM away if you believe your child needs that extra push to take their game up a level 🟣
Zakki has worked really hard since joining Soccer Hub and the results speak for themselves 👏
We knew immediately he had something about his game we just needed to create some good habits and help him learn the game to add to his technicality and athleticism.
Firstly being invited to Fleetwood Town.
Then training with Manchester City, Everton and Blackburn.
And not long after, Manchester United where he has progressed and been signed to their academy 👊
Keep working hard, Zakki! The journey has only just begun 🤝
It’s not just Manchester United. We’ve had clubs all over the North West sign a Soccer Hub Blackpool player.
Because we are teaching them the right things and the players love to learn with us.
If your child wants to develop and reach their potential, we have one of the best environments for young players to do that in.
Just send us a message to get started 🟣
14/08/2026
We will never get bored of talking about the attributes of an academy player and what it takes to make that step up.
Being the best player on the pitch at grassroots isn't always enough to get signed, and to stay at that level!
Our sessions target many different areas of the game but generally we are constantly working on the following:
⚽ Technical level — two feet, more than one way to control and pass, and skills that are still useful when the game speeds up.
🔥 Desire — Academy players hate losing, which is why they work so hard to win.
💪 Athleticism — not always the fastest or the strongest, but they know how to use their body to win a duel and get in front of their man.
🧠 Speed of thought — the picture is already in their head before the ball arrives.
😴 Off the pitch habits — sleep, food, recovery, and the extra work at home or at the park.
We push players to think and act like academy players long before anyone hands them a contract.
It's why we get players signed every single year.
If your child loves football, is showing great signs at grassroots level and wants to reach academy level, there's no better option than training alongside academy level players and working with academy coaches like we have at Soccer Hub Blackpool.
There’s a version of turning where you never touch the ball.
Pass comes in at the right weight, you drop the shoulder like you’re taking it back the other way, and let it roll straight across you.
The defender buys the fake, leans the wrong way, and you’re gone before he’s worked out what happened.
Facing forward, in space, free to cross or shoot first time.
But it lives or dies on the details.
Right weight on the pass. A shout to tell you to turn. A shoulder drop the defender falls for.
Get all three and you’ve beaten your man doing essentially nothing 🫡
11/08/2026
Last week was full to the brim with quality in our 1-2-1s, 2-2-1s and group sessions 🔥
Players from different levels all working towards the same goal of improving their game.
It really shouldn’t matter what level you are at, as long as you work hard, apply yourself and be a good person to be around.. your game will improve 🫡
We have availability through this week for the following sessions:
12-2pm Wednesday
3-4pm Thursday
1-2pm Friday (finishing mastery)
3-4 pm Friday
Send us a message for more information 🤝
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