Hans Erik Odegaard quickly realized that his son could be good. In an episode of Norwegian TV2’s Fotballpunch, he talks about how he trained his son growing up.
The current Sandefjord coach is certain that no other 15-year-old had more touches on the ball than his son when he made his debut in the Eliteserien. He admits, it might not have been very good, but every winter for many years I thought every single day: “Did Martin get enough touches on the ball today?”.
Three months of snow in Drammen every year meant that dad Odegaard had to think differently so that his son would get enough ball touches. When you lose 25 percent of the time to compete on equal terms with the others, you have a huge handicap. In Brazil, Italy and Spain, they can train as much as they want twelve months a year. Martin could only nine. We had to try to optimize everything, so that we made up for the 25 percent, we were a little behind.
Raw prioritization as he had a clear idea of what his son had to succeed in, in order to break through on the big stage. Hans Erik Odegaard believes good and quick ball handling is the most important if you are to succeed at new and higher levels.
He says he thought very simply and rationally. If you want to be the best with the ball, you must have the most touches on the ball. And there we tried to make up for what we had lost. I was quite crude when it came to prioritizing what we spent time on, and it was just football, discovering early on that his son had talent. I was thinking a little big. I have to admit it. If you want to be the best, you compete with everyone. Then you’re not just competing with Ole, Per and Knut in the street next door. Then you compete with him in Brazil, him in England and him in Italy.
When Martin was younger, Hans Erik Odegaard combined his coaching job in Mjondalen with coaching for the little boys in Drammen Strong. For young Martin there was no shortage of references from top football. Dad Hans Erik was an assistant coach in Mjondalen. and previously a professional footballer for top flight clubs Stromsgodset and Sandefjord. First Martin trained with his teammates, then on to Mjondalen training. While the Mjondalen players trained, Martin kept himself busy on his own. After the training, he and his dad stayed for another half hour.
I don’t think he was ever under 20 hours a week. People say that you are out playing all day. Almost no one is. It is a myth, says Hans Erik Odegaard. If you want to be good, you have to train. Practice, practice, practice. You have to train a lot, train well and train correctly. There are so many people who play football, so it is in a way the world’s biggest competition. And I don’t believe that you will be the best if there is someone who trains more than you,
But what did Martin Odegaard train to become so good?
For me – very simply put – it is pace that separates the levels in football. We in Norway, are not the best at football, but we are about as strong, fast and persistent as anyone else, begins dad Odegaard. We have to become so good with the ball that we can handle the tempo. It starts with ball drives. Boss of the ball, control of the ball, call it what you want. And it’s very easy to do in a team context. That was what we spent the most time on, touching the ball all the time. Pace is what distinguishes the levels, so the ability to be able to change one’s mind in football is one of the most important things. Having close control of the ball, so that you can change your mind, is incredibly important.
Sometimes it can look like Martin Odegaard has eyes in the back of his neck. Ball control and feints were the start. Then came the overview. Football is a big game. It is 110 meters flat. So you have to be able to look up to be able to utilize both small, tight spaces nearby and distant spaces. I have been incredibly focused that he should have a quick second touch. When you receive a pass, it must lie completely glued to the foot. If it is glued together, you have control over it. The quick second touch is when the pressure comes – that you have to get out of the pressure and find free space. And it has to be quick, says Odegaard. Then you should preferably know which path is best to choose. Orientation is the key.
If we were walking across the street and Martin was a little ahead of me, I would kick him. “Not informed,” I told him. He almost never walked in front of me. It was half a meter behind to avoid it, Hans Erik laughs. Dad Odegaard says that anyone can do like Martin, but not overnight. If you are used to training five hours a week, then you cannot train twenty. Why? Because the body cannot tolerate it. Then you get injured, and then you don’t get to train football at all. It’s the worst thing there is. Then you have to go up gradually, says Hans Erik Odegaard.
CHECK YOUR FOOTBALL RESULTS
WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
A TRUSTED SOURCE ON ARSENAL NEWS
Leave a Reply