Here are some of the necessary qualities for a great goal scoring striker:
- Speed - Very few proficient strikers exist that aren’t fast. Name a quality striker and he will have above average speed. Speed is that extra element that divides the great players from the ordinary. And, in a dynamic striker, speed can be everything. Quickness is speed’s little brother. Both are absolutely necessary to find the net regularly.
- Skill - Proficient strikers require enough ball skills to create space for themselves, and to avoid the usual defensive elements - slide tackles; shirt pulling; overcommitted defenders going the wrong way; and, pesky goalies trying to make the big save. Trapping must also be short and sweet, and with as few touches as possible. If you can’t dribble around a tree, you won’t be a great striker.
- Field vision - Since most good teams defend in packs, a great striker has to have the ability to run off the ball and into open space. This requires anticipating everyone’s actions and getting to the open space -- first -- without having to be told where to go. This also is one of the elements that requires tremendous patience from the player. Anticipation and open space running separate the men from the boys here.
- Two footed approach - a great striker has to be able to go in both directions, left and right, and with either foot. Goals are lost in the runarounds for the supposedly great shots, while goals are created in the split second that it takes to toe poke a ball into the corner - with either foot.
Now, with some of these basic skills covered - how do you get to become the great and proficient striker? PRACTICE; PRACTICE; AND, MORE PRACTICE.
Every coach must develop training plans that require the prospective strikers to push themselves into becoming game winning goal scorers.
Running drills with and without the ball are critical to developing speed. Track workouts; Shuttles runs; pattern running; timed runs of short duration and distance; plyometric training; short sided games with minimal touches in 20-30 yard fields (for 2-3 minute segments). You want speed and quickness? You gotta train for speed and quickness.
Skill -- feints and moves -- have to be worked on EVERY DAY. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but 20 minutes a day using Coerver materials (CDS; videos; snippets, www.strongsoccer.com, etc.) will get players to a comfortable place with the ball. I use the Coerver program during warm-ups if all else fails and time is short. Keep in mind that as players get older and forget to work on their moves -- THE MOVES GO AWAY. So, by the time they have to take on committed defenders, the ball is lost.
Field vision can only be worked on in the context of specific short and big field games tailored to the forwards. The forwards will eventually determine their best path to the ball or goal, but they have to be put into game situations where they have to think quickly and often. All kinds of games exist to develop field vision, but the major tools to make the players work harder are: limiting space; limiting time; limiting touches; and, counting number of goals. Winners stay on, and losers walk off or do something fun, like run a lung off for losing. Changing or mixing up these elements during training games leads to “focused” goal scorers.
A one footed soccer player is like a one armed baseball shortstop – it just doesn’t work. Day in, day out, players must use both their feet to develop. Special drills and games have to be used from time to time that just use the “off” foot. Training contests should be used so everyone knows who is really working hard for their teammates. And as both feet are used effectively, goals will pile up.
Lastly, and most importantly, no coach can develop a proficient striker unless he tries to understand the mentality of a goleador. A true goal scorer must have the ball. Instead of plugging through a game with possession ball out of the back, give the rock to the forwards and put pressure on them to go to the goal as a team. Over the top and through balls are a striker’s bread and butter. Proficiency comes with opportunities, and lack of opportunities (while the sweeper holds the ball), stunts the true striker. Strikers are generally the best players on the field – why not give them the ball often??
No great possession team can ever have a true striker. All of those nambie pambie passes around the back drive true strikers into a state of apathetic boredom. You want to keep your “star striker” interested in your team and the “beautiful game?” GIVE HIM THE BALL AND LET HIM STRIKE. Keeping the ball away from a talented striker is like taking the water away in a rose garden – the roses die a horrible death.
In other words, if Michael Jordan was on your team, would you allow every other player to touch the ball more often than him? Great players deserve the ball; just trust them with it. With good and focused training work under their belt, true strikers will get the job done in your important games.
Mauricio E. Barreiro has played, coached, refereed, and nurtured young players for over 33 years. Every Sunday he can usually be found trying to find the “magic of youth” on the front line of some local soccer field. His main desire these days is to create great thinking soccer players (and stars) that appreciate and love the “juego bello”. Striking is his passion. 
