Modern Soccer Coach Podcast What Makes a Great First Touch? Slawomir Morawski On the Art & Science of Football Decision Making
Jul 10, 2025
Join Slawomir Morawski, an analyst at Bolton Wanderers and coaching expert, as he dives into the art of the first touch in football. He emphasizes that it's a cognitive action influenced by decision-making rather than just a technical skill. Slawomir discusses how modern coaching methods can evolve to enhance player awareness and independent thinking. He also highlights the cognitive effects of fatigue on decision-making and the importance of scanning for better game performance, encouraging coaches to adapt their strategies for the modern player.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
First Touch Is Technical & Cognitive
- A great first touch in football is both a technical and cognitive skill involving decision making and scanning.
- First touch quality directly affects your next action's potential on the pitch, beyond just controlling the ball.
Train Scanning Through Experience
- Improve scanning by teaching players to experience and trust the benefits of scanning under pressure.
- Train scanning as a habit via game-like conditions rather than just verbal instructions.
Scanning Quality Beats Quantity
- Scanning intensity and timing vary among players; effective scanning includes knowing what, why, and when to scan.
- High scanning frequency does not guarantee better decisions; quality and context matter much more.
