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It always amazes me that some players only have a left leg for standing on. In any other profession if you could only use half the tools available you would be sent on training courses.

In the good old days they used to train with those heavy old balls that would get heavier & harder when wet the players who were 100% one footed would have to take their boot off so that it hurt if they didn't use their "wrong" foot.

Although there is no doubting that practising on very specific weaknesses can improve your technique eg a weaker foot, heading, crossing, catching (goalkeepers), I still feel that the very best players are born with the attributes required to make it to the top, and that practising simply refines them over time. The most tragic thing of all is that in Britain there is a recurring trend which all too often results in what you might call the most naturally gifted players spurn the opportunities they have to make it to the top due to stupidity, recklessness and ill discipline. Paul Gascoigne, Stan Collymore, Paul Merson.....

I rememeber Ian Harte saying at Leeds that he NEVER practiced free kicks. This was when he was hammering them in for fun. After this article in the programme, i don't think he ever scored from another set piece!

I think repetition should enhance the player, but too much, or it being done incorrectly, can surely have negative effects?

If it was that simple that with increased practice, you would become better, surely players would be MADE to practice more!

I think if you are getting paid 50 grand a week or whatever it's criminal to be one footed. There's really no excuse for a professional footballer not to be two footed - outside of training there's plenty of time in the week to work on your weak spots. But I guess it comes down to the motivation of the player and whether they want to improve themselves.

Last season I remember Zola said he worked with Carlton Cole after training to hone his finishing skills and there was a vast improvement and he bagged a number of goals and got called up to the England squad.

Interesting stuff Jack.
I'm not convinced that practice makes perfect but it's clear that practice certainly brings improvement at any level, which is enough motivation for most. That said, I feel working smart rather than just working hard is important in personal development especially in sport eg decisions, attitude, guidance etc.
I once read that Sir Alex Ferguson keeps training fairly simple if not tedious at Man United, preferring to focus on the things he see as vital rather than keeping things fresh for the players. Apparently Glenn Hoddle believes in a very simple way to develop touch and technique, wall-passing until your equally comfortable on both sides and without having to watch the ball.
Shameless plug for my blog, it's just a bit of fun.

Makes you think Jack,

I am sure that it was Gary Player who, when asked if he was a lucky golfer, replied that the more he practised the luckier he got.

The late Jimmy Johnstone always maintained that he had learned his ball skills by spending hours kicking a tennis ball against a wall as a kid. Both of these must have been pretty solitary pursuits well outwith the team training framework.

I only ever played recreational football but can see the sense of spending time hitting a dead ball just to learn what it will do. Master it with you're good foot and start on the other one.

It can only increase ball skills and might keep less dedicated professionals away from the bookies, or other distractions, of an afternoon.