Wing play lights up U17 finals

As the eight nations competed for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship title, another team – the UEFA Technical Team – analysed the tactical trends and developments at the finals before helping to produce the UEFA Technical Report.

In Liechtenstein, that role was taken by experienced technicians Ross Mathie and Bernd Stöber, who have coached Scotland and Germany respectively in past U17 final tournaments. UEFA.com caught up with them to find out what caught their eye over the fortnight as England pipped Spain to the title.

Ross Mathie: The number of goals [Spain striker] Paco scored from moves originating in the wider areas definitely impressed me. There was more use of the wider areas than normal. With midfield holding players protecting the back four, defences are much more organised at this level than in the past. So even Under-17 teams have learned the importance of going on the outside to get the ball in the box.

Bernd Stöber: All the teams had two players wide on the wings. They have realised that the middle is getting more compact so they have to use the wings. It has been a trend in the adult game in recent years and now it is noticeable in the U17 tournament as well. There is a trend away from wide midfielders and towards the use of genuine attackers on the wings – players with dribbling skills who look for one-on-one situations.

Mathie: There's something of a return to that style now: players with the one-on-one strength to beat opponents to unlock the door, instead of relying on pass-and-run combination play.

Stöber: What we also noticed is that teams now realise the importance of switching play to deal with strong central defences. Quick switches of play help you to find space.

Mathie: One feature of the Spanish team was that the wider players were right out on the touchline.

Stöber: Two teams with really wide players like that were the ones that reached the final: Spain and England. Others sometimes played in similar structures but had midfield players in the wide positions and one central striker. This meant that support for the striker came from players who entered the danger area from deeper positions.

Mathie: Several teams had a central striker who had scored freely during qualifying but who couldn't hit the target so often in the finals. As a coach you like to work within a certain philosophy and the tournament underlined the importance of selecting the right players and the right system for them.

Stöber: A basic philosophy is a vehicle – but the players are the motor. They bring the structure to life, so you have to look at the players' qualities and then be adaptable enough to give them maximum options to develop.

Mathie: It's also a valuable asset if you can be adaptable from game to game as well.

Stöber: On the other hand, Spain stick to a well-established style. Basically, they play the same formation from the U17 team to the A national team.

Mathie: Over the last two or three years I've had more chances to see England than most coaches and the development of the English players' physique is phenomenal. Connor Wickham, for instance, is in Ipswich's first team and has the build of a mature man. The defenders are not only physically strong but also have good technique, so a lot of good work has obviously been done in player development terms.

Stöber: On the one hand if you go with a team to a European Championship you have to look for the best players. It's also good for the players as they want to win the cup, so give them a chance. But you also have to look to the future, there are one or two places available for players who are not as physically developed. You can do both.