Peter Glynn and Les Howie argue that we should be coaching kids without the pressures of 'winning at all costs'. I have collated the two articles together to provide an insight into how the FA have asked us to organise our training.

FA Skills Coach Peter Glynn looks at alternatives to the 'win at all costs' syndrome with a testimonial from Les Howie.

With the global media spotlight fixated, the contrast in playing styles and philosophies adopted by Europe’s footballing elite have been illuminated, if not a little over-examined in the last few weeks.

Manchester United’s athletic, unrelenting attacking tenacity, proclaimed in the face of Arsenal’s insistency on blossoming harmonious youth. Chelsea’s powerfully loaded, tactically acute mission to stifle, vilified, in favour of Barcelona’s superior appreciation and utilisation of time and space.

It seems, for the moment, whoever wins is best.

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Whether you sit in the sporting corner of appreciation for ruthless tactical efficiency or bow to the pleasures of aesthetically pleasing entertainment. I think it would be a brave soul to argue against the notion that if you can develop a team to play beautiful and win; then this is the greatest sporting pursuit of all.

With the Emirates half empty after 75 minutes last Tuesday evening, Arsene Wenger, may - although he would never admit it - have doubted whether his dedication to the organic growth of total football was proving futile. Particularly, when placed on the slab of analysis against Manchester United’s assortment of multi-million pound efficient talent.

With elite football entangled in a culture of mass consumerism; the time needed to mould harmonious football teams is suffocated by the immediacy of fans desire. Incessant, demanding and irrational: most want to drink whatever lies in the chalice of success tomorrow, rather than wait to see what the drink tastes like in five or ten years time. With the media quite happy to follow suit. Blank Canvas Unlike European football’s major powers; junior football clubs aren’t hunched with the burden of competing as a global business. Every aspect of their existence isn’t sliced up with the precision of a surgeon’s blade; laid bare on the column inches of every last scrap of sporting press. Unlike the paying customer at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, Mum and Dad will be in attendance next week regardless of this week’s result. The £3 ‘subs’ will continue to be collected, the kit will be washed, and the club will not go into administration. Existing in a world where the only pressure - if I dare even call it such – is encouraging the enjoyment and harmonious development of a group of children is a complete polar opposite to the cocoon of pressure Messrs Wenger, Ferguson, Hiddink and Guardiola are wrapped in.

Separated from the backdrop of balance sheets, Russian oligarchs and vociferous season ticket holders; coaching youth football should be a liberating operation- a serene pursuit - free from all bar self imposed pressures.

I sense the tightening of frowns and frantic tapping of disgruntled emails already.

When opposition ‘managers’, parents and even children clamber on board the good ship victory-at-all-costs; some say it is difficult to avoid being embroiled in the pressure to plunder three points. The excuse “because everybody else does,” should be saved for the playground and not used to justify the choices which underpin adult behaviour.

If as a junior football club you can unlock the handcuffs of winning at all costs, you may just be blinded by a celestial light refracting from the blank canvas of opportunity that exists in coaching children football. With no pressure to please the owners, or to follow the crowd, there may be a chance to create something beautiful. Goalkeepers rolling the ball to the feet of defenders: no longer the work of the devil. Central midfielder’s necks relieved of creases. Dribbling in your own half appreciated as a dance of self expression. Defenders who dare to see what life is like over the half way line. Football can be beautiful if you want it to be. And you may even win whilst helping it become so. The difference is it really doesn’t matter if you don’t.

BE HONEST, we all like a winner, It doesn't matter in what sport or even at what age, most people enjoy winning.

And in football - the country's National sport - winning and losing gives rise to all sorts of emotions, from the professional game to youth mini soccer.

So when the Football Association decided in the summer not to record results and league tables for under-eight matches, it caused a huge debate among coaches, parents and even some of the kids themselve. Many were all for the idea, just as many were against.

Les Howie, the FA's National Development Manager for Clubs and Coaches, remit, along with others, is to enforce and then keep an eye on how the new regulations have fared. His background is totally grassroots, having been a player, League secretary and vice chairman of grassroots' clubs and Leagues. He still coaches a youth side.His manner is in direct contrast to the stuffy suited brigade so often associated with English football's governing body and he is huge grassroots fan.He also pulls no punches on a subject he has had much correspondence on.

“Let me start by saying that not recording league tables or results for under-eight football does not mean it is non-competitive,” he states.

“I expect the half-hour of football a group of seven-year-olds have in two teams, at a weekend to be one of the most competitive half-hours of their week.

“I don't like the adjective non-competitive, there is simply no such thing.

“But whether people like it or not, human nature changes when there is suddenly something at stake.

“If you are a coach in an under-eight team and you are 2-1 up with five minutes to go, do you make a substitution just to give someone a game?

“Or do you keep things as they are, so you win?

“Even at that level the pressure is on to win, parental pressure, your own pressure as a coach. But a good coach shouldn't be put in that position at that age group.

“Of course you want to win, but a mini soccer result should be forgotten about five minutes after the game has finished.

“British nature is competitive and there's nothing wrong with that. But kids need to make mistakes, learn by their mistakes; Not be shouted at to “boot the ball”.

“They need to be encouraged to use skills. The winning just simply isn't everything.”

Les knows his views are not the way everyone sees things. But the proof in the pudding appears to be that most parents and coaches are beginning to come round to the FA's way of thinking.

“We have got to start challenging our future,” Les added. “We need better coaches. The Level One coaching badge is very popular and successful. But still only about 53% of Charter Standard clubs have Level One coaches, we want to get that to 75% soon and by 2012 we want every coach to be at least Level One standard.

“You wouldn't send your child to an unqualified dentist to have their teeth looked at, or an unqualified piano teacher to help them learn the piano.

“So why would you send your child to learn to play football with an unqualified coach?”