# The retreat rule: Is it helping or hurting player development?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-only-kids-football-6977406/the-retreat-rule-is-it-helping-or-hurting-player-development
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-only-kids-football-6977406/the-retreat-rule-is-it-helping-or-hurting-player-development.md
Podcast: [It's Only Kids Football](https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-s-only-kids-football-6977406)
Published: 2026-01-26T05:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://linktr.ee/itsonlykidsfootballpodcast
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66a361b8d34ffa9141b184b4/e/69720aa645f2be66885104e1/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/it-s-only-kids-football-6977406/episodes/the-retreat-rule-is-it-helping-or-hurting-player-development
Duration seconds: 4136

## Resource

In this episode, Ben and Mike welcome back Michael Fox, former Peterborough United academy coach and now head coach at Focusing on Excellence Football Academy, to tackle one of grassroots football’s most debated topics: playing out from the back. Drawing on his first season coaching in grassroots, Michael shares how academy principles can work at under-9s and under-10s level—despite the retreat rule, mixed ability squads and limited game time. The conversation explores how to teach children to stay calm under pressure, use goalkeepers effectively, create overloads and understand space without overwhelming them with tactics. They also dive into emotional regulation on the sidelines, why consistency in coaching behaviour matters more than results, and how simple language, repetition and visual cues help players learn faster. Along the way, Michael explains concepts like “fishing passes,” starting again, and why mistakes at the back are a necessary part of long-term development. The episode finishes with a wider discussion on mindset—what separates academy players from grassroots, whether resilience can be coached, and why helping kids enjoy learning the game matters far more than winning on a Sunday morning. Use code IOKF10 and get 10% OFF at www.discountfootballkits.com — the UK’s longest-established specialist supplier of discounted branded football kits, accessories and footballs. Offer ends midnight, 31st January 2026 Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/ Connect with Olly Porteous: https://withme.so/Ollyporteous TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball Facebook:…

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## Transcript

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