The Monday session: managing the match hangover
A Monday grassroots football session should adjust physical load, emotion and learning according to the weekend match. The goal: recover focus and set up the rest of the weekly microcycle.
- Useful structure: 75 minutes with the ball.
- After a win: avoid empty euphoria.
- After a loss: do not turn training into punishment.
- After a poor performance: demand clarity in two observable behaviours.
- Common thread: Monday never competes with Saturday's match — correct without reopening wounds.
Before Monday: three quick decisions
Monday starts on Sunday night, while you still remember the match. Before planning the session, answer three questions in 10 minutes:
- How did we compete? Not the result: attitude and performance. Winning badly and losing well are different things.
- What is the one improvement of the week? Just one, not five. If on Saturday you saw three things to fix, pick the one that most affects the group.
- What load is needed? Match day, rest day or not. If you played hard and Tuesday is another session, Monday goes with the ball and without sprints.
With those three answers, you already know which of the three template sessions below fits you and what load to apply.
If the team won
Winning can hide mistakes. Start by recognising positives in 60 seconds —concrete, not generic— and choose one specific improvement to train. Motivation is already high; you do not need to inflate it.
Use short competitive tasks with quick feedback. The group is receptive: take advantage to introduce or consolidate a detail that was halfway right on Saturday. If everything went perfectly (rare), train an uncomfortable scenario: high pressing after losing the ball, transition with one less or build-up under numerical disadvantage.
Avoid the long self-congratulation talk. Three sentences in the closing are enough: what you recognise, the improvement of the week and one message for the next match.
If the team lost
Do not turn Monday into physical punishment. That only teaches players that losing is paid for by running, not that it is learned by working. Monday's load responds to the wear of the match, not your frustration.
Choose one specific situation from the match and turn it into a task: losing the ball in build-up, poor space occupation, slow reaction after losing possession or lack of defensive support. One, well worked, is worth more than four halfway.
The message to the group matters: separate result from performance. Recognise what went well even if it did not bring points, and frame the improvement as something we will train, not as a punishment for what happened.
If the team competed poorly
Sometimes the issue is not the result, but attitude or disconnection. Then you need clarity: a confused session amplifies the problem; a clear session resets the group.
Set two observable behaviours for the week. For example: running after losing possession and communicating before receiving. They must be visible from the sideline without interpretation: it happens or it does not.
In Monday's opening talk, state those two behaviours in one short sentence each and remember them again in the closing. Do not debate them: you set them and train them. If the problem comes from a specific group within the squad, deal with it through individual conversations outside the session, not in front of others.
A simple 75-minute structure
This is the base that adapts to the three scenarios above just by changing the main task and the message. The structure stays the same because the group benefits from repeating it each week:
- 10 minutes: ball activation and informal individual conversation with anyone who needs specific attention.
- 15 minutes: simple task related to the match and the chosen improvement.
- 25 minutes: conditioned game with one provocation rule that forces the behaviour you want to see.
- 15 minutes: free small-sided match, letting the group apply what was trained.
- 10 minutes: cool-down and weekly message in three sentences.
Those opening 10 minutes are the most underrated: they give you three short conversations with players who were left affected on Saturday, without it looking like a formal meeting.
Still deciding which course you need?
WizardThree concrete template sessions
These are three ready-to-adapt proposals based on the structure above. The main task and the conditioned-game rule change, but the rest stays the same:
| Scenario | Main task (15 min) | Conditioned game (25 min) | Closing message |
|---|---|---|---|
| We won | Rondo with overload 4v2 oriented to long pass | 7v7, goal only valid after 4 passes in own half | Reinforce Saturday's idea and go one step further |
| We lost | Analytical task on the key match situation | Small-sided game with rule that triggers the corrected behaviour | Separate result from performance, focus on next match |
| We competed poorly | Simple drill with constant-communication cue | Free match with double rule: run after losing possession, call before receiving | Repeat the two observable behaviours and group commitment |
What matters is not the exact drill —each coach adapts it to the group— but that the provocation rule of the conditioned game forces what you want to work without you having to stop the game every minute.
Monday load by age group
Monday's load changes with age. Applying the same intensity to an under-16 player as to an under-11 is a common mistake that takes a medium-term toll. This is a general guideline:
| Category | Recommended load | Avoid on Monday |
|---|---|---|
| Under-7 / Under-9 | Normal session, ball and game | Repeated sprints, long tasks without the ball |
| Under-11 | Moderate load, technical focus | Physical series, long tactical talks |
| Under-13 | Moderate load with tactical intent | Aerobic work without the ball, long matches |
| Under-16 | Technical-tactical session, active recovery | Maximum-strength loads, high intensity |
| Under-19 | Match-load compensation, tactical focus | Maximum-intensity work without compensation |
In any category, Monday is not the day for repeated sprints or ball-less series. If you need to work on physical capacity, use Tuesday or Wednesday instead. Monday goes with the ball.
How Monday fits the weekly microcycle
Monday is not planned on its own: it is part of a weekly microcycle that ends the following weekend. The way to think about it is from back to front: start with the session closest to the match and work backwards.
For a typical week of three sessions (Monday, Wednesday, Friday):
- Monday: active recovery, improvement of the week, clear message to the group.
- Wednesday: session with higher physical and tactical load. Introduce or consolidate the concept you want to see on Saturday.
- Friday: low load, recap of the idea, set pieces or final cues for the match.
For weeks with two sessions, merge Wednesday and Friday into a single session combining the main idea and a short review. For weeks with four or more, insert a deload or individual-work session between Wednesday and Friday.
What to say to the team: opening talk and closing
Monday's message matters more than any drill. What you say in the first 90 seconds frames the whole week.
Opening talk (60-90 seconds): recognise something concrete from the weekend, set the improvement of the week in one sentence and connect with the next match. Avoid the long speech, generalisations (“we need to be stronger”) and public reproaches.
Closing (3 sentences): what was trained, what you want to see in the next session and a short message for home. If there were issues with families on Saturday, this is a good moment to resolve them with a short conversation after the session, not in front of the group. The full framework for those cases is in how to manage parents in grassroots football.
If you are in your first year and still finding your own message style, also check the first-year coaching tips.
About the author
Content produced by RutaMister from practical experience, editorial review and a training-focused approach for grassroots football coaches.
Frequently asked questions
Should Monday training be light in grassroots football?
It depends on age, match load and calendar, but it should not be a physical punishment. The ideal is a moderate-load session with the ball, clear objectives and tasks connected to the chosen improvement for the week. In any category, avoid repeated sprints and ball-less series on Monday: if physical work is needed, Tuesday or Wednesday are better.
How long should a Monday session last?
A simple 75-minute structure works for almost every category: 10 minutes activation, 15 minutes simple task, 25 minutes conditioned game, 15 minutes small-sided match and 10 minutes closing. In under-7 and under-9 you can shorten to 60 minutes; in under-19 you can extend to 90 if the match load allows it.
What to train on Monday if the team lost?
Pick one specific situation from the match and turn it into a task: losing the ball in build-up, space occupation, reaction after losing possession or defensive support. Just one, well worked. Separate result from performance: recognise what went well and frame the improvement as something to train, not punishment.
What to train on Monday if the team won?
Use short competitive tasks with quick feedback. The group is receptive: take advantage to consolidate a detail that was halfway right on Saturday or introduce the next step up. If everything went perfectly (rare), train an uncomfortable scenario: high pressing after losing the ball, transition with one less, or build-up with numerical disadvantage. Avoid long self-congratulation talks.
How does the Monday session fit the weekly microcycle?
For a typical three-session week: Monday active recovery with the improvement of the week, Wednesday a higher physical and tactical load with the main concept, Friday low load, idea recap and final cues. For two sessions, merge Wednesday and Friday into one; for four or more, insert a deload session in between.
What should I say in Monday's opening talk?
60-90 seconds at most. Recognise something concrete from the weekend (not generic), set the improvement of the week in one sentence and connect with the next match. Avoid the long speech, generalisations (“we need to be stronger”) and public reproaches. Short and specific always beats long and vague.