Dario says kids have to practice to make perfect

birthday but the legendary coach says he is still learning new things. Dario is still very much heading up the club’s philosophy of producing young footballers and decent men for the future and the Milan-born Director of Football uses a recent study of Thierry Henry’s finishing as a perfect example.^rdDario Gradi recently celebrated his 73

Dario told the club’s official web-site: “I have been in coaching for almost 50 years but I’m still learning new things and seeing new things. I watched a montage of all the goals Thierry Henry scored for Arsenal and his finishing was exceptional.

“He would drive them, volley them, head them, score tap-ins and from 30-yards. He was putting shots where the goalkeepers couldn’t get them.

“I know that sounds daft but too many players just try and get a shot on target, make the goalkeeper work, but Henry was giving them no chance. He was composed enough to know where he wanted to put it.

“I used to do a drill in training to practice shooting and the balls would be flying everywhere over the top of the bar. As soon as I said that the next one to hit it over the bar would be the ball boy, they all started hitting the target. It was amazing and there has to be that level of professionalism to practicing.

“Henry was exceptional at getting his angles right. He knew what he was shooting for, what he was aiming to do. He would serve it, bend it, or put enough power on it to give the goalkeeper no chance. It is that extra attention to detail that makes all the difference and young players have to work at it. They have to practice.”