Modern Soccer Coach Podcast Why Most Strikers Struggle… And How To Fix It with JP Owens
Mar 24, 2026
JP Owens, performance analyst for Ireland U17 Women and Shelbourne, specializes in centre-forward play and player development. He explains why many strikers struggle due to positional understanding. Conversations cover how forwards should dictate passes with pre-planned movements, integrating striker work across the squad, practical shadowing and peer feedback, and using concise video to build player-led development.
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Coach Strikers With Their Teammates Present
- Coach centre forwards with relevant teammates present so decisions relate to real passers, wide forwards, centre-backs and the goalkeeper.
- JP Owens ran sessions including wide forwards, midfielders, centre-backs and goalkeepers to give actionable feedback on why movements worked or failed.
Peer Feedback Between Strikers At Halftime
- JP brought strikers, wide forwards, midfielders, centre-backs and goalkeepers into a room to teach centre-forward movement and relationships.
- On matchdays he paired forwards for halftime feedback: one off, one on, then peer-to-peer briefings about observed trends.
Use Three Minute Shadowing Drills
- Use short on-pitch shadowing: coach shadows a striker for three minutes, then the striker shadows the coach for three minutes to create immediate feedback loops.
- JP used 3-minute shadow blocks during training to show movements live and then flip roles for player reflection.