Head coach Dean Smith set up a special coaching session to teach them about four key skills.

• Receiving - how the player receives the ball
• Releasing - the vision/accuracy to make the right pass at the right time
• Running with the ball - can you run with the ball at pace and beat players?
• Retention - can you keep possession of the ball when you have it?

Those core skills will be invaluable to the youngsters who have been given the chance to work with professional coaches in a bid to force their way into the professional game

The Nike Academy, launched in conjunction with the Premier League, is designed to help young footballers who are without professional football contracts.

They have been working tirelessly under the guidance of experienced coaches who have provided expert tuition via a series of drills.

Click here to view video of the sessions and to hear Smith describe how the drills are set up.

Smith explained: "There is a huge emphasis on technical ability which is why we work on these four R's.

"The modern game is so much faster so players need to take good care of the ball.

"They need to have a soft first touch when receiving it so that they bring it under control instantly.

"And it is massively important that they release it correctly, getting the weight and type of pass right.

"Ball retention is vital because the team with the most possession normally wins the game so we do plenty of keep-ball drills.

"And we also work on running with the ball telling players to treat every exercise as though it is a real match so they can take these skills into games."

Click here to watch the video of the Nike Academy youngsters working on the four R's.

To find out more about the players and coaches at the Nike Academy visit NikeFootball.com