tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7314111376858919592024-02-24T03:03:30.988+01:00Blueprint for FootballPaul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-32641497971369274982017-06-19T10:30:00.000+02:002017-06-20T20:12:08.946+02:00Blueprint for Football's Different Ideas<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the ideas behind Blueprint for Football is that of looking at different ideas that are – or should be - influencing the game of football. We’ve done that over the years and here is an overview (shown by order of publishing with the most recent ones being on top) of the most influential of those ideas.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Curiosity </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/05/essential-qualities-of-football-coach.html" target="_blank">Essential Qualities of a Football Coach: Curiosity</a> [May 2016]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is the belief that great innovations come from lightbulb moments when inspiration hits and the fully formed idea is conceived. That isn’t the case. Instead great ideas are usually the result of years of thinking about something and linking it to knowledge learned from elsewhere. It is for this reason that curiosity is important as it is through it that one accumulates the knowledge needed to thread together different concepts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “What people should be trying to foster is…epistemic curiosity, which is a more structured and deeper form of curiosity that can ignite the desire to learn and attempt to do things that one would not normally consider.”</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>On Habits</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/10/how-habits-shape-football-and-why-they.html" target="_blank">How Habits Shape Football (And Why They Matter To You)</a> [October 2013]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most tactically disciplined teams are also those who seem to know instinctively when they should be doing a particular action. Think of Arsenal’s back four under George Graham moving in unison to set-off the offside trap or Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona pressing defenders as soon as possession was lost. The thing is that this is hardly instinctive but rather a movement that is dictated by habits, an idea that every coach has to be aware of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Barcelona’s game, then, isn’t a spontaneous expression of genius but rather the perfect execution of a series of deeply ingrained habits.”</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Perception</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/09/perception-is-in-eye-of-beholder.html" target="_blank">Perception is in the Eye of the Beholder</a> [September 2013]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can you teach a player how to be more aware of what is happening around him? Can you determine how aware a player is of what is happening around him by watching him play? The answer to both questions is yes and Geir Jordet, who has studied in depth the idea of perception provided a breakdown on how this is possible. For coaches looking for some different ideas to investigate, this has to be on their read list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Players tend to look too much at the ball; you don't really need all the information you get from the ball.”</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Psychology </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/05/helping-brain-to-win-games.html" target="_blank">Helping the Brain to Win Games</a> [May 2013]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The history of the game of football is littered with players who had the talent but not the mental capacity to succeed. It is a shameful waste considering how much resources there are out there for them to help themselves. As for coaches, they too have to have a good handle of the basics of sports psychology and Dan Abrahams delivered a primer on that in this interview.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “(Sports psychology) is the bottom of the wish list for clubs and also probably at the bottom of the wish list for player. Yet we talk how important the psychological side is in football so there is a bit of a disconnection.”</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>On Specialisation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/09/bursting-specialisation-myth.html" target="_blank">Bursting the Specialisation Myth</a> [September 2012]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea that the 10,000 hour practise rule is, at best, an indicator rather than a rule that guarantees expertise is now quite accepted but at the time of this interview with the University of Birmingham Senior Lecturer Dr Martin Toms his arguments flew in the face of the pop-psychology beliefs set about by Malcolm Gladwell’s books. A wide ranging interview that delves into the damage that early specialisation does to players and how it would be best to let children try out a number of sports.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Specialising in one sport at a young age is actually detrimental to success.”</i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-70548987884838261762017-06-16T10:30:00.000+02:002017-06-20T20:11:21.999+02:00Blueprint for Football Interview Directory<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>From Bristol Rovers to Barcelona, through Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven, over the years Blueprint for Football has spoken to a lot of people working at the best* football institutions in the world. Their knowledge is yours to experience and here you will find a quick summary of each of the most insightful of interviews that we have done.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>If you want to read what fellow coaches have to say about their views on the game, check out of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blueprint+according+to+paul+grech" target="_blank">Blueprint According To...</a> series or <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">join our newsletter</a> for a free copy of Volume III.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>* Best for us is defined not purely by prestige but also by attitude and willingness to learn.</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/2012%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/04/inside-footballs-talent-factory.html%20Inside%20Barca%E2%80%99s%20Talent%20Factory%20Interviewee:%20Marti%20Perarnau%20[Barcelona%20Based%20Author]%20A%20lot%20has%20been%20written%20about%20Barcelona%E2%80%99s%20La%20Masia%20but%20few%20people%20are%20as%20knowledgeable%20about%20what%20happens%20there%20as%20Spanish%20journalist%20Marti%20Perarnau%20who%20has%20written%20books%20about%20this%20subject%20as%20well%20as%20about%20his%20close%20friend%20Pep%20Guardiola.%20%20Here%20he%20answers%20questions%20about%20the%20birth%20of%20La%20Masia%E2%80%99s%20philosophy,%20how%20players%20are%20chosen%20and%20how%20they%20manage%20to%20keep%20the%20talent%20flowing%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CIs%20physical%20strength%20and%20height%20given%20much%20importance?%20None.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/09/bursting-specialisation-myth.html%20Bursting%20the%20Specialisation%20Myth%20Interviewee:%20Dr.%20Martin%20Toms%20[Senior%20Lecturer%20at%20University%20of%20Birmingham]%20The%20idea%20that%20the%2010,000%20hour%20practise%20rule%20is,%20at%20best,%20an%20indicator%20rather%20than%20a%20rule%20that%20guarantees%20expertise%20is%20now%20quite%20accepted%20but%20at%20the%20time%20of%20this%20interview%20with%20the%20University%20of%20Birmingham%20Senior%20Lecturer%20Dr%20Martin%20Toms%20his%20arguments%20flew%20in%20the%20face%20of%20the%20pop-psychology%20beliefs%20set%20about%20by%20Malcolm%20Gladwell%E2%80%99s%20books.%20%20A%20wide%20ranging%20interview%20that%20delves%20into%20the%20damage%20that%20early%20specialisation%20does%20to%20players%20and%20how%20it%20would%20be%20best%20to%20let%20children%20try%20out%20a%20number%20of%20sports.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CGrass%20roots%20clubs%20should%20all%20act%20as%20they%20would%20a%20surrogate%20family%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/11/hamilton-aiming-to-be-best.html%20Hamilton%20Aiming%20To%20Be%20The%20Best%20Interviewee:%20Frankie%20McAvoy%20[Youth%20Academy%20Director%20at%20Hamilton%20Academical]%20Although%20Scottish%20football%20has,%20to%20put%20it%20mildly,%20not%20been%20enjoying%20the%20best%20of%20times%20there%20are%20still%20a%20lot%20of%20people%20within%20the%20Scottish%20game%20who%20are%20top%20class%20coaches%20with%20ideas%20for%20youth%20development%20that%20are%20quite%20inspired.%20%20Frankie%20McAvoy%20is%20one%20such%20person.%20%20At%20the%20time%20of%20this%20interview%20he%20was%20the%20Youth%20Academy%20Director%20at%20Hamilton%20Academical%20who%20had%20produced%20players%20like%20James%20McCarthy%20and%20James%20MacArthur.%20%20McAvoy%20has%20since%20followed%20Alex%20Neil%20to%20Norwich%20but%20Hamilton%20still%20field%20teams%20made%20up%20largely%20of%20home%20grown%20players,%20a%20sure%20indicator%20that%20they%20still%20abide%20by%20the%20same%20ideology%20for%20the%20development%20of%20talent.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9COur%20philosophy%20is%20very%20simple:%20in%20every%20sport%20the%20goal%20is%20to%20be%20the%20best%20that%20you%20can%20possibly%20be.%20That%20is%20what%20we%20try%20to%20teach%20our%20kids%20here.%E2%80%9D%20%202013%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/04/in-search-of-game-intelligence.html%20In%20Search%20of%20Game%20Intelligence%20Interviewee:%20Horst%20Wein%20Although%20he%20is%20not%20a%20familiar%20name%20among%20many%20football%20fans,%20Horst%20Wein%20has%20to%20rank%20among%20the%20best%20coaches%20to%20ever%20think%20about%20the%20game.%20%20His%20attitude%20to%20letting%20young%20players%20learn%20by%20playing%20the%20game%20is%20visionary%20and%20in%20this%20interview%20he%20spoke%20among%20others%20of%20that%20belief%20and%20how%20best%20to%20achieve%20it.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CThe%20strongest,%20fastest%20player%20without%20game%20intelligence%20will%20waste%20most%20of%20his%20potential,%20but%20the%20smallest%20intelligent%20player%20can%20overcome%20any%20opponent.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/05/helping-brain-to-win-games.html%20Helping%20the%20Brain%20to%20Win%20Games%20Interviewee:%20Dan%20Abrahams,%20Sports%20Psychologist%20and%20Book%20Author%20The%20history%20of%20the%20game%20of%20football%20is%20littered%20with%20players%20who%20had%20the%20talent%20but%20not%20the%20mental%20capacity%20to%20succeed.%20%20It%20is%20a%20shameful%20waste%20considering%20how%20much%20resources%20there%20are%20out%20there%20for%20them%20to%20help%20themselves.%20%20As%20for%20coaches,%20they%20too%20have%20to%20have%20a%20good%20handle%20of%20the%20basics%20of%20sports%20psychology%20and%20Dan%20Abrahams%20delivered%20a%20primer%20on%20that%20in%20this%20interview.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CToo%20many%20coaches%20say%20that%20they%20have%20players%20that%20have%20lots%20of%20physical%20talent%20but%20%27he%20doesn%27t%20want%20it%27%20and%20there%27s%20nothing%20that%20can%20be%20done.%20%20That%20is%20rubbish.%20%20Of%20course%20something%20can%20be%20done.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/09/perception-is-in-eye-of-beholder.html%20Perception%20is%20in%20the%20Eye%20of%20the%20Beholder%20Interviewee:%20Geir%20Jordet%20Can%20you%20teach%20a%20player%20how%20to%20be%20more%20aware%20of%20what%20is%20happening%20around%20him?%20%20Can%20you%20determine%20how%20aware%20a%20player%20is%20of%20what%20is%20happening%20around%20him%20by%20watching%20him%20play?%20%20The%20answer%20to%20both%20questions%20is%20yes%20and%20Geir%20Jordet,%20who%20has%20studied%20in%20depth%20the%20idea%20of%20perception%20provided%20a%20breakdown%20on%20how%20this%20is%20possible.%20%20For%20coaches%20looking%20for%20some%20different%20ideas%20to%20investigate,%20this%20has%20to%20be%20on%20their%20read%20list.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CXavi%20is%20a%20good%20example.%20%20He%20doesn%27t%20just%20look,%20he%20is%20one%20of%20the%20most%20active%20players%20out%20there;%20he%20doesn%27t%20automatically%20know%20what%20is%20around%20him,%20is%20constantly%20searching,%20constantly%20looking.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/09/the-secrets-of-talent-spotters.html%20The%20Secrets%20of%20the%20Talent%20Spotters%20Interviewee:%20Michael%20Calvin,%20Author%20of%20The%20Nowhere%20Men%20When%20he%20wrote%20The%20Nowhere%20Men,%20Michael%20Calvin%20brought%20to%20focus%20a%20role%20that%20is%20often%20mythicized%20without%20ever%20really%20being%20understood,%20that%20of%20scouting%20players.%20%20He%20did%20this%20by%20spending%20time%20with%20a%20number%20of%20scouts%20and%20learning%20from%20them%20along%20the%20way.%20%20Some%20of%20that%20knowledge%20was%20passed%20on%20in%20this%20interview.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CIn%20any%20other%20business,%20when%20you%27ve%20made%20that%20massive%20investment%20you%20would%20have%20psycho-metric%20testing%20but%20in%20football%20you%20can%27t%20do%20that%20because%20the%20person%20you%20want%20to%20test%20is%20the%20property%20of%20another%20club.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/10/futsal-provides-technicians-that.html%20Futsal%20Provides%20The%20Technicians%20That%20Football%20Needs%20Interviewee:%20Michael%20Sorato,%20Futsal%20World%20Cup%20Winner%20As%20the%20games%20increasingly%20appreciates%20technical%20players,%20youth%20football%20coaches%20are%20being%20faced%20with%20a%20challenge%20brought%20about%20by%20the%20decline%20of%20street%20football%20where%20most%20of%20those%20players%20used%20to%20learn%20those%20skills.%20%20Futsal%20is%20a%20valid%20replacement%20and%20perhaps%20the%20way%20forward.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9C[Futsal%20teaches]%20quick%20thinking,%20fast%20decision%20making,%20a%20higher%20demand%20of%20technique%20to%20solve%20problems%20in%20small%20spaces.%20%20It%20helps%20the%20player%20to%20think%20about%20the%20game%20and%20to%20learn%20how%20to%20defend%20and%20attack.%20%20The%20player%20needs%20to%20be%20complete.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/11/the-man-who-made-barca.html%20The%20Man%20Who%20Made%20Barca%20Interviewee:%20Laureano%20Ruiz,%20Former%20Head%20of%20Barcelona%E2%80%99s%20Academy%20Although%20Johann%20Cruyff%20is%20widely%20credited%20as%20kicking%20off%20the%20revolution%20in%20thinking%20at%20Barcelona,%20the%20process%20had%20actually%20started%20under%20Laureano%20Ruiz%20who%20took%20over%20the%20club%E2%80%99s%20youth%20system%20before%20Cruyff%20arrived%20at%20the%20club.%20%20One%20of%20his%20first%20acts%20was%20to%20abolish%20the%20policy%20where%20only%20players%20of%20a%20certain%20height%20were%20considered.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CWhen%20I%20refer%20to%20my%20system%20of%20play,%20I%20stress:%20order,%20inspiration%20and%20fantasy.%E2%80%9D%20%202014%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2014/12/the-future-of-football-lies-in.html%20The%20Future%20of%20Football%20Lies%20in%20Universality%20Interviewee:%20Matt%20Whitehouse,%20Author%20of%20Coaching%20Books%20Universality%20is%20a%20concept%20where%20players%20interchange%20between%20positions,%20where%20they%20are%20not%20fixed%20to%20any%20role%20and%20instead%20simply%20rotate%20with%20each%20other%20in%20games.%20%20It%20is%20along%20the%20same%20thinking%20as%20total%20football,%20the%20only%20difference,%20and%20perhaps%20the%20key%20aspect%20for%20the%20future%20game,%20is%20that%20the%20team%20is%20made%20up%20of%20universal%20players,%20all%20with%20the%20skills%20and%20attributes%20required%20to%20play%20in%20any%20position.%20%20In%20this%20interview%20Whitehouse%20spoke%20in%20detail%20about%20that%20concept,%20why%20he%20thinks%20that%20football%20will%20evolve%20in%20that%20manner%20and%20why%20every%20football%20coach%20should%20be%20paying%20attention%20to%20it.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CWhat%20coaches%20need%20to%20think%20is%20not%20in%20terms%20of%20position%20based%20skills%20but%20of%20what%20a%20footballer%20requires.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2014/12/what-goes-into-developing-coaching.html%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Developing%20a%20Coaching%20Philosophy%20Interviewee:%20Tim%20Lees,%20%20Liverpool%20FC%20Youth%20Coach%20In%20recent%20years,%20philosophy%20has%20become%20something%20of%20a%20buzzword%20within%20football%20yet%20the%20real%20meaning%20of%20philosophy%20within%20the%20game%20was%20somewhat%20lost.%20%20Lees%20explained%20it%20in%20detail%20looking%20also%20at%20his%20own%20route%20to%20developing%20a%20philosophy.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CWhenever%20you%20ask%20a%20top%20manager%20privately%20%E2%80%98what%E2%80%99s%20your%20philosophy?%E2%80%99%20his%20response%20will%20often%20be%20%E2%80%98one%20that%20wins%E2%80%99.%E2%80%9D%20%202015%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2015/02/working-on-aberdeens-future.html%20Working%20on%20Aberdeen%27s%20Future%20Interviewee:%20Gavin%20Levey%20Aberdeen%20have%20a%20tradition%20for%20bringing%20through%20young%20players%20and%20that%20looks%20like%20continuing%20given%20the%20club%E2%80%99s%20current%20policy%20of%20focusing%20primarily%20on%20bringing%20through%20players%20to%20their%20first%20team,%20something%20which%20they%20have%20done%20successfully.%20%20Gavin%20Levey%20is%20the%20man%20charged%20with%20their%20younger%20age%20groups%20and%20he%20explains%20how%20they%20do%20it.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20vital%20that%20as%20coaches%20we%20help%20develop%20a%20winning%20mentality%20with%20individuals%20from%20an%20early%20age%20and%20this%20comes%20from%20the%20training%20ground%20and%20preparing%20sessions%20which%20are%20competitive.%E2%80%9D%20%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2015/03/inside-academy-bristol-rovers.html%20Inside%20An%20Academy:%20Bristol%20Rovers%20Interviewee:%20Jonathan%20Henderson,%20Bristol%20Rovers%E2%80%99%20Academy%20Head%20of%20Coaching%20and%20Academy%20Manager%20Although%20most%20of%20the%20attention%20is%20focused%20on%20what%20happens%20at%20the%20highest%20level,%20there%20is%20a%20lot%20of%20excellent%20work%20going%20on%20in%20lower%20levels.%20%20Bristol%20Rovers%20are%20a%20prime%20example%20and%20in%20Jonathan%20Henderson%20they%20have%20a%20head%20of%20coaching%20who%20is%20determined%20to%20push%20them%20forward.%20Memorable%20%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CWe%20want%20a%20learning%20environment;%20a%20growth%20mindset.%20%20That%20extends%20to%20the%20staff%20as%20well%20as%20the%20players.%E2%80%9D%20%202016%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/03/being-goalkeeper-is-greatest-thing-in.html%20http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/03/what-goalkeeper-needs.html%20%E2%80%9CBeing%20A%20Goalkeeper%20Is%20The%20Greatest%20Thing%20In%20The%20World%E2%80%9D%20+%20What%20a%20Goalkeeper%20Needs%20Goalkeepers,%20it%20is%20often%20said,%20are%20different.%20%20You%20have%20to%20be%20when%20in%20a%20game%20where%20the%20ultimate%20aim%20is%20to%20put%20the%20ball%20between%20the%20goalposts%20you%20dedicate%20yourself%20to%20stop%20it%20from%20doing%20so.%20%20Ruud%20Hesp%20was%20one%20such%20individual%20but%20he%20sees%20it%20differently%20as%20for%20him%20there%20is%20no%20better%20role%20than%20being%20a%20goalkeeper.%20%20In%20these%20two%20interviews%20he%20speaks%20about%20his%20career,%20the%20lessons%20that%20he%20learned%20and%20what%20it%20takes%20to%20be%20a%20top%20goalkeeper.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CYou%20can%20have%20good%20players%20but%20if%20the%20goalkeeper%20isn%E2%80%99t%20good%20enough%20then%20you%20have%20a%20problem.%20%20A%20house%20is%20built%20on%20a%20good%20foundation.%20It%20is%20the%20same%20with%20goalkeepers.%E2%80%9D%20%20%22I%20Never%20Look%20For%20Players%20Who%20Take%20Advantage%20Of%20Their%20Physical%20Power%20At%20Young%20Ages%22%20Interviewee:%20Albert%20Capellas,%20Ex-youth%20coordinator%20at%20Barcelona,%20current-assistant%20coach%20at%20Maccabi%20Tel%20Aviv%20Any%20coach%20who%20has%20the%20good%20fortune%20of%20working%20with%20Barcelona%20is%20bound%20to%20have%20an%20excellent%20insight%20into%20the%20game.%20%20Albert%20Capellas%20has%20gone%20further%20than%20that,%20expanding%20his%20horizons%20by%20working%20in%20a%20number%20of%20countries%20like%20Holland,%20Denmark%20and,%20now,%20Israel.%20%20This%20has%20been%20an%20educational%20experience%20and%20he%20shares%20some%20of%20what%20he%20has%20learned%20in%20this%20interview.%20Memorable%20Quote:%20%E2%80%9CWe%20can%E2%80%99t%20split%20between%20attack%20and%20defense.%20They%20are%20both%20connected%20with%20each%20other.%20In%20attack,%20one%20has%20to%20think%20about%20defense%20(in%20the%20event%20that%20we%20lose%20the%20ball)%20and%20when%20we%20defend%20one%20must%20always%20think%20about%20attack%20(for%20the%20moment%20when%20we%20win%20the%20ball)%20and%20go%20on%20the%20attack.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Inside Barca’s Talent Factory</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Marti Perarnau [Barcelona Based Author]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lot has been written about Barcelona’s La Masia but few people are as knowledgeable about what happens there as Spanish journalist Marti Perarnau who has written books about this subject as well as about his close friend Pep Guardiola. Here he answers questions about the birth of La Masia’s philosophy, how players are chosen and how they manage to keep the talent flowing</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Is physical strength and height given much importance? None.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/09/bursting-specialisation-myth.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Bursting the Specialisation Myth</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Dr. Martin Toms [Senior Lecturer at University of Birmingham]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea that the 10,000 hour practise rule is, at best, an indicator rather than a rule that guarantees expertise is now quite accepted but at the time of this interview with the University of Birmingham Senior Lecturer Dr Martin Toms his arguments flew in the face of the pop-psychology beliefs set about by Malcolm Gladwell’s books. A wide ranging interview that delves into the damage that early specialisation does to players and how it would be best to let children try out a number of sports.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Grass roots clubs should all act as they would a surrogate family”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2012/11/hamilton-aiming-to-be-best.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Hamilton Aiming To Be The Best</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Frankie McAvoy [Youth Academy Director at Hamilton Academical]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although Scottish football has, to put it mildly, not been enjoying the best of times there are still a lot of people within the Scottish game who are top class coaches with ideas for youth development that are quite inspired. Frankie McAvoy is one such person. At the time of this interview he was the Youth Academy Director at Hamilton Academical who had produced players like James McCarthy and James MacArthur. McAvoy has since followed Alex Neil to Norwich but Hamilton still field teams made up largely of home grown players, a sure indicator that they still abide by the same ideology for the development of talent.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Our philosophy is very simple: in every sport the goal is to be the best that you can possibly be. That is what we try to teach our kids here.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj7Mgi1XDm3vOjeJNsy9jxuOnrmmCwhf3aurb8nR3EgjXkGRhUhd3EsnLZGfXsJCaeL-HYW3Dz30QZBJGMk5emiGiVJwMsPtDmcqe_fJHBRXm5AXDDtxNdrlAFWtB6gy9efvcsIIbizM3/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj7Mgi1XDm3vOjeJNsy9jxuOnrmmCwhf3aurb8nR3EgjXkGRhUhd3EsnLZGfXsJCaeL-HYW3Dz30QZBJGMk5emiGiVJwMsPtDmcqe_fJHBRXm5AXDDtxNdrlAFWtB6gy9efvcsIIbizM3/s1600/2013.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/04/in-search-of-game-intelligence.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>In Search of Game Intelligence</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Horst Wein</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although he is not a familiar name among many football fans, Horst Wein has to rank among the best coaches to ever think about the game. His attitude to letting young players learn by playing the game is visionary and in this interview he spoke among others of that belief and how best to achieve it.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “The strongest, fastest player without game intelligence will waste most of his potential, but the smallest intelligent player can overcome any opponent.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/05/helping-brain-to-win-games.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Helping the Brain to Win Games</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Dan Abrahams [Sports Psychologist and Book Author]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The history of the game of football is littered with players who had the talent but not the mental capacity to succeed. It is a shameful waste considering how much resources there are out there for them to help themselves. As for coaches, they too have to have a good handle of the basics of sports psychology and Dan Abrahams delivered a primer on that in this interview.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Too many coaches say that they have players that have lots of physical talent but 'he doesn't want it' and there's nothing that can be done. That is rubbish. Of course something can be done.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/09/perception-is-in-eye-of-beholder.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Perception is in the Eye of the Beholder</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Geir Jordet</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can you teach a player how to be more aware of what is happening around him? Can you determine how aware a player is of what is happening around him by watching him play? The answer to both questions is yes and Geir Jordet, who has studied in depth the idea of perception provided a breakdown on how this is possible. For coaches looking for some different ideas to investigate, this has to be on their read list.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Xavi is a good example. He doesn't just look, he is one of the most active players out there; he doesn't automatically know what is around him, is constantly searching, constantly looking.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/09/the-secrets-of-talent-spotters.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Secrets of the Talent Spotters</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Michael Calvin [Author of The Nowhere Men]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When he wrote The Nowhere Men, Michael Calvin brought to focus a role that is often mythicized without ever really being understood, that of scouting players. He did this by spending time with a number of scouts and learning from them along the way. Some of that knowledge was passed on in this interview.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “In any other business, when you've made that massive investment you would have psycho-metric testing but in football you can't do that because the person you want to test is the property of another club.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/10/futsal-provides-technicians-that.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Futsal Provides The Technicians That Football Needs</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Michael Sorato [Futsal World Cup Winning Coach]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the games increasingly appreciates technical players, youth football coaches are being faced with a challenge brought about by the decline of street football where most of those players used to learn those skills. Futsal is a valid replacement and perhaps the way forward.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “[Futsal teaches] quick thinking, fast decision making, a higher demand of technique to solve problems in small spaces. It helps the player to think about the game and to learn how to defend and attack. The player needs to be complete.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/11/the-man-who-made-barca.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Man Who Made Barca</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Laureano Ruiz [Former Head of Barcelona’s Academy]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although Johann Cruyff is widely credited as kicking off the revolution in thinking at Barcelona, the process had actually started under Laureano Ruiz who took over the club’s youth system before Cruyff arrived at the club. One of his first acts was to abolish the policy where only players of a certain height were considered.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote: </b>“When I refer to my system of play, I stress: order, inspiration and fantasy.”</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2014/12/the-future-of-football-lies-in.html" target="_blank">The Future of Football Lies in Universality</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Matt Whitehouse [Author of Coaching Books]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Universality is a concept where players interchange between positions, where they are not fixed to any role and instead simply rotate with each other in games. It is along the same thinking as total football, the only difference, and perhaps the key aspect for the future game, is that the team is made up of universal players, all with the skills and attributes required to play in any position. In this interview Whitehouse spoke in detail about that concept, why he thinks that football will evolve in that manner and why every football coach should be paying attention to it.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “What coaches need to think is not in terms of position based skills but of what a footballer requires.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2014/12/what-goes-into-developing-coaching.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What Goes Into Developing a Coaching Philosophy</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Tim Lees, Ex-Liverpool FC Academy Coach]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In recent years, philosophy has become something of a buzzword within football yet the real meaning of philosophy within the game was somewhat lost. Lees explained it in detail looking also at his own route to developing a philosophy.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “Whenever you ask a top manager privately ‘what’s your philosophy?’ his response will often be ‘one that wins’.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2015/02/working-on-aberdeens-future.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Working on Aberdeen's Future</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Gavin Levey [Aberdeen FC Academy]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Aberdeen have a tradition for bringing through young players and that looks like continuing given the club’s current policy of focusing primarily on bringing through players to their first team, something which they have done successfully. Gavin Levey is the man charged with their younger age groups and he explains how they do it.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “It is vital that as coaches we help develop a winning mentality with individuals from an early age and this comes from the training ground and preparing sessions which are competitive.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2015/03/inside-academy-bristol-rovers.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Inside An Academy: Bristol Rovers</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Jonathan Henderson [Bristol Rovers’ Academy Head of Coaching and Academy Manager]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although most of the attention is focused on what happens at the highest level, there is a lot of excellent work going on in lower levels. Bristol Rovers are a prime example and in Jonathan Henderson they have a head of coaching who is determined to push them forward.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “We want a learning environment; a growth mindset. That extends to the staff as well as the players.”</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/03/being-goalkeeper-is-greatest-thing-in.html" target="_blank">“Being A Goalkeeper Is The Greatest Thing In The World”</a> + <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/03/what-goalkeeper-needs.html" target="_blank">What a Goalkeeper Needs</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Ruud Hesp [Ex-Barcelona goalkeeper & current PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper coach]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Goalkeepers, it is often said, are different. You have to be when in a game where the ultimate aim is to put the ball between the goalposts you dedicate yourself to stop it from doing so. Ruud Hesp was one such individual but he sees it differently as for him there is no better role than being a goalkeeper. In these two interviews he speaks about his career, the lessons that he learned and what it takes to be a top goalkeeper.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “You can have good players but if the goalkeeper isn’t good enough then you have a problem. A house is built on a good foundation. It is the same with goalkeepers.”</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2016/11/i-never-look-for-players-who-take.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I Never Look For Players Who Take Advantage Of Their Physical Power At Young Ages"</span></b></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interviewee: Albert Capellas [Ex-youth coordinator at Barcelona, current-assistant coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv]</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any coach who has the good fortune of working with Barcelona is bound to have an excellent insight into the game. Albert Capellas has gone further than that, expanding his horizons by working in a number of countries like Holland, Denmark and, now, Israel. This has been an educational experience and he shares some of what he has learned in this interview.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> “We can’t split between attack and defense. They are both connected with each other. In attack, one has to think about defense (in the event that we lose the ball) and when we defend one must always think about attack (for the moment when we win the ball) and go on the attack.”</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/01/getting-players-to-think.html" target="_blank">Getting Players To Think</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Interviewee: Todd Beane [Founder of TOVO Academy]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lot of coaches have mentors who guide their formation and towards whom they look as they develop their ideas. Few however can match American Todd Beane who found his tutor in his father-in-law, the legendary player, manager and football visionary Johann Cruyff. He</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> began working with Cruyff in the foundation of the Cruyff Institute – an educational institution aimed at educating athletes, sport and business professionals in the field of sport management - in 2002 and continued his work there until Johan’s passing last year. </span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> "</span></i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Intelligence is the foundation of all excellence - within and beyond the pitch. It is more than important; it is imperative." </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/02/the-coach-is-most-disposable-element-in.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/02/the-coach-is-most-disposable-element-in.html" target="_blank">"The coach is the most disposable element in a football team"</a></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interviewee: </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ismael Díaz Galán [widely traveled Spanish coach of clubs like Malaga, Granada and Real Oviedo]</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having delivered tiki-taka and a generation of players that dominated world football for almost a decade through a system based almost exclusively on ability, Spain is rightly seen as the home of technical football. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fueling this culture are coaches who bring the ideology to life. Ismael Díaz Galán is typical of this class. His experiences might have been limited largely outside the Primera Liga but he is a deep thinker about the game and a keen educator who is eager to share the vision that lights up Spanish football.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Memorable Quote:</b> "</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I do not hope for a win, I aggressively try to make it happen by keeping hold of the ball more than not; creating a collective intelligence that makes us stronger as a group without diminishing individual creativity."</span></i><br />
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-6569346250894052172017-06-14T10:30:00.000+02:002017-06-14T10:30:00.160+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: How To Avoid Bias, Tactics of Barca's New Coach & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As new trends replace existing ones people tend to be blinded by all that is new, discarding lessons that previous successes had taught them. For decades, Liverpool were successful thanks to a group of coaches who balanced each other out. Many tried to uncover the secrets of the fabled boot room and a lot of theories emerged. One aspect that was never looked into with much interest was their practise of noting down everything from scouting reports to training sessions to what worked in different situations. This manual enabled them to have a factual record of why certain decisions were taken and is a practise that every coach today should be looking to copy. </span><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/06/taking-note-why-coaches-should-keep.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b>Here’s why.</b></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.soccerawareness.com/coaches-corner/how-our-teams-play-at-11-v-11-in-the-tiffiny-league?utm_content=buffer4de44&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b>How teams can adopt the 3-3-1-3 formation.</b></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After what has been, by their standards, a pretty disappointing season Barcelona have appointed Ernesto Valverde as their coach. Valverde achieved exceptional results at Athletic Bilbao – a club with rich traditions, high expectations but pretty unique restrictions on recruitment – and being a former Barca player who played under Cruyff he was always the most obvious choice for the role. </span><a href="http://www.thefalse9.com/2017/06/ernesto-valverde-barcelona-tactics.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b>Here is a brief introduction to Valverde’s attributes as a coach and his tactical dogma.</b></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://complementarytraining.net/44-awesome-drills-that-make-your-body-faster-and-your-mind-sharper/" target="_blank"><b>44 Awesome Drills That Make Your Body Faster and Your Mind Sharper.</b></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TEAM TALK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Even in times when we didn’t win, or when we couldn’t achieve a stabilisation in our performances, we kept pushing and insisting on the same concepts and guidelines. That meant that we didn’t change in order to win and, more importantly, we didn’t change our way of thinking because we were not winning. If you’re convinced of something, you must go for it.”</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oscar Washington Tabarez – El Maestro – Uruguay National Team coach; World Cup semi-finalist in 2010 & 2011 Copa America winner.</b></span></div>
Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-20373858463021648622017-06-07T10:30:00.000+02:002017-06-07T10:30:15.528+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Dark Side of Youth Football, Kinkladze's Impact on English Football & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The success of clubs like Ajax, Monaco, Atalanta and Southampton who have all exceeded expectations with teams built around players coming through their youth systems does not seem to be rubbing off with most clubs (especially English ones) opting to buy their way to honours. What is particularly sad about such behaviour is that young players are not finding a way through, having their hopes dashed after years of hard work. <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/premier-league-dark-side-to-english-football-young-collateral-damage-a7763181.html" target="_blank">This article looks at that dark side of the game.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the hardest tasks facing any coach is that of teaching players how to react during games where not everything is cleanly laid out like a training session. <a href="http://trainingground.guru/articles/how-az-alkmaar-get-players-thinking-for-themselves" target="_blank">AZ Alkmaar have developed their own way of handing this issue</a> which makes for very interesting reading for any coach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michael Cox – or </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Zonal_Marking" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">ZonalMarking</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> as he is known - was one of the early football writing stars of Twitter through his tactical analysis of games and whilst many have followed in his path, his remains the freshest voice of all. He is now </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0008215545/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0008215545&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21&linkId=2b31af983c0dad09d5db265c59f780d6" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">publishing his first book on football tactics (The Mixer)</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> from which </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/may/25/premier-league-georgi-kinkladze-manchester-city-tactics" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this is an extract</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. It deals with Georgi Kinkladze and how his arrival starting forcing English clubs to look at different tactical solutions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the kind of article that makes Jonathan Wilson such a standout among current football writers: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/may/27/how-good-old-fashioned-shadow-play-has-helped-antonio-conte-light-up-chelsea?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_content=buffer82a59&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">a piece about how Antonio Conte adopted an idea that is fifty years old to build his Chelsea team into champions</a>. Brilliant stuff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>“Leadership must be likeable, affable, cordial, and above all emotional. The fashion of authoritarian leadership is gone. Football is about life. You can't be angry all day. ” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Vicente del Bosque – winner of Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, the European Championship and the World Cup</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>PSST…</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want to read something a bit different, last week <a href="http://www.thegentlemanultra.com/gazzetta/remembering-andrea-fortunatos-scudetto" target="_blank">I wrote about this on Andrea Fortunato</a>. A talented young left-back who was threatening to displace the great Paolo Maldini in the Italian national team only for tragedy to stop him from fulfilling his destiny.</span><br />
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-29709785306067271532017-06-05T18:24:00.001+02:002017-06-05T18:33:04.574+02:00Taking Note: Why Coaches Should Keep A Journal<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the finest football books of recent years is Simon Hughes’ <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005KAHF0S/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=alivthi-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B005KAHF0S&linkId=cc5743fba5173c13b48af64a8e17ab56" target="_blank">Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout</a>. It tells the story of Geoff Twentyman who was Liverpool’s Chief Scout between 1967 and 1985, an era that was marked by the club’s unprecedented success built largely on an exceptional ability to identify talent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What marks this book out is how it was written. Rather than being based on the recollections of Twentyman himself (sadly, he passed away way before work on this book had started) it uses the meticulous notes that he used to take during every one of his scouting trips.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was an extension of the practise within Liverpool’s fabled boot room of noting down different aspects of their work from training, recovery and tactical approaches in varying situations. These dossiers eventually became the reference point whenever the club was faced with similar situations allowing them the luxury to judge whether to take a similar approach or not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill Shankly took over at Liverpool in 1959 and the boot room was established shortly afterwards. It is testament of how visionary that group of people was that the practices that they adopted are still as effective today as they were more than fifty years back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Essentially: every coach should be journaling regularly, documenting decisions taken and the reasoning behind them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Never Trust Your Memory</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To appreciate why that is there is the need to move away from sport and into the realm of psychology. People act in the manner that they do because over the years their behaviour has been shaped by their own experiences. The problem, though, is that those experiences and memories might not include all the details; they might be inherently biased. There will be occasions when a positive result influences one’s recall of a choice or vice-versa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine if someone were to ask you to think back to a time when you missed the train and describe your experience. The odds are that you will recall a negative experience. This will also contaminate any future thoughts that you have and, if that same person were to ask you to imagine how you would feel the next time you missed the train then the likelihood is that you would predict a bad reaction.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEKWUCcysL0sDO3gg-fB7fp1hj99GN-g5MqxQhDnXLvdFGTUSDs8sPVCfWnHWRllUSOgr2LOSPgVXkY3jPlPjVPhpsXSGfHcezyLWK8vlQBv8NddRmHqTArZMs_ROOziV1wi7nNGOsIjk/s1600/Not1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEKWUCcysL0sDO3gg-fB7fp1hj99GN-g5MqxQhDnXLvdFGTUSDs8sPVCfWnHWRllUSOgr2LOSPgVXkY3jPlPjVPhpsXSGfHcezyLWK8vlQBv8NddRmHqTArZMs_ROOziV1wi7nNGOsIjk/s1600/Not1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All this is not conjecture but precisely what Dr Carey Morewedge and his colleagues from Harvard University found in 2005. During their study they asked a set of people to recall the last experience of missing the train, another to recall their worst experience and another to think back three past experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Their findings showed that those who had been given free reign to think of one experience made the most negative prediction. Further studies strengthened this theory that people tend to make overly positive or negative predictions if they were to rely exclusively on their memory: they fall prey to their memory bias.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This, clearly, has a number of implications in a football environment. Let’s say that your team was thinking of bringing over a new player who has a particular character trait that might cause issues in the harmony of your squad. If you’ve just come from a good season then you might be swayed into thinking that this too will work out well and that you’ll manage to integrate that player.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That might well turn out to be the case but, regardless, that decision was not made on the right basis. Awareness is key to overcome any bias. In such a circumstance, if a manager has records of previous transfers and thoughts before they were completed then he might notice instances that might be similar to his current situation. Reading them and thinking of how they turned out would probably allow them to make a better informed decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It makes it harder to justify a certain decision when you have a divergent piece of evidence in front of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Accurate And Honest Feedback</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michael J. Mauboussin is an unikely source to find inspiration for football coaches. He has no history with the game (as far as is public knowledge at least); he is instead the managing director and head of Global Financial Strategies at Credit Suisse and an adjunct professor of finance at the Columbia Business School. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmqZ0Z0NLCEOC630zCRDF3PC400BkCIZf_i9Kj_wZCemK-Jn5i7Wd1S1H79eZiBxq6PxpPnUZ6jKy10KHMg8gSO9oFa7swp1SS9OPyuRgIkfy6BSVKu-xVmNOvAzF5zdv5O7CuuuNaFY9/s1600/Not2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmqZ0Z0NLCEOC630zCRDF3PC400BkCIZf_i9Kj_wZCemK-Jn5i7Wd1S1H79eZiBxq6PxpPnUZ6jKy10KHMg8gSO9oFa7swp1SS9OPyuRgIkfy6BSVKu-xVmNOvAzF5zdv5O7CuuuNaFY9/s1600/Not2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has, however, also authored a number of books that look into decision making. And it is the research that he has put into the latter that is influential</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In an interview with The Motley Fool, he said, “<i>when you’ve got a decision-making journal, it gives you accurate and honest feedback of what you were thinking at that time. And so there can be situations, by the way, you buy a stock and it goes up, but it goes up for reasons very different than what you thought was going to happen. And having that feedback in a way to almost check yourself periodically is extremely valuable. So that’s, I think, a very inexpensive; it’s actually not super time consuming, but a very, very valuable way of giving yourself essential feedback because our minds won’t do it normally.</i>”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There might not be many parallels between those investing in stock markets and people who work in football but both have one feature in common: there are strong emotions in play which might lead one to make terrible moves unless they are fully conscious and aware of what they’re doing. That is why Mauboussin argues over the importance of noting decisions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a philosophy based on a discussion with Daniel Kahneman, one of the most brilliant men of our lifetime and who gave birth to the new science of behavioural economics. In particular, Kahneman’s work helped to bring to light a number of biases that influence people’s actions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<i>Many years ago when I first met Danny Kahneman…when I pose him the question, what is a single thing an investor can do to improve his or her performance, he said almost without hesitation, go down to a local drugstore and buy a very cheap notebook and start keeping track of your decisions.</i>” Mauboussin said in that same interview.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<i>And the specific idea is whenever you’re making a consequential decision, something going in or out of the portfolio, just take a moment to think, write down what you expect to happen, why you expect it to happen and then actually, and this is optional, but probably a great idea, is write down how you feel about the situation, both physically and even emotionally. Just, how do you feel? I feel tired. I feel good, or this stock is really draining me. Whatever you think.</i>”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<i>The key to doing this is that it prevents something called hindsight bias, which is no matter what happens in the world. We tend to look back on our decision-making process, and we tilt it in a way that looks more favourable to us, right? So we have a bias to explain what has happened.</i>”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Do It Yourself</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While football is a simple game, the decisions made by those who coach or run a club are often extremely complex. Often managers’ reactions during games are quasi-instinctive and heavily influenced not by rational thought but by past actions. Unraveling why a decision was taken can be just as complex.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Writing is a way of facilitating that process. The simple act of forcing yourself to put thoughts into words actually helps in giving them clarity and shape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The journal that a coach maintains does not have to be a work of art. To all extent and purposes it can be illegible to anyone but the person who wrote it. There is no need for any jargon or deep, insightful thoughts. Don’t feel under pressure to write something that is great, just write you’re your thoughts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What there should be a modicum of organisation (so that when you want to look back to a particular decision you can find it with ease) along with clear, direct writing that avoids any vague thoughts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Initially it might feel like an unnatural act, it can feel like pretentious rubbish. Push past that resistance and eventually, after a few weeks you will come to appreciate just how important a tool this can be for a coach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all, if it was good enough for the likes of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, it should be good enough for the rest of us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Enjoyed this? Want more? <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">Sign up to Blueprint for Football Extra</a> and as a free bonus you'll get a copy of our exclusive e-book Blueprint According To...Volume 3 that features interviews with six football coaches on how they go about their building their knowledge.</i></b></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-85984858056577492232017-05-31T10:30:00.000+02:002017-05-31T10:30:00.199+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Atalanta, How United Won Europa League & More<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mattia Caldara: remember the name because in a few years he will be considered as one of Europe’s finest defenders. Caldara was one of the standout players in an Atalanta side filled with young players that managed to gain an unexpected qualification to the Europa League. It is one of the greatest stories of the season but, more significantly, it is a great success story of a club that focuses its energy on </span><a href="http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/05/22/how-atalantas-academy-is-shaping-the-future-of-italian-football/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">developing players the right way</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It might not have earned them many plaudits or praise but Manchester United put in a performance that allowed them to win the Europa League. </span><a href="http://spielverlagerung.com/2017/05/25/manchester-uniteds-defensive-performance-wins-europa-league-final/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Here’s an analysis of how they actually did that.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The most important thing a dad can give a girl is the feeling that she is special. Not his “princess” based on her looks or being somehow better than anyone else, and not because she gets high marks or gold medals for sport, but because she is his daughter, and he loves her just for that.” Some general insight to being a good parent which works very well for those with kids and in sports. Thanks to reader Stephen Murray for pointing me to </span><a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4626621/dads-dont-need-to-be-heroes/?cs=2452" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this article and </a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">remarking</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: "He shows up. He keeps his promises. He is strong, not in the sense of muscular strength, but being true to his word, reliable, and there." isn't that a coaching role model?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coach David Selini has put together a tactical </span><a href="https://www.esdfanalysis.com/match-analysis/tactical-guide-man-marking/?utm_content=buffer85861&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">guide to man-to-man marking</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> that is as detailed as anything I’ve seen on the internet. An excellent read for the uninitiated but also loads to learn for those who are familiar with the ideas thanks to his use of practical examples.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TEAMTALK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“The ball is round, the game lasts ninety minutes, and everything else is just theory.” <b>Sepp Herberger, German football player and manager of the 1954 World Cup winners</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-33019640560286976312017-05-24T10:30:00.000+02:002017-05-24T10:30:13.229+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Sevilla, Football Drills & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been a magical season for Lincoln City. Not only did they reach the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup but they won the Football Conference National League, hitting ninety nine points and marking their return to League Two in style. The main architects of those successes were the management team made up of brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley. Kevin Graham had the opportunity to spend a day with them them as they went about their coaching duties. </span><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/05/cowley-culture-inside-look-at-duo-who.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b>These were his observations.</b></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.amplifiedsoccerathlete.com/coachguide/full-triangle-training-method-session-1?utm_content=buffer0ff91&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Football drills: the full triangle method.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst Sevilla have tended to be the ones spoken about when it comes to small Spanish clubs who have made the most of what resources have been available, Athletic Bilbao’s achievements also deserves to be studied. </span><a href="http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/10880323/athletic-bilbaos-methods-provide-lessons-for-premier-league-clubs" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This article, analysing their methods</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, makes amends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Talking of Athletic Bilbao, <a href="https://insideathletic.com/2017/05/16/kepa-i-want-to-be-here-for-a-long-time/" target="_blank">this interview with their young goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga</a> – who at 22 years of age is already a first team regular – offers a number of fascinating insights on how his career has developed. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/AidenStalker" target="_blank">the Blueprint for Football reader</a> who pointed me in the direction of this interview.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TEAM TALK</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You can lose a game, but what you cannot lose is the dignity earned by playing good football” – <b>Cesar Luis Menotti, World Cup Winning Coach with Argentina in 1978.</b></span></i>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-3515275438496111212017-05-17T10:30:00.000+02:002017-05-17T10:30:21.869+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Chelsea's 4-3-3, All Blacks & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although Chelsea mathematically won the title on Friday it has been evident for quite some time that they were going to win it and Tottenham’s late surge merely helped keep up pretenses. It is a remarkable achievement for two main reasons: Chelsea were largely written off in transition last summer and their season has a very clear inflection point early in the season when two heavy defeat forced Antonio Conte to change his tactical approach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honour of Chelsea’s success, two articles that are particularly relevant: o</span><a href="http://spielverlagerung.com/2016/12/25/antonio-contes-3-4-3/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">ne an analysis of their 4-3-3 system</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and the other a look at what </span><a href="https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/long-read-rows-rage-and-relegation-made-antonio-conte-a-winner" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">drives Conte</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, the architect of their success.</span><br />
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<a href="http://trainingground.guru/articles/how-to-think-like-an-all-black-no-dickheads-allowed" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">How to think like an All Black: no dickheads allowed.</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Quite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://documentslide.com/documents/characteristics-of-three-midfielders-in-a-three-man-midfield.html" target="_blank">Something of a deep tactical dive: the three midfielders in Massimiliano Allegri’s three midfield system</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Every single day I wake up and commit to myself to becoming a better player.” <b>Mia Hamm (Two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women's World Cup winner and scorer of 159 international goals)</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-78824806708128753882017-05-15T09:17:00.000+02:002017-05-16T10:26:07.416+02:00Cowley Culture: An Inside Look At The Duo Who Have Shaken Non-League Football<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>by <a href="https://twitter.com/webblyhead" target="_blank">Kevin Graham</a></i></span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This has been a magical season for Lincoln City. Not only did they reach the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup but they won the Football Conference National League, hitting ninety nine points and marking their return to League Two in style. The main architects of those successes were the management team made up of brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley. Kevin Graham had the opportunity to spend a day with them them as they went about their coaching duties. These are his observations.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s not often that non-league managers become household names but Lincoln’s incredible success this season has projected Danny and Nicky Cowley’s profile into orbit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first time that Danny Cowley came to my attention, however, was earlier than most, specifically in February 2016 following an incident during Cowley and his Braintree Town team’s game away at one of my old clubs Guiseley. Guiseley had inadvertently scored after an uncontested drop ball should have been given back to Braintree. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately no action was taken at the time by Guiseley to put this right, the goal stood and the non-league world soon became aware of the injustice. Cowley’s dignified if disappointed response to the matter was lauded - the way he spoke made a big impression on me. I made a mental note and followed him on Twitter – he followed me back, something he might subsequently have regretted!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After leading Braintree to 3rd place in the Conference National despite their part time status and limited resources, the in demand Cowley brothers chose to give up their teaching jobs and joined Lincoln City on a full time basis. The rest, as they say, is history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lincoln hadn’t finished higher than 13th in the Conference since dropping out of the football league six years previously, and in that time had struggled to manage the financial burden of running a fulltime, ex-league club with an infrastructure to match, in a league where visitors can regularly bring less than 50 travelling fans. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Cowleys literally turned the whole football club around and after a season that almost unquestionably defines them as the greatest non-league side in history, Lincoln City are once again a football league club.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I contacted them in October to ask if I could go in and observe training – I’ve done this at a few clubs over the years but this time, I was hoping to get a deeper insight than just the innovation on the training ground. Given their background – Danny started in the Essex Senior League at step 5 of the non-league pyramid and juggled management with a full time teaching job and a young family – I felt if there was ever going to be someone who I could aspire to emulate, he was probably that man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this stage I was lucky enough to start dealing with Alan Long, Lincoln’s Community and Player Liaison Officer. Alan is Lincoln City mad and was incredibly warm, helpful and accommodating, arranging for me to visit in early December. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the initiatives the Cowleys had put in place saw fans who were willing to pay for the privilege granted access every Thursday to watch the players train, have lunch with them and get to meet Danny and Nicky. This transparency highlights the confidence Danny and Nicky have in their methods. Of course, certain tactical information remains sacred but their method is not something they feel the need to hide. As they both acknowledge, they tend to borrow ideas from other coaches or resources and use them or adapt them if they see fit – there are very few new ideas on football, and the Cowleys are not visionaries as such in that sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I arrived on the Thursday after Lincoln has beaten Oldham 3-2 in the FA Cup at home live on BT Sport, and was met by Alan who showed myself and the three lucky, and longstanding, Imps fans around the ground, the changing rooms and the various facilities at Sincil Bank, stopping to introduce us to whoever we came across on our way. It is fair to say everyone was very bubbly, friendly and, more than anything, proud of what they saw happening at the club. “Oh I’m sure Danny will look after you” and “Danny will make sure you have a good day” – just two of the comments from staff around the stadium. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn’t the first time the foot soldiers would refer to the guy they clearly see as their general in glowing terms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were ushered into one of the hospitality suites where the management team proceeded to deliver a video analysis session on the Oldham game. The brothers had prepared 93 annotated clips of the game. The key messages focused on how well they played for the first hour – mixing controlled possession with targeted direct play, the need for them to recognize the fact that they largely dominated against a League One side who play possession based football and to take more belief in themselves from that, and probably most important, not to drop off and allow opposing teams to come on to them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At 3-0 and cruising, they naturally dropped a little deeper instead of being progressive, and this allowed Oldham back in the game. It wasn’t a fitness thing, it was a mental thing – a natural reaction for an underdog that find itself in that position. The message was clear – you guys are better than you think you are. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We sat next to the goalkeeping coach, Jimmy Walker during the video session and he clearly lightens the mood whenever needed. A cult hero at West Ham and Walsall as a player, and still back up to goalkeeper Paul Farman at the time, it’s fair to say he is a larger than life character but one who takes his profession no less seriously.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After an hour and only 58 clips, Danny recognized that the players needed a break so he left the video session there and explained that we’d all move on to training which would start at the nearby army barracks in 45 mins. The club train at 3 different venues depending on availability – not ideal but not something anyone seemed to be too bothered by. One of Danny’s many mantras is that Lincoln City lives by a “no excuses mentality”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alan kindly gave me some insight into how much things had changed under the new regime as he gave me a lift to training and it was clear that the impact was about far more than just coaching. Maximising resources is clearly a strength of the Cowley brothers and Alan went into detail explaining how they had harboured links with the local university, lecturing and supporting students there in return for access to facilities and sports science resources. Just one example to underline why the Lincoln board got real value for money when they appointed the Cowleys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They plan training in cycles, gradually increasing the physical load on players over 4 weeks before having a recovery week and then starting again. This was week 2 so the load was not too heavy. The detail and influence of the Sports Science team was clear though – the players had undertaken “prehab” exercises tailored to their individual needs in the tiny gym at the ground before heading to training. The activation session, or warm up if you like, was lead by Sports Scientist Luke Jelly and the players then went into some passing patterns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nicky took the lead with the organization of the session and was the guy who clearly has an obsession with cones – a habit I’m sure many coaches can identify with! The passing patterns were done in two groups, working around poles set out in a hexagon. The emphasis was on the receiving angle, quality of the first touch, and the weight and direction of the pass. Standard stuff, with some competition introduced on quality of execution, so a breakdown in the chain meant the other group got a point, requiring concentration and focus rather than physical exertion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After 20 mins of that, the players went back to Luke and did some controlled sprints through a course not longer than 40m, building the intensity to finish with explosive acceleration. The attitude of the players, who were jovial and cracking jokes between practices but very focused on quality when engaged, was really noticeable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They then progressed to an opposed small sided game, a version of which I use quite regularly. On a square pitch roughly 40x40, Nicky set out 4 target areas, one in each corner. The aim of the game is to keep possession but score points by receiving the ball in one of the target areas in the four corners. In teams of 6, the practice is a great all-rounder in that it requires combination play and intelligent movement off the ball, lots of spatial awareness and there are lots of transitions so lots of defensive recovery work and also opportunities for quick attacking penetration. The third group of 6 players did specific work with Luke when they were not involved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I watched this part of the session with big Jamie McCombe, the vastly experienced centre back who is now a player coach. McCombe was used sparingly throughout the campaign and now has more than one eye on coaching – so much of this season has seen him learning his trade by working with the Cowleys. Not a bad place to learn, I’d say.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Talking to Danny during the session, he explained that both he and Nicky are always adding to their repertoire of practices and that they scour many of the same resources as I do. Diego Simeone’s sessions on defending and focus on transitions were one such example he felt really benefitted the team.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After 25 mins of the four corner game, the players came in for water and a stretch before the session finished with a conditioned game on a ¾ pitch. With a 30x40 area set out in the middle of the pitch, the idea was to achieve a set number of passes in the central area which freed up players to create an attacking overload. Danny was particularly keen to see full backs recognize the attacking transitions and deliver from wide areas. The intensity levels were quite sporadic – you could recognize the bad losers out there but there were quite a few interventions and so the tempo never really went past 75%, though the quality at times certainly did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The session ended with a structured cool down and I joined Alan for the journey back to Sincil Bank. On reflection I probably learnt less from the training session than the other aspects of the day – it was fairly standard stuff in terms of the set up, preparation and structure. The delivery and coaching points were clear and concise, and the how, when and why of the decisions players had to make was identified or challenged. I’m quite certain it was good enough to pass a coaching practical but that’s not where the Cowleys are different. Their connection with the players and the culture they have created enables everything else they do. They are no coaching geniuses or magicians from what I could see, though that’s not to say they are not amongst the very best I’ve seen. Everything they do is impressive but what differentiates them is about more than just a coaching session.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lunch was taken back at the ground and I watched as the players were served by the catering staff. The way players behave with others says a lot about them as people and they engaged on a level with staff who served them, and were polite with it. These details are important to me and what I saw reflected the standards the Cowleys set. I can’t help but think that the way the team stuck together and kept going when their bodies were failing them in the final games of the season was a reflection of the respect they have for each other but also the people at the club who supported them – Danny repeatedly acknowledged the role everyone at the club played. It’s one thing to say something sentimental in an interview, it’s entirely another thing to be able to show you mean it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I ate my food, the fact that the catering staff had been asked to get more beetroot into the players’ diet to aid recovery demonstrated another tiny example of the detail that goes into the Cowleys’ method.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The final part of the day saw us invited into their office to ask the management team some questions. Alan played a blinder for me here as he had already arranged to oversee the questions from the 3 supporters who were with me before taking them and leaving me to have a bit more time with the brothers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I watched an interview with Danny after the Arsenal game in which he said how grateful he was to have had the opportunity to spend such a long time with Arsene Wenger in his office at The Emirates, that he learnt so much and that he will never forget that. What transpired in the next 90 mins or so for me that day left me feeling exactly the same way about the Cowley brothers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We covered an awful lot including</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How they track players’ performance over time both in games and training, using a rating system and individuals’ self-assessment</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How they plan training, both tactical and physical periodization (and how we all felt about Raymond Verheijen’s work)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How they analyse the opposition</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How they analyse their own team’s performance and what they look for to feed into planning training </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The transition from part time to full time coaching</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The merits of possession based and direct football</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Playing styles as you progress up the pyramid</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our love of non-league football and comparisons with Premier League football</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes…I was like a kid at Christmas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I thanked them for their time and left, popping in to see Alan on my way out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don’t mind admitting I was on a slight high for days after visiting Lincoln, and I left feeling like I’d been in the company of people who were destined to achieve great things. I took my own training session that evening, making reference to one or two Cowleyisms but no more. I spoke to good friends in the game about what I saw and explained why I felt they should keep an eye on them and anything they can read about them in the media.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s fair to say though that the 5 months since that day in December have seen Lincoln City achieve beyond even the most confident young manager’s wildest dreams. We listened to the Burnley game on the radio as I drove to our own fixture that afternoon and the sleepy village in East Yorkshire we were driving through must have had quite a shock as Joe my assistant, George my son and I all let out a collective scream as Sean Raggett’s header went over the line. We’re Middlesbrough fans in our family but George will always look out for Lincoln City from now on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It really has been fairytale stuff. The poignant memories of Graham Taylor, the way the Cowleys have lifted and inspired a whole city and many more beyond, the money that they have earned as a club to pay off debts and then secure the club’s future, the incredible mentality to keep going and keep accumulating league victories after an unprecedented FA Cup run, being guests on Match of the Day….I could go on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For two kids who grew up making their own dug outs in their bedroom to play Championship Manager on, who followed their beloved West Ham home and away, who played all the sports they could together in the school holidays until it was time for bed, who probably weren’t good enough to be professional footballers themselves but who had careers to be proud of in non-league football and who this time last year were throwing their heart and soul into teaching kids and making a difference to their lives…..it’s not your typical success story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So why are they so successful?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Firstly, they outwork their opponents. These two work 80 hour weeks – they used to combine full time teaching with coaching in the Conference. So they don’t see 80 hours spent on football as work. They simply love the game. They are so hungry and so motivated because they appreciate every chance the game gives them. The sense of entitlement some managers portray as a result of having been in the professional game for 30, 40 years plus is conspicuous by it’s absence. The Cowleys’ humility is born out of their gratitude for this opportunity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Secondly, they are incredibly organized and pay attention to so much detail. Their work ethic allows them to cover so much ground. They run a Championship set up on a Conference budget.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third, they are intelligent guys. Their teaching career has afforded them the chance to learn about sports science, sports psychology and the science being learning and coaching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fourth, they treat people well. Not just their players. Everyone. Even the guy who wants some of their time to further his own learning. Their values are cast in stone, a reflection of their family’s values and worth ethic. They don’t recruit players on ability if the character is largely flawed – they want good human beings in their dressing room and around their club. The bond between the brothers is incredible and that is the starting point for the way they treat others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fifth, they have confidence in their own ability. They hate losing but they’ve known little of failure in 9 years since Danny became a manager. When you are used to winning as a manager, it is easier to get your players onside and bought in to your methods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sixth (and final – though there are probably more), they are incredibly consistent. They refer to their method all the time, they are process orientated. That’s not some attempt to sound clever – they know that if their players pay attention to every aspect of their preparation for games and repeat that process thoroughly, the results will come. They don’t change their method just because they lose a game or two, nor will it affect their core values, their work ethic or their communication. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I must have watched 50 Danny Cowley interviews this year and when you watch them as much as I do, you could say he is pretty boring! The same responses, the same words, the same steely determination and the same polite and well-mannered rapport with the media is evident in every single interview. Their players always know where they stand because they can rely on this consistency.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Danny in particular is an outstanding leader – a role he recognizes comes naturally to him. Leadership in any organization is critical and I’ve never come across one as impressive in the game. When he speaks people listen, and everyone who listens recognizes this guy is pretty special. He’s also smart enough to realise that his interviews are an opportunity to gain more support for the club and also speak to his players to reinforce his expectations to them – put him in the Premier League tomorrow and any Chairman would be glad to have a guy with his communication skills representing his club.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXI4OFM-62g" target="_blank">This interview after the Arsenal game is particularly impressive</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To those who might suggest these two are laptop coaches without enough understanding of the game, you couldn’t be more wrong. The culture of the dressing room and the way the game really works in that world fans don’t get to see is something they’ve been a part of for years – they are old school football men who embrace modern methods….in fact any methods young or old if it gives them more of a chance of success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So it’s fair to say I’m a fan, and unashamedly so. A good pal of mine who is also a coach often ribs me about my “Cowley crush” but frankly, this isn’t some sort of passing craze. This is just a case of doing the basics incredibly well – there’s no magical mystique or science behind their approach.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ300rndlqjA8u5o9n53XRvhJxkDHr55Mmg9mnbN9_TFTDa6GCHzsj-Om0Lsccvrf7poxAXw499UHasGTIRwPCsVj0968tIH6uFdiA3FwPkl0MS6yXZL0v5VFyNSgSXfmikz4Oaji6bKym/s1600/Cowley+Photo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ300rndlqjA8u5o9n53XRvhJxkDHr55Mmg9mnbN9_TFTDa6GCHzsj-Om0Lsccvrf7poxAXw499UHasGTIRwPCsVj0968tIH6uFdiA3FwPkl0MS6yXZL0v5VFyNSgSXfmikz4Oaji6bKym/s1600/Cowley+Photo+3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danny Cowley with author Kevin Graham's son George</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite all that, there are aspects of their approach that mean not everyone sees them as the next incarnation of Christ in footballing terms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Danny and Nicky are winners – and during games they are not averse to questioning the officials. Not in an abusive way, but in a way that all coaches will recognize needs to be done at times during games. I’ve witnessed a couple of managers take serious umbrage at this – nothing new and not something that is exclusive to the Cowley brothers. There are those in the game who would have you believe they are not as angelic as some would have you believe. There is indeed a fine line when it comes to seeking to gain small advantages during games – invariably those who do it well and achieve success whilst doing so are going to be maligned by their opponents. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This will happen more and more, but I very much doubt they care what other people think because they are focused on winning. “Managing” games is part of football and these two do it incredibly well. They also expect to shake hands and move on at the end of games but some managers may not be so keen to do so. This is life, not just football!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They do hate losing – I’ve seen it up close, having watched from a couple of rows back as York came back from a goal down to beat Lincoln 2-1 in the first leg of the Trophy semi final at Bootham Crescent. Tensions ran high and Lincoln had to accept defeat. Danny, visibly annoyed, had to face the media and also an 8 year old who wanted a photo with this guy he’d seen a lot on TV recently. Of course he was obliging and friendly as he made young George’s night, consistent as always.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And what of the future? They start next season in the Football League, and they have earned the right to manage there. It is a personal milestone but not one they will dwell on for too long. I can’t see anything other than a successful first season back in the football league for Lincoln City. The club is in a great place, well set financially so able to operate on a competitive budget, with the average home gate at Sincil Bank likely to be double what it has been in recent seasons and a squad that is now well developed and familiar with the methods that the Cowleys introduced last season. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllDWmm9bNsamvh01-nRb9lUdyykXwfzTp3YNgB6BP0g_2jrNrHXGa6rmo_dPy4ygMAq_j_vqHkiASB1atkRTgQ9x0KNS8fVSZVdD1p0jDQxZcfILrrokhERwWBZGZTZjA4VbFXrqwSDNP/s1600/Cowley+CO4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllDWmm9bNsamvh01-nRb9lUdyykXwfzTp3YNgB6BP0g_2jrNrHXGa6rmo_dPy4ygMAq_j_vqHkiASB1atkRTgQ9x0KNS8fVSZVdD1p0jDQxZcfILrrokhERwWBZGZTZjA4VbFXrqwSDNP/s1600/Cowley+CO4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first couple of months of this season will have seen the players feeling their way and gradually getting used to what the new regime wanted. They should only get better as a result of hitting the ground running in late June.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is only a matter of time though before bigger clubs come knocking. Danny has spoken of his love of working at a club where he can get the players, staff and fans well connected, where the money and profile doesn’t create a barrier between them. However, he is also ambitious and I’d guess Championship clubs have already made enquiries about their availability. I have no doubt they can go right to the top of the game, mainly because they are lifelong learners. They will never rest on their laurels and will adapt to the challenges their progress will present. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I do think their method will have to change – managing at a big club in the Championship or Premier League requires much more delegation. At present the size of the club combined with the Cowleys’ work ethic means they can cover a lot of disciplines themselves but at a bigger club the scope and responsibilities will expand and a much larger team will be required to manage the work load. It will also be interesting to see how the brothers’ unique working relationship will adapt, but frankly I can’t see any of that being a problem. Neither, I am sure, would they.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can’t claim to really know the Cowley brothers – they have been great to me during a time when the whole world wants a piece of them. They don’t take themselves too seriously and lack any semblance of self-importance, yet have the confidence and belief in their ability to rub shoulders with the best. They are still young, still learning and have yet to face any sustained period of failure which will inevitably happen at some stage. But the foundation of their success seems to be based on old fashioned hard work, the love of a supportive family and very good values as people. I love that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alan said to me when I walked into one of the executive boxes at Sincil Bank that morning, “Watch these two, we think Danny will go on to manage England one day”. I was inclined to be somewhat dismissive at the time but I now think there’s a chance Alan and the people of Lincoln could be proven right. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>After making over 200 appearances for a number of clubs in the upper reaches of the non-league pyramid - Whitby Town, Guiseley AFC and Goole AFC - Kevin Graham ended his career playing for St Martins AFC and the Guernsey's national team having returned to the Channel Islands where he had grown up.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Once that career had come to an end, he took on new roles helping out in managing Guernsey Athletic FC as well as scouting for a number of non league teams.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>His most significant appointment, however, came in February of 2012 when he was appointed as manager of the Guernsey national team whom he led consecutive Muratti vase wins in 2012/2013. He is also a tactical analyst for Evening Gazzette in Middlesborough and can be found on <a href="https://twitter.com/webblyhead" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-52767742430907383792017-05-10T10:30:00.000+02:002017-05-10T10:30:17.243+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Italian managers, Athletic Bilbao's pressing & more<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It looks as if, for the second year running, the English Premier League will be won by a team coached by an Italian manager. In Germany too, Carlo Ancelotti has done what he does best and win the league title. He would probably have led Bayern Munich further in the Champions League had they not been hindered by a number of questionable refereeing decisions. Even so, that same Champions League could still be won by an Italian manager in the form of Juventus’s Massimiliano Allegri. The point of all this is that Italian managers are among the world’s best. How come? </span><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2706090-inside-italys-manager-school-where-conte-ancelotti-and-allegri-learned-to-win" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This article helps answer that question.</a><br />
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<a href="http://playerdevelopmentproject.com/friday-balance-development-environment-desire-to-win/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">How to balance a developmental environment with a desire to win?</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been an abysmal year for Middlesborough as the team never really looked good enough to keep its place in the Premier League. One of the few exceptions is the young central defender Ben Gibson who, regardless of what happens to his team is likely to move to a bigger club next summer. Gibson is another in the long list of players who has come through the club’s academy that, this year, will also be <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/middlesbrough-dave-parnaby-academy-youth-players-manchester-city-relegation-a7708396.html" target="_blank">losing Dave Parnaby the man whose vision help mould</a> it into one of the country’s best.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=45&v=XOlhqVEgKi8" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Video analysis of Athletic Bilbao pressing system in opposition half vs Barcelona</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TEAM TALK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Football is like maths, two plus two makes four. If you reckon two plus two makes five, you lose." – <b>Otto Rehhagel, European Championship winning coach with Greece.</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-55507346639337563682017-05-03T10:30:00.000+02:002017-05-03T10:30:05.424+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Newcastle, Competitive Anxiety & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was good to see Newcastle win promotion back to the Premier League both because of their fans but, I have to admit, also largely because of Rafa Benitez. It has been quite a season for them in what is a tough and extremely long league where fitness is as important as talent. So it was interesting to get a </span><a href="http://trainingground.guru/articles/orreco-the-company-that-links-newcastle-and-nasa" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">glimpse of how they had managed to keep the fitness levels high throughout the season</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is often a lot of talk about statistics but rarely really solid examples on how those stats can be used in real life. </span><a href="http://statsbomb.com/2013/10/introducing-manager-fingerprints/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This is an exception</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a look at how statistics can help determine the fingerprint of a football coach and what kind of influence they really have on a team. Fascinating use of statistics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://community.teamer.net/2017/02/21/are-your-players-suffering-from-competitive-anxiety/" target="_blank">Are Your Players Suffering From Competitive Anxiety? Quite the question.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often, the biggest test for a young player is that period when they find themselves on the bench after a period during which they were playing. There you see what they are made of and, going by this interview, Marcus Rashford, had the </span><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/04/25/marcus-rashford-will-better-manchester-united-player-years-thanks/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">perfect reaction by using that time to learn from those around him and improve</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TEAM TALK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“The playmakers need to read the game and need to be on the same page as the defenders and the forwards” – <b>Guus Hiddink, Dutch managerial legend</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-30180108086640916622017-04-26T08:30:00.000+02:002017-04-26T08:30:13.217+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Goalkeepers, Preventing Injury & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goalkeepers are different. So wrote the great Brian Glanville and it is difficult to fault him for, in a game where those who score get all the glory, goalkeepers devote themselves to doing the opposite of that. The mentality of goalkeepers has long intrigued me which is why I try to speak to those involved in this role as often as possible. Justin Bryant is one such person. Having played professionally in England he has now returned to his native America where he coaches the role. In </span><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/04/a-goalkeepers-life-influence-anxiety.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this in-depth interview</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> he spoke about dealing with anxiety, what frustrates him about commentators and how the role of goalkeepers will evolve.</span><br />
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<a href="https://ylmsportscience.com/2017/04/16/injury-prevention-in-youth-athletes-a-summary-in-9-key-points/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This is something that perhaps isn’t considered often enough: how to prevent injury in youth sports.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Calvin is one of my favourite football writers and, given the awards that he has won, it seems that I am not the only one who shares this opinion. His previous books on scouting (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0099580268/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0099580268&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Nowhere Men</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) and management (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00W0P9TPK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00W0P9TPK&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Living On The Volcano</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) have delivered equal measures of insight and empathy. </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LZDW9IM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B01LZDW9IM&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">His latest book on youth football</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> looks like it will be just as good especially if </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/18/football-youth-development-england-shouting-screaming?CMP=share_btn_tw" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this extract is anything to go by</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<a href="http://competitorspot.com/drills/defensive-drills/close-the-space/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">A drill that coaches players on how to close down space.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>TEAM TALK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Ball possession is fundamental: if you keep hold of the ball for ninety minutes you make certain that your opponent won’t score a goal” – <b>Nils Liedholm, one of the most successful managers in Italian football history</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-38925238440726256392017-04-19T10:30:00.000+02:002017-04-19T10:30:09.416+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Resilience, 3 At The Back & More<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Before we kick off this week’s digest, a quick note to readers of the online edition. The best football coaching links of the week is sent directly to the inbox of over 750 football coaches and enthusiasts each week who subscribe to this site's newsletter. These subscribers also receive exclusive content including one last week on Arrigo Sacchi's views on the importance of having intelligent players in your team. <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">If you don't want to miss out, sign up to the list.</a></b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>LET’S START</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resilience – the characteristic to see out any challenges or difficulties that might arise – is being increasingly recognised as an extremely important element for anyone who wants to achieve something in his life. Too often people are willing to sacrifice if things are going their way but, as soon as they have some bad results, all that changes. </span><a href="https://hbr.org/2011/04/building-resilience" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The good thing is that such an attitude can be change if only we know how to build resilience.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a similar wavelength is </span><a href="http://trainingground.guru/articles/is-football-ignoring-the-brain-game" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this piece</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on whether football is ignoring the mental demands of the game raises interesting points. Personally I don’t think that is the case but it is always interesting to read different arguments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A defensive system with three at the back seems to be making something of a comeback yet whilst coaches might appreciate this tactic, players take a bit longer to convince. </span><a href="http://www.pger.net/football/2017/04/14/three-is-the-magic-number-the-return/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">This article is particularly interesting</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> because not only does it explain the benefits of the tactic but also how players can be convinced to accept it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winning is good: don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. </span><a href="http://www.thefa.com/get-involved/coach/the-boot-room/issue-24/the-difference-between-winning-and-development" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">What is bad is wanting to win at all costs, irrespective of player developments, ethics and anything else.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND FINALLY</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"It's not about how much you practice. It's about how much your mind is present when you're practicing." - <b>Kobe Bryant</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-76114139976978051202017-04-18T10:30:00.000+02:002017-04-18T10:30:20.681+02:00A Goalkeeper's Life: Influence, Anxiety & Normality<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most often what people remember of goalkeepers is their mistakes. Of all the positions in the game of football it is undeniably the harshest because one error can overshadow all the good work that one might do through the rest of the ninety minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet, for those called to the role, there is nothing better. “<i>I wanted a better chance to influence whether my team won or lost</i>,” says <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Keepers_Union" target="_blank">Justin Bryant</a> a former professional goalkeeper, current goalkeeper coach and author of the book '<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DI3CDVU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00DI3CDVU&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" target="_blank"><b>Small Time: A Life in the Football Wilderness</b></a>.' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">”<i>When I was a young player, I got tired of losing games because whoever had reluctantly gone in goal kept letting the ball dribble through his hands. After that happened two or three times, I volunteered, and never looked back.</i>”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This interview talks about why he kept on going in goal, what he learned and his ideas on coaching for the role.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blueprint <i>for</i> Football: When did you decide that this was something that you wanted to do for the rest of your career?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Justin Bryant:</b> It didn’t take long. I immersed myself in goalkeeping almost immediately. I would say that by the time I was fourteen, it was my identity. I never considered anything else.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: What level of coaching did you receive?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> None, at first. I grew up on an island on the east coast of Florida in the 1970s. Nobody in that area had any appreciable background in the game. When I got to the high school level, I was lucky enough to have an expat Englishman, John McGeough, as a coach. His goalkeeping background was limited, but he knew enough about the position to help me understand the basics. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got a lot from reading interviews with Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton in old ‘Shoot’ magazines, and from watching professional goalkeepers in the league we had in the States at that time, the NASL.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: You've written a book about your experiences playing in a number of leagues. What brought that about?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> I’m not really an ex-player who wrote a book; I’m more a writer who just so happened to have been a goalkeeper when he was young. By the time I wrote ‘Small Time,’ I’d already published a novel, had a dozen short stories and essays in journals, and earned a Masters in Creative Writing from New York University. So, as a writer with a footballing past, it only made sense to write about my experiences as a player. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: In the book you write in detail about the stress and anxiety. Is that part and parcel of a goalkeeper's role more than other players?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> I think some element of stress and anxiety is unavoidable. The potential for catastrophic, humiliating mistakes is there. Just look at YouTube. I skewed to the more extreme end of the anxiety spectrum, although my problem wasn’t simply pre-match nerves. I had them, but so does everyone else. My problem was much bigger and more overriding. I put huge pressure on myself to succeed, because the only identity I could imagine for myself was professional goalkeeper, and anything short of that would be not just professional but also personal failure. That was a pretty heavy burden to live with every day, and long term, it took a toll.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Outfield players have to deal with pressure too, but they have more opportunities to make up for mistakes, as they’re generally more involved in the flow of the game. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My anxiety is not gone. It’s much less severe now, and I know how to manage it far better, but it’s still there, even at age 50 and with the pressure of chasing a career in professional football decades in my past. So it’s not something I can blame on goalkeeping. Indeed, going in goal these days is an absolute joy. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do it, so I treasure it now.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: Going by your own experiences, what do you tell other goalkeepers today who struggle with anxiety? How important is getting the mentality right and do you think you developed that aspect of the game?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> If someone gets to the level of anxiety I had, they really need the professional help that I didn’t get at the time. If it’s the more standard pre-match nerves, or fear of mistakes, my preference is to focus on the positives of nerves. That adrenalin coursing through your body can help you make saves you simply can’t make in training. Pressure also helps you narrow your focus. So I try to help them accept the nerves, and make them work for you, rather than against you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting the mentality right is at least half the battle. If a goalkeeper has the ability but not the mentality, you are not going to see consistently good performances. More and more, I think of these things in a holistic way. If a goalkeeper is struggling mentally, I ask them what it is they want from the game, what they hope to achieve, why they play. Is it fun? Okay, then have fun. Is it an identity, a calling, like it was for me? That can drive you to higher levels, but almost inevitably comes at the price of peace of mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I did develop the proper mental approach to goalkeeping, but it took time. I didn’t have the right balance until the last year or two of my playing days. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: How does a goalkeeper deal with letting in a goal largely because of a mistake he made? How do you recover?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> Well, there’s how a goalkeeper recovers, and how a goalkeeper should recover. Many goalkeepers - young ones, especially - will dwell on the mistake. This will either negatively affect their confidence, or force them into acts of crazed bravado, in an attempt to ‘make up for it.’</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A far better reaction is to allow yourself a natural moment of disbelief, anguish, and regret, and then file it away to be dealt with later, getting on with the game in the meantime. It’s not easy. You might, after all, have ten or twenty minutes with little else to do following a mistake, so it’s natural to dwell. It’s not a bad idea to have some sort of ‘move on’ trigger, like saying “That’s it” aloud to yourself, to refocus.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: What is harder a match where you are constantly in action against a superior team or a game where he rarely touches a ball but is then called into action? And how does one prepare for both?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> For me, the latter was always much more difficult. The longer you go with nothing to do in a game, the further you get from the time when you were handling shots and making saves in the warm-up. That’s one reason I admired Ray Clemence. In his and Liverpool’s prime, he often had just one save to make in games, and he would usually make it.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: What are the biggest misconceptions that pundits say or fans think about goalkeepers?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> For a start, there’s the myth that getting beat at the near post is somehow worse than getting beat anywhere else. In some cases, such as from very tight angles, it is, but commentators and pundits use this as a catch-all critique, and it is generally nonsense. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put it this way: if a keeper gets beat at his near post, by a shot just two steps to one side, it would be just as bad if he got beat to the far post by a shot just two steps to his side. The mistake isn’t that it was at the near post, but that it was a shot well within reach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Goalkeepers are crazy’ is also largely a myth. I have personally known hundreds, perhaps close to a thousand, goalkeepers in my life. The overwhelming majority are perfectly normal men and women who just so happen to enjoy diving around trying to catch a ball.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A surprising number of pundits and commentators don’t seem to understand direct free kicks. If a goal is scored, they will question the goalkeeper’s positioning, even when it is perfectly orthodox.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also cringe when I hear a pundit say that every ball inside the six-yard-box should be the keeper’s, taking no account of how many players may be obstructing or challenging the keeper, the pace and trajectory of the ball, etc. Along these same lines is ‘dominate the box.’ Who dominates the box these days? The game has changed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people use the phrase ‘good shot stopper’ in a pejorative way, with the implication being that shot stopping is not what really matters. This is ridiculous. Goalkeeping will always primarily be about making saves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could probably give you a very long list of answers to this question!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: You're now a goalkeepers' coach. First off, what does your day to day job entail?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> There is no typical day, really. Often, at UNC Wilmington, we have a morning team training session, followed by some time in the office with the rest of the coaching staff, sorting out administrative tasks. I get into the gym most days, and do session planning and coaching education stuff in the afternoons. While you can watch goalkeeper training sessions from all over the world on YouTube, I firmly believe a goalkeeper coach should come up with at least some of their own drills and activities. Otherwise, you’re using someone else’s drill without really knowing what the coaching moments are. So I spend some time every day on the white board, experimenting with new ideas. Two evenings a week, I train youth goalkeepers for a local club, Wilmington Hammerheads. The schedule is different on match days and the off season.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: Why do goalkeepers need their own coaches?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> Goalkeepers need to be trained to perform specific tasks in a consistently repeatable way under match pressure, with almost no margin for error. This needs to be done by someone who understands the technique needed for these specialist tasks, and can train, coach, and correct as needed. That’s the dry, factual answer. But beyond that, most goalkeepers benefit from spending time with a coach who understands and can relate to the unique physical and psychological demands of goalkeeping. Put simply, goalkeeping can be a lonely pursuit. Most of us can use an ally.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: Do the coaching needs of someone who is largely a reserve goalkeeper and the regular keeper change?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> I think so, yes. I think you prepare a reserve keeper to be able to represent their best form when needed, but you’re flying blind, to a degree, since, without games, you don’t really know what their current form actually is. You also often have to be a little more encouraging, since they aren’t getting the games most players thrive on. You have to guard against them feeling unloved or sorry for themselves, and thinking that putting in hard work isn’t worth it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the first-team goalkeeper, you can tailor training to what you’re seeing from them in games. I like to find ways for them to have success with aspects they may be struggling with, while reinforcing what they’re already doing well, to keep their confidence high.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should go without saying, though, that every goalkeeper is different, and you have to train the individual in the manner that is most effective for them. I can put a goalkeeper I don’t know through a decent training session, but once I get to know them, their personality, and what motivates them, I can put them through a much better session. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: How does one go about ensuring that there is a good understanding between the goalkeeper and his defenders?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> They have to train together as a unit, under match-realistic pressure from attackers. Nothing else can replicate that. Ideally, you overload them a little - give the attackers a numerical advantage, award them free kicks in dangerous areas, etc - but not so much that the defensive unit has no chance of success in training. I know most people think defensive football is boring, but I love the sight of a goalkeeper and back four coordinated in their thinking and actions.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: What skills are essential for a modern goalkeepers? And how have things changed from the past?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> It’s mostly the same skill set as always: good handling, reflexes, agility, power, and explosiveness, along with the mental skills of judgment, decision making, and emotional control. The biggest change from the past is being comfortable receiving and passing the ball under pressure, and of course, dealing with back passes, which a goalkeeper could pick up when I started playing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are some more subtle differences, too, borne from changes in the game as a whole. Compared to decades past, the ball is lighter and moves more unpredictably in the air, the pitches are better (at least at the professional level), leading to less direct, more possession-oriented attacking play, and referees are inclined to protect goalkeepers a little bit more. All this has combined to see a gradual shift away from big, bulky goalkeepers who were relied upon to deal with aerial bombardment, to leaner, more athletic goalkeepers valued for shot-stopping ability.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: Do you see any changes or evolution to the role in the coming years?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JB: </b>A lot of people seem to think Manuel Neuer is revolutionizing goalkeeping, and that his ‘sweeper-keeper’ style, by virtue of being modern and different, is inherently the best way to keep goal. I don’t. This is nothing against Neuer, who is a fantastic goalkeeper. He plays in a way that suits his skills and his team’s needs, but it’s not for everyone. Thibault Courtois and David De Gea don’t spend much time playing passes outside their box, and they’re both quite a few years younger than Neuer. So I haven’t seen a trend towards it, at least from top pros. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps the next generation will take it to a new level, but I think we are close to being at a point of diminished returns regarding the sweeper-keeper. The value a team gets from the goalkeeper making successful interventions outside the box is balanced by the risk of those interventions. It only gets riskier the further from goal the goalkeeper takes touches, and most managers are risk-averse to begin with. So I don’t think we’re going to see the sweeper-keeper role evolve much more than it already has.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If there’s further evolution coming, it may be in response to another big change in the laws of the game, like we saw with the back pass law in the early 90s. Whatever it is, it will be designed to increase scoring, so goalkeepers will need to change and adapt along with the game itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Special thanks to Justin Bryant for taking the time to answer Blueprint for Football's questions. Enjoyed this? Want more? <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">Sign up to Blueprint for Football Extra</a> and as a free bonus you'll get a copy of our exclusive e-book Blueprint According To...Volume 3 that features interviews with six football coaches on how they go about their building their knowledge.</i></b></span><br />
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-79005485187528359752017-04-12T10:30:00.000+02:002017-04-12T10:30:21.421+02:00Best Football Coaching Links Of The Week: The Danish Blueprint, Periodization & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Denmark is not necessarily a country that is associated with sports and it was quite surprising as <a href="https://medium.com/@NicklasPyrdol/the-danish-way-of-creating-champions-48787101d873" target="_blank">I read this piece</a> to learn that at the last Olympics they claimed fifteen medals. Even more interesting, however, was learning that they had done this by working on a model that does not necessarily put sporting achievement ahead of the human being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Focus seems to be a key word for football commentators who often chastise the lack of it whenever a mistake is made. Yet what is it really? And how can coaches help their players be better at it? <a href="http://goalnation.com/attention-soccer-players/" target="_blank">This article by sports psychologist Dan Abrahams does just that</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://complementarytraining.net/football-periodization-review-and-opinions/" target="_blank">Something on football periodization.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As modern technology infiltrates more deeply into football, different people will start coming up with new ways of using it to gain advantage. One of the most obvious is that it will allow coaches to get <a href="http://statsports.com/individualisation-player-monitoring-speed-zones/" target="_blank">richer data about each individual in their squad and, as a result, adjust each players' training so that they are in peak form</a>. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND FINALLY…</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“An amateur practises until he can do a thing right, a professional until he can’t do it wrong.” - <b>Various</b></span></i></div>
Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-75470559148207775532017-04-05T10:30:00.000+02:002017-04-05T10:30:11.347+02:00Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Marginal Gains, Marcelo Bielsa & More<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most significant lessons for any coach is that there is no end point in their journey; that they need to keep learning and evolving as they go on. So it was particularly pleasing to recently have the </span><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/03/a-passion-for-technical-coaching.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">opportunity to talk to Ben Trinder</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I had interviewed Ben three years back but since then he has continued to examine his coaching beliefs and modifying them so that they better reflect his increasing knowledge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not strictly about coaching but I found it to be an </span><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/real-madrid-manchester-city-expose-folly-united-refusal-field-womans-team-a7656581.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">interesting read</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on the growth of women’s football and how clubs are waking up to this fact.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to admit that I am a big believer in the idea of marginal gains, the concept made popular by British Cycling that focuses on the practise of looking at different ways to bring about improvement regardless of how small that improvement is. Bring together enough of these small gains and you will develop a big enough lead on your competition. It is such a simple concept and yet so obviously true that I’m constantly blown away by its genius. Yet it is always healthy to listen to arguments that criticise even your most preciously held beliefs and </span><a href="http://sportsscientists.com/2017/03/sports-science-marginal-gains-common-sense/?platform=hootsuite" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this article does just that</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I won’t say that I think much differently now but there are a number of valid points nevertheless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven’t read <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I62HZFC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00I62HZFC&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21">James Kerr’s brilliant book Legacy</a> analysing the culture of All Blacks’ rugby, you should as it is brilliant. In the meantime, however, <a href="https://ylmsportscience.com/2015/12/20/the-first-xv-15-all-black-principles-how-culture-inspires-and-drives-talent-by-ylmsportscience/">this image</a> gives you the highlights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND FINALLY…</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I dream of a team where an outsider comes to watch us and can't understand the roles of the players." - <b>Marcelo Bielsa</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01802941828921958020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-51956036389832928122017-03-29T10:30:00.000+02:002017-03-29T10:30:16.184+02:00Best Coaching Links of the Week: 3 at the Back, Free Coaching Book & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are countless stories of people who have loads of talent but when it comes to showing their ability in a real life situation, fail. The pressure gets too much for them and they are unable to show what they can do. It is why a </span><a href="http://believeperform.com/performance/emotional-control-under-pressure-a-practical-guide/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">guide like this</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> explaining how not to get too caught up thinking about your situation is so important.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was interesting to see Gareth Southgate experiment with three defenders at the back during England’s game against Germany. It is a formation that goes in and out of style although there are some, </span><a href="http://www.thefalse9.com/2016/10/three-backthe-formation-future.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">like in this case</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, who are willing to argue that it can be the formation of the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The FA tend to have some very good coaching articles on their website and <a href="http://www.thefa.com/get-involved/coach/the-boot-room/issue-23/how-to-coach-1v1" target="_blank">this on how to organise a 1 v 1 session</a> is among them</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian football coach Luca Bertolini has prepared a PDF guide with 50 coaching sessions that deal with technical exercises, Individual and team tactics exercises and Small Sided Games. This guide can download for free and can be <a href="https://lucamistercalcio.com/2017/03/23/50-pdf-exercises-vol-2/" target="_blank">found here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND FINALLY</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“I don't believe much in luck. I believe more in work, in convincing, in stubbornness and in capacity.” - <b>Diego Simeone</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-25757587110483657132017-03-27T10:30:00.000+02:002017-03-27T10:30:10.515+02:00A Passion For Technical Coaching<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blueprint According To...Ben Trinder</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three years ago I spoke to Ben Trinder about <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/11/the-blueprint-according-toben-trinder.html" target="_blank">his blueprint for the game</a>. At the time he was still relatively early in his coaching journey but had delivered an important tool to coaches worldwide with the establishment of the <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachingFamily" target="_blank">Coaching Family</a> twitter feed. That is still going strong (there are now more than 50,000 followers) and, happily, so too is Ben himself although time and experience have helped shape his views even further.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blueprint <i>for</i> Football: A little bit more than three years ago we spoke about your Blueprint. What has changed since?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ben Trinder:</b> I like to think I’ve evolved and progressed with my coaching. I passed my UEFA B Licence in 2014 on a reassessment. The course was brilliant but if I’m being totally honest I wasn’t ready for the assessment days when they arrived, I hadn’t been able to practice enough with the players I was coaching. Ben Bartlett and Ted Dale did my reassessment and their support gave me great confidence to put over my ideas in my session. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I listen to more coaching themed podcasts and audiobooks in my car. I’m not a fan of sitting and reading a book and don’t get much free time to do so, so audiobooks are a blessing. I’ve also recently started my own business, LTG Technical Football Coaching. I’m focusing on delivering 1 on 1 and small group technical coaching to kids aged 5-11 years old in my area, it’s an area we don’t pay anywhere near enough attention as a nation. Away from football, I got married in summer 2014. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following year my wife gave birth to our little boy, who is now 18 months old. Being a dad is the most amazing feeling and I try to make the most of every minute I get to spend with him.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWYQ927KrCyOZHgs6RQBacSTLMsoXN8yfkqriLP-viGi56KPwLoPzPzr95TMF4TWYVsCVJ20aKpGcBvEFdbj5F3cwBRZ0lK9Q-qxQcIZao2Bl31LiVoGNLp4IA7amuywmM7YMAtLkrV02/s1600/BT1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWYQ927KrCyOZHgs6RQBacSTLMsoXN8yfkqriLP-viGi56KPwLoPzPzr95TMF4TWYVsCVJ20aKpGcBvEFdbj5F3cwBRZ0lK9Q-qxQcIZao2Bl31LiVoGNLp4IA7amuywmM7YMAtLkrV02/s1600/BT1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How has your philosophy for the game developed since then?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I am more focused on individual development rather than the team. I plan my sessions to challenge the different personalities and abilities I’m working with, whether that’s a hyperactive 6 year old who loves to run and dribble the ball or his lazy friend who needs a lot of personality and encouragement from me to get him engaged. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve developed a passion for technical coaching and believe this has to be the foundation for any young player wanting to play professional football in the future. That belief is based on my experiences coaching and watching youth football for the last 10 years. In England, too often we throw kids into kits, arrange them on a pitch and expect them to know how to play the game, poor kids. It’s setting them up to fail. Kids that young need a balance of free play (no instructions) and technical unopposed coaching. If a child cannot pass the ball against a wall from 5-10 yards how will they pass or share the ball in an opposed game situation? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve spent time researching the benefits of technical coaching, speaking to coaches from different nations and reading up on different ideas from the likes of Ricardo Moniz (ex-Spurs), Rene Meulensteen and Pepijn Lijnders among others. It’s a culture topic for me but I do feel like more coaches are coming round to the idea. I’ve also taken a keen interest in street and playground football. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve even done a few of my 1 on 1 sessions on those concrete basketball/football courts you see everywhere these days. Players need a mix of environments and as many different experiences of football as they can get.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: At the time, you mentioned Michael Beale as one of your mentors. At the time few people knew about him yet he has just joined Sao Paolo as assistant coach. How closely have you followed his career since then?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> You can only admire what Mick is doing in the game, he’s an inspiration to hundreds of coaches, including myself. We first met in 2011 when he invited me in to Cobham to watch some sessions at Chelsea’s Academy. I put a tweet out about going to observe coaches and luckily he responded. Mick got me involved in the pre academy development centres there just before he left for Liverpool’s academy in 2012. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve kept in touch with him since then and went up to Liverpool in 2013 to catch up with him and watch him coach. He’s one of the good guys in football, Mick is really genuine, honest and very supportive of my coaching and ideas, when we speak or swap messages it feels like he always has time for you. It’s great to see him doing so well out in Sao Paulo after such a successful spell at Liverpool. I’d recommend his “Just Kickin It” podcast as well as his “Inspire Coach Education” presentation to all coaches. Mick’s experience and knowledge is phenomenal – he’s probably forgot more than I know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How hopeful does it make you feel to see someone develop like that?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> It’s massively positive and inspiring for all of us but I don’t think people fully appreciate the commitment, risks and hours on hours of hard work it has taken Mick and his family. He’s created his own pathway from putting out the cones at Chelsea all the way through to coaching the first team at Sao Paulo. For me it sends a positive message to youth coaches, hard work combined with networking and taking your chances can lead to fantastic opportunities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’ve seen the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Paul Clement, who both coached in the academy at Chelsea, step up to do first team duties. It’s great to see Mick following a similar pathway and I hope it inspires other coaches to take the step up. We’d all like to see more British coaches working in the Premier League.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Are there more people who have played an influential role since then?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> In the last few years I’ve started to build my own opinions and views based around my research into technical coaching. I speak to Louis Lancaster now and again, he always inspires me to think away from the conventional routes. His ideas, his innovation and his enthusiasm for youth development really rubs off on you when you speak to him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another big influence in terms of setting up my business is Saul Isaksson-Hurst from my personal football coach. He’s an experienced, inspirational and very knowledgeable coach, he has been very supportive of what I am trying to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be honest, I take little snippets from everyone I speak to either face to face, on the phone, via email or on twitter. I enjoy meeting new people and I’m big believer in talking, engaging and networking with as many different coaches at different levels of the game as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You have become a big advocate for 1 on 1 coaching. What do you think is the special benefit of this approach?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> The benefits cannot be ignored for me, both with beginners and advanced players. Technical sessions allow young players to develop their technical confidence on the ball away from chaotic opposed practices where they might only touch the ball a few times in a 10 minute practice. The 1 on 1 coaching helps players learn at their own pace and also allows for 100% attention from the coach. Intensity of a session is a big thing for me, once a player has got the basics embedded it’s so important to try and stress him and test his technique. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I focus my 1 on 1 sessions around building the player and the person on and off the pitch. Building the player is something they can see and identify with on the pitch. Building the person is an area I try to hide within my sessions, this takes time and creating good people has to happen in the right environment with a good role model or coach leading the way. As I have said previously, for me, too often coaches ask kids to play in opposed game situations where they often struggle to thrive. You see it all the time, a player receives the ball and can’t control it so it runs away from them. Or a player dribbles and overruns the ball, or worse a player goes missing in a game because they lack confidence and are over run by more advanced players. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young players, 5-11 especially, need to be working on ball mastery, dribbling, passing, turning and striking the ball from a young age. I see some 1 on 1 coaches running kids through speed ladders and jumping into hoops which has it’s uses but I prefer to do everything with the ball. People in the game don’t always appreciate that ball mastery also works to build ABC’s as well as the various other technical benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: It is an approach that encourages individual development of technical skills. Do you think attitudes towards such skills is changing in England?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I’ve definitely seen a positive change towards unopposed coaching and ball mastery lately, more coaches are embracing and recognising the benefits of technical unopposed coaching. I’d never say it’s THE way to do things, it’s another form of coaching to run alongside opposed practices, game based practices, strength and conditioning, movement coaching and so on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve looked into and researched coaching methods in Spain, Holland and Portugal, they do a lot more unopposed technical work with their young players. Particularly in Holland, they aren’t afraid to spend a 20-30 minute block of their sessions on ball mastery/unopposed work. They’ll do it in their sessions, after their sessions, individually away from a group or even a coach. I honestly believe if you have got 11 technically gifted players at 16 and older then tactics, game plans and so on become a whole lot easier to coach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a shame the Football Association don’t cover the technical area of the game in detail on their coaching courses, if coaches were educated on the different topics like ball mastery, unopposed technical practice, 1v1, 2v1, 2v2, 3v3 etcetera then I’m convinced we would have a bigger talent pool coming through our academy system in this country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You work a lot with young children. What is your views around kids specialising in one sport against them being able to play a number of sports?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I am a believer in helping young players gain as many different experiences as possible as they are developing their skills and techniques. Playing different sports and physical activities is a great way to challenge a young person both mentally and physically. In my experience, I think early specialisation is often parent led, which can be unfortunate and counter-productive for the child. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That said, I know of several local players who have gone through the academy system having been solely focused on playing football. Playing multiple sports develops more creative players, better sports confidence and improves cognitive/decision making skills in my opinion. I wouldn’t advise a young players to specialise in football at 7 or 8 years old.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You were the founder of Coaching Family. How has the environment around social media - Twitter in particular - changed since then? Do you still find it useful?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> It’s changed slightly. These days, people are a bit more wary of what they post knowing that potential employers may be watching. Back in 2010, when we started The Coaching Family, we helped to encourage a sharing culture on Twitter where coaches and people in the game could share their sessions, blogs, articles and ideas. We try to encourage coaches to take what’s relevant to them and build on it. For example, a coach sees a great 1v1 practice and screenshots it on their phone. We say, instead of just using that session as it is – can you add something, even if it’s a simple progression. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I see Twitter and The Coaching Family account as a place to help make people think and not just become robots who clone the same sessions they see online, that would be a waste of time. Twitter is still and always will be massively beneficial to coaches at all levels of the game. There is something for everyone on there. Coaches need to follow the right accounts on there to access what is most relevant to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What do you do to get new ideas? Where do you look?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> For me, my own coaching has become less about what I coach and more about how I deliver my sessions. I often use YouTube to aid my session planning for a technical coaching session. As an example, if I want to pin down the technical detail for teaching a young player to turn with the ball I’ll sit with my notepad making notes on videos of Scholes, Iniesta or Messi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mainly I listen to coaching podcasts and audiobooks, I use youtube for TedTalks and research on different academies/coaches. Coaching websites like Player Development Project and Inspire The Game have been very useful in my coaching too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me though, there’s nothing more useful than watching another coach work and speaking to different people in the game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Do you follow what happens in other sports, coaching wise?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I’m into my Rugby Union and follow the English and Welsh national teams. One of my earliest coaching inspirations was Sir Clive Woodward who won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003. I have a DVD at home showing all his team meetings, interviews and behind the scenes footage from their 2003 six nations’ grand slam. The overriding message I took from researching his ideas was the level of detail he would go into to plan for every eventuality. His book called Winning is one I’d recommend to all coaches. I also enjoyed listening to, and reading up on, Sir Dave Brailsford from Team Sky and British Cycling. There are lots of transferable messages from coaches in different sports and we’d be foolish not to ask questions and learn from these inspirational people. It’s great to see England manager Gareth Southgate in the papers recently when he visited England Rugby headquarters to speak with Eddie Jones. There is lots to be learned from other sports for sure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How important is it to look at what is happening overseas and in different footballing cultures?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> It’s very important. Recently, I’ve been looking at player development in countries like Chile, Uruguay and Argentina and how street footballers like Alexis Sanchez, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez develop and learn their skills. It’s not always to do with the coaching these guys have received. We can learn lots from the culture and environments these boys grow up in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have strong views on the crazy amounts of technology kids play with in the UK. Kids aren’t kids long nowadays; they soon have Facebook on their iPhone while they listen to music on an iPad while they play FIFA on their playstations. It’s a parenting problem for me as well as a “keeping up with the Jones’” attitude to Christmas and birthday presents. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Technology is fantastic but not when it’s stopping kids playing world cup doubles, climbing trees, building dens and so on. Kids in this country are getting lazier and lazier but as coaches we have to inspire them to get out and play with friends again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Do you feel the urge to test yourself in a different environment?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I always want to test myself and do things that challenge me. My wife and I have been speaking about moving to different countries for a while now. It’s a dream of ours to have a taste of American life at some point in the future. We spent 3 weeks in Florida on honeymoon a couple of years ago and loved everything about the area. I like meeting new people, learning new things and travelling to different places so I’ll never rule out a new challenge in a new country at some stage in my career. I’ve been learning Spanish for the past 6 months and would encourage every coach to learn a new language</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What are three books that you think any coach should read?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I62HZFC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00I62HZFC&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" target="_blank">James Kerr - Legacy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241244943/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241244943&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" target="_blank">Carlo Ancelotti – Quiet Leadership</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1473613809/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1473613809&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" target="_blank">Mathew Syed – Black box thinking</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What do you want to achieve in the future to be happy with what you've achieved?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BT:</b> I used to be focused on the next coaching course but these days my priorities have shifted. I am enjoying what I do. I love working with the under 6’s and 7’s at the development centre, I’m learning about myself and the age group with every single session. Long term, I want to grow LTG Technical Coaching enough so that I can go full time. That’s my dream, to concentrate almost all my energy on improving the technical ability of the very youngest players in the area, and then on to the rest of the country. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, I want to see the boys I work with go on to do well in the game at whatever level they can progress to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>For more coaching tips from Ben, make sure you follow him on his <a href="https://twitter.com/LTGfootball" target="_blank">Learning The Game twitter feed</a>.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Want to hear what fellow coaches think about football, how they learn and build their philosophy? Check out our Blueprint According To... series of e-books <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blueprint+according+to+paul+grech" target="_blank">here</a> (and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blueprint+according+to+paul+grech" target="_blank">here for US readers</a>).</i></b></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-17535334194041289492017-03-22T10:53:00.000+01:002017-03-22T10:53:00.237+01:00Best Coaching Links Of The Week: Neuroathletics, Fear of Shame & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neuroathletics is difficult to define but essentially it is the practise of training your brain and linking it with your athletic prowess. It is also hard to prove just how valuable it is as a practise, regardless of the success stories that are relayed as being wholly the result of neuroathletics. Still it is <a data-cke-saved-href="http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/brain-work-two-germans-want-change-football/" href="http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/brain-work-two-germans-want-change-football/" target="_blank">important to know about it and understand what it is</a> because even if one does not wholly accept it there are undoubtedly certain elements that are worth further study.<br /><br /><a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2017/03/fear-failure-and-shame-oh-my.html" target="_blank">“Fear of shame is a waste and a trap”</a><br /><br />Recently within the coaching community there was something of an uproar after Fulham FC put out an advert asking children to come for trials to join their academy with the call being open even to children as young as five. It sparked a big debate that focused on club’s ability to truly judge players that young. If you’re uncertain what the fuss was all about or would like to read <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/state-of-play-role-of-youth-coach-more-challenging-than-ever-1.2994044" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/state-of-play-role-of-youth-coach-more-challenging-than-ever-1.2994044" target="_blank">an article that digs deep into the issue, then this is it</a>.<br /><br /><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.redandblack.com/sports/jack-bauerle-the-architect-behind-georgia-s-swimming-dynasty/article_1111aef6-09be-11e7-b8cd-4f05a63fafba.html" href="http://www.redandblack.com/sports/jack-bauerle-the-architect-behind-georgia-s-swimming-dynasty/article_1111aef6-09be-11e7-b8cd-4f05a63fafba.html" target="_blank">Another in the ‘learn from other sports’ category</a> this time by reading up a bit about the legendary swimming coach Jack Bauerle.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>PARTING WORDS</strong></span><br /><em>“The first task is to get to know the players really well-watching them as individuals in training and in match play-to see what is good in their natural game. Then, and only then, can we begin to outline the general tactics.” – <strong>Helenio Herrera [Legendary Inter FC manager, tactical innovator & father of catenaccio]</strong></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><b>Would you like to receive a finely curated list of coaching articles to read every Monday evening? Join <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">Blueprint for Football Extra</a>; it is completely free of charge.</b></em></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-23190627018868753262017-03-15T10:30:00.000+01:002017-03-15T10:30:16.086+01:00Best of Coaching Links Last Week: Economics in Football, Half Spaces, Maurizio Sarri & More<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Economics might seem to be an unlikely place to look for reasons why clubs invest money in their youth academy and then proceed to ignore practically player that comes through. Yet a developing branch of economics - behavioural economics - that looks at why people make certain decisions has <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/03/how-economics-explains-why-clubs-dont.html" target="_blank">plenty of theories that provide explanations</a>. Being aware of them might help clubs be more rational in their decision making.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pger.net/football/2017/03/13/its-not-a-competition/" target="_blank">An article on why collaboration, rather than competition, should be the rule among coaches</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As everyday talk about football becomes increasingly more technical then the need to dig a little deeper to learn about some of the newer terminology also increases. Half spaces is one such term and <a href="http://spielverlagerung.com/2014/09/16/the-half-spaces/" target="_blank">this is a good explanation of what that is all about</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maurizio Sarri has emerged as one of the most interesting coaches in European football, capable of developing an attacking side that even managed to overcome the loss of a striker of the calibre of Gonzalo Higuain. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWJkzjouJgk&app=desktop" target="_blank">His systems and ideas are discussed in this video</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND FINALLY…</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Football is the most important of the less important things in the world." - <b>Carlo Ancelotti</b></i></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-29612263247622206472017-03-08T10:30:00.000+01:002017-03-08T10:30:17.101+01:00Best of Coaching Links This Week: Tempo, Throw-Ins & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philosophy has become something of a buzzword in football over recent years and no manger worth his salt can afford not to have one. That, however, is the easy part: <a href="http://www.espnfc.com/blog/marcottis-musings/62/post/3071843/for-managers-like-carlo-ancelotti-pep-guardiola-and-jose-mourinho-training-time-is-limited" target="_blank">it gets tricky when you have to instill your philosophy in your players when you only have a very limited number of days during which you can train your players.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any team that can dictate the pace of the game has a huge advantage over their opponent because they can then determine what gets to be done on the pitch. But what is tempo and how does it work? <a href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/2017/02/20/modern-tactics-and-the-art-of-tempo-control/" target="_blank">Here's an in-depth analysis</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every aspect of the game gets analysed these days as teams go out in search of that element which can give them an advantage over the rest. So it should be. <a href="http://iperformancefootballcoaching.com/analysing-the-throw-in.html" target="_blank">This focus on all aspects now includes the throw in</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's always a lot to learn away from football and <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/03/mike-krzyzewski?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social" target="_blank">this interview with Mike Krzyzewski</a> who among other things coached the US to three gold medals in basketball is filled with delightful insight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND FINALLY…</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Cups are not won by individuals, but by men in a team who put their club before personal prestige." - <b>Jock Stein</b>.</i></span><br />
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-57902221319687207282017-03-06T10:30:00.000+01:002017-03-06T10:30:03.544+01:00How Economics Explains Why Clubs Don’t Give Young Players A Chance<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each year, clubs at the highest levels of the game spend millions on their academy or youth system. Each year, promising players train in these academies. And, each year, they fail to get an opportunity to show what they are capable of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is an anomalous and fairly ridiculous situation that in many respects could only happen in football. No other business would invest that much money and then fail to use what came through. At least no business acting rationally would act that way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The thing is that football clubs (as does any normal business, for the matter) act irrationally. There is rarely any grand strategy in place and this is evidenced by how quickly confidence in a manager can deteriorate after a run of bad results, regardless of what that manager had achieved in the past.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the past forty years, economists have been looking at ways to explain such irrationality. The foundation of behavioural economics, this new branch in the science, was laid by two Israeli professors - Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman – who set economics down the path of looking at what influences people’s behaviour to determine how they act and why they do so in such a manner (for more information on these two and their work, read Michael Lewis’ fantastic book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241254736/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241254736&linkCode=as2&tag=alivthi-21" target="_blank">The Undoing Project</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In doing so they looked at a number of psychological factors that influence people’s decision and prevent them from acting in a rational or consistent manner.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeeti4ZAwb1Td9ny-qD5-BzRWxA8ptFhccS2-FrK-0Yy9YVSUPsfKCZivY9wYJ_O_NfmAK4DALrmwt2SYFH4B46PRcyzC0JKOTdy-M2zkkCarhShc4yhc4UsCxdXLfFFy5BysDIiZeHWX/s1600/BE_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeeti4ZAwb1Td9ny-qD5-BzRWxA8ptFhccS2-FrK-0Yy9YVSUPsfKCZivY9wYJ_O_NfmAK4DALrmwt2SYFH4B46PRcyzC0JKOTdy-M2zkkCarhShc4yhc4UsCxdXLfFFy5BysDIiZeHWX/s1600/BE_2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is such factors that have to be looked at in order to understand what stops clubs from trying to maximise the investment that they make in academies. And there’s plenty worth looking into.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One in particular stands out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any project like a football academy has to be based on a long term vision. That much is obvious. Yet it contrasts with most managers’ focus on the present. It is a vicious circle that clubs effectively bring on themselves by failing to stick to long term projects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a behaviour that behavioural economists will be familiar with, having observed and documented it in what has become known as the present bias. This is the tendency to over-value immediate rewards at the expense of long-term ambitions, regardless of the impact that it might have later on in life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A classic example of this is when a person fails to save up any money, opting instead to spend it in order to fully live ‘the moment’. Eventually a time will come when it is too late to start saving up and that individual has nothing on which to turn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is what clubs are doing with their academies. The absence of a long term project forces everyone on the playing side to focus on the immediate outcome. Managers, knowing that their job could be at risk with a series of bad results, will opt for his more experienced players on whom he can rely more heavily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Young players are more likely to make mistakes. Regardless of their talent they may not by physically ready or might be too slow to react; making critical mistakes in the process. Those are the mistakes that in truth they need to make in order to develop and learn yet managers rarely have the luxury of allowing them that room to grow. Managers need players who can deliver immediate results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They are biased in favour of those players who can help them in the present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is costing clubs heavily. It is a short term view for a number of reasons starting from the obvious that the performances of older players tend to decrease rapidly once they hit a particular age. The outcome here is that the club would then have to look for another player to replace him, thus spending more money to do so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What’s worse is that such spend is the equivalent of throwing money away. For while that older player might ensure immediate reliability, the value of such experienced players rarely appreciates. Within a couple of years that player will have to be moved on and often only a fraction – if any – of the initial outlay is recovered.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EBXYz9ry2JbMdy5liO2E0TGVeJrm1W-S36GHOii5IQB9ut4hZoZDEoP88fTxoKgm9ZoQobmzU141rIsX5D5Mz3FZpliKHH6HTbm2An6xMHDievKKzTIPb1V9p8uytkPEJIGRMkRGBoSy/s1600/BE_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EBXYz9ry2JbMdy5liO2E0TGVeJrm1W-S36GHOii5IQB9ut4hZoZDEoP88fTxoKgm9ZoQobmzU141rIsX5D5Mz3FZpliKHH6HTbm2An6xMHDievKKzTIPb1V9p8uytkPEJIGRMkRGBoSy/s1600/BE_1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This contrasts with the value of a young player that tends to appreciate notably as they gain experience, confidence and start to express their ability on a more consistent basis. Financially, the development of a young player is easily more beneficial than going for established ones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still clubs opt not to do so. Again this is hardly surprising for behavioural economists who have an explanation as to why this happens: they are falling prey to hyperbolic discounting. Without going into the technicalities of what this term means, essentially it refers to the decision making process whereby the farther away a potential return is, the more it is discounted and less it is valued.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is only when clubs get to a situation where they have nothing to lose by trying something different that they really start to shed such bias. A typical case was that of Borussia Dortmund who, after going to the edge of bankruptcy in their bid to regain their status in German football, opted to put their faith in young players (and a young coach). Their rewards were immediate and significant: two league titles and a Champions League final.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Judging by the players that they have bought over recent months, Borussia Dortmund have made sure not to fall in their old routine – or fall back on their bias – by signing promising young players. It is a brave move but, if the rules of behavioural economics are anything to go by, it could also be the right one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2013/03/the-blueprint-for-football-newsletter.html" target="_blank">Sign up to Blueprint for Football Extra and receive a weekly round-up of great football coaching articles.</a></b></span>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-56844115744718161542017-03-01T10:30:00.000+01:002017-03-01T10:30:19.917+01:00Best of Coaching Links This Week: Crosses, Learning from Experience, Impressive Huddersfield & more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLQz6JJljiXfWbxGIWpUbhq3mtG6bdQYIU3yuNMWyRsS42wSbU_un_uXDAsB6NZQOkFuDCD53gKMLXdE8a-_JyxoB9Xfz0slKJv1R2u8dMvF9OR8h0McPO-9J3w7HP3BTrjuQMfmLkI8z/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most interesting ways to learn, I find, is to talk to people. It might seem to be an imposition but you'd be surprised to find how often people are more than willing to dedicate their time if they see that you are genuinely interested. And, more often than not, you'll find that what they tell you stick effortlessly in your memory. It is why I enjoy doing interviews for Blueprint for Football so much. The most recent of those interview, with <a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/02/the-coach-is-most-disposable-element-in.html" target="_blank">experienced Spanish coach Ismael Díaz Galán</a> who has guided a number of clubs in Spain (including Malaga who he led to promotion) as well as elsewhere around the world, was no exception as he spoke frankly about what it takes to be a manager. Read, enjoy and learn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to admit that the first time that I saw Huddersfield play was when they met Manchester City in the FA Cup but was suitably impressed by how the team functioned as a unit despite the absence of any remarkable talents. <a href="http://www.squawka.com/news/huddersfield-town-the-championships-most-statistically-fascinating-team/904545" target="_blank">It is an impression that happens to be backed up by statistics.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As football changes so too does what is held to be important. Wingers, especially those who did their best work as close to the touchline as possible, used to be a vital element in each team but today are considered out-dated. The same, to an extent, believed about crosses in the box who are considered outdated in an era where ball possession is king. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/12/football-crossing-premier-league?CMP=share_btn_tw" target="_blank">Yet that isn't the case.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most pleasing (yet surprisingly under-reported) stories of this season has been Atalanta's rise. Last week they achieved an extremely impressive win in Naples. <a href="http://spielverlagerung.com/2017/02/26/atalanta-shutdown-napoli-attack-with-pressing-game/" target="_blank">Here's how they did it, tactically.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“It is an art in itself to compose a starting team, finding the balance between creative players and those with destructive powers, and between defence, construction and attack – never forgetting the quality of the opposition and the specific pressures of each match.” - <b>Rinus Michels</b></i></span></div>
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-26458440577972127852017-02-22T10:30:00.000+01:002017-02-22T10:30:23.491+01:00Best of Coaching Links This Week: Leaving Your Comfort Zone, Tattoos to Monitor Performance & More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaMupu2OQAXd4Que5FPPf1cELtO6dNXn1X9ehirMxJhTLkF2kqJ8j1d7ofbE2HhSEIObCPWypt6-QfEA2t7MCamfAg1ULg0BQCoBV-U1IpEVmVJmCK7lAWJsPphLPu6eXgp4GbtRaO3VS/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaMupu2OQAXd4Que5FPPf1cELtO6dNXn1X9ehirMxJhTLkF2kqJ8j1d7ofbE2HhSEIObCPWypt6-QfEA2t7MCamfAg1ULg0BQCoBV-U1IpEVmVJmCK7lAWJsPphLPu6eXgp4GbtRaO3VS/s1600/Digest+Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a lot of people – in football as in life – who opt to allow others dictate what they’re doing. They might not realise it but without consciously intending to they let their own original thoughts be over-ruled by what is expected of them. Inspired by </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0062641549/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0062641549&linkCode=am2&tag=alivthi-21" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mark Manson’s book</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and using Arrigo Sacchi as a model, </span><a href="http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/2017/02/looking-at-subtle-art-of-not-giving-fck.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">this piece looks at how coaches allow others to interfere</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and why they shouldn’t do so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Beale, one of the most respected young coaches in England has taken the unusual step of moving to Brazil where he will be an assistant coach at Sao Paolo. It is in many ways a brave yet easy decision to make because, regardless of how it goes, the experience that he accrues will allow him to grow. <a href="https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/michael-beale-tells-joe-why-he-left-his-comfort-zone-to-coach-in-brazil/113505" target="_blank">In this interview he talks about that decision</a> and provides his views on youth development.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although as a club Fulham has faced a lot of difficulties lately, it’s big saving grace has been an academy that has produced an incredible amount of talent. </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/17/fulham-production-line-dark-days-fa-cup?CMP=twt_gu" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">It is one of the big success stories lower down the English league structure</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Nottingham Forest and MK Dons being another two) that are well worth examining.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found <a href="http://trainingground.guru/articles/smart-tattoos-next-big-innovation-for-football-performance" target="_blank">this piece on the advancements being made by electronics in the form of wearable tattoos</a> extremely interesting, especially if you think about the options that it opens up for football.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND FINALLY…</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“One night, I went to a bar; I was with a woman. We talked all night. We laughed, we flirted, I paid for several drinks of hers. At around 5 am, a guy came in, grabbed her by the arm and took her to the bathroom. He made love to her and she left with him. That doesn’t matter, because I had most of the possession on that night.” - <b>Jorge Sampaoli</b></span></i>Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731411137685891959.post-67112540483712808802017-02-20T10:30:00.000+01:002017-02-20T10:30:05.224+01:00"The coach is the most disposable element in a football team."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3gnXtg-0hYsGemSyn1qtw9nfW3biJZWpBggRhhyphenhyphenFXCRhAQt-_tWFZki-G4WU6HteZaFcuI2XaBzPYfSVjNLxSqJc62ErVwb2_gf5w8TQOnFoW2xYa6dH-hl-y0OB-dKP1Sv2JuJG_nIz/s1600/IMG_5638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3gnXtg-0hYsGemSyn1qtw9nfW3biJZWpBggRhhyphenhyphenFXCRhAQt-_tWFZki-G4WU6HteZaFcuI2XaBzPYfSVjNLxSqJc62ErVwb2_gf5w8TQOnFoW2xYa6dH-hl-y0OB-dKP1Sv2JuJG_nIz/s1600/IMG_5638.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having delivered tiki-taka and a generation of players that dominated world football for almost a decade through a system based almost exclusively on ability, Spain is rightly seen as the home of technical football. Out of this success a culture has developed that is appreciative of the aesthetic and confident that the best results can be achieved through the domination of possession.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fueling this culture are coaches who bring the ideology to life. Ismael Díaz Galán is typical of this class. His experiences might have been limited largely outside the Primera Liga but he is a deep thinker about the game and a keen educator who is eager to share the vision that lights up Spanish football.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blueprint <i>for </i>Football: What made you want to be a football coach?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ismael Díaz Galán:</b> I did not choose football, it chose me! After trying to seduce me from the pitch I decided it was time to try from outside and for the past thirty years I have been trying not to disappoint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Do you have a philosophy of football? What is it?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG: </b>We all have it, even those who say that they don’t. It is what guides us in life, it is the theory of what we believe to be true and therefore also in football. Those who know me know that my way of understanding the game is just as much about how I understand life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As such I do not hope for a win, I aggressively try to make it happen by keeping hold of the ball more than not; creating a collective intelligence that makes us stronger as a group without diminishing individual creativity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How did you develop it?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Living. Feeling. All this by watching, reading, talking, looking at what others are doing and what they are doing to my team. Adapting to different ideas given the reality that I was working in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What do you do to keep learning?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Keep my eyes open and, even more so, my mind. The human brain is like a parachute, it only works if it is open.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You coached Luis Enrique when he was a child: was his talent always obvious?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> So, I met "Lucho" when he was playing the youth team with which I was a co-ordinator. His talent was obvious but he always was a very strong competitor. He also had great tenacity and determination. He came over the rejection for being too small and not physically strong. He was let go and did so well in his new club that the side that had let him go was forced to take him back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Have you followed your career? Do you get some satisfaction knowing that you have helped?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Yes of course, as all players who I had the satisfaction of working with. We help them all; there are none who are considered more important than others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How much you learn during coaching courses and really learn how to train the players?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> During coaching courses you get the tools to make your way but you have to decide which is the method that is most suitable for you to be consistent with your way of thinking and feeling. Starting from the coaching course is when the real learning begins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You've worked in several clubs: what are the first things you do when you take a job?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Soak in your new reality: your environment, its structure, facilities, staff and, especially, the players. I like to know as much as possible about each one. In order to get them to perform to their full potential I have to know as well and as precisely as possible about each one.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B<i>f</i>F: How important is winning the confidence of the players in your capacity? How do you do it?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> It is the most important thing. The coach works for them and not the other way round. This does not mean that you have to treat them as figurines (i.e. you are afraid to do anything to them) but knowing that to achieve your objective it is fundamental that you get the most out of everyone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is the first thing and for that you have to know them well. The second is that you treat them honestly and fairly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What is more important: the tactical system you want to play or change the system to suit the players you have?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Many have ideas of how to play. They copy the wrong things by watching people and their winning tactical manoeuvres without understanding what lies behind them. Systems are created through the inter-relationships between the different parts of the team. As players are human beings the best system is that which is flexible to adapt to any situation and rigid enough so that everyone moves in unison.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What does a coach today to succeed?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> First of all know what success means for them. We are not all the same. It is easier to know your way if you know where you have to go and what you want to achieve. After that you have to be honest with the game, consistent with your ideas and how you feel. Finally, do not betray players in the desire to be better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: Knowing that your job is at risk if you do not get the expected results, how hard is like a coach to give opportunities to young players?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> One of the great truths of being a coach is the risk. If you do not assume this then you’re lost. To move forward you have to risk. You have no guarantee of the outcome of a decision before you take it. It is the same with young players. The big advantage with them is that they are an investment in the future. That said, you should never use them simply to win points with those surrounding the club. They never disappoint me. In all my teams I’ve played young players and they’ve always repaid the confidence shown in them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: How important is a coach to the success of a team?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> The game of football is based on players. The role of the coach is to create a team that plays well together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: You’ve worked outside of Spain: what did you do to adapt to a new country?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Learn as much as possible as soon as possible. The customs, the language, how players think and their technical ability. On top of that develop as much as possible my ability to communicate in order to make myself understood. This not only has to do with the language but in the manner that work has to be carried out in order to develop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What has been the greatest satisfaction you've had in your career?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Making players happy with my work. In that manner we all lived through Malaga’s promotion, a title with Sporting Gijon’s B team, remaining in the Portuguese top flight with Farense, in the Kazak top division with Kairat and in the Spanish Segunda Liga with Palencia….</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those are the big achievements that make you feel good about your profession and help you in the difficult moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Want to hear what fellow coaches think about football, how they learn and build their philosophy? Check out our Blueprint According To... series of e-books <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blueprint+according+to+paul+grech" target="_blank">here</a> (and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blueprint+according+to+paul+grech" target="_blank">here</a> for US readers)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: And the biggest lesson?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Humility. The coach is the most disposable element in a football team. We have to learn this and try not to put too much importance to ourselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What has been the biggest disappointment?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> I cannot point to one particular instance. I suppose that they are all related to people in whom I had confidence and trust and how betrayed me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B<i>f</i>F: What goals do you have in your career?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IDG:</b> Keep growing in everything that I without losing myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>For more information about Ismael Díaz Galán follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/ismael_dg?lang=en" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or else check out his <a href="http://afluentesdelfutbol.blogspot.com.mt/" target="_blank">website</a>.</b></span><br />
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Paul Grechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13742123747580749956noreply@blogger.com0