All Posts in Category: Blog
How to get players to listen to your advice
Many coaches make mistakes as they want players to buy into their views at all costs. No one likes to listen to advice and instructions, not even the players. We would all prefer to work according to our conscience and feel that our decisions are respected and praised. Players prefer when coaches respect them as a person, when they’re asked about their hopes and when their work and effort is respected. As I often say to you, Maxi, during my visit to Croatia I spent a lot of time talking with …
Knowledge is vital for success
It’s often said that a coach is a man who says on Friday he knows what will happen on Saturday, while on Sunday he’s explaining why it didn’t happen. The coaching profession is no longer exclusively linked with the pitch, the individual or even team. Today, alongside the work on the technical and tactical elements, a coach has to communicate with the media, sponsors, and fans. He also needs to show to the players his own example on how to behave, how to appear and to represent yourself to the public. …
Players follow a coach out of respect or fear
In order to be obediently followed, admired and respected by your players, Maxi, you have to impose as an authority. When appointed as a coach you became the formal authority, an authority by function. This authority is only temporarily accepted by the players. Over time, if you’re not accepted by the players, your formal authority, given your function will be ignored in a short space of time. The authority is not a “joker card” – unlimited power ahead of starting the role. Actual authority has to be acquired with your personality, …
Champions !
Today’s blog has been dedicated to Dundalk FC from the eponymous Irish town of Dundalk, which is this year’s participant of a group stage of the UEFA prestigious competitions – the Europe League. Until reaching the group stage of Europe League, Dundalk FC was not known among the wider global sporting public, but now, since the club is present on the world stage in the company of football greats, like Manchester United, Roma, Ayax, Fenerbache…. everybody throughout Europe and the rest of the world who follow the football knows about it. …
Coach autocrat or coach democrat? (II)
Good example of a democratic style of the team leadership has been described by former successful French football player and today’s respected football coach Didier Deschamp: “Every year I choose three leaders, four would be too much, and the two would lead to antagonism. The choice is targeted according to their characteristics. First is chosen because of his technical quality, the second one because of his physical and the third one for his role in the locker room. In fact, they have popped themselves out because of their qualities. It would …