Football Psychology: Wales – The Golden Triangle!

It was billed as the biggest game in Welsh football history. A team that had never been beyond the quarters of a major tournament. By implication that should have created a burden of pressure…expectation…hidden fears…(especially if you have been conditioned by England’s serial competition failures). Instead you had a team that found a level of individual and collective performance. that more than matched the occasion. Much has been spoken of Wales’s team-spirit. A band of brothers. Everyone looking out for each other. The collective greater than anyone individual. But last night another level appeared to be reached. Evidenced when Hal […]

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Football Psychology: England – The Manager!

And so the inquests begin into England’s shocking Euro exit. As ever the themes are familiar…pampered superstars; clubs not bringing through academy players; dearth of good English coaches and so on. The FA will undertake a review to try to understand what happened on Monday night in Nice. But past post-tournament reviews have never led to drastic improvements in the national team’s fortunes. The one decision that will solve most problems is getting the choice of manager right. The criteria for selecting a good national team boss is not complicated…. Does the manager have the tactical acumen to succeed in […]

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Football Psychology: Roy Hodgson – No Magic Answers!

When England opened the scoring against Russia in their first group match of the Euros, it looked like the perfect opportunity to establish their tournament credentials, and put the weak opposition to the sword. Just after Eric Dier’s goal went in, Roy Hodgson formed an unexpected huddle with his management team, Ray Lewington and Gary Neville. The reason…to create a defensive strategy to safeguard their lead. Of course it failed. Why did the manager need to form a huddle with his management team? The game dynamics were clear. The Russians were there for the taking. Could he not see that? […]

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Football Psychology: Derby County – Another Failure Of Leadership!

It’s Sky’s pre-match analysis ahead of rugby’s European Final in Lyon. Jonny Wilkinson is discussing his part in Toulon’s 2013 success. The former England number ten, commanding the respect of his team-mates, acted not as a superstar, but drew on his vast experience to glue the French team together. He was the ‘go to player’ when problems needed solving. He’d seen it. Done it. Nothing phased him. He had the answers. His observations felt relevant following Derby County’s lame three nil Championship play-off home defeat to Hull City. The Rams simply had no ‘go to player’ who knew how to […]

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Football Psychology: Claudio Ranieri: Calmness!

So…four games remaining in this dramatic Premier League campaign. Tottenham purposefully chasing down leaders Leicester City. Last Sunday’s dramatic West Ham draw exposed some of the pressure that has been quietly building in The Foxes title challenge. The strong arm penalty box tactics. Vardy’s expertise in winning penalties.  Referee Jon Moss was having none of it. In return he got openly abused, as if he had prised open the black box that harboured Leicester’s dark secrets. Whilst everyone both on and off the pitch at the Walker’s Stadium appeared to be letting the unfortunate ref know what they thought of […]

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Football Psychology: Leicester City – The Unknown!

It’s five minutes from time at the King Power Stadium. Leicester City are holding a slender lead against Newcastle United. And the tension is palpable. On the touchline, Claudio Ranieri is rousing players and fans for one final effort. It’s a scenario we may well see played out again before the curtain is drawn on this unusual Premier League season. With eight games to go and a five point cushion, the Leicester title dream can now become a reality. And that is why Ranieri’s interjection was necessary last night. He needed to break the spell. Break the sense of nervousness […]

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Football Psychology: Steve McClaren – Frustration!

It was a so called must win game for Newcastle United. Taking points from the teams around them, vital in the quest for sustained Premier League football. So their limp home defeat to Bournemouth, does not augur well for the rest of the campaign. Manager Steve McClaren came out afterwards to say that this was the most frustrating group of players he has ever worked with. Which won’t exactly get them back on side. It’s a frank admission from the under-pressure manager. And one that seems to direct the blame onto the players and away from himself. It suggests that […]

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Football Psychology: Willy Caballero – Instinct!

A few years ago, Sky made a TV documentary called ‘The Science Of Ronaldo’. One of the experiments conducted with the Real Madrid superstar, involved a player taking corners in a room containing a small set of goal posts. In front of the goals was Christiano Ronaldo. All he had to do was put the corner into the empty net. No defenders. No keeper. Easy stuff. Apart from the fact, that when the corner was struck, the lights were turned off. Meaning that Christiano couldn’t actually see the ball. Didn’t stop him scoring every-time though! With no visuals to guide […]

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Football Psychology: Aston Villa – The Indifference Virus!

Jamie Carragher called them the worst team in Premier League history. Experienced defender Jolean Lescott apologised for his team’s lack of commitment.  Aston Villa are bottom of the league. And their 6-0 home defeat to Liverpool was akin to waving the white flag. Teams don’t deliberately set out to be uncommited. There is rarely a plan to under-perform. Or to lose six-nil. It’s a consequence of a cocktail of ingredients all coming together at the same time. It tends to begin with self-interest. An individual player putting himself before the team. Maybe not trying or giving 100% in training. Showing […]

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Football Psychology: Derby County – The Power Vacuum!

And so after only eight months into his first managerial adventure, Paul Clement is sacked by Derby County. Touted as one of the brightest and the best coaches in Europe, Clement appeared to have everything in his favour at The Ipro. A squad blessed with talent. An owner prepared to put his hand in his pocket to spend. A Premier League set up. It was all there. So what went wrong for the former Real Madrid coach? The writing was on the wall immediately after the tame home draw with Reading, Owner Mel Morris came down from the boardroom to […]

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