‘I’m hitting a yellow ball across the net into some lines’. It’s Johanna Konta speaking after her Australian Open quarter final victory over the qualifier Shuai Zyang. She is explaining to the press her perspective about the game. It’s rare to hear a professional player speak with an almost childlike simplicity about what they do. And yet it’s this simplicity and clarity that is key to Konta’s emergence and success. It’s as if the reason why she plays the game has not become corrupted by the demand for results and outcomes. Of course it helps that Johanna is winning. This […]
Read More...Sports Psychology Blog
Welcome to the Sports Psychology blog. Here you will find insights on current sporting events, from the perspective of a sports psychologist.
The purpose of this blog, is to get inside the sporting drama…why the player or team do what they they do…their thinking…mindsets…attitudes…their fluctuating state of confidence…and all the other mental and emotional pieces that create the psychology of sports.
The most recent articles are at the top of the List Of Sports Psychology Blogs Index.
Football Psychology: Ashley Young – Penalty!
‘If Ashley Young is a Manchester United player then I’m a Chinaman’. It’s Roy Keane speaking bluntly on ITV’s Champions League coverage after United’s narrow Old Trafford win over CSKA Moscow. With the score at nil-nil. Young has sought to con the referee with an obvious dive in the box. It’s only brought him stinging criticism from ex-professionals, instead of the game changing penalty he sought. The dive has been part of Young’s repetoire for a few years now. As if he has lost trust in his natural ability to beat a man in the box with quick feet or […]
Read More...Football Psychology: Jose Mourinho – Beyond Us v Them!
It’s been his go-to strategy for most of his illustrious managerial career. Whenever he needed to sharpen his teams focus, or guard against success-inducing complacency, then Jose Mourinho would manufacture an enemy. Familiar targets – Biased Referees; The Media; The FA; Arsene Wenger…all served their purpose as acting as a false enemy (The THEM). Opposing forces who wanted to stop Chelsea succeeding. All designed by Jose, like Sir Alex Ferguson before him, to create a force field around his group The US. The bigger The THEM, the stronger The US becomes. And it’s a strategy that served him well. Until […]
Read More...Football Psychology: Louis Van Gaal – Roulette!
Lucky!’ That was Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal’s assessment of Middlesboro’s Old Trafford shoot-out win last night. ‘It was more like the casino. Red or black’. It’s an old argument that you don’t hear trotted out too often in the modern era. The notion that what happens from twelve yards after extra-time, is seemingly in the lap of the footballing gods. A lottery. Out of the managers hands. So…the Dutchman is either putting a protective managerial shield around his players. Or failing to see the obvious. That the spot kick misses from Rooney, Carrick and Young weren’t unlucky. But […]
Read More...Rugby Psychology: England – Fly Me To The Moon!
When the late Brian Clough managed Nottingham Forest, he was prone to conduct unusual team-talks. For example, he would go into the dressing room pre-match and say. ‘Right Lads. Close your eyes’. Then Brian would take a song from the Frank Sinatra songbook, such as Fly Me To The Moon and sing it. To the team. On conclusion of the song, he would say,’ I’m a good singer arent I lads?’ Now go out and show everyone what good players you are!’ Cloughie wanted his supreme confidence to become the players supreme confidence. His sense of freedom, to become their […]
Read More...Football Psychology: Blackpool – A Club Without Will!
One of the compelling features about Saturday nights England/Wales World Cup encounter was the total commitment the Welsh team gave in their desire to find a way to win. Commitment that could be seen in their energy, hunger, desire, collective spirit. Each player appeared to be giving his all for the cause. Digging deep into their well of resources. It’s like witnessing the best of the human endeavour. Seeing people build their character through acts of will. When we discover that someone has taken performance enhancing drugs to succeed, then it leaves a bitter taste, knowing that they have not […]
Read More...Rugby Psychology: England – Game Management!
If the Rugby World Cup was a competition determined by the singing of the National Anthems, then England would surely be crowned champions. In the pre-match ceremony v Wales, the hosts belted out God Save The Queen with the nationalistic fervour of a team about to go to war. Loaded with emotion and heartfelt desire. Tapping into the hype and expectancy, this was an England team who wanted to let everyone know they were up for it. But maybe that was the problem. An excellent first half hour showed them to have the measure of the Welsh. But then, as […]
Read More...Cricket Psychology: England – Drawing From History!
It’s the final game of the Ashes series, and its an opportunity for England to cement their dominance over this Australian team. One of the surprising things that we have learnt about England’s series preparation, is that there has been an new-found openness about them, which was not always the case in past, more insular self-protective England teams. An openness that has allowed current players to reconnect with England greats of the past and tap into their insights and know-how. For example, Stuart Broad admits that he has never really spoken with Ian Botham previously. Given that Botham is at […]
Read More...Tennis Psychology: Nick Kyrgios – Maturity!
After the on-court dramas at Wimbledon, tennis observers weren’t expecting the talented Nick Kyrgios to be back in the news so quickly. So it’s a surprise to some, that the Australian is back courting the headlines again. His on-court sledge to Stan Wawrinka appears to have shocked the tennis world. And if it was anyone else but Kyrgios, then it’s unlikely to have created such a storm. In a lot of sports, an insulting sledge is part and parcel of the mental games. Employed strategically to gain edge and throw your opponent off balance. So unto itself, it’s of no […]
Read More...Cricket Psychology: Michael Clarke – Confidence!
It’s the best thing that an opposition can hope for. They make their plans around it. It’s strategy number one. And sometimes, they don’t even have to try that hard to execute it. That’s exactly the scenario in this Ashes series. England would have targeted Australian captain Michael Clarke. If the captain and leader is dismissed cheaply, then it exerts extra pressure on the other batters. And sends out a strong message. What England didn’t know was be how easy it would be to take Clarke’s wicket. Once the best batsman in the world, Clarke has completely lost form and […]
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