The Football Psychology Blog
This Football Psychology blog comes as Wigan are thrashed on the opening day of the 2010-11 Premier Legue season by newly-promoted Blackpool.
Football Psychology - Wigan, A Team Without A Cause!
So Wigan begin the Premier League season with a thrashing. Booed off by what fans remained at the DW Stadium after a tame home surrender.
Blackpool's 4-0 rampage could easily have been 6 or 7 nil. Blackpool a team written off by the so-called experts. Relegation certainities, with potentially the lowest ever top-level points total.
All perfect fodder for Blackpool boss Ian Holloway to create a powerful focus for his team. A point to prove. Critics to rub their nose in the dirt. A CAUSE!
Which is more than Wigan had. This was a team that had no central focus to unite the team. A group of individuals playing for themselves. Devoid of energy. Devoid of purpose. Nothing to harmonise the parts.
Manager Roberto Martinez is treading on thin ice. His team narrowly avoided relegation last year. A good start to this campaign is essential, to create security in the mind of owner Dave Whelan.
That is why Martinez must find a core purpose to unite his group of players. A 'something' that gives them a reason to play for each other. Care about each other.
His team are multi-national. And therein lies the potential difficulty. British; Spanish; South Americans. But how well do they communicate together. Socialise together. Share stories together? Do his South America players even speak English?
Unless Roberto Martinez resolves these issues, his team will become the Premier League whipping boys. With his future on the line, he must act quickly to find a way to create unity in the face of seeming dis-interest.
