The Boot Room


Issue 10 August 2014


Play lots of games


I developed confidence by playing street-type soccer every day by having the opportunity to beat players. Games are where you learn the most, certainly mentally. They sharpen concentration, you’re under pressure, your teammates are relying on you, it means something.


Mental toughness


It’s all about the mentality. Being the best player in the world was the only thing I was interested in. All players are born with a winning mentality but you can have it knocked out of you.


Understand the modern game


If you go to watch Liverpool playing, nothing that they do from an attacking point of view can easily be coached. I was always taught that one striker provided depth by going long and the other striker dropped short to get the ball and link with players. The modern player appears more adaptable and instinctive, playing in lots of different positions. It goes against all the old manuals and what some coaches would say and also goes against what I was taught growing up.


Give players problems to solve


and let them find the answers New formations are changing what’s required of the strikers and players in general, but the way you coach too. It’s becoming more and more a case of give players’ problems to solve, give them situations so that they can actually make decisions themselves, and question their decisions after that.


It’s a different way of playing, consequently it’s a different way of coaching. So, in training, it’s all about putting on sessions that create that environment [for players] to do things that happen in games.


Give players a chance


to show-off “Coaches need to put on sessions where you can express yourself: where you can show-off and always end with a game. Make it competitive, with a clear focus to ensure the intensity is good. For example 10 passes to score a point, not just a routine possession drill”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92