| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Karl |
Posted - Sep 18 2004 : 01:06:53 AM
(FIFA.com) 17 Sep 2004
Is there a foolproof formula that converts a promising talent into a bona fide star? Maybe, maybe not, but finding one is the challenge facing coaches at youth and underage level as they seek to unearth the rough diamonds and make them shine; while all the time helping them avoid the pitfalls on the long and perilous road to success.
A coach's job is never an easy one. First and foremost, they have to satisfy the insatiable demands of their superiors and supporters with results on the pitch. To that end they need to weather the inevitable storms of criticism in the media, stay abreast of the tactics and game plans of their rivals, and, perhaps most critically, to be able to manage a myriad of issues in the dressing room, where squad members are both team-mates in, and rivals for, a place in the starting eleven. A tall order at the best of times, but when your team is still under-age, the task becomes trickier still.
"Nowadays, players are like sponges, they absorb absolutely everything and try to put it into practice. They have a very positive attitude towards things. The coach's job can be very rewarding as he sees all the hard work and then the progress - often in a short space of time. It's extremely satisfying to watch your players grow and see them improve day by day," the coach of the Spanish women's side Ignacio Quereda told FIFA.com.
"They are in a constant state of evolution. They're maturing as people and as players, and at that stage are more receptive to advice and coaching on the basics of the game. At senior level, they have already been shaped and it becomes harder to correct certain bad habits or an inappropriate technique," he says.
According to Armando Ufarte, the coach of the Spanish men's U-19 side that won this year's European Championship, "it's vital that you give them freedom, but it's also the time when they have to learn to cope with group strategies and discipline." This quiet and unassuming man has learned that the surest way to deal with youngsters is with patience.
"You have to encourage and motivate them to give it their all to try to get ahead in the world. At the same time, however, you have to temper their eagerness to get there overnight, and convince them to take their time and do things well."
Mentor, coach, friend...
Coaching a crop of talented youngsters requires not just the ability to impart football technique and tactics, but also a certain grasp of psychology. "It's very tough working with young and inexperienced players, because they're psychologically very fragile," says Elisabetta Bavagnoli, the Italian coach.
A month-long pre-tournament training camp can be difficult for even seasoned professionals to cope with, but when the squad are all very young, that length of time away can become a problem. Firstly, there is the issue of maintaining a player's concentration over such an extended period, and then of course there is the problem of cohabitation with other adolescents - a delicate matter that needs careful handling.
"Young players need congratulations and reprobation, but only at precise moments. You should never exaggerate either of the two, or be too soft or too hard with them," says Bavagnoli, a passionate coach of young players. "They see you as the coach but also as a sort of idol, or a friend to guide them on their way. You have to fulfil all of those roles from time to time."
These prodigious youngsters have to spend considerable periods of time away from their family and friends. They also have to sacrifice class time for training and, as a result, use their leisure time to catch up on their equally important studies. "You need to know how to impress upon them just what it means to be a professional footballer, and the sacrifices that comes with that. That doesn't mean that they can't have fun along the way, but that must always be secondary to their sporting performance," explains Quereda.
"In the Spanish Football Federation we have a principle which we try to follow and put into practice: The thing we're most interested in is the person, and then comes the player. At this stage in their development, what we're most concerned about is an integral schooling, first and foremost, of the person. The individual's development from a sporting perspective is secondary. At such a young age, we place great emphasis on imparting moral principles and ethics in every area. We firmly believe that the better the person, the better the player," he adds.
These are young people going through an intensive period of sporting and personal development. Every aspect of this physical and emotional development has to be taken care of if success is to be achieved both professionally and personally.
After all these are the future world champions we are talking about. Their success will be down to every coach or trainer that lends a hand along the way as they strive to make it to the very pinnacle of their profession. |
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