The ugly zone

Quite often, especially when starting out, coaches often want their session to look as if they are going to plan. There is a certain worry that if the session doesn't look like the players are 'performing', parents, spectators, even fellow coaches may become suspicious. 

This arguably comes from an insecurity that I have been, far too often, guilty of myself. As I have discussed on my UEFA B blog article on the previous versions of the course it was about getting everything correct in that one off assessment rather than how you were challenging the players, or adapting to their needs. I think this further added to a culture that the session must look perfect otherwise it will be frowned upon.

Fortunately this year, I had a tutor who was challenging me to work differently. A question I was constantly asked was 'do the players understand the consequences when they make mistakes?'. Too often the players would give possession away, or concede a sloppy goal and it would be followed by a shrug of the shoulders. Why were they not that bothered?

At this point it would be easy to point to the attitudes and the motivations of the players. I've seen it before, coaches absolving themselves of the blame. But here I was, being questioned as to why this might be happening on my watch?

It also helped that there was a similar theme on our matchdays with this group of players. We would be in control of a game, playing excellent football - but if something went against us it would swing the game in the favour of the opposition. For what was a talented group, this was frustrating to watch on a consistent basis knowing they they had the ability to not let this happen. 

Do we ever practice 1 v 6 practices?!

I promised to myself to introduce more competition in training. Everything had to have a purpose, there had to be a consequence. Players should drive themselves to be on the winning team and if they weren't, they had to learn how to handle defeat to make themselves stronger for next time. 

In general, I just wanted the sessions themselves to be uglier too. My practices have often been very appealing on the eye, lots of nice passing and dribbling but the learning objective was too easily achieved. If we were working on pressing the defending team would have an overload - but what use is that? In terms of the challenge of the session and more importantly, the realism and relevance to the game. What use is a session that players achieve things first time? I had to stress players out and take them into the ugly zone. 

Creating an environment in which players feel able to express themselves and play without fear of mistakes is paramount - so what I mean by taking them out of their comfort zone is by stretching and challenging them technically, tactically, psychologically and socially as an individual. If you can combine those two things so that players realise that while things are tough they can still come up with creative solutions, I think you could be onto a winner!

It's a work in progress for me - I am constantly asking myself if the players are truly being challenged. I am constantly trying to think of ways to change the spaces, the numbers, the tasks to create an environment where players have to actually solve problems and deal with adversity. 

Sure, a 'nice' session can be a confidence booster when required. Giving players lots of opportunities to have success, particularly at a young age, can have its benefits but if they have everything their way, what are they learning? 

I'm really keen to hear coaches' thoughts on this and what mechanisms they use to make sessions 'uglier' for your players? Or if you disagree, tell me why!