One Goal: the Mindset of Winning Soccer Teams
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ONE GOAL The Mindset of Winning Soccer Teams Bill Beswick Human Kinetics Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Beswick, Bill. One goal : the mindset of winning soccer teams / Bill Beswick. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Soccer--Psychological aspects. I. Title. GV943.9.P7B477 2016 796.334019--dc23 2015015769 ISBN: 978-1-4504-6578-6 (print) Copyright © 2016 by Bill Beswick All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. The web addresses cited in this text were current as of June 2015, unless otherwise noted. 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Human Kinetics Website: www.HumanKinetics.com United States: Human Kinetics Australia: Human Kinetics P.O. Box 5076 57A Price Avenue Champaign, IL 61825-5076 Lower Mitcham, South Australia 5062 800-747-4457 08 8372 0999 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Canada: Human Kinetics New Zealand: Human Kinetics 475 Devonshire Road Unit 100 P.O. Box 80 Windsor, ON N8Y 2L5 Mitcham Shopping Centre, South Australia 5062 800-465-7301 (in Canada only) 0800 222 062 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Europe: Human Kinetics 107 Bradford Road Stanningley Leeds LS28 6AT, United Kingdom +44 (0) 113 255 5665 e-mail: [email protected] E6062 PRAISE FOR ONE GOAL “This inspirational new release offers insightful ideas from the very highest level of sport. Bill Beswick’s influence with countless winning teams makes One Goal a top priority for anyone seeking to become the best in sport, business and life.” Tom Bates Performance Psychologist, West Bromwich Albion Football Club “The lessons I have learned from my mentor can now be yours. Read One Goal and become a better coach.” Steve Round Former Assistant Manager, Manchester United, Everton “For nearly 20 years, Bill Beswick has given me great advice at the col- lege and MLS levels. He has helped me become a better coach and, more important, a better person. I cannot recommend his work more highly.” Schellas Hyndman Head Men’s Soccer Coach, Grand Canyon University “I value Bill Beswick’s wisdom in helping our team work toward achieving their potential each year. His understanding of situations and individuals makes him an amazing resource for all coaches.” Shelley Smith Head Women’s Soccer Coach, University of South Carolina “Bill Beswick has built my awareness of the importance of a team mind- set. Learn how to keep your team relationships healthy with One Goal.” Anthony Hudson Head Coach, New Zealand National Team “Meeting with Bill is best, but this book is a good second best. It has a special place on my desk so I can continue to help in developing the stars of tomorrow.” Chris Panayiotou Developmental Director of Coaching, Virginia Rush Soccer Club CONTENTS Foreword vi Preface vii Acknowledgments x PART I Direction Chapter 1 Unifying Purpose 3 Chapter 2 Creating Positivity 19 Chapter 3 Focusing Challenge 35 Chapter 4 Encouraging Leaders 49 PART II Relationships Chapter 5 Forming Bonds 63 Chapter 6 Fostering Coachability 75 Chapter 7 Requiring Accountability 89 Chapter 8 Synching Aptitudes 101 Chapter 9 Managing Mood 113 iv PART III Performance Chapter 10 Competing Cohesively 127 Chapter 11 Summoning Momentum 147 Chapter 12 Handling Pressure 159 Chapter 13 Overcoming Adversity 177 Chapter 14 Keeping Fresh 191 Chapter 15 Repeating Success 205 References 215 Index 217 About the Author 222 v FOREWORD I have been fortunate enough to have had a playing career of 18 years with two great clubs, Manchester United and Everton, and to have represented my country in the England National Team. As one of the ‘Class of 92’ at United I was part of a team that achieved everything it’s possible to achieve in football. The emphasis under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson was on winning as a team. Though we had many star individual players, the team always came first. Our strength as a team meant that in the closing stages of games our togetherness and mental resilience would dominate. When I moved to Everton I took the lessons from United with me. The manager, David Moyes, encouraged me to lead and soon made me cap- tain. Fortunately David and Everton believed in a ‘team first’ approach, and I was able to strengthen this mindset both on and off the field. Whilst not winning major trophies, Everton consistently stayed in the top eight of the Premier League and qualified to compete in Europe in several seasons. Though considered as having less talent than United, Everton built a similarly tough winning mindset, based on profession- alism, dedication and resilience. As captain I understood and relished my responsibility as a leader to shape the team’s thinking. Now that I’m taking my coaching qualifications I often reflect on how that winning team mindset at United and Everton was created and maintained. That’s why I was pleased to find that Bill had written this book on the topic to help the next generation of coaches. Bill and I have often spoken together, so I know he understands what makes players and teams tick. That’s why I can recommend this book to other coaches keen to develop their teams. Phil Neville Manchester United Everton England vi PREFACE This book reflects my long experience with teams at grassroots, pro- fessional and international levels. Its purpose is to share a key lesson learned: that teams win not only because they have superior talent but also because they have a superior mindset. Team mindset—the way that a team collectively think and feel in any given situation—is a powerful weapon that governs winning behaviour when positive, focused and strong. Many teams with lesser talent have won because of the strength of their attitude. Likewise, talented teams with weaker mindsets are always vulnerable to shock defeats. Of course, great talent plus great mindset is an unbeatable combination. My role is to help coaches build a winning mindset in their team. In the competitive world of soccer, this is an everyday challenge. Team mindset is always under pressure from a wide range of negative influ- ences. Coaches may find themselves injecting confidence when their team are anxious and adding a measure of anxiety when their team are too confident. This need to build a positive team mindset applies to all coaches and all teams regardless of age, gender or level of competition. Teams can only maximise on their talent if they have a mindset fully committed to the hard work of preparing to win. Winning teams are characterised by their passion to practice and learn and their toughness to persist regardless of circumstances. This book is written in the language of coaches and players, and it is intended to stimulate and help readers. It is organised into three sections that build upon each other in sequence. With a concept like mindset, how- ever, many of the issues described throughout the book are interrelated, so I have deliberately reinforced some important points from chapter to chapter. Some readers will want to dip into the chapters that strike them as particularly relevant; others will enjoy a cover-to-cover read. Part I, ‘Direction’ (chapters 1 through 4), lays the foundation for a team mindset built on unity of purpose and direction. In these four ini- tial chapters the primary importance of getting everyone, both in and around the team, on the same page is emphasised, as are the benefits of creating a positive environment that encourages and supports a fighter mentality. Examining the mental strength to deal with the challenges of competition and exploring the extra impetus provided by the right player leadership are covered in chapters 3 and 4. Overall, part I gives readers a solid platform from which to develop greater understanding of how to develop a winning team mindset. vii viii PREFACE Part II, ‘Relationships’ (chapters 5 through 9), focuses on the power released when players are treated as human beings as they work on perfecting the tasks they undertake—their ‘human doings’. The first of these five chapters looks at how building positive team relationships leads to the extra emotional power of a team playing for one another, not just with each other. Modern soccer increasingly requires players who are intelligent and remain open to new learning experiences, covered in chapter 6, ‘Fostering Coachability’, and who are sufficiently mature to be held accountable for their play, the theme of chapter 7. The value of merging individual abilities and attitudes into a synchronised team who can execute seamlessly is the subject of chapter 8. Finally, chapter 9 opens discussion on the vital ever-present challenge for coaches—managing team mood through what is often a long, hard season.