The Technician N°40•E 14.10.2008 14:59 Page 1
Editorial: Football Prose and Poetry
The Rear-View Mirror
Respect and Protect
Golden Oldies
The Seeds of Spain’s Champion Harvest
Ten Years After
NEWSLETTER FOR COACHES N O 40 NOVEMBER 2008 The Technician N°40•E 14.10.2008 14:59 Page 2
IMPRESSUM
EDITORIAL GROUP Andy Roxburgh Graham Turner Frits Ahlstrøm
PRODUCTION André Vieli Dominique Maurer Atema Communication SA Printed by Cavin SA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hélène Fors
COVER Luís Aragonés led Spain to victory at EURO 2008. (Photo: Foto-Net)
Spain’s Fernando Torres shields the ball from Germany’s Philipp Lahm in the final in Vienna in June. Getty Images
2 The Technician N°40•E 14.10.2008 14:59 Page 3 FOOTBALL PROSE AND POETRY
EDITORIAL ronment, the players and owners have frontations, isolated cases of dissent, become more demanding, while the and fewer yellow and red cards than at BY ANDY ROXBURGH, media and the fans have increased their EURO 2004. With figures to prove it, the finalists, Spain and Germany, showed UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR expectations, often to unrealistic levels. The old maxim ‘enough is never enough’ that success and an adherence to positive comes to mind. A team can lose and sporting behaviour can be compatible. play badly, lose and play well, win and play badly, or win and play well. Un- The aim in professional football is to questionably, the latter is the desirable win matches, but more and more the Chelsea FC’s Luiz Felipe Scolari, the outcome, and Spain in the EURO and demands of the owners, the public and 2002 World Champion with Brazil, and Manchester United FC in the UEFA Cham- the media are to do it with style and Portugal’s EURO finalist in 2004, once pions League championed the cause panache. Just as in writing, where good said that ‘beautiful football is fantastic, if it of attacking football while confirming the prose provides the basic structure but can be married to results’. The perform- need for structure, efficiency and, when poetry raises the text to a higher level of ances of a number of teams at EURO necessary, caution. creativity, the game at the top level needs 2008 supported the argument that victory both effective, sensible organisation and, can be attained by playing positive, attrac- The trends in UEFA’s competitions show whenever possible, a commitment to tive football. Spain, under the direction an increase in fast combinations, spec- skilful attacking play. The former coach of of Luís Aragonés, won the 2008 European tacular counter-attacks, tactical flexibility, Real Madrid CF, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Championship with a fine blend of effi- match intensity and technical quality, stressed the attitude required when he ciency and style. All the statistics con- particularly at high speed. There is less declared to Brazilian coaching colleagues firmed their dominance and skilful ap- use of rigid systems such as 4-4-2, and at a conference in Rio: “To be afraid of proach: the champions registered the top the tendency towards the lone striker has losing removes the willingness to win.“ average in quantity of passes (570 against often been accompanied by supporting EURO 2008 was a wonderful advert for Sweden), the amount of successful wingers and middle-to-front attacking the European game, with the successful passes (forward and medium length), midfield players. But as José Mourinho sides blending passion for the cause, and the number of shots on target. The said at UEFA’s recent Elite Club Coaches’ proficient team play and open attractive Spanish based their game on progressive Forum: “Philosophy is one thing, adapt- football. The aim is to win, but how the possession play, fluid c