The Technician N°41•E 14.1.2009 13:53 Page 1 Editorial: Evaluating Coaches ”12 Top Technicians” A conventional Approach How to win the World Cup The Sharing Experience Odd Year = Busy Year NEWSLETTER FOR COACHES N O 41 FEBRUARY 2009 The Technician N°41•E 14.1.2009 13:53 Page 2 IMPRESSUM EDITORIAL GROUP Andy Roxburgh Graham Turner PRODUCTION André Vieli Dominique Maurer Atema Communication SA Printed by Artgraphic Cavin SA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hélène Fors COVER Bayern Munich’s Luca Toni, tries to get away from John Mensah of Olympique Lyonnais on the final matchday in the Champions League group stage. Bayern won 3-2, but both teams qualified for the first knockout round. (Photo: Flash Press) Paulo Sousa learned a great deal from his coaches before beginning his own career as a technician. Getty Images 2 The Technician N°41•E 14.1.2009 13:53 Page 3 EVALUATING COACHES EDITORIAL to be a winner, to reach the top. Sven- his triumph with Greece at EURO 2004. Goran Eriksson at Benfica increased my The German master coach said at the BY ANDY ROXBURGH, confidence and inspired me to be a time: “During the tournament in Portugal, Dick Advocaat was being heavily criticised UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR successful professional. Marcello Lippi at Juventus made me think about the game in Holland by players and even coaches by constantly questioning me about tactics – so much so, that he left the coaches’ after training sessions or matches. And association. If I have to talk about a fel- Ottmar Hitzfeld at Dortmund encouraged low coach, I prefer to keep my mouth me and gave me the responsibility to shut unless I can find something positive Warren Mersereau, a long-time friend be a leader on the pitch”, said the former to say. I find it difficult to swallow that of mine and a business partner of Bayern Portuguese international, who concluded coaches criticise a colleague in a destruc- Munich’s Jürgen Klinsmann, contacted by saying: “Three things help you to de- tive manner via TV. We should never me recently to tell me about a study velop into a top player: the level of the publicly criticise the way a colleague is which was carried out in the US by the competition, the quality of your team- working.” (The footnote to this quote is NFL (i.e. gridiron’s National Football mates and the ability of your coach.” a reminder that Dick Advocaat, currently League). The aim of the exercise was head coach of FC Zenit St. Petersburg, to find out what the players – those Paulo’s statement also applies to youth won the 2008 UEFA Cup and UEFA powerful men who wear helmets, football, and the influence of the coach Super Cup for his Russian employers). heavy padding and full-body uniforms – on young, promising talents cannot be thought about their coaches. over-emphasised. I once asked some But back to the players. They will in- national youth team players what qualities evitably evaluate their coaches and it is The vast majority of the players (1,400 they looked for in a coach. Honesty, ap- important for each coach to be aware of to be exact) responded to the question- proachability, patience and fairness were their players’ expectations and needs – naire and the findings were good news among the main attributes on the wish not to appease them or accede to their for the NFL, with 90% saying that they list, while passion, ability to read the demands, but to understand each indi- respected their head coach, three-quar- game, the communication skills to handle vidual and to provide strong, appropriate ters confirming that they trusted their one-to-one relationships, football coach- leadership. Recently, in a BBC interview, coach and 79% declaring that their coach ing expertise, the strength to demand Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal FC voiced his was top quality. More than 50% of the and set high standards, and the football- opinion about his coach, Arsène Wenger: players surveyed said that their profes- human qualities of a role model were “The only three people I owe something sional coach was the most influential also highlighted. Even youth players to in my life are my dad, my mother and coach in their lives. The NFL players went know what they need and are willing to Arsène Wenger. I’m living a dream, and on to identify communication skills, moti- make judgements on the capacity of he [Arsène Wenger] gave me my oppor- vational ability, approachability, manage- their mentors and guides. tunity at the age of 16.” I think it would ment acumen and a capacity to lead by be safe to assume that it’s not just in the example as the most desirable attributes At professional level, when the team NFL that players appreciate their coaches. in a head coach. This interesting feedback is winning and a player is in the starting Given the chance, I’m sure that elite Eu- from NFL players provides a reminder line-up, then the coach usually gets pass ropean footballers would be equally ful- that coaches in all professional sports are marks. But when the tactics sometimes some in their praise of those who coach, always under scrutiny and are constantly fail to deliver, or the substitutions don’t manage and lead them in today’s profes- being evaluated by fans, media, other quite have the desired effect, or the new sional game. coaches and, of course, their players. signing doesn’t impress the squad mem- bers, doubts about the coach’s ability During recent UEFA coaching events, begin to surface. In the wise words of we addressed the issue of the coach Sir Bobby Robson: “The coach today must as a leader and examined the qualities be a good judge of a player, because noth- that followers (i.e. players) look for in a ing beats signing a new man and knowing football boss. A star guest at these meet- that the players are impressed with the ings was Paulo Sousa, the Portuguese new acquisition. Your reputation can midfielder who won the UEFA Champions depend on your judgement of a player, League with both Juventus and Borussia on your ability in the transfer market.” Dortmund. Paulo, now the head coach of Queens Park Rangers in England, shared In the “bullring” of football management, with UEFA’s frontline technicians his ex- it is one thing to be judged harshly by perience as a player working with a num- supporters or the media, but it is a sad ber of elite coaches. During these ses- state of affairs when coaches publicly sions he highlighted the main things he criticise their colleagues. One of the best Empics Sport/PA Photos had gained from his illustrious coaches. statements on this unacceptable behav- Cesc Fabregas holds his coach, “Carlos Queiroz gave me the mentality iour was made by Otto Rehhagel following Arsène Wenger, in high esteem. 3 The Technician N°41•E 14.1.2009 13:53 Page 4 UEFA’S TECHNICIAN NEWSLETTER HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 12 YEARS. IT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN MARCH 1997 AND INCLUDED A DISCUSSION BETWEEN RINUS MICHELS ELLO LIPPIELLO RC AND BERTI VOGTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE POST EURO 96 Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images MA NATIONAL COACHES CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN. MARCELLO LIPPI OVER THE YEARS, AND 40 EDITIONS LATER, A NUMBER N°35 • January 2007 OF HIGH-PROFILE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED, Technician: From a coach’s OFFERING WORDS OF WISDOM TO THEIR COACHING COLLEAGUES. perspective, what does it take to win either the UEFA Champions TO CELEBRATE THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLICATION League or the World Cup? AND TO GIVE A FLAVOUR OF THE CONTENT, 12 QUESTIONS “The most important thing is to have AND ANSWERS ARE REPRINTED WITH THE NOSTALGIC ENTHUSIASM the ability to involve top-level players. There is very little a coach can do if THAT PROMPTS A POP GROUP TO PRODUCE A COMPILATION CD he can’t count on top players – you OF ITS PREVIOUS HITS. OUR THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE need quality players to produce results. So it is about recruitment, selection CONTRIBUTED, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: and the ability to gel those players into an effective team. The more stars you have in the team, the more you need to work hard to bring the group together, to make the team compact and in total harmony. You have to make each player feel equally useful, but not in- ”12 dispensable. Every time I start working T0P with a team, the first thing I emphasise is that a team is made up of people who respect each other and who place themselves at each other’s service. TECHNICIANS” If nobody acts like a prima donna, then stand back sometimes. Observation is perseverance because coaching the group is destined to achieve great definitely an important issue in order to at the top today is not an easy job. results. By contrast, if all the players make sure that the quality is high and If you come in on a Monday morn- cater to their own self interest, it is that you get out of a training session ing after a defeat and you lack this going to be rather difficult; you will have what you want. Next, I think you need quality of perseverance, then it will some spectacular moments of foot- show and that will affect the players. ball, but in the end the teams which So on Monday morning, you have have a ‘we’ mentality will prevail.” the ‘fire in the belly’, you are ready.