Category Archives: Zenit

Axel Witsel: Is the Zenit star ready for a top club like Chelsea?

  By O-Posts Team | August 3, 2024 - 21:18 | , , , , , ,
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The Russian Premier League is one of the earliest championships to commence in Europe, and already into week three there have been plenty of scandals.

Dynamo Moscow have been expelled from Europe as a result of UEFA’s financial fair-play protocols, former Spartak striker Artyom Dzyuba has shone for Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has installed a hugely controversial new rule on foreigners.

That new rule has become the main talking point for Russian football at the moment, with plenty of non-Russian players facing the exit door as a direct result of this new regulation.

 

Russian football going through a bind

The well documented problems of the Russian national team have been going on for some while now, and after that disastrous 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign in Brazil Italian Fabio Capello was finally relieved of his duties a few weeks ago. No one in Russia quite knows what to do amongst all the chaos, and a rather strange 6+5 limit has been imposed on the country’s top football championship.

If you don’t understand quite what that means, only six foreign players can now be on the field at one time along with five Russians (the idea being that Russian players will get more game time). Just about every club has voiced their strong opinions against the new ruling, however no more so than Zenit with Andre Villas Boas.

The Portuguese has furiously called for something to be done calling it the end of Russian football and, if you look at his squad, you can see where he is coming from.

 

Zenit’s difficulties and the lowdown on Witsel

Zenit, by far and away Russia’s only real top club, are themselves already coming into difficulties with nearly all their recent success based on foreign exports. One of last season’s top scorers Jose Salomon Rondon finds himself turning into a benchwarmer with Russian Artyom Dzyuba in his place, and it could become a real problem when the Champions League comes around with match practice at a premium.

One man who could ease up the foreign contingent however is Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel, who is looking to make that next step up.

Having joined Zenit almost three years ago, Axel has fully announced himself on the European stage. It was rather a shock to the whole continent when the Russians took him on board from Portuguese giants Benfica, and although he isn’t quite a fan favourite in Saint Petersburg, he has gone on to take the Russian Premier League title as well as the Russian Super Cup.

He has based his trade on being a midfield engine, breaking up the opposition’s play while breaking forward at any given opportunity. Those qualities have especially helped the Belgian national team, as he starred in Belgium’s run to the World Cup quarter finals last year.

Despite his midfield presence and sheer reliability (he rarely drops below 95% passing accuracy a game), Zenit’s supporters have criticised him a fair amount. His calm way of going about things have prompted many to say that he slows Zenit’s attacks down too much, and that he never shows urgency.

Is there any truth in that? To be honest, yes. He doesn’t appear to enjoy playing at an overly fast pace, and he strays away from making the odd risky pass.

With the new added limit now in place, and plenty of top European clubs queuing at the door to take him on board, this could be the time to leave Russia’s northern capital.

 

Is he ready for a top club though? Does he have what it takes?

At 26 years of age he is just going through his prime and, despite his cautious passing style, any midfield will love having him marshal their stormy seas. AC Milan were rumoured to be on the brink of taking Axel to Italy, but while that move fell through English champions Chelsea are still interested.

English experts and specialists have long been singing his praises, while he is still the right side of 30 this really does seem to be the perfect opportunity.

 

Zenit ain’t giving in that easily

Zenit won’t be too keen on letting him go though, and Andre Villas Boas is unlikely to let one of his headline making players leave easily. Yes, the Russians have Javi Garcia, Viktor Fayzulin, Alexander Ryazantsev and Artur Yusupov as ideal replacements, but none of them are likely to tally up such high pass percentages.

The Russian government may have made Zenit’s task of becoming a true European superpower just that bit harder, but the Saint Petersburgers aren’t going to give up without a fight.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

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Gini Wijnaldum: Why the PSV star is the ideal signing for Newcastle

  By O-Posts Team | July 31, 2024 - 11:55 | , , , , , , , , , ,
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Georginio Wijnaldum signing with Newcastle United was an eyebrow raiser for football fans and journalists alike. Wijnaldum the previous year had links to PSG and Athletico Madrid. This year’s transfer window had seen the likes of Manchester United, Roma, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Olympique Marseille linked with the talented midfielder.

But his move to Newcastle United may prove to be the perfect fit for his undoubted talent as a midfielder and great leadership skills on and off the pitch. That is something greatly needed as new manager Steve McClaren looks to bring the Magpies back to playing attractive football but also be competitive for a top eight finish in the Premier League.

A player pivotal to PSV Eindhoven winning it’s first Eredivisie title since 2008, the 24­ year old Georginio “Gini” Wijnaldum was the least mentioned potential transfer target early on in this year’s transfer window. Memphis Depay was always the first name associated to PSV with his dynamic runs on both wings and spectacular goals.

But Wijnaldum won Eredivisie player of the year for 2015. Tells you how much Dutch writers feel about Gini. The statistics show his unbelievable penchant for putting the ball in the back of the net: 14 league goals in 33 Eredivisie League matches (18 goals in all competitions.) He was only substituted out of matches twice.

Under PSV coach, Philip Cocu, they play a dominant passing oriented system this term, but have embraced a counter-­attacking system on occasion, normally within a preferred 4­-3-­3 formation. The midfielder has fine-­tuned certain parts of his game this past term and has been an integral part of PSV’s style. He is a #10 by trade, but has played most recently in the box­ to ­box (#8) midfield role and and as a deeper lying (#6) midfield position.

Whichever style they adopt in each game, Wijnaldum is pivotal in it being a success. His work rate is great, while his awareness and tracking of runs in midfield makes him a vital component in cutting out attacks coming through the middle. From here, he can start a charge forward for his side.

These qualities will be a welcome addition to Newcastle’s midfield­­ bringing much more tactical flexibility to the squad and allowing McClaren to adjust formations and strategies through the pre­season. Of note that Newcastle has been playing in a 4­-2­-3­-1 formation in their first few friendly matches.

Interesting to see how McClaren will have used Wijnaldum in friendlies in this system (lately being used in his comfortable midfield role just behind the forward line.) Or will McClaren use his much favored 4-­3­-3 system he used at FC Twente and Derby County.

McClaren has said of Wijnaldum: “This signing is a real statement for the club. It is a big transfer for a very good player and I am delighted to have Gini here at the club. “He has lots of energy and a great tempo to his game. He is very skilful but is also capable of playing box to box and, importantly, he can score goals. He is at the right age and the right fit for Newcastle. He is a leader as well and you will see that. He is someone who always wants the ball, can deal with it and we need that kind of character in the team.”

No doubt a coup that Newcastle landed the PSV captain — a reflection of owner Mike Ashley’s commitment to finally invest money on new talented players. The signing of Wijnaldum definitely unlocked the door to land other talents like Mitrovic and Mbemba from Anderlecht in Belgium and could spark a revival for the Magpies this coming Premier League season.

 

Written by Vic Charnetsky

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Dennis Praet: Why the Anderlecht star is on the radar of Arsenal and Aston Villa

  By O-Posts Team | July 25, 2024 - 19:31 | , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The fee of Christian Benteke’s move to Liverpool may have raised eyebrows, but the £32.5 million is reasonable value for the 42 goals he scored from 88 appearances over three years spent in the Premier League.

It represents a £25 million profit for Aston Villa who signed the striker from Racing Genk of the Jupiler Pro League, who also sold Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne to Chelsea. While Courtois is now installed as the long-term goalkeeper for the champions, De Bruyne has been a revelation since moving to Wolfsburg.

The success of Belgium’s exports in Europe’s main leagues, where Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini and Simon Mignolet have all enjoyed success in England since moving directly from their home country, while Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Mirallas and Thomas Vermaelen have all impressed after arriving in the Premier League via other destinations.

It is therefore no surprise to see more English clubs turn to the Belgian Pro League for talent, with Newcastle adding Chancel Mbemba to their signing of Aleksander Mitrovic from Anderlecht who have also had to place a price tag on midfielder Dennis Praet with Aston Villa and Everton both interested.

So who is Praet and can he be the latest product of Belgium’s domestic set-up to come good in the Premier League?

 

Background

It was with Genk where Praet started his career, joining the club’s academy at the age of 8 and quickly establishing himself as one of their most promising young players. After a series of impressive displays at youth tournaments, the likes of Arsenal, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Barcelona became interested, with Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger even taking the 15 year old midfielder on a tour of the Gunners’ training facilities.

However Anderlecht won the chase for the youngster, signing him in May 2010 and immediately inserting him in the under-19 side. With them, Praet was named as the best player of the 2011 AEGON Future Cup, a youth tournament that included Ajax and Bayern Munich. The following September he was handed a first start for Anderlecht, coming in the Belgian Cup against Lommel United.

He notched his first goal for the club in the next round against Rupel Bloom FC and at the end of October 2011, he would make his debut in the Belgian Pro League as a substitute against Lierse. His early promise was rewarded with a new contract in March 2012, which Praet extended in early 2014 to take him up to 2017.

From the start of the 2012/13 onwards, the midfielder would play a significant role in Anderlecht’s dominance of the Belgian top-flight, winning two straight titles and two straight Belgian Super Cups. In his time with Anderlecht, Praet netted 20 goals in 132 games; 8 coming in this most recent season as he blossomed into a dangerous attacking midfielder.

Having represented his country at all age groups from under-15 upwards, in November 2014 Praet received his first call up to the Belgium squad for matches with Iceland and Wales, making his debut in the 3-1 win over the former. His form in 2014 was rewarded in January with the Belgian Golden Shoe, the award given to the league’s best player across a calendar year.

With Praet’s stock up and Anderlecht having failed to make the Champions League for the first time in three years, the midfielder could finally be prized away with both Everton and Sevilla being quoted £10 million for the 21 year old.

 

Style, strengths and weaknesses

Mostly at home as a scheming midfielder operating between the lines, the midfielder Praet has often been likened to is Andres Iniesta. Not the strongest physically, Praet utilises his comfort on the ball and impressive balance to move away from markers. “Above all it’s important that I retain my qualities, which are speed and acceleration. Lionel Messi and Iniesta aren’t exactly big either…” the midfielder once said.

Praet possesses a gifted first touch and is capable of neatly guiding the ball away from challenges in crowded areas. The midfielder lacks pace but he does have an initial burst of powerful acceleration which, in combination with his sharp control and sense of balance, often allows him to progress forward with the ball firmly at his feet.

As an attacking midfielder who is often stationed out on the left but allowed to move into his favoured central position, it is what Praet does in the final third that counts and even though he is a clever mover of the ball, he is often criticised for choosing the safe option on too many occasions. He finished last season with 9 assists but given his impressive technique and vision, there is a feeling he can rack up many more if he played through balls to the attackers more frequently.

From his position on the left however, he can be a danger when latching onto through balls from others, often using well-timed darts across the defensive line. His use of the width of the pitch is suggestive of Praet’s intelligence and acute use of space. A quick run into the inner-right channel earned him an assist against Arsenal in the Champions League back in October.

Though mainly used as an offensive asset, Praet has had to adjust his game to the growing importance of defending from the front in modern football and can now commonly be seen tracking back to help his midfield once the opposition has broken the first wave of press.

Though he may not always be strong enough to win the ball back, he can get stuck in and harry his opponent into making errors in possession, leaving Praet in a good position to launch a counter attack.

 

What the future holds

With Anderlecht’s failure to make the Champions League forcing them into the sales of Mitrovic and Mbemba, Praet could follow as his recent signing to the Stellar Group agency- representatives of Gareth Bale and Ashley Cole- suggests the midfielder is trying to get into a position to negotiate a move away. Though having recouped in excess of £20 million through their sales, Anderlecht will be in no rush to relinquish Praet who still has two years to run on his present contract.

Real Sociedad and Zenit St Petersburg can be added to the list of clubs around Europe who are reportedly chasing Praet, but he is rumoured to be intent on a move to the Premier League to follow the many Belgians who have succeeded there.

While the 21 year old definitely has the skill and intelligence to replicate them, he could do with bulking up on his slight frame if he is to hold his own in a physical league.

Furthermore Praet will need to show he can take an individual grip on games and that he can guide them into his own direction, something which he doesn’t manage enough. That is likely to come as the Belgian matures but at the moment, in the currently inflated transfer market, there are far many worse options to spend £10 million on than Belgium’s latest midfield talent.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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FIFA 16: Three Major Changes in the latest FIFA Installment

  By O-Posts Team | July 7, 2024 - 17:18 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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We expect big changes from the new FIFA 16 as EA has promised a better game after the failure of FIFA 15.

We do not know all the changes that EA has done to improve the game, but we know some of the major changes that we will see in the upcoming new sensation (according to EA at the E3 conference).

 

Women’s Football

Women’s Football is the one big change we are going to see in FIFA 16. EA has announced that they have added twelve women’s national teams in the game and has focused on the female gameplay to make it more accurate as possible.

This is a milestone for FIFA as well as Women’s Football. There are only a very few people who completely follow Women’s Football, but after this everyone buying the game will have a chance to explore it.

Also, it has been reported that EA are planning on making a separate FIFA game for females only from next year. It will only be a great success for the future if the initial Women’s Football in FIFA 16 is as good as the EA claims.

 

New Tactical Defense with Improved Goalkeeping

When EA initially released the first gameplay trailer we were worried that again they were only focusing on adding new features, not fixing previous errors. But then they released the second trailer suggesting they have made some serious changes in the interference engine of the game. These improvements includes a new tactical defending and a more realistic goalkeeping.

The Tactical Defending includes more animatic moves like diving clearance and triangle traps giving the video game simulation a more real life like feel. There are not much changes in goalkeeping, however they have fixed previous bugs like air ball glitch.

 

More Animations and Graphics

We have already talked about more animatic moves in previous section but that is not all there is. The developers have added new stadiums, celebrations, skill moves, interactive crowds, and many other new graphics and animations to make the game compatible with the new interactive engine.

Other graphics includes new menus and modes, which have not been revealed yet.

 

Written by Charchit Dahal

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Football Quiz: Can you name the teams that have participated in the Champions League since its inception?

  By O-Posts Team | June 6, 2024 - 17:47 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Created by Sporcle

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Football Quiz: Can you name the football clubs with the most top division titles in each country?

  By O-Posts Team | May 27, 2024 - 19:03 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Created by Sporcle

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Artyom Dzyuba: Can the struggling Russian star revive his career with Zenit?

  By O-Posts Team | May 27, 2024 - 17:22 | , , , ,
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Just what has happened to the good old days of Russian football? You know, when CSKA Moscow and Zenit Saint Petersburg took the UEFA Cup, when Andrey Arshavin wowed Europe, when the national team stormed to the UEFA EURO 2008 semi-finals. Those days seem far back in time now as the Russian Premier League struggles to make its expected progress, however if you look deep into the league there is cause to believe that the potential could be realised. One of those reasons is 26 year old imposing forward Artyom Dzyuba, who is very soon going to make a move to Saint Petersburg.

Indeed it is a transfer that created many a headline in Russia. Although he’s already 26, Dzyuba has long been touted as the next big thing to come out of Russian football, and this impending change of scenery to Zenit could be just what he needs. After making his breakthrough with Spartak Moscow well back in 2006 he has had rather a rocky road making his presence felt, and after a bust up with then Spartak head coach Valery Karpin he was sent out on loan to perennial struggles Rostov.

That’s where he really began to make people sit up and take notice, and in Russian league and cup games combined he hit the net on 18 occasions while also winning the cup. Following that success, and with Karpin out of the picture, Artyom returned to his hometown club in mid-2014 and immediately impressed. In 14 games he notched seven goals, and he made an impression with the national team scoring a couple of markers (admittedly against Lichtenstein and Moldova).

And then it all went sour again. Rather sharply he fell out of favour with much maligned Spartak manager Murat Yakin, and for the second time Dzyuba was booking his ticket to Rostov for another loan spell. That’s where it started to get interesting though, and newly crowned Russian champions Zenit made a surprising move to take in the forward on a free transfer when his contract runs out in summer this year (meaning he continues to play for Rostov until this current season ends).

Any transfer between huge rivals Spartak and Zenit never goes unnoticed, and even Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko personally pleaded for Artyom to give Spartak another go. Dzyuba wasn’t having any of it however, and admitting he’s taking a huge risk he penned a deal with the Saint Petersburg outfit. Have Zenit been too hasty though? Is he really worth the fuss?

To be honest, I really don’t know. On one hand Dzyuba has shown glimpses of huge potential, but on the other he doesn’t score enough goals and isn’t the type of player Zenit really need. Dzyuba is a tall, powerful header of the ball, but Zenit already have strong Venezuelan Jose Salomon Rondon who arguably possesses a lot more class. It’s hard to see the two playing together especially given how Zenit play, and head coach Andre Villas Boas may have a few headaches coming his way.

Another factor is that Artyom has little experience of playing in big pressure games. Performing for Rostov at a decent level is one thing, but producing the goods for a top club in the UEFA Champions League is another ball game altogether.

Maybe the most interesting issue of all however is the fans. Supporters of Spartak and Zenit absolutely loath each other, and any player who makes a move between the two clubs is hounded upon by everyone involved. Former Zenit winger Vladimir Bystrov will be the first to tell you that, as when returning to Zenit from a spell in Moscow the Saint Petersburg faithful bullied him relentlessly for years. There is huge doubt over if Dzyuba will be accepted at all by Zenit’s hardcore supporters, and he can expect a tough time of it.

Going back to matters on the pitch, Dzyuba’s career has the potential to finally kick off. Being almost 27 he’s moving into the peak of his career, and if he’s going to take that step on to the next level it has to be now. However as already mentioned his main strength is in the air, and at times his lack of raw technical ability has held him back.

Zenit, a team that generally love to keep the ball on the ground and let leaders Hulk and Danny work their magic, may struggle to adapt to Dzyuba’ s rigid style of the game. Are there good chances of Dzyuba making it work in Saint Petersburg? Probably not. There’s a higher probability of Artyom being left on the bench for the majority of the time, but he does have an opportunity to prove me and his critics wrong.

It’s the chance of his life to make something special of himself, and with the right attitude he could make it happen.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

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HEADS UP: Below are the answers to last week’s Serie A crossword puzzle.

Football Tip: How to Avoid Being a Sports Widow

  By O-Posts Team | May 17, 2024 - 19:49 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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When you dread seeing the leaves fall from the trees because it signals the start of football season, or cringe when the first crocus pops its head out of the soils because it means baseball is just around the corner, you may be a sports widow.

Sports widows are women who feel that their life and their needs take a backseat to their husband’s interest in sporting events. Rather than mourning the loss of your husband’s company during the sports season, why not join him in his interest and share some special together time?

 

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

While you’ve probably found ways to entertain yourself while your husband watched sports in the past, you may not have considered joining him in his enthusiasm. Even if you find sports mind-numbingly boring, there are ways to focus on other aspects of the festivities and draw your own enjoyment from the event.

This year, inform your husband that rather than complaining about his obsession with sports, you’d like to join him in his love of the game. Just stand back when you make your announcement in case he passes out from shock.

 

Dress the Part

Before the start of the season, go shopping. Buy yourself some new duds to wear while you watch the game. Team-oriented apparel is mandatory to put you in the proper frame of mind. If you’ve never worn a t-shirt with your team’s name emblazoned on it, you may be surprised how doing so can raise your enthusiasm level.

Check out the official team sites for apparel, or visit your local big box store. Grab a baseball cap and situate it atop a jaunty ponytail, or buy an oversized football jersey and wear it with a sexy pair of leggings or tights.

 

Block Out Your Schedule

In order to be able to enjoy game day, you may need to plan ahead. Clear your schedule, and ensure that there’s nothing else tugging at your attention while you settle in for quality time with your family. It’s hard to immerse yourself in the moment when the sink is full of dishes, you have laundry to do or you can’t quit thinking about how you need to balance your checkbook.

Get your work done ahead of time and free yourself to really watch the game with your attention on it.

 

Learn the Rules of the Game

While you don’t have to be an aficionado, you may want to gain a rudimentary understanding of the rules of the game. Visit a website, or pick up a book that breaks the game down into simple, understandable terms.

Better yet, ask your husband to explain the finer points of the action to you as the game goes along when he doesn’t mind.

 

Enjoy the Extras

Even if you find that you really can’t immerse yourself in the sports action, you can still enjoy a special day with your family and friends. Focus your attention on creating special dishes for the game. Make a cheese ball, spicy bean dip, a football-shaped meatloaf or any other recipe you choose for everyone to enjoy while the game is on. Women’s magazines and recipe websites abound with game-time treats.

Decorate the room where you’ll watch the game. Blow up balloons, and hang streamers in the team colors to surprise your family. They’ll be thrilled at your show of team spirit.

Even when sports aren’t your favorite activity, it’s still possible to turn any athletic event into valued family time, rather than isolating yourself from the action. Once you put forth the effort, you may be surprised at the results and actually find yourself looking forward to game day.

 

Written by Amie Taylor

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Football Crosswords: Champions League Challenge

  By O-Posts Team | May 7, 2024 - 19:57 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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To celebrate a thrilling round of semi-final first legs in the Champions League, we’ve dedicated this week’s football crossword to European football’s elite club competition. So if you think you know your PSGs and your PSVs, come with us on another puzzle adventure!

Clues Across

6 Man United’s sole scorer in their 3-1 Final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley in 2011 (6)

7 He scored for Juventus against his old club Real in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final (6)

9 French defender at Barcelona (7)

10 Which Italian team won the 2010 Champions League Final? (5)

11 Cameroonian who scored in both the 2006 and 2009 Final helping Barcelona beat Arsenal and Man United respectively (4)

12 Real Madrid midfielder who made his Champions League debut back in 2008 for Bayern (5)

16 Levski _ , Group A whipping boys in the 2006–07 Champions League (5)

17 Champions League organizers (4)

21 _ time, when the 1992 Barcelona v Sampdoria final was decided by a Ronald Koeman strike (5)

22 Argentine forward at PSG, formerly with Napoli (7)

23 Dutch midfielder twice sent off during Juventus’s 2001/2002 Champions League campaign (6)

24 He captained Dortmund to a 3–1 win over Juventus in the 1997 Champions League Final (6)

 

 

Clues Down

1 Skill required when receiving a pass (7)

2 Champions League regulars currently managed by AVB (5)

3 BATE _ , they lost 5 of 6 group games in this season’s Champions League (7)

4 Brazil defender at Bayern (5)

5 His opener in Rome in December helped put Man City into the knockout stages (5)

6 Welshman who scored twice in Arsenal’s 4-1 mauling of Galatasaray in December (6)

8 Former boss who suffered an unhappy return to the Nou Camp on Wednesday (9)

13 Messi overtook him as Champions League all-time top goalscorer on Wednesday night (7)

14 Bernabeu forward who netted his 42nd Champions League goal in March against Schalke (7)

15 _ Hernandez, his late goal knocked Atletico out of April’s all-Madrid quarter-final (6)

18 David O’Leary led them to the Champions League semis in 2001 (5)

19 _ McManaman, he scored in Real’s 3-0 defeat of Valencia in the 2000 Final (5)

20 Mr Grant, he took Chelsea to the Champions League Final in 2008 (5)

 

Answers to this week’s crossword puzzle will pop in a random article within the next few days or so. So be on the look out for ’em!

 

Created by Aleric Linden

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Football/Sports Tips: How to Effectively Communicate With Your Players

  By O-Posts Team | October 19, 2024 - 22:56 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Communication is key in any sport, especially team ones such as rugby and football, where the success of the club depends on effective management of large pools of talent. Keeping track of the well-being, health and fitness of each individual player is essential to manage your resources and ensure that the group on the pitch is able to get the best results. It can also help you to avoid injury, overrunning certain players in the build up to important events, and overseeing opportunities as they arise.

 

Face-to-Face Communication

Whether you are training or giving the team a talk during half time, it can be difficult to get your message across clearly both to the team as a whole, and individuals who need specific advice or criticism. Especially during intense situations such as games, mistakes made by players can be frustrating for the coach and manager, but a negative approach to communication can only have adverse effects. In any situation, try to build a criticism into a compliment. Tell them what they were doing well, then how they can improve their game, and you are much more likely to get a positive response.

Listening is as important for coaches and managers as it is for the players. Instead of giving them a 5-minute talk on where they have gone wrong and how they could improve, get them more actively involved in the conversation. Ask them where they think things went wrong, and talk through their situation to come to a solution. By being approachable and willing to hear what the athletes themselves have to say, you might also be surprised at how many of them are perfectly capable of self-diagnosis, and ask for advice of their own accord.

 

Interacting off the Pitch

However much you might try to cover every base in the time spent with your players, you inevitably can’t keep track of each player at all times. Yet understanding their feelings and physical situation is crucial to effective team management, and a passing comment during training from a player might easily get lost in the pipeline. Equipping your players and your organisation with sports performance management software allows you to interact off the pitch.

Your players can fill in surveys on their performance and fitness, whilst you can co-ordinate their training and development remotely, accessible on mobile devices to fit around the busy lives of every member of the organisation. By doing so, you can secure on-going communication with your team, and make sure that everything is professionally tracked and recorded.

In a modern world where mobile technology offers the opportunity to interact any time, anywhere, as a sporting organisation or individual, communication on the pitch is only one half of the picture today. Investment in sports performance management software and makes interaction with your players easier and more effective. Combined with an approachable and positive style of coaching and management, you can get the best out of your team to watch the success speak for itself.

 

Article by Kelly Gilmour-Grassam, freelance copywriter from Yorkshire. Kelly loves the great outdoors, interesting places and fine foods. You can follow her on Twitter at @KellyGGrassam. This article is written with support from The Sports Office.

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