English Football League play-offs: Why you have to

It’s not just about belief though is it RRFC. That is just your definition which doesn’t cover the half of it. You could have all the belief in the world but if you don’t hav presence of mind to make the most of your talents, you would just be a bull in a china shop.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

It’s not just about belief though is it RRFC. That is just your definition which doesn’t cover the half of it. You could have all the belief in the world but if you don’t hav presence of mind to make the most of your talents, you would just be a bull in a china shop.

Do you mean visualising where you corner kick is going to land? How to beat a keeper from the spot? Some are the kind of things that come from repetition in training so they become second nature, others maybe like Rose's pens do depend on strength of character but I don't think you need a sports science psychology qualification to do this. Nobody is more sport science savvy than the Italians but their record in that sort of situation is nearly as bad as ours.

I don't disagree that psychology or mental abilities has a place Kingston, far from it. Football is as much in the mind as the feet. But I do doubt this current obsession with sports psychology holds much water than old Major Buckley's monkey gland injections. An astute tactical manager, a talented team and a motivational captain is still the best bet.

I find things like psychology really interesting.

But the thing that I have trouble with is this: if every club invested in a sports psychologist - and let's say for argument's sake they're all roughly of the same ability - then it's not an advantage any more.

If everyone's got it, then one team still has to finish top of the league and one team needs to finish bottom of the league.

It's like cash. Nearly every team in the Premier League is wealthy beyond their wildest dreams (not saying it's sustainable) but if everyone has cash, and everyone has an excellent sports psychologist, then where's the advantage?

I guess you have to go looking in other areas to find one, hence why the most innovative chairmen, managers and players are always the more successful ones.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Do you mean visualising where you corner kick is going to land? How to beat a keeper from the spot? Some are the kind of things that come from repetition in training so they become second nature, others maybe like Rose's pens do depend on strength of character but I don't think you need a sports science psychology qualification to do this. Nobody is more sport science savvy than the Italians but their record in that sort of situation is nearly as bad as ours.

I don't disagree that psychology or mental abilities has a place Kingston, far from it. Football is as much in the mind as the feet. But I do doubt this current obsession with sports psychology holds much water than old Major Buckley's monkey gland injections. An astute tactical manager, a talented team and a motivational captain is still the best bet.

Those things, but not just visualisation. It's still psychology though isn't it? Whether the club uses a psychologist or it's a manager or coach (I agree, a good one should have stuff like that in his armoury, as in any walk of life).

I agree practice certainly helps too. e.g. taking penalties.  There's no substitute for doing the basics right. I certainly don't hold with the old English lags' excuse that you can't replicate the real life penalty situation.

Quoted from RichMariner

I find things like psychology really interesting.

But the thing that I have trouble with is this: if every club invested in a sports psychologist - and let's say for argument's sake they're all roughly of the same ability - then it's not an advantage any more.

If everyone's got it, then one team still has to finish top of the league and one team needs to finish bottom of the league.

It's like cash. Nearly every team in the Premier League is wealthy beyond their wildest dreams (not saying it's sustainable) but if everyone has cash, and everyone has an excellent sports psychologist, then where's the advantage?

I guess you have to go looking in other areas to find one, hence why the most innovative chairmen, managers and players are always the more successful ones.

You could say the same thing about training or learning to kick the ball to one another.

Quoted from RichMariner

I find things like psychology really interesting.

But the thing that I have trouble with is this: if every club invested in a sports psychologist - and let's say for argument's sake they're all roughly of the same ability - then it's not an advantage any more.

If everyone's got it, then one team still has to finish top of the league and one team needs to finish bottom of the league.

It's like cash. Nearly every team in the Premier League is wealthy beyond their wildest dreams (not saying it's sustainable) but if everyone has cash, and everyone has an excellent sports psychologist, then where's the advantage?

I guess you have to go looking in other areas to find one, hence why the most innovative chairmen, managers and players are always the more successful ones.

You are assuming they will all be excellent sports psychologists. Every club also has a manager. Some end up with Russell Slade.

Quoted from 75

To be honest, I think sports psychology is an important part of the modern game. When I played in Sunday league etc if I took the time to think about the role my manager wanted me to play, to visualise what I was going to do in certain situations then it helped and I generally had a better game. Maybe that's something slightly different to psychology. I remember playing at Blundell Park just in a chairman's challenge game, I thought to myself as driving down Grimsby Road, I'm gonna net one today in the Pontoon and I ended up scoring.

but scoring an own goal wasnt quite what you envisaged  

Quoted from 75

To be honest, I think sports psychology is an important part of the modern game. When I played in Sunday league etc if I took the time to think about the role my manager wanted me to play, to visualise what I was going to do in certain situations then it helped and I generally had a better game. Maybe that's something slightly different to psychology. I remember playing at Blundell Park just in a chairman's challenge game, I thought to myself as driving down Grimsby Road, I'm gonna net one today in the Pontoon and I ended up scoring.

I saw that goal and thought to myself, you lucky bar std

Quoted from RichMariner

I find things like psychology really interesting.

But the thing that I have trouble with is this: if every club invested in a sports psychologist - and let's say for argument's sake they're all roughly of the same ability - then it's not an advantage any more.

If everyone's got it, then one team still has to finish top of the league and one team needs to finish bottom of the league.

It's like cash. Nearly every team in the Premier League is wealthy beyond their wildest dreams (not saying it's sustainable) but if everyone has cash, and everyone has an excellent sports psychologist, then where's the advantage?

I guess you have to go looking in other areas to find one, hence why the most innovative chairmen, managers and players are always the more successful ones.

Maybe why you should go for Michael Jolley over a Russel Slade or maybe why GTFC as a club has failed to kick on as we appear to do the same old things year after year, there is certainly little evidence of any creativity, fresh thinking and that is why we have stagnated. Not saying you risk everything but you need to get fresh ideas in at all levels, maybe MJ can be the catalyst for a bright new dawn?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

You could say the same thing about training or learning to kick the ball to one another.

Which I believe Jolly introduced after Slade left.