Michael Carrick has some interesting thoughts when it comes to bravery in football
Bravery is a misused term in football. Too often bravery is used to describe physical effort – making a tackle or putting the body in harm’s way.
Carli Lloyd
Carli Llyod – Even the best have to face down doubt in their football career.
Carli Lloyd and The Crossroads
Even the best have to face down doubt in their football career.
Looking back on the rise of USA attacking midfielder Carli Lloyd, the current FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, it is hard to believe that she came close to quitting the game she loved.
Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) was one of the most creative and intelligent footballers of all time
Johan Cruyff (1947-2016)
Johan Cruyff was one of the most creative and intelligent footballers of all time.
His performances for the Dutch national team, Ajax (Amsterdam), Barcelona and Feyenoord (Rotterdam) throughout the 70s and 80s revolutionised football.
Confidence – Lessons From a Violinist
World class violinist Kai Kight developed confidence through his deliberate use of errors during practice
Confidence comes from being able to get the right outcome when it matters.
Confidence doesn’t come from being able to do something perfectly well when it doesn’t count.
Mastery
Mastery is the never-ending quest to be better than what you are today
Mastery is the never-ending quest to be better than what you are today.
For the young athlete mastery is born from a desire to learn and improve. Hunger for progression is what inspires an individual to put in the hours needed to grow a base of technical capability.
There is no one pathway to achieve mastery, but to become exceptional that technical foundation has to be built. From a football perspective that means a player has to spend time with a ball.
Lessons in Development from Newcastle
“It is your brain that makes you a player.” Peter Beardsley was always thinking three passes ahead.
“It’s not me, it’s practice” – Peter Beardsley.
Peter Beardsley was one of the marque English players of the pre-Premiership era. Part of a thrilling attack at Newcastle that included Kevin Keegan and Chris Waddle, he won the championship with Liverpool and almost won it again (twice) with Newcastle in the Premier League.
