There is no blueprint for what is required to be an effective coach. It largely depends on the temperament of the group and how the coach relates to his players, which is why we have seen many approaches deemed equally successful at the top level.
I found it interesting reading journalist Mark Robinson’s comments about Mick Malthouse in Tuesday’s Herald Sun. He proposed that perhaps Carlton players were responding negatively to Malthouse’s erratic behaviour in the coach’s box.
“Maybe his players see it and are now playing with fear rather than confidence, believing every mistake would invite a Malthouse tantrum,” Robinson wrote.
This can be the problem with ‘fire and brimstone’ coaches who resort to giving their side a spray at every opportunity. In a way it shows a lack of respect to the player and can definitely have a negative effect.
Players know when they make simple mistakes, such as a dropped mark or a bad kick – the basic fundamentals of the game. And while some coaches deem it a lack of concentration and worthy of a spray, most times the cause of the problem is the exact opposite.
Players, especially the self-driven dedicated types, can over-think situations such as executing a short pass to the extent that they change their natural style and end up making an error.
That is not to say that there is no room for the good old fashioned ‘spray’ anymore. Players that disobey team orders and structures or those that simply aren’t working hard enough may need a blast from time to time.
It is hard not to blame coaches for giving a heated message to their group. Football is a passionate game. Coaching can be a cutthroat caper and it is often the first position a football club looks to change when they are struggling on the field.
In recent times we have seen AFL coaches Brett Ratten and the late Dean Bailey made the scapegoat despite more concerning underlying issues at their respective clubs.
The best coach is one who can diversify their message and relate to all of their players on an individual level. What makes one player tick can shatter another player’s confidence or motivation to perform. An effective coach makes their players want to give 100 per cent for them out on the field.
Great communication skills may in fact be the most important characteristic needed to be successful. There is no use having all the ideas if you cannot convey them effectively or you lose support of the playing group. Think Mark Neeld.
The roles of a coach change so drastically at different levels of football. Country football coaches often play the role of recruiter, opposition analyst, player welfare manager, fitness coordinator… the list goes on.
Coaching senior football is something that I endeavour to do one day. At the present I am enjoying coaching junior football, where I have been fortunate enough to coach consecutive U12 premierships with Northern Territory club St Marys. I would like to think it was because of my coaching, but in reality I have been blessed with a talented group of kids that are prepared listen.
Obviously coaching senior football is a whole different ball game, but we cannot discount the importance of having good junior coaches – that’s where the champions are made. I have seen talented junior footballers lose interest in the game or not develop as well as they should have due to poor coaching.
I have been coached by a variety of people with different credentials, from those that have played well in excess of 200 AFL games to those that have never played a game of competitive football; those that have fantastic football brains and also by those that simply have no idea.
I’ll leave you with what has been my favourite quote I have heard from a coach addressing his playing group.
Playing for Northern Territory in the NAB U18 Championships, we faced NSW/ACT in the final game of the carnival.
With us having a 0-4 win-loss record things were getting desperate and in our pre-game address our coach Brenton Toy stated: “I don’t care about winning; this is not about winning. I just hate ******* losing! And so should you guys.”
While it may sound stupid for some, it resonated so well with the group that a match-winning goal from eventual draftee Jake Neade gave us our first and only win of the carnival.
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