Official Coaches Newsletter of the Philadelphia Union
Manager Minutes
In-depth with Team Manager John Hackworth In any sport preparation is a significant key to success. Both players and coaches need to make sure they have a game plan that gives them the best chance of being successful when match day arrives. Making adjustments is a large part of any team’s preparation for a game. From week to week, game plans need to be tinkered with so they match up well against the opponent. However, pregame adjustments are not the only
ones that need to be made for a team to have success throughout an entire match. Halftime is a pivotal part of any match and preparing a team for the second half is just as important as preparing them for the first. Union manager John Hackworth believes that halftime can be the turning point to any match and it is a manager’s job to know how to inspire his team and prepare them for the second half.
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“It goes without saying that halftime can be a pivotal moment for any club in any game,” Hackworth said. “Adjustments to the game strategy must be made, but many times, the difference can come down to how well a coach knows a team’s personality. Every player is different, and a great tactical change won’t necessarily overcome a locker room lacking in confidence or motivation, so knowing what inspires your team is crucial.”
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While a manager’s message can revolve around multiple areas of a game, the main goal of halftime is always to re-energize the team and a strong message can go a long way. Hackworth believes that players need to know what being a team means and sending a strong, inspirational message at halftime can make a big difference. “But the overall energy of the locker room, however, can be adjusted with a strong message,” Hackworth said. “We have plenty of inspirational banners around our locker room area and the players walk by them every day, so much so that the message can sometimes be diluted. Reinforcing the reasons of what it means to be a part of the team – why they play, who they play for and what they represent – can often make a difference going into the second half.”
Organizing a team during halftime can come in a variety of forms whether it is through motivation or tactical changes. In some circumstances managers may need to reiterate the game plan or adjust it in order to get their team on the right track. “Tactically, I will reinforce our game plan, particularly if I feel it has not been executed well,” Hackworth said. “Of course, sometimes an on-the-fly adjustment can be made if we think we can exploit something we saw from the other team in the first half.” The second half of a match can be determined by how a team prepares for it during halftime. Whether the first half went the right way or the wrong way it is vital for a team to make sure they are prepared for any changes their opponent may make. Closing out a game can be the most difficult part
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of soccer and the better prepared a team is, the more likely it will be for them to have success.
“The overall energy of the locker room, however, can be adjusted with a strong message”
-John Hackworth
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OFF THE CLIPBOARD Down-and-back dribbling drill
This drill is most effective with young players just learning to dribble. This drill teaches players to dribble in high traffic/ high pressure situations while staying in control. It’s a great warm-up to focus on dribbling with all parts of the foot.
Dribbling Drill
Drill Setup: Start by making a grid approximately 20X20 yards. Split the team into two groups. Each player should have a ball. Instruct each group of players to line up outside the grid facing inward on two adjacent sides of the grid (half of the group on one side, the other half on the side next to the other group). Drill Instructions: On the coach’s command, instruct the players to dribble to the other side of the group and back to the starting position (down and back). The first player back in each group gets a point. The first player to 5 wins that set. Play 3-4 sets.
Variation
Drill Coaching Points: Focus on the players getting their heads up while dribbling for awareness and to avoid collisions Make sure players keep the ball at a close/safe distance. If the ball is too far in front of them they will most often hit another player or lose their ball. Drill Variations: Restrict players to touches with a certain foot or part of the foot. (example: left foot only, or outside of the foot only) Have the player turn or cut when they reach the opposite side of the grid Place even groups on all four sides of the grid and play the same game.Make the grid a bit larger and have the players dribble with speed.
Put your coach this close to the action!
Have a special Coach in your life? Nominate them to be featured in next month’s issue of Philadelphia Union’s Coaches’ Club Newsletter. Submit a photo and one paragraph describing why they deserve to be nominated to marketing@philadelphiaunion.com with the “Technical Box” in the subject line. Each candidate will be entered into a drawing to watch pregame warm-ups from the Union home team benches during the 2013 season!
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BRIAN CARROLL “Obviously a boost is needed every once in awhile so [as captain] you need to raise your voice” - Brian Carroll Leadership plays a key role in team’s success throughout a season. Having a strong leader can make a significant difference especially as a team goes through the ups and downs that come along with a long season. Leadership is not only evident on the field, but also behind the scenes, whether it is during training, following a match, or during halftime. Sometimes the biggest adjustments a team makes come after the first 45 minutes of a game and that is when a true leader will step up. Philadelphia Union captain Brian Carroll has proved to be that leader since he joined the team in 2011. As captain, Carroll believes it is important to keep a mindset that his teammates can feed off of while also providing any motivation or instructions that could help the team have success. “A lot of guys feed off each other, but I just try to bring some level headedness, some general instructions on what we want to do for the second half,” Carroll said. “Keeping the lead, getting the lead are what we need to do to win the game. I think guys take to that and understand my personality, lead by example, but trying to raise the voice a little bit at key times.” While a manager plays a big role during halftime, a captain’s message can be the difference maker. Carroll believes a captain should make himself heard when needed and help make the right adjustments for the team to have success. “Obviously a boost is needed every once in a while so you need to raise your voice,” he said. “My message is a little bit more about technical things that we need to do in order to be successful in the game.”
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International Round Up by Ryan Schwepfinger The world’s best football managers have to be diverse in their approaches and strengths. On a weeklong basis, the best managers oversee training, devise a tactical plan, and implement it to perfection. The dynamics of the position, however, require a little bit extra on gameday. An intimate knowledge of players is certainly required, both in terms of their on-field qualities, and what makes them tick off of the field. Many world-famous managers are regarded as master motivators, in this sense. One of the best, naturally, is Sir Alex Ferguson, the recently retired Manchester United manager. Ferguson’s penchant for the inspirational quote is legendary, even such that one of his lines is framed in the Philadelphia Union office for employees to read each and every day. There are countless examples of Ferguson’s players crediting him for a victory on the strength of an impassioned team talk before a match. For one, defender Rio Ferdinand said that Ferguson’s speech before the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup final was key to Manchester United winning that trophy: “The manager’s team talk hit the nail on the head,” Ferdinand said, according to The Guardian. “I won’t get into what he said, but he got us into gear, and that’s the sign of a great manager.” Inspirational tactics can even go beyond a game-togame basis. In this past Premier League season, Ferguson led United to his 13th Premier League title as manager. According to The Telegraph, forward Danny Welbeck recalled a speech given by Ferguson moments after Sergio Aguero stunningly stole the title from the Red Devils in the final match of the season prior: “We were travelling home from Sunderland on the coach, and the manager went round all the young players and said to them, ‘Never forget this, because this will win you titles.’ He said: ‘This will make some of you into men and be the best you can be.’ When the manager says things like that to you, you really want to take note of it.” Ferguson is not alone in his knack for the dramatic word. Jose Mourinho is notorious for utilizing the media to indirectly motivate his players through press conferences. Controversial as he may be, his words certainly are eye openers for fans, the media, and players themselves. Furthermore, while specific locker room motivation is not usually shown to fans, defender Diego Lugano’s speech to the Uruguay side he captained at the 2010 World Cup before their round of eight match against Ghana was shown on television, providing a famous glimpse into La Celeste’s locker room just before they triumphed in a game famously marked by Asamoah Gyan’s late penalty miss to
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help send Uruguay through. An interesting contrast of motivation is that used by former Barcelona and current Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola is intense in his regimen, and favors a highly attacking, tactical style of football based on possession and quick movement. Guardiola famously commissioned a video featuring his players intertwined with the movie “Gladiator” before their 2009 Champions League triumph against Manchester United. He is also capable of relying on his tactical implementation to motivate. In fact, when he arrived at the treble-winners this summer, he installed a separate dressing room at the Allianz Arena, meant to allow the team time to prepare before matches on their own. This echoes a similar procedure he used while at the Camp Nou, and it is proof that not all motivation must come from carefully rehearsed words—it can be instilled with brilliant tactics that give a team confidence on a week-long basis.
Jose Mourinho - photo by USA Today
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Tips from the Pros Warm-ups and motivation
by Kevin Miller, Union Fitness Coach
During the course of a match, players on the sideline need to be ready to be called in at any moment. Throughout a game, these players need to keep warm and keep their energy high so they can be ready to contribute when they are called upon. Substitutions are not always planned and can happen in an instant if an injury occurs so preparation is vital. Union strength and conditioning Coach Kevin Miller is one of the driving forces behind keeping players warm and motivated so they can make an impact if a situation where they are needed should arise. “We go through the whole warm-up pregame so going through that warm-up gets them both physically and mentally prepared to go into the game,” Miller said. “So I think that has a big effect on their motivation to be ready to go at any moment.” Over the course of this season, a multitude of players have been called upon to contribute with injuries and international duty causing some starters to miss time. Every player who has had the opportunity this season has been prepared and Miller has had a role in making that possible. Miller believes the players know what to expect at this point in the season and what is expected of them. “I think what they know is that the way the course of the season has gone; Coach Hackworth has called on several different players so it hasn’t been a trend of the same three players every week,” he said. “These guys need to know they have to be ready at a moment’s notice to get into the game and to hopefully have an impact on the game.” While it is evident Miller has a significant impact on both the player’s physical and mental preparation, he believes it is the action on the field that drives their motivation. “It’s not that there is so much motivation on my end,” he said. “I think the motivation is seeing the players on the field and knowing that these guys can get in and have an impact on the game.”
As a certified strength and conditioning specialist certified by the NSCA and U.S. Track and Field Federation, Miller has over a decade of experience as a sports performance coach. A U G U S T
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Q: @CoachBrendan: How
can a player regain his confidence and how can you help him do that?
A: A player regains his
confidence by moving past his mistake mentally and accepting that something has gone wrong and the only logical response is to work hard and prepare well for his next game to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The way we help players to do that each week is to break down film with them and show them what they did not do so well from the week before and what they can do differently to avoid the same mistakes. We try to incorporate the situations that broke down for them in the game in training the following week and reinforce the correct response to those situations. This allows guys to approach the following match in the right state of mind. When they feel that they are well prepared, it is easier for them to approach the next week’s game with the confidence that they need to play at their peak.
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NEXT HOME MATCH PRESENTED BY TURKEY HILL
Saturday, August 31st 7:30pm First 10,000 fans will receive a A limited number of recyclable tote bag Union/Phillies co-branded scarves will be on sale at courtesy of the Union Shop Turkey Hill!
Dress in your most excellent 90s soccer gear or like your favorite 90s character for a chance to win sweet prizes! Even the front office is down with it.
FOR TICKETS philadelphiaunion.com | 877.21.UNION
Upcoming Events in September September 10: 90th Minute (Union Radio Show presented by Farmers Insurance) (Chickie & Pete’s - Warrington – 6-7:30PM)
September 14: Crozer-Keystone & Premier Orthopaedics Night (Union vs Houston Dynamo at PPL Park - 7:30PM)
September 17: 90th Minute (Union Radio Show presented by Farmers Insurance) (Chickie & Pete’s - Warrington – 6-7:30PM)
September 27: Viewing Party
( Union at Sporting Kansas City, 8:00 PM @ The Piazza 1050 N. Hancock St. Philadelphia)
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