This quote is one that I often use when coaching. So much focus is given to a player in possession and what they will do when they have the ball that the reality of the game is lost to many. You are defined as a player, unless you are gifted beyond the norm, for how effective you are at many of the parts of the game that would be classified as unglamorous.

Many players have been recommended to me by coaches as a player that I just need to scout and get involved at a higher level. Scouting a player takes a considerable period of time and not something that I will cover in this blog but it is interesting to view a player over many sightings with a clear set of parameters to judge the player against.

I remember scouting a central defender after he was put forward by several people as a top prospect for an international team. His ability in possession was without doubt at a very high level and he was able to move the ball around the back third of the field with ease and comfort. When the scouting focus for a 45 minute period in the game was solely analysing his one-on-one defending and how he supported his defensive partner in the defensive third it became clear that his knowledge or ability was to the same level as his in-possession work. His positioning on the striker wasn’t accurate enough and he was often having to turn and lunge to recover positioning. Whether, limited by the player or the environment he was in, his game knowledge in the defending moment was considerably less developed than other moments. Considering one of the key abilities of a central defender is to defend players one on one and support a unit, especially in a team that is often defending where mistakes are punished it became necessary to find players that could defend as the top priority.

Recently I read a fascinating blog on the culture of the young players in the US and how they are now into becoming “football” icons and not footballers. The author commentated that players like James Milner, John Terry etc are no longer a player that young players wish to emulate. Its now all about the social media followers, the flashy moves, the wonder goals and all the glamorous parts of the game that generate fame. He asked a very interesting question of “where were the players that make a team operate efficiently?”

87 mins of a game a player is supporting, defending, covering, marking, running, tactically being sharp, reading the game, scanning and the myriad of other actions that are required in each of the 4 moments. Something that all professional players do regardless of their talent level. Jobs and livelihood are on the line and there are many players willing to do what is required to make top teams and if you don’t do it someone else will be found who will.

The question I ask the boys constantly is “can you get on the right blade of grass at the right time to be effective”

This focusses them in each of the four moments of the game to do what is required not what is enough. The player that chooses to not close down an opposition player with purpose and desire but instead chooses to do enough to show they are doing it because they know they should needs to be guided to understand that that is a weakness in their game. If we don’t help them to understand that the game is more than what you do when you have the ball then we will continue to develop players that are less than the whole.

When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball 3 minutes on average … So, the most important thing is: what do you do during those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball. That is what determines wether you’re a good player or not.

I would love to know from the coaches who read this how often do you work on the defending parts of the game compared to how often you work on the attacking, in-possession side?