Are English Football Players Mediocre?

Professional Football Players - Learn to be Great

Professional Football Players - Learn to be Great

Football agents:  blog written by written by Michael Nichols, Mindfulness Performance Elite Coach (Director at Mindfulness Performance)

Professional players – learn to be great at one thing that doesn’t rely on ability or skill and see great things happen for you A lot of English players are mediocre, why do your think there are so many foreign players in the premiership? Mediocre won't get the job done. Mediocre won't pay you the big salary compared to those who excel. Perhaps I have this wrong, but when I watch Match of the Day, there are often players letting their defenses down as the attackers stride past them, the defender stops moving as they assume someone else will mark them or when attacking they position themselves poorly and let fate take its course.

As a former assistant coach for a professional sports club I could easily identify players who would make an impact and those who would fade. The worrying thing was watching players who thought they were better than they were. I had to take a couple to one side and have a conversation that gave them a reality check! Those who stood out tended to be great at one thing and to be above average in others. It's important to know that it's not just good enough to be great at one thing because your weaknesses will outshine that one great aspect of your game.

So the secret is to find that right balance. Talent and ability will take you so far but I'm going to share with you one aspect of a player that every coach loves to see - hustle! When you understand hustle, your performance will suddenly appear to be great as you challenge your opponents and take them out of their stride. When you hustle, your opponent will have a choice.

They will stop trying in which case you win or they will up their game. If they up their game you can choose to up your game. It's important to know the fans who watch in the stands and on TV will be judging your performance so how do you want to be perceived? Be the player who stops the attacker from receiving the ball when they break into space, be that player who makes a fast run to intercept a potential goal scoring assist and be that player who breaks into space away from the ball to find an opening when attacking. Learn to hustle and work hard and good things will always happen.

Football agents:  blog written by Michael Nichols, Mindfulness Performance Elite Coach (Director at Mindfulness Performance)