From Euro 2008 to the new PSL season

The SuperSport TV channels showed us the entire European Championship soccer tournament in Austria/Switzerland — many great matches with excellent soccer, providing an excellent learning opportunity for all PSL teams and Bafana Bafana.

We saw how to play the latest top-level soccer.

If a team (PSL and Bafana Bafana) really want good results in the upcoming PSL season and World Cup 2010 matches, they must apply the following “rules”.

They must play very aggressive soccer for the full duration of the match. Each player must commit to 100% concentration.

The theory of Dutch legend Johan Cruyff must be implemented — that is, “compact play”, in which the line of defenders and the line of forwards are in close proximity. The great advantage of this method of play is that all the players are always close to the ball, their teammates and their opponents. This makes direct attack and short passing at high tempo possible, creating opportunity for “surprise” passes to goal scorers.

This may all sound very simple, but it is one of the most difficult tasks in soccer. Super-focused concentration is required, as well as great skills and players who continuously move
into the necessary positions.

If a team play in this way, we call it high-tempo soccer.

Holland, Portugal and Spain showed excellent examples of this kind of soccer at the European 2008 soccer tournament. Arsenal are another very good example of a high-tempo soccer team.

To train teams in this way of playing, a top coach is required. PSL teams and Bafana Bafana need to train intensively for this “compact” type of playing.

The PSL made the right decision to create the opportunity for Bafana Bafana to train full-time during the three months prior to the 2010 World Cup. Most of the countries who play at the World Cup will not have this advantage. Their players will be straight out of heavy league seasons.

It’s a very difficult task to train a team to play compact or high-tempo soccer, but it’s possible.

We also learned from the European Soccer 2008 tournament in Austria/Switzerland that the mental attitude of a team is of extreme importance.

For example, the Dutch team played superb soccer in the group matches against Italy and France,
but in the quarterfinal match against Russia, the Dutch team were not as aggressive and focused, hence they lost.

The coach can do many things to create a good mental attitude in the team. He can build self-confidence and, most importantly, he can create an atmosphere of fun in which to enjoy soccer. When the results in training and friendly matches show improvement, this will enhance the mental preparation for the World Cup, and the Bafana Bafana players will enjoy this and feel powerful.

Humour is also an excellent tool for a trainer to use in motivating his team.

A recent example occurred at the Russian team training camp for Euro 2008 in Germany. The players’ hotel and the training ground were some distance apart. The team travelled this distance by bus, while Guus Hiddink, the legendary Dutch coach, and his assistant cycled to the training ground.

The bus, full of Russian team players, encountered two cyclists en route to training. The bus tried to overtake the two cyclists, with no success. The cyclists blocked the road, travelling directly
in front of the bus. The bus driver hooted and hooted at the two “idiots” blocking his way, and the commotion caused all the players to look out of the bus windows.

Great was their surprise when the team discovered that the cyclists, after finally allowing the bus to pass, were none other that Guus and his assistant, showing rude signs to the occupants of the bus.

Soccer players love these practical jokes.

Footnote: Guus Hiddink received €3-million as a bonus for the performance of the Russian team.