I have read from several sources valid comments on this subject. One source is from (Sir
) Bobby Robson, another is Frank Rjikaard, another is Ron Atkinson. There are others, and I've also studied the subject myself
The problems with the English is that they are too eager to concentrate English youth players on the skills they develop from competitive play. These skills are things such as awareness, competitive edge, agression, will to win, inspiration and so on. We are talking mental skills, and the ability to develop technical skills through the playing of games against others. This is not always good, because in a competitive game, you are often switched on to the play and what is happening around you, and what you do, your choices in a game, are driven through your instinct and basic motor memory.
By that I mean that when you pass a ball, you dont have to think about it, even when you play at a level I would imagine most people who post on this board do. In a game, you see a pass, you make the pass without thinking about pulling your foot back, and executing it. It just comes naturally. That is because its in your mind as a technique you can repeat, so it just happens when you need it to. But what if this action is being performed wrong? In a game, you are just going to continue to use poor technique, because your instint tells you that is how to pass a ball, not if you are doing it right or wrong.
The Dutch believe the opposite to the English (And produce far better young players than us
) They do not play their youth players in any kind of competitive game no matter what their age is, until they have mastered skills technically. Unless you can prove you can pass, and head, and shoot in a technically sound way, you do not play matches. This is because it is no use playing against others if you cannot do the skills on the pitch you will need to win. This way of thinking stops players from allowing themselves to constantly perform a pass or header poorly in a game because that is how they have always done it, because the way they do it has been taught to them until it right and wont fail them when put up to the riggorous pressure of professional football.
The Dutch also believe the fact that mental skills are easier to teach and will be better recieved once players are technically sound, so there is no rush to teach them at such an early age as we do in this country. By spending the early years of a players life teaching him or her how to play technically well, by the time the child is older and more mentally mature, they will learn the mental outlook to the game a lot better and a lot more comfortably.
I hope that makes sense, and I didnt repeat myself, but yes, interesting stuff, good thread man =D>
Do england create technicaly sound players
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Originally Posted by DS
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