In The FA’s Coaching Discussion Document for 2008-2012, the importance of adopting a coaching ‘philosophy’ is underlined and encouraged. However for many working within the game a degree of uncertainty surrounds the meaning of the word and how it can be practically applied. In his new blog, FA coach Peter Glynn takes a look at this philosophical and coaching conundrum.
Quite often you will hear coaches and managers using the word ‘philosophy’. For many the word triggers the clichés of wise old men, academic books and something Arsene Wenger once mentioned. Yet even with this apparent ignorance to its meaning; the word itself regularly finds itself performing a role attached to various categories and sections of the game. Discussions on coaching approaches rarely pass without a mention of adopting ‘Coaching’ philosophy, ‘Playing’ philosophy and most fashionably at the top level of the game and in the press, a whole football ‘Club’s’ philosophy.
These statements are often quite vague and ambiguous, rarely questioned and quite possibly used to project an intelligence and style that lacks substance. And if they are actually understood they are seldom explained or defined so that others in the football family may too walk on this path of sporting enlightenment.
So we must ask why is this? Is it that we’re scared of what the word means; that the word itself sounds too difficult or even that it may uncover some hidden truths about ourselves, our intentions, our behaviours and our practice that we are unwilling to uncover? Are these then the reason why many coaches in the game do not consider their own or their club’s ‘philosophy’ in any more detail?
Or is it more a case that we just don’t know why we may need a ‘coaching philosophy’ and ultimately what it may look like in a practical setting?
I would suggest it’s probably a bit of all of these and quite probably a lot more.
Definition
If you type the word ‘Philosophy’ into an online dictionary or encyclopaedia, you will see by the number of results that the word itself takes on the form of many meanings. This in itself makes the task of defining what a ‘coaching philosophy’ is, and how we should or could use it, somewhat more difficult. (More importantly the many subtleties and ways of understanding the word will mean a much more varied and interesting pursuit to find out its true meaning in the coaching context.)
The first suggestion dictionary.com gives for the meaning of philosophy is:-
• 1) The rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.
I would guess most coaches’ initial reaction to this definition would be confusion and scepticism. And why wouldn’t it be? You are probably thinking, I just coach football, I’ve grown up with the game, I loved playing it and now I want to coach it and I do it all because I enjoy it. Nowhere in this quite simple reasoning for being a football coach are investigations, principles and truths.
But if you consider for a minute why you enjoy coaching, why you want to be a football coach; and as part of this investigation try to uncover the intentions behind what you do and why you do it in the way you do – this suggestion for what a coaching philosophy is, or what it should reveal about you as a coach - is a definition most definitely worthy of much further discussion.
Of the six definitions for the word, it is the final two results that are most often applied to practical and sporting settings:-
• 5) A system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.
• 6) A philosophical attitude, as one of composure and calm in the presence of troubles or annoyances.
Let us first deal with the idea that a ‘philosophy’ could guide our behaviour, perception and even language use when we are coaching.
In Pursuit of Composure
The more I learn about coaching football, the more I learn that it isn’t easy. Whether you are a coach of young children, senior adult professionals or the England manager, however diligently and extensively you plan and prepare for certain outcomes, be it in practice, training or games, you just never know what is actually going to happen in the dynamic moments that make up the game of football.
The game is played by living, breathing, thinking human beings. So the same subtleties, variances and bizarreness of human behaviour that manifests itself in normal society so too may happen, and quite often projects itself onto the football pitch.
Moods, motivations, mistakes, emotions and anxieties all combine to create a delicately balanced situation which becomes all the more difficult to manage when you introduce a ball, two goals and a large dose of competitiveness, ego and desire.
So how can adopting this word philosophy help us cope with this concoction of human behaviour and sporting obstacles?
If through the process of reflection you can develop a set of fundamental beliefs which in turn form a general system of guiding principles to be applied in practical settings, you may see a significant shift in your perception of coaching and game related incidents and ultimately your behavioural approach in reacting to certain situations.
For example in youth football if your philosophy encapsulated the following beliefs and principles your application would alter accordingly:-
Fundamental belief: Children are developing human beings who don’t yet have adult capabilities and competencies
Guiding Principles: Patience, developmental awareness, understanding of the coaches wider role in the child’s life.
Application in Practical Setting: Understanding that mistakes do happen, that it is ok that children can’t do things today and football is just one aspect of a child’s developing existence.
By spending some time clarifying your coaching beliefs and principles and foreseeing how these can be applied to practical settings, I believe you will also be developing definition six of what the word ‘philosophy’ means’.
Definition six stated that Philosophy is:-
• 6. A philosophical attitude, as one of composure and calm in the presence of troubles or annoyances.
In developing ethically sound coaching beliefs and principles, previous incidents that could be categorised as troubles and annoyances, may be perceived in different ways allowing different methods of response to be adopted.
For example:-
Previous trigger for troubles and annoyances: Defeat in Sunday’s game.
Previous reaction in practical setting: Outward signs of frustration, anxious behaviour, possible emotionally damaging verbal behaviour towards players.
Underlying beliefs and values that produced aforementioned reaction: That winning was the only aim of participation. That winning helped you define your own role as the coach and the holder of knowledge.
By adopting a Philosophical approach, in which there is an underlying belief and value attached to the longer term development of a player, with the end goal being how the player will perform in the future and not as part of a team with the intention of collecting another Sunday ‘result’ there is a chance that the behaviour of the coach in the practical setting will considerably shift.
Peter Glynn will be back in two week’s with more on coaching philosophies.
To comment on this article please contact pete.glynn@thefa.com
For more information on The FA Tesco Skills Programme and free football videos, tips and advice visit TheFA.com/Skills.
