Need a change on old fashioned and outdated football
In this age – of rapid development of technical equipment and improvement of techniques, it is natural that officials and committees of the football controlling body should examine the organisation within. It should be done in leagues, clubs, the scope and quality of facilities and equipment and the training and coaching arrangements to see what further progress is possible. The scale of improvement in facilities and methods abroad is a constant reminder that we, too must strive for higher standards if the game to meet the challenge of the future, for “the old order changes yielding place to the new”
I felt deep within me the immediate need to help and advice the players and coaches to play football, not merely as a sport or recreation, but within a planed scheme.
What the spectators have hither to seen in our in the crudest form and in style and methods suited to the individual, without the slightest regard to any planned purpose executed as a team in general.
As for me I came up in football as a player and a coach to national level not through the back door or any influence, it is due to lot of hard work and sacrifices, so with many other soccerites during my era. No financial benefits were given to improve our football either at club level or national level. It is mere hard training and commitment that helped us to perform well against any side either at club level or at national level. We actually played football for the love of the game. Of course most of us were offered permanent employment in various institutes and organisations according to our educational qualifications and football playing ability and standards. After a hard day’s work the employers allowed to leave office in the evening to attend to
our football training and matches. In addition to the monthly salary we were provided with football gear and nourishment. On the other hand the football clubs all over the country ran their affairs by the small subscription paid by the players and officials themselves. To help the club few benefactors in the area gave financial support to run the day to day affairs. With such a background most of the clubs in all the districts played football seriously to entertain thousands of soccer crazy crowd with quality football.
With all the grants, sponsorships and other financial support and assistance from various sources our football standards is stagnated compared with other football playing nations. Football at our national, district, club and school level is so old fashioned and out dated, that I have honestly felt ashamed – and disgusted to watch it. Pathetic performances by our national team in the recently concluded international competitions prove my point. It must be admitted, however sour it is , that the pattern and system are outdated by a decade.
In the face of modern styles where the forwards interchange positions and coordinate their attacking play by deliberately making the forward line numerically superior in attack, these earlier mentioned patterns became very ineffective. But to play for a system and pattern has profitably answered this problem and also proved very safe, sound and solid. It will do a world of good of our football if we adopt a pattern and system without further delay. Every known international team today plays to a pattern and system with the basic principles adhered to, and with slight alterations to suit the needs of particular teams. If we are to hold our own against foreign competitions then a pattern and system is a must and there is nothing else whatsoever could help us, facing humiliating defeats in international competitions. Get the right men who are knowledgeable and competent to handle our national teams who are capable of implementing a pattern and system , using talented and skillful players to serve the cause, also keeping in mind the energy, temperament and stamina of our players.
The coach must bear in mind that it is vital to keep his chargers keen and enthusiastic in training. Hence mostly, the exercises should have a competitive element while developing the required aspects. It will also be advisable wherever possible, that exercises should be with the ball in play. This will help to develop technique and also improve the players skills. The effectiveness of conditioning training must express itself in any case, in an improved game.
In brief, technique is the correct art of executing the varied skills in football. The ability to control the ball at various heights, speed, angles and in the tightest of situation in order to keep the ball in possession is the result of excellent techniques.
The common skills in football are passing and dribbling – heading and chesting – various types of kicking, (instep, inside instep and outside instep) lobbing, centering, chipping, shooting at goal, corner kicks, etc….
While basic skills could be demonstrated individually by the coach to his player during the early stage of training, he should gradually build up correct technique in his players under stress situation and competitions as much as possible. Here too, the coach should evolve exerci- ses with a competitive element so to develop technique and create interest.
Tactics in brief, are methods evolved in defence of your own goal – midfield play both attack and defence – up front play in attack. There are multitudes of tactics used by various coaches, and the subject is so vast, that to generalize it in this write up is seemingly impossible. However, the coach in brief, should be able to plan out individual and collective tactics with his team. Tactics in attack , such as switching the game from side to side , penetration , making your attacking forwards numerically superior to that of the defence , double wing play , double passing and positional interchanging are some of the ploys used.
Common tactics in defence are chasing and pressurising, jockeying and delaying and diagonal cover. Tactics is a wide subject and the coach should study each of these tactics so as to be able to dovetail his team into at effective unit in defence, midfield and attack.
A coach must necessarily be knowledgeable and competent to handle frequent injuries. He must know the diagnosis, therapy and re habilitation. However, except in the case of fractures cranial traumas or serious arterial injuries, the coaches must be able to diagnose and use the right therapy for common injuries such as minor cuts and bruises, muscle fatigue and general aches and pains. Though temporarily out of action, a player must be given correct therapy first sprains, ligament, pulls, etc.
Those who handle teams must always be mindful of importance of first aid on the ground with equipment and medical application.
The importance of body massages for the players must not be under estimated. Massage is a technique and an art and aims at achieving full physical fitness of a player who has to be prepared for accomplishing his obligations on the field. It helps to refresh, soothe and recover after effort.