Developing A

Professional Footballer

The competitive world of the Modern game desires Professional footballers (Pro Footballers) to comprise a football team

Now Small details differentiates teams

Introduction

Concentration and Focus on these details differentiates between amateur and Pro Footballers and determines the results

It is therefore important to prepare Pro-Footballers from the right ages

1. You have to be extra talented and born a “footballer”.

2. It runs in the family.

3. You must be very quick and explosive when running and playing the ball.

4. You need to start in a renowned club as a youth to reach a professional status as an adult.

5. You must be very strong, tall and have abundant muscles everywhere to make it.

6. You must come from a poor family.

7. You must be a ball juggler.

8. It’s all about being “lucky”.

Source: supersport.com 3

Sunday Oliseh Calls them 8 Misconceptions

Professional Football is a Profession like any of the contemporary professions

Does any of the Sunday Oliseh 8 Misconceptions apply to other professions?

1.Medical Doctor – Born a Doctor?2.A lawyer-Must come from a poor family3.An Accountant- Must be Lucky4.An Engineer-It runs in a family

Football is a Profession

Like any other Professional, a pro footballer must attain development in the following areas;

– Technical Development

– Social Development

– Economic Development

Development CategoriesHow to create a RonalMessi?

TechnicalTechnical DevelopmentDevelopment

A Pro-footballer should be exposed to organised technical development cycles at different ages.

There are;On-field Technical Development ActivitiesOff-Field Technical Development Activities

Technical Development

HR Quality; HR Quality; The quality of Coaches

10,000 Hours; 10,000 Hours; The repetitiveness until 10,000 hours accumulated

Equipment; Equipment; Exposure, right sizes and availability of the right training and match equipment inclusive of Gloves, Shoes, Guards, Bibs, Balls, Pitches, Dummies etc

Athletic; Athletic; Whereas it is true Genetics plays a role in key physical attributes, there tools to develop players athletically

On-Field TD activities

Physicality; Physicality; The Upper and Lower Body Strength

Agility; Agility; The ability to make quick, light and easy movements with mental alertness

Speed and Acceleration; Speed and Acceleration; The ability to run fast and long with or without the ball

Power; Power; The ability to make strong or appropriate precise long passing and shooting with either foot or head

Skills; Skills; Heading, Tackling, Passing, Dribbling, Targeting, Ball Control, Kicking and Catching (For Goal Keepers Only)

Athletic Development activities

HR Quality; HR Quality; The quality of Managers (the influence passed on!!, the parental instinct)

Competition; Competition; The competitive gene

Health; Health; the sporting and non-sporting health of players. Body Impairments identified early may be fixed

Nutrition; Nutrition; Diet is paramount in body development, energy banking, recovery from injuries and general health. Professionals to set Minimum qualities, and quantities of food and drinks. Water is key

Off-Field TD activities

Marketing Aspect; Marketing Aspect; A Pro footballer is a commercial good and presentation in looks and communication off-field is as part of the game as scoring goals.

Interaction with the media and how questions are answered may make or break a player

Off-Field TD activities Cont’d

The Pro Player Development Stages

Above 20yrs. Senior National Team

Above 17yrs. Professional Club Football

Above 10-16yrs. Football School

Above 6-10yrs. Fun games, FilteringAcademies

SocialSocial DevelopmentDevelopment

A Pro-footballer should be exposed to organised social aspect training in development.

Spiritual; Spiritual; Belief and faith in the Omnipotent cultivates the player into good sporting values and concentration

Strict Adherence to Programmes;Strict Adherence to Programmes;1. Availability with interest and concentration to

programmes is key to development

2. Poor time management is easily transferred onto the pitches and a minimum basic for pro football

Social Development

Life Style; Life Style; 1. Enough Rest, (minimum of 8 hours Sleep

everyday)2. Relax and enjoy light moments3. Avoiding Alcohol or intoxicants Overload4. Avoiding Banned Substances5. Avoiding Peer pressure and groups with

different agenda6. Avoiding the nightlife7. Avoiding Diet Indiscipline

Social Development Cont’d

Stardom Management; Stardom Management; Many an Occasion players breakdown as soon as they breakthrough. This is caused by lack of prior Stardom management training

Competitiveness; Competitiveness; Life is a hustle and the best hustler makes it through. There is nothing that comes on silver plate. A pro player must compete with himself, team mates, opponents and anything thrown at him/her.

“I never played for a draw” Sir Alex Ferguson

Social Development Cont’d

Academics;Academics;It is extremely required than a Pro Footballer undertakes formal education along with the football education.

Understanding many languages is a huge added advantage but generally educated players are easier to manage

Social Development Cont’d

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;A Pro Footballer must be developed to acquire social values that propel the player to consistent performance at a high level. A player should be taught ;

1.1.Sincerity Sincerity •To be sincere in your actions. •Never to try to deceive or impress others. •To be himself

2.2.UnfeignedUnfeigned•To be genuine in what he does; •To let his actions speak louder than his words. •Never to say one thing and do the other.

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;3.3.Wholehearted Wholehearted •To be enthusiastic about what you do. •To show it. •To be committed to life and the Sport•To be Committed to the Team and the Cause

4.4.Honest.Honest.5.To be honest in your dealings with yourself and with others 6.To do what he say he will do 7.To Never use fraud or deception to get ahead in life. 8.To Let ethics, morals, and honor be his compass.

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;5.5.Humility & RespectHumility & Respect6.No to lead a life thinking he is superior or better than others around him7. to be modest and humble. A pro must be humble8.to respect the football & national authorities, the fans, the sponsors,

the teammates, the opponents, the referees, the young and the Old. 9.To always show good judgment and sense in life. 10.Never to let prejudices or emotions cloud his judgment.

•Personal integrity & Incorruptibility Personal integrity & Incorruptibility •Never to trade his moral values for material gains in life

•Never to let outside forces corrupt the person he is

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;7.7.WholeWhole•To be focused on what he wants to achieve in life. •To give everyone he interacts with his complete and undivided attention.

9.9.CourtesyCourtesy•To practice good manners even though others around him may not.

7.7.Civility Civility 9.To be kind to others and extend courtesy towards them. 10.Never to interrupt people when they speak 11.Never to dominate the conversation12.To Listen before talking. Listening is a virtue

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;11.11.WisdomWisdom •Understand the inner qualities of people •Learn how to understand situations that might be different from what he is used to

12.12.Charity Charity •To be kind and gentle•To extend a hand to help others particularly the disadvantaged

13.13.Empathy Empathy •To be aware that each person is different and may have different values and beliefs than those that you hold. •to understand the feelings and thoughts of others without having to be told or reminded of them

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;14.14.SympathySympathy •To share his feelings with others •To understand the emotional situations that people go through and to put himself in their shoes.

15.15.Compassion Compassion •to reach out with a genuine interest in helping alleviate the suffering of someone is in distress

•Altruism Altruism •To think of others without thinking of himself. •To do good things for people without expecting something in return for himself.

Social Development Cont’d

Values;Values;17.17.MagnanimousMagnanimous•To be generous in life. •To give of his time, money and wisdom. •To share with so they can see the true joy and adventures of life themselves

Social Development Cont’d

Social Development Cont’d

Work Ethics;Work Ethics;A Pro Footballer must be developed to acquire qualities that propel the player to consistent performance at a high level;1.1. Self-Drive; Self-Drive; The art of pushing himself out of the comfort

zone and pushing to better performance on his own

2.2.Determination; Determination; The player must be determined and should persist until successful

3.3.Will Power; Will Power; Also called the staying power not to vacillate or procrastinate

4.4.Resilience; Resilience; The ability to swiftly recover from misfortune or poor performance

Social Development Cont’d

Work Ethics Cont’d;Work Ethics Cont’d;5.5. Patience; Patience; The ability to wait with calmness without loss of

focus and concentration for the long awaited opportunity

6.6.Optimism; Optimism; To always expect the best outcome & decisions taken for the best reasons

7.7.Time Management; Time Management; The ability to always be on time for programmes, and to have time for family and to time rest

8.8.Courage; Courage; The quality of the mind that enables one to face danger with self-possession, confidence, resolutions and bravery

Social Development Cont’d

Work Ethics Cont’d;Work Ethics Cont’d;

9.9.Endurance and mental strengthEndurance and mental strength; When a player chooses to be a Pro Player, he/she must endure, persevere and be able to operate in very difficult and unaccustomed situations in the areas of;

1.1. Weather; Weather; Adverse weather in different parts of the World

2.2. Culture; Culture; Variation in Language, Food, in mannerism 3.3. Racism; Racism; In the event of any form of discrimination4.4. Obscurity;Obscurity; Far away from Home and family5.5. Loneliness; Loneliness; Staying Alone 6.6. Demand for quick performanceDemand for quick performance; pressure for immediate

results

Social Development Cont’d

Work Ethics Cont’d;Work Ethics Cont’d;10.10.Fair Play and Regulations; Fair Play and Regulations; Pro Footballers must be taught about Fair Play and the regulations of the game.

Fair play includes;Rule 1: Play to Win All time even in TrainingRule 2: Play Fair in accordance with the RulesRule 3: Observe the Laws of the Game Rule 4: Respect Opponents, Team-mates, Referees, Officials and

Spectators Rule 5: Accept Defeat with Dignity Rule 6: Promote the Interests of Football Rule 7: Reject Corruption, Drugs, Racism, Violence and other Dangers. Rule 8: Help Others to Resist Corrupting Pressures Rule 9: Denounce those who Attempt to discredit our Sport Rule 10: Honour those who Defend Football's Good Reputation

Social Development Cont’d

Economic Economic DevelopmentDevelopment

1. The economic interests of a Pro-footballer should be protected by the parents or Guardian until 18 years

2. Parents/Guardians should work to invest into the player at development stage

Economic Development

1. A Pro-footballer should be developed to appreciate that his expertise is playing football and not;

a)a) finding employment opportunitiesfinding employment opportunitiesb)b) negotiating commercial contracts negotiating commercial contracts c)c) managing his monies/investmentsmanaging his monies/investments

2. A Pro-footballer should be developed to understand that he earns the money by playing football and the beneficiaries include service providers

Economic Development

After 18 years, a Pro-footballer should hire different service providers to his playing career. Key Service Providers to a Pro-Footballer;

Agent; Agent; This is the person who is to find playing opportunities and negotiate contracts. This must a be a knowledgeable, honest and connected person

Estate Manager; Estate Manager; This is the person who manages the monies and business investments of the player. This must a be a knowledgeable, honest and hardworking person

Economic Development Cont’d

Basic Needs;Basic Needs;Before a player becomes a professional or during development, he/she must be to access basic needs;

1. Food & Water2. Shelter3. Clothing4. Football Gear and Equipment5. Transport

Economic Development Cont’d

Things to Avoid;Things to Avoid;Before a player becomes a professional or during development, he/she must avoid things like;

1. Creating a family (Wife and Children)2. Staying on his own (Renting)3. Engaging in sexual activities, drugs, crime4. Engaging in any business activity to earn

The above activities and many other create economic pressure to earn and this detracts a player in development

Economic Development Cont’d