Thoughts on Charlie Francis and soccer

[no23]

Agreed on all points above. Watching younger players, it is quite humorous to see the outside mid run up and down the sidelines open on runs and the center mid, head down, misses opportunity after opportunity, or just running up and down the sidelines when the ball isn't in a playable range, in which case you are wasting energy. These two examples are relatable and help show your points above.

As I posted earlier, after individual analysis of actual ball possession time of an athlete, it helped prove point that in her specific instance, she did nothing but one touch pass the ball, and the rest of the time was specific "fitness."

Exactly.

I've stories, that I won't bore you with, from personal experiences of well known players running numbers up to keep stat's up (distances, sprints) and then on the other side, some of the greats showing incredibly low numbers yet being the most effective player, and game winning, on the team. Also of whole team stat's showing the same.

The biggest danger I see is actually the focusing on the stat's incorrectly and this then becomes a motivator for players to do stupid things.

Think 'headless chicken'.

[svincenz]

no23, are you sure about that? From my personal experience, in Italy no player gives a damn about statistics, nobody talks about that. The only metrics are goal scored, maybe assists, and money. For other players, not forwards, metrics are not readily used.
Thus, it looks suspect that people in other places do care about those stats.

[no23]

no23, are you sure about that? From my personal experience, in Italy no player gives a damn about statistics, nobody talks about that. The only metrics are goal scored, maybe assists, and money. For other players, not forwards, metrics are not readily used.
Thus, it looks suspect that people in other places do care about those stats.

You only give a damn about stat's if you have them!

In other words, teams that don't have statistics available to them or don't use the systems (Prozone, Amisco etc) certainly don't (can't) care about them!

However in some teams where they are used and are available coaches look at the raw data and make comments/decisions on this. When players notice this then they often respond like I describe.


Of course, in the broadest sense though, all that really matters to soccer players is money!

[svincenz]

All higher level teams have the possibility of having stats, technology is mature ad readily available.

[Pioneer]

Pioneer,
for a sound discussion of training means and aims we have to start from what they are paid for, no?
So, 10 months is a fact. Leagues stop in early or late May and new seasons (GPP) start in early-mid july (this is general, in Russia and Germany it is different and it is also dependent on national and international cups).
We cannot have a meaningful discussion if we ignore this simple facts. In earlier posts I wrote that too many people ignore the reality.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by your response? If you mean that they must play 10 months by contract-to be paid- I fully understand that. My comment about them playing that much helped to better shape my understanding of the training limitations these top players are under and how there was not much time in their offseason.

I simply did not know the year of the top professional lasted that long.

[svincenz]

I meant that before discussing strategies for athletic preparation we have to know the boundaries within which we are operating. That means that 10 months of play + 1 month of vacation leave 1 month maximum for a GPP phase (melting into the early stage of team training). I basically wanted to say that, nothing personal.

[Race Radio]

As one coach is fond of saying drawing simple conclusions from simple data is for simple minds.

For a simple game.

Well it is... Its just that England in particular made it look very complicated.

[jamirok]

How many peoples work really with soccer teams?

Just curious.

[Pioneer]

I meant that before discussing strategies for athletic preparation we have to know the boundaries within which we are operating. That means that 10 months of play + 1 month of vacation leave 1 month maximum for a GPP phase (melting into the early stage of team training). I basically wanted to say that, nothing personal.

For sure, a very limited time to train for many. I did not take it personally I was just trying to be sure I understood the point you were making, thanks.

Instead of 1 month vacation then 1 month of training could one not take 2 weeks off and then have 6 weeks to train?

Are all or most of the professional leagues play 10 months or do some play less?

[lylemcd]

I would suspect that after 10 months of competition, a mere 2 week transition phase wouldn't be enough for most of them to decompress and get ready for the next season.