Alan Shearer To Become The New Newcastle Boss: What Are The Key Psychological Areas To His Success? 4 Top Tips To Effective Communication For Football Managers.

Football has lagged somewhat behind sports like golf and cricket in terms of its uptake of sport psychology techniques. While there are a number of people working in football as sport psychologists it is nowhere near the number that people expect. It is very often left to the managers to become the psychologist for the team and managers have had different levels of success within this.

There are a number of examples of managers doing this well and poorly. The former England manager Sven Goran Erricson was very clear on role clarity. The Manchester United Manager Alex Ferguson would appear to a good motivator. Recent news suggests that former England player and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer may take the reigns at Newcastle United F.C shortly. So what would help him from a psychological side. The following tips are meant for managers or anyone who is communicating messages in a performance environment:

Focus on the positive as well as the negatives:

 Managers in football have tended to like ‘the hairdryer’ way of communicating, or what I have heard called the seagull method of management (come in crap on everyone and leave people wondering what just happened) there might be some occasions when this is useful. However, while you do want to communicate to players the side of things that needs improving you also want to communicate the things that are going well (there is almost always something that is working). This will help keep spirits high and give a message of what you like to see.

Be constructive with the criticism:

All to often managers scream about what is going badly without stating how it could be done to their satisfaction. Comments like ‘there are just 2 shit teams out there boys! For crying out loud up it!’ are often said but rarely maximise the usefulness of the short time managers have with their players. Perhaps add some technical advice in there too, e.g. you are not shooting, try and get at least 10 shots on target this half, or we are loosing shape and that is why we are being opened up so easily, followed by names of those that you would like to see keep shape.

Role clarity:

Often when a new manger comes in they say are very clear on what they want from each player. This is really good. When Erricson picked left back Chris Powell to play for England he reported after the game that the manager made the step up in class painless as he knew exactly what his role was and what he was not to do. Once you stop saying exactly what you want in each game from each player there is likely to be some confusion. Keep doing it, regardless of how gut wrenching it may seem!

Listen to the players:

The Brian Clough model of my way or the high way works in some cases (and there is absolutely no refuting that it worked and worked very well for him). However, for most of us this will not work. To build relationships and respect from players it is often important to players that they feel as though they have been listened to. After all they experience the game and can often provide with a good insight. A word of warning: In any dressing room there will be a pecking order and those that are willing to speak. You may be missing out only listening to players at the top of the pecking order or those that shout loudest. Find a way of getting the honest view of the quieter member this can be even more valuable in some cases!

I am sure that there other factors that are just as important and encourage you to add to this and comment on what you think about the tips. I am also sure that Shearer will do all of the 4 things mentioned above and believe that he has the character to lead Newcastle to the success that they so passionately desire (albeit perhaps not this season or the next season!).

By James Beale C.Psychol

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