Apart from keeping tabs on their team’s players, football fans all over the world also keep a close eye on the activities of the coach. The latest victory of Arsenal against Manchester United puts Mikel Arteta, the new Arsenal coach at a good place with his team, the management, and also the fans.
Almost everyone is singing his praises. It demonstrates how important the coach and his team are in the overall success of the football club. To keep football trophies coming, coaches not only need the right qualifications but also a certain set of skills.
In this article, we are going to look at various attributes that make a great coach.
Let’s delve into specifics.
- Understanding yourself
Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses. As such, it is imperative to understand yourself and how your traits affect others.
Some people are naturally authoritative. This is not completely bad but as a coach, you may have problems with some players. So, it is crucial to know how to deal with each player individually and to modify your traits accordingly.
Also, you may not be authoritative but possess other traits that do not sit well with some individuals. The key is to know your shortcomings and taking appropriate steps to address the issue.
- Patience
Patience is one trait that is a must-have for football coaches. Coaches need to understand that their players will excel differently. One player will be good at dribbling; the other will be good at fitness while another will be great at tackling.
It is for the coach to understand this and be willing to take more time on some players in certain areas.
Additionally, there are times when a good team will have a bad game or season. Let’s take the example of Arsenal football club. The last time they won the Premier League cup was back in 2003-04, which is over 15 years ago. Despite their chances of victory also being slim to none this 2019-20 season, the coach and players live to fight another day.
- Good leadership skills
A good leader will always take the blame for any misfortunes and crisis that has befallen its people. This is also true with a football coach. A great coach will take responsibility for the games the team has lost and give credit to the players for the wins.
A great football coach will lead by example. He will be at the rehearsals before anyone else and take the lead in matters concerning the team. To further prove his leadership skills, a football coach knows the fine line between discipline and support for his players. He must make sure the players follow their instructions to the letter without coming off as intimidating and commanding.
In short, a coach should be able to lead various personalities into victory without causing bad blood between him and his players.
- Excellent communication skills
Dealing with people from various ethnicities and with different personalities is not an easy task. As such, a great football coach should be able to communicate with each of their players and effectively drive their point home without demoralizing or demotivating them.
Coaches should also be able to communicate effectively when addressing their employers, fans and the press. A slip of the tongue can be a recipe for disaster.
- Perseverance
The first time Alex Ferguson joined Manchester United, they almost went to relegation. However, after a lot of perseverance, he was able to lead his team to glory.
A good coach will need to keep his fire burning despite major challenges and setbacks. After a loss, a coach has to take time with his team to reflect on what could have gone wrong and come up with various strategies to counter that. It is imperative that a team bounce back with confidence and persevere until they get the win they have been yearning for.
If you are looking to pursue a career as a football coach, these are some of the qualities you will need. As you play an active role in your players’ lives, you may sometimes need to take a step back and view things objectively.
You also need to realize there are no definitive qualities of a great coach but to constantly keep on assessing yourself and striving to be the best version of you.
