| Football (or soccer as the 'non-Brits' refer to it as) is | | | | nuts. Eliminate junk food from your diet completely. TIP: |
| the most popular sport in the World. Millions of people | | | | Discipline and dedication are again the key. You don't |
| play, at various levels, every single day. Most people | | | | become an extraordinary footballer by doing ordinary |
| play for fun, others professionally, however the aim of | | | | things! |
| the game is almost always the same - WIN! During the | | | | TEMPERAMENT AND FOCUS: |
| course of the article I am going to suggest ways to | | | | Temperament and focus before, during and after a |
| becoming a better footballer (and thus increasing your | | | | match is a key ingredient to making a footballer better. |
| and your teams chances of winning matches). All the | | | | Before a match you should focus on what the overall |
| suggestions made will result in improvements in your | | | | aim is. That focus must remain strong and constant |
| game, however some will take longer than others to | | | | throughout. This should not make you fearful or |
| 'flourish'. Here goes:- | | | | nervous, but ultimately guide you towards achievement. |
| FITNESS: | | | | If you make an error or wastes an opportunity, this |
| Watch the top footballers and you will notice that they | | | | should not affect your focus as your goal is still the |
| produce a lot of movement during the 90 minutes, | | | | same. It is unlikely that your overall aim was to score |
| often running 10-15km in the process. To do this | | | | at that particular moment or not to make that error at |
| requires high levels of cardiovascular fitness. To gain | | | | that exact time. Therefore, concentrate on what you |
| such fitness requires dedication and discipline. Another | | | | can achieve in the remaining time, there will be plenty |
| sport where participants have very high levels of | | | | of time to review performance after the match has |
| fitness, probably more so than footballers, is boxing | | | | finished. |
| (maybe not always the heavyweights!). Therefore, my | | | | Finally, once the match has ended focus on winning or |
| suggestion to improve your fitness would be train like a | | | | losing with dignity. This will not just make you a better |
| boxer! Not in sparring etc, but by rising early (ideally | | | | footballer, but a better person. GOAL!: Before a match |
| between 5-6am) and putting in a session. This should | | | | spend 15-30 minutes focusing on what you actually |
| ideally include a distance run followed by | | | | want to achieve. Be clear of your outcome. So often |
| cardiovascular activities such as skipping, star jumps | | | | people fail because they don't know exactly what |
| etc. Add to that push-ups, crunchies and sit-ups and | | | | they are wanting to achieve. |
| your fitness will begin to improve significantly. Ideally I | | | | DO THE SIMPLY THINGS WELL AND OFTEN: |
| would suggest your session should be no less than 1 | | | | Not every footballer can do the things Cristiano |
| hour, at least 4-5 times a week. Training so early will | | | | Ronaldo, Zindine Zidane or Lionel Messi can do. But, all |
| kick-start your metabolism for the day plus | | | | footballers can learn to do the simple skills often and |
| psychologically it will give you a sense achievement | | | | well. I'm not trying to banish 'flare' and extravagant skill, |
| which should motivate you day ahead. | | | | rather dilute it. Learning to play short passes accurately |
| GOAL! Rise at 5.30am, 5 times a week and complete | | | | and directly 100% of the time is an enormous |
| a 4-5Km run followed by 5 x 20 push-ups, 5 x 20 | | | | advantage to any player. Great players, such as Paul |
| crunchies, 5 x 40 star jumps, 5 x 20 burpees, then hold | | | | Scholes and Claude Makele, are experts at doing the |
| the PLANK POSITION for as long as possible. TIP: This | | | | easy things well. This is something all players should |
| will seem difficult at first, but once you are into a | | | | adopt. |
| routine it becomes easy. Have training clothes next to | | | | GOAL! Practice short passes, correct positioning, |
| your bed and focus your mind so that you get out of | | | | striking off the ball, tackling etc often and for a long |
| bed immediately when your alarm goes off. Don't think | | | | period of time. Many players believe because they |
| about what your about to do, JUST DO IT! | | | | have mastered a technique they don't have to |
| DIET: | | | | practice it any more - when in fact mastery and |
| You are what you eat / drink. You wouldn't put the | | | | improvement comes from repeatedly practising an |
| incorrect fuel into your car, so why put it into your | | | | already learned skill. This sort of dedication and |
| body? Your performance will be affected by what | | | | commitment ensures that in the crucial moments of a |
| you eat / drink - in the short term and in the long term. | | | | game when performing a skill or technique is vital you |
| Therefore, your overall diet should be well balanced | | | | will be prepared. |
| with large potions of green vegetables and salad. | | | | LEARN FROM THE BEST: |
| Avoid junk food which you know to be detrimental to | | | | Why re-invent the wheel? If you want to become a |
| you - I don't need to list these foods, you know them | | | | top footballer, benchmark a top footballer. They may |
| already, but they just taste too good! Right? | | | | have natural skill, but to get to the level they have |
| 'Garbabge' - they taste good at time of consumption, | | | | achieved is not by chance. If you want to get to the |
| but how do you feel afterwards once your taste buds | | | | level of a certain player(s) copy what they do on a |
| have returned to state - I'm guessing it's not great! | | | | regular basis (the beauty of benchmarking is you can |
| Improving at anything requires discipline and often | | | | take the positives and eliminate any negative routines |
| sacrifice. Give up the junk food and the benefits which | | | | the player may have!). With footballers living their life in |
| follow will be far in excess of the 'quick fix' pleasure | | | | the media spotlight and all sorts of data being openly |
| these foods provide. | | | | available on the internet, it's never been easier to |
| Your water intake should be high - you should never | | | | benchmark. |
| actually feel thirsty as this is an early sign of | | | | GOAL! Chose a World Class player(s) you admire |
| dehydration. Replace consumption of fizzy drinks, tea | | | | both on and off the pitch. Collect information regarding |
| and coffee with water. Drink a minimum of 2 litres and | | | | their diet, training methods and fitness ideas. Study their |
| maximum of 5 litres (dependant on body size and | | | | movement and all-round play in a number of games. |
| intensity of exercise(s) performed) each day. Carry | | | | Record games which they have played extremely |
| water with you at all-times, don't leave dehydration any | | | | well and analyse their qualities. Possibly contact them |
| invitations into your body! | | | | directly for advice and hints - if done elegantly, with |
| GOAL! Drink 2-5 litres of water everyday, whilst | | | | your reasons for contacting them clearly stated, they |
| avoiding fizzy drinks, tea and coffee. Eat portion(s) of | | | | should be more than happy to oblige. |
| green vegetables / salad or fruit with every meal. | | | | Combine all the above with belief and you will most |
| Snack every 2-4 hours on fruit / salad / vegetables or | | | | definitely become a better footballer. |