What is coaching? PDP Editor & UEFA A licensed coach Dave Wright talks about the ups and downs of his career as a football coach. From technical and tactical lessons to the spoils of victory on the field, the real rewards come from shaping the lives of young players in whose reflection we often see ourselves.

Since 2002, I have only gone one season without coaching a football team. Throughout that time, I can remember nearly all of the players I have coached, many of the key moments at training, during matches, at tournaments and especially the times where I walked away from a session or a match wondering what I could have done differently.

Having fallen into coaching at the age of 19 (probably far too young to teach), I soon discovered it wasn’t just a hobby or something I did for a few dollars here or there whilst at University, it was an immediate passion, a muse I fell in love with. As someone who had played at a half-decent level locally in New Zealand but never really had any technical or tactical coaching as a player, I found myself learning very quickly about the game. As a player, my style was to work hard, try to be clever against often bigger opposition and I liked to think I had vision, could see a pass and put the ball away if given a chance.

My understanding of the game as a young player was extremely limited, but over the last 13 years, through multiple qualifications and working in three different countries, I have evolved as a coach, making lots of mistakes and learning along the way.

Jose Mourinho (right) and Pep Guardiola (left). Two of the most influential coaches of our time. Photo: Maxisports

Reflecting on my reasons for coaching I often wonder: Who are my mentors? Why do I do it? The truth for me is simple – it’s about the people. It might not have always been this way, however. Looking back at myself as a young coach, I wonder if I was driven by the prestige of leading a group or by being a dominant character or leader in the group. I believe there is truth in the idea that our own ego adds to our drive to lead teams. However, with experience comes a more holistic approach and ego becomes less of a factor. To lead more effectively we must learn how to manage our own egos and emotions before we can understand the egos and emotions of our players. We must learn to manage ourselves before we can manage others.

Football is the beautiful game. It’s like high-speed chess, with each side having different plans, each player having different strengths or weaknesses, and different clubs having different philosophies. But it’s not the game that motivates me. In my own case, it’s working with the group and the individual; understanding what motivates a challenging personality; working out what strategy a group needs in order to succeed and, in turn, having to manage conflict, emotions, failure and success. Essentially, I believe we need to develop as better people to be better coaches, always setting an example for our players to follow. If we lose our cool, our players will. If we demonstrate ego, our players will. I believe every footballer should have a degree of arrogance in their performance – confidence in the fact that they believe that they can beat their opponent. Confidence is key to success, but there are ways of going about this that lead to results.

During the 2007 season I managed to land a role assisting a National Women’s League side in New Zealand with one of my mentors, Tony Readings – now New Zealand National Women’s Coach. Working alongside Tony and another of his assistants, my level of game understanding changed massively over those six months. Tactics, organisation and technical detail were all elements that were added to my coaching repertoire. Most of all, I was challenged to work with players of elite quality and Tony taught me how to be calm on the sideline. His way was to do the work during the week, be methodical in our preparation, be clear in our objectives and let the players go out and play.

Arsene Wenger directs his team from the sideline. Photo: Ronnie Macdonald

In 2012 I finished the final of three seasons at a prominent local Sydney club and after back-to-back semi finals appearances in 2010 and 2011, my U16 boys finally made the grand final against our local rivals, and the top team in the competition. On a beautiful, sunny, Sydney day, we were untouchable, winning 2-0 and completing a journey as a group that had started when many of those players were boys and finished as they became young men. To me, the result of that process was less about the score-line on the day, but more about the fact that this group had raised their own personal performance to another level. It took time, organisation, hard work and perseverance to achieve what they had.

We must learn to manage ourselves before we can manage others.

I now find myself working in London in a Championship club academy – a position of privilege where players at the top of their age groups in the country come to train week in, week out, 11 months a year, fighting to become professionals in a country crying out for a new breed of player. For a boy from New Zealand who has often looked at the professional game from afar, this is a whole new ball game. Outside of the challenge of working with top young players, it’s an exceptionally good learning experience.

I believe my time in elite environments both in 2007 and from 2013 onwards were key moments in my own development. I became more confident in my own ability to coach and affect players at the top level, and began to realise I didn’t need to mask my own insecurities as a coach by faking anything. Keeping it simple has often yielded the best results. My own ego is at the back of my mind, I accept I will make mistakes and will continue to learn from them. With age, experience and a few more seasons under my belt I am optimistic based on experience that this development will only continue.

I have always looked up to coaches who have exceptional technical understanding because I feel they are superior to me. However, the managers I love to understand are often the ones who can combine their technical knowledge with an innate ability to motivate and man-manage – creating autonomy within their environments. Without doubt, of the four corners in the modern coaching model, the psychological side of the game fascinates me the most.

Jose Mourinho. Photo: In Mou We Trust

Sir Graham Henry, now legendary World Cup-winning All Blacks coach, was one who stands out in recent times. A former high school headmaster with a dry sense of humour, Henry was always an advocate of ‘better people, better players’. He showed loyalty, love and patience with his playing group – culminating in New Zealand’s greatest rugby success – but not before he’d failed terribly in 2007 and been given time by the NZRU to try again.

Jose Mourinho is one who I have admired for his energy, flamboyance and confidence. A polarising character, one who many love to hate, Mourinho always defends his players and puts the team first. His tactics may not be easy on the eye, but in football he is a genius and his record speaks for itself.

One perhaps lesser-known athlete who has always inspired me is Steve Prefontaine. ‘Pre’, as he was known, was an extraordinarily talented runner in the 1970s. Pre competed in the 1972 Olympics and at one time held seven different US distance running records between 2000m and 10,000m. At a time when Bill Bowerman was pioneering the running shoe and Nike was emerging as a brand in Oregon, Pre was the definition of determination and his story is both inspirational and tragic, his life being cut short in a car accident in 1975 at the age of 24.

Steve ‘Pre’ Prefontaine (left) runs the 5000m for the USA. Stuttgart, July, 1970.
Photo: The Happy Rower

All of these characters make sport what it is. They are the people behind their codes. Whether you coach football at the highest level or for your local U7 fourth division side, the journey has to be about the players, the individuals and the characters that make team sports great. Put simply, coaching has to be for the player and the team, not the session or the result.

…remember, you are in the privileged position of affecting young people’s lives, creating memories in their evolution.

The stories that come from football and your own coaching evolution, the journeys and the individual challenges are what makes coaching rewarding.

Whether it’s the moment you see an U9 Academy player have the confidence to shoot on his weak foot, miss, but try again, or the time when your U16 grass-roots full-back celebrates the best win he’s had in his lifetime because he is part of a functioning formation, the satisfaction in seeing the individual achieve is surely why we all coach. Next time you find yourself frustrated during a session or a match, remember, you are in the privileged position of affecting young people’s lives, creating memories in their evolution. You may have been there as a player, but they are still on their way, and they won’t forget you, just like you haven’t forgotten the coaches you once worshipped, loved or loathed.

Cover Image: 

Jose Mourinho celebrates with his players. Photo: In Mou We Trust