Dan Abrahams - Soccer Brain: The 4C Coaching Model for Developing World Class Player Mindsets and a Winning Football Team

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Published in 201 3 by Bennion Kearny Limited.

Copyright Bennion Kearny Ltd 2013

Dan Abrahams has asserted his rightunder the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identifiedas the author of this book.

ISBN: 978-1-909125-43-8

All Rights Reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permissionof the publisher.

This book is sold subject to thecondition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publishersprior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that itwhich it is published and without a similar condition includingthis condition being imposed on the subsequentpurchaser.

Bennion Kearny has endeavoured toprovide trademark information about all the companies and productsmentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However,Bennion Kearny cannot guarantee the accuracy of thisinformation.

Published by Bennion Kearny Limited, 6 Victory House, 64Trafalgar Road, Birmingham, B13 8BU

www.BennionKearny.com

Cover image Shutterstock/Krivosheev Vitaly

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To Heidi and to Zoe

Every greatdream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within youthe strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the starsto change the world

Harriet Tubman

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Id firstly, and most importantly, like tothank my wife Heidi. You are, to quote a famous poet, my north, mysouth, my east and west (and a little more besides). Thanks forbeing there, for supporting and for editing (it takes a certainskill to edit a book about soccer when its far from being yourfavourite subject area).

A big thanks to James, my publisher, withoutwhom there would be no book to thank anyone for in the first place.Your wisdom is much appreciated.

Finally, a big thanks to Wayne Burnett whogot the ball rolling, to Steve Gallen for continuing the momentum,and to all the coaches and managers Ive worked with over theyears.

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Dan Abrahams is a freelance sport psychologist whospecialises in soccer. He has spent the past decade working withsome of the leading soccer players, teams, organisations andgoverning bodies globally. He has held contracts with leading clubsin the English Premier League and some of the top managers andcoaches regularly use his techniques to drive their coachingculture and team building processes.

Dans passion is to de-mystify sportpsychology and deliver simple and practical ideas to both playersand coaches. He is a regular speaker at soccer conferences acrossEurope wowing audiences with his engaging, upbeat, positive and funpresentations and workshops.

Dan has spread his soccer psychologyphilosophies across the soccer globe by using social media and hismindset techniques are now used by players and coaches acrossEurope, the USA, the Middle East, the Far East and Australasia.

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You are the coach. You are theleader. You are responsible.

You stand in front of them,their eyes transfixed on you, their minds set for your instruction.A match of significance, of high stakes. A win and your position issafe, a loss and the exit door looms.

Your words will travel with theminto this game what you say has to have impact. You can see theyare nervous, as are you. But you cant show them that heart ratesteady, stay composed, a still rational mind is best.

Pre match simplicity: nothingnew now, just reinforcement. Start with a soft voice then raise thetone now lessen the volume as the room intensity sizzles. Calmminds are a must, no headless chickens.

Their roles andresponsibilities: emphasize. Emotional words for some, words ofaction for others. Then togetherness, that invisible rope thatbinds us. A focus on the team just about us, what we do,not what they do.

Memory replace fear withconfidence using reminders of past successes against this team. Anemphatic win and a hard fought draw. Every second counts if theyregoing to repeat those outcomes every second of grind, of freedom,of focus.

Time! No more talking so easyto say too much. Now positive action. The tunnel, then pitch, thentechnical area. A little instruction from the sidelines maybe, butthey are on their own now. Let them fly!

You, however, are not onyour own. A coach is never truly isolated. You have resources to bethe very best you can be, and Id like you to come out of yourcomfort zone and stretch yourself. Id like you to engage in theimprovement process.

Id like you spend every day,every coaching session, and every minute of training and match daybecoming the best coach you can be.

This book will help you do that.It will help you monitor your thoughts, philosophies, values,systems, actions and behaviours as you go about your daily coachingpractices. It will challenge and stretch you. It will require youto question the methodologies and coaching beliefs that you mayhold dear. It will, of course, also reinforce Im sure you havesome winning habits that you already employ on your eager students.I hope Soccer Brain will help you magnify your strengths asa coach but also tease a few extra ideas out of the pedagogicalsystem you use now.

My passion is the extension ofsoccer talent; to help footballers improve and perform. Young,veteran, working class, middle class, boy or girl, every race,colour and creed - my life is spent helping shape the performancesof those who play the beautiful game. Making them pitch perfect ismy driving creed. Do you share this obsession? Do you wake upexcited about the training session youre going to put on thatafternoon or night? Do you go to bed wondering how you could havedone the sessions that little bit better? Does your mind vibratewhen you ask yourself how you can accelerate the learning of a fewmore of your players? If you feel this way, if you have that ardentfervour, that zeal to help footballers then you are theright person to read Soccer Brain.

As much as I love helpingfootballers, my obsession extends to coaching. Working alongsidegreat soccer coaches makes me excited. It helps me understand notonly soccer but also the subtle nuances of learning andperformance. Listening to a great coach in action on the trainingground is (to me) akin to listening to great poets read theirverse. What do I hear? I hear the complex made simple, thereinforcement of correct action, the right questions asked, thesilence that says a thousand words, the emotion appropriatelyapportioned, and the use of language that inspires and aspires. Offthe pitch I see many things I see meticulous detail in planning,I see preparation for all eventualities, I see collaboration withplayers, I see a winning culture driving player adherence, and Isee excitement in the face of evolving club objectives. And both onand off the pitch I sense I sense the notion of fun, freedom andfocus, I sense personal guidance and professional leadership, Isense openness and caring, I sense a will to win but also acommitment to learn, and I sense failure as a resource forsuccess.