Originally Posted by
MikeSB
OK I will bite..)
Academies are a relatively new concept and were unknown lets say 40 years ago and yet we we were one of the best footballing sides in the world and won the world cup in 66 and we all know of the top players like Charlton, Best and Greaves who never had coaching and recently Rooney as a boy was scoring 50 odd goals at schoolboy level and that was the way players were recognised and signed and moved on or even just played for one club like Tom Finney for Preston and so you will need to define the word 'coaching' to know what that actually means. eg how to pass the ball, how to head, how to dribble, how to swerve the ball or shield the ball and I will argue that most of us know how to do that 'instinctively' and why two year old can do things etc etc etc And so people have an innate natural ability in all walks of life and sports is no different and as I said if 'coaching' really made a difference then they would all be PL standard and so what is it that makes the difference. Was Frank Lord taught to score goals with his head and yet he still holds the record at Crewe for the number of hat tricks etc.
Now, people will argue that coaching is essential and they will have a point of view because most of them will not have seen the greats of yesteryear and so many 'within' the business ie academies get a decent living even though most have never played at a high level and it was Garry Player who said that when a coach could play better golf then him, he would take notice.
I will accept one thing and that is today's players are far far fitter than yesteryear and that is because they all have better faciilites and gyms and equipment and even then a discussion about pitches and players getting the hell knocked out them were normal and so they all had to be pretty fit. I've seen the 'standard' of players in amateur and professional football over almost 70 years and its my view that players come through by having that innate natural ability but others will argue that 'coaching' is essential but as I said they need to define what that actually means. Most managers, even at our level try and win matches by having the right tactics. And when they get that wrong, they lose and vice versa generally.
Having a different opinion on this is fine, people can find evidence for their view and so can I.....;). ATB...
Can you define the term 'coaching'? ;)