10 TIPS MOURINHO

1: The only star is the team...

 

My greatest worry is the team. The collective effort. I have no idea where the physical aspect ends and the tactical/psychological aspect begins, but football encaptures both. I can't
separate the two, but what I can say is that football is not all about the physical aspect, it's about much more than that. In the grand scheme of things, the physical aspect is probably the least important element. Without organization and a talent in exploring the different tactical models of the game, your weaknesses quickly become apparent, regardless of how fit you are. - Jose Mourinho


Football is a team game. The emphasis should be on developing a group of individuals who can perform together to achieve success. However, many argue that we should be developing the individual to achieve, not the team. I understand that we must develop individual creativity, balance, technique and skill however ultimately, football is played with 10 other players (at 11v11) and therefore we must create a club environment that promotes working together, not working alone.


2: Tactics are worked on from day one...


The most important thing in football is to have a style of play, a set of principles that offer organisation to the team. For that reason, my focus is on tactics from day one. - Jose Mourinho


How can the use of tactics be a benefit of a grassroots club? Well, if your talking about actual tactics, then they will have (and should have) very little use. If a coach starts to work on tactics with any players below 16, then the technical development may suffer. However what a grassroots club could use instead of tactics from day one is implementing a style of play or a philosophy that each age group works towards. Too many times I see grassroots clubs having no real identity or way of playing. If everyone was working towards developing skilful, technical players, then the club and players would develop much quicker.


3: The Rui Faria Method...


Have you ever seen a pianist run around his piano before sitting down to unleash a masterpiece? In our methodology we don't send them on laps around the pitch either'. For Mourinho and his right- hand man/physical trainer Rui Faria, the gym is only for recovering from injuries. - Jose Mourinho

 

I have highlighted this many times on Twitter . How many times do you see warm-ups conducted of player running laps around the pitch? Sprinting from one cone and back, second cone and back. These methods are outdated, unjustified and harmful! A grassroots club should develop a philosophy that players become fit using the ball. If we are to develop future technical players, clubs must move away from old school methods. Educating the coaches to understand the modern day game - the modern player.

 

4: The ball is obligatory - Training sessions are no more than 90 minutes...

 

'My training sessions aren't long, they're dynamic and incredibly time-efficient. I like my team to learn to love the ball, and to know what to do with it once they win it back. Three hour training sessions will only serve to bore the players. They would quickly fall out of love with the ball'. - Jose Mourinho

 

Most grassroots clubs only have an hour to train once per week, therefore training for more than 90 minutes isn't an issue. However what is an issue is what occurs during that one hour period. Too many times club allow coaches to work on whatever they want - which sometimes means a game. Small sided games are fine, however there has to be an outcome and a reason as to why that session was conducted. Was it to develop running with the ball, attacking, defending etc?

 

 

5: A team with no peaks in form...

 

Weekly training sessions are solely focused on the next game. There's no plan to come good in December or May, no looking ahead. No plan to play better against the top teams. -Jose Mourinho

 

Grassroots clubs should never train in order to beat the opponent at the weekend. Therefore commandment number 5 may not link to a club lower down the leagues. However what a club could use here is developing players to perform and enjoy the game week in, week out.

 

6: Motivation comes from training, not from playing the big matches...

 

During his time in Portugal with Porto, there came a moment when the team were winning

everything domestically, with the danger of the players only being motivated for the European ties. Here's how he overcame that potential obstacle. 'With a 4-3-3 formation, space is perfectly occupied naturally, it isn't necessary for the players to be intelligent. They don't have to think too much. With a 4-4-2 they are required to think because the field is occupied irrationally, no-one is naturally open. With a constant need for tactical discipline

comes motivation, regardless of the importance of the match.' Real Madrid fans know what to expect there then. - Jose Mourinho

 

Commandment number 6 is crucial to the development of a player. Coaches should conduct sessions in an environment that not only challenges the player to become technically better, but also to motivate them to improve and to enjoy the session. Even at the highest level, player can become demotivated. Grassroots clubs should ensure that there philosophy is to develop player and to allow them to enjoy the game - Not to win trophies or medals. That will come.

 

7: Study your opposition, but never play according to your rival...

We analyze our rivals and we try to imagine how they will play against us. Using these thoughts we position certain players in certain positions according to the oppositions strengths and weaknesses. But these are only positional details. They don't interfere with our principles, or even with our system. - Jose Mourinho


Similar to commandment number 5, this may not have a direct influence on a grassroots club. However what could be used here is the use of player analysis. How many clubs record games and allow players to watch themselves and analyse what was good, what they might have done in this situation etc. With the use of camera phones, it's now easier than ever to record games for player development. This would obviously have to be approved with the other team for CRB purposes.


8: The creative players are first to defend...


For me defending well is defending during the least amount of time possible. It's to have the ball among your most creative players for as long as possible. Having the initiative for as long as possible. This takes away the need for defensive actions.

 

But when the need to defend arises, everyone has a role to play. There are those

that say the creative players should be liberated of defensive duties. They know nothing about football. All players need to know what to do with the ball and what to do without the ball'. - Jose Mourinho

 

Commandment number 8 is closely linked to the very first - The only star is the team. Sometimes coaches will allow the more gifted players to work less hard - giving them special treatment. This can have negative effects on the players as some will be getting treated better or different to others. Clubs must realise that every player should be treated in the same way, with the same respect.

9: We begin to recover during the games...

After each game I like to give the players a days rest. It may not be the most appropriate thing to do physically speaking, but it allows them to recover mentally. Unfortunately, with so many games during a season this is rarely possible.

If the team plays how I

want them to, the players will start to recover mentally by having total control of the ball. Instead of finishing the match mentally exhausted, they would come off the pitch in a great

frame of mind, raring to go once more.

Therefore as incredible as it sounds, they need to start recovering during the game itself. - Jose Mourinho

 

Grassroots clubs must develop a philosophy and structure that safeguards children from exhaustion or injury through over-playing. The 9th commandment is how Mourinho allows his players to recover during matches. What's important for clubs lower down is to ensure training sessions are appropriately planned, ensuring safety at all times. It's also important there's enough time for recovery between training and match days.

 

10: One method fits all. From the first team to the youth team...

 

'The basic methodological concepts must be instilled in both the elite and the base. At Porto I regularly met with the youth and reserve team directors to explain exactly how all the different teams should play. That way no player gets lost when making the step up. Everything is already trained into his mind'. - Jose Mourinho

 

Personally, I believe this commandment is the most important for any grassroots club. As I mentioned earlier, many clubs have little direction and each team or coach is left to do what he or she wants. This lack of direction stops players from developing and improving. Therefore it's vital that clubs from the very youngest team to the oldest have a style and philosophy that everyone believes in. This ensures that when a team moves up an age group, they still play and train in the same way. Everyone should understand and believe in the philosophy so players can continue to develop at every age group.

Thanks for reading, I hope this has been useful. Thanks for reading