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« on: February 22, 2015, 09:11:14 PM »
Sometimes when history is ignored a "dogma loop" results. Essentially this dogma loop comes about when the employment strategies are repeated over and over again without taking into consideration the lessons that experience has taught.
Our football is more than 100 years old. I ask the question: What are the fundamental beliefs that underpin the application of our footballing capabilities?
Do we have a network of knowledge reinforced by experience which lays the pattern for utilization of tactics and players?
Do we have a basic doctrine which serves as the building block for strategy and a reference guide for National Coaches?
I can sense that there is no such doctrine because our National Coaches are always operating from their own personal doctrine.
It is in the best interest of Trinidad and Tobago football future that such doctrine be formulated.
The current situation is what it is...we are in "the loop"...we cannot expect the TTFA to get us out of it now... how do we proceed?
The National Coaches have to be very methodical in their planning process.
Basically only two problems were identified by the Men's Senior team head Coach:
1. Financial Constraints
2. The inadequate preparedness of players to play at the international level
The desired end goal of all football is victory on the football field. In order for coaches to achieve this desired end the coaches must be able to do well:
1. Plan
2. Execute
3. Assess
4. Adapt to influence
5. Change systems or capabilities in order to achieve the desired end
There are three ways to achieve football's desired end:
1. Annihilation - overwhelming the opposition
2. Attrition - Wearing down the opposition
3. An Effects based approach to the way your and your team operate
To get out of this loop I can see us adopting an Effects based approach i.e being able to apply the above two approaches but giving way to adaptability based on the nature of the challenges which we are faced.
This practical approach takes into consideration the full array of outcomes and anticipates a wide range of options as well as unintended consequences.
The two positive points made by the National Senior team Coach which prompted me to write this paper were:
1. Player Adaptation
2. Continual Assessment
The Effects based approach are driven by desired ends, expressed in terms of desired effects, not by availability of resources or capabilities of the players.
We must realize that human element is the thing that makes the difference...when human wills clash creativity and adaptability can emerge from chaos.
Where humans are concerned, unlike machines, the sum of the parts doesn't equal the whole. Small inputs can lead to large outputs. Conversely poor choices can lead to huge inputs to yield on game day
insignificant outputs.
The Coach doesn't have the luxury of many International friendlies, so it's up to the coach's planning ability. All possible outcomes, seen and unforseen must be considered. An attempt to create the challenges and the environment has to be done to expose the players.
The Coach must becareful not to get lost in Execution that is not effects- based, which has little or no strategy, little or no anticipation of adaptation to opponents actions.
Assessment must be continuous. Player performance must be measured relative to actions and effectiveness of those actions in terms of creating the desired effects.
Assessment feeds future planning.
The last thing I'll say on this topic is on Strategy:
The paradoxical nature of effective strategy sometimes require that inefficient means be employed.
"Creation begins with destruction"....Pablo Picasso