If you can be bothered would be interested in some detail on the training etc, read some articles on his methods and liked what they were saying. Everything is apparently centred aound in game scenarios...
Yep that's exactly what it is. Tactical periodisation is what it's termed as. Everything is with the ball. It's what Mourinho uses too. The idea is that usually physical, technical, tactical and psychological aspects of training are all coached individually, but with this system, it is all brought together. All intensity and fast paced. Good quote from a guy in the book: 'In order to learn how to play the piano, a pianist doesn't run around it, he simply plays the piano.' Actually there's some nice bullet points there too that sum it up:
- The tactical component commands the entire training process. The other components (physical, tactical, and psychological) should arise in the match model adopted by the coach.
- The work is carried out at high levels of intensity.
- The volume (time of execution) never impairs the intensity (speed of execution) of the exercises.
- The exercises are created to mirror match situations.
- The exercises must be motivating and enjoyable, always maintaining a competitive spirit so as to promote the concentration levels of the players.
- Being fit means being able to comply with the demands of the game plan adopted, not simply being well physically.
- The weekly tactical plan is drawn up in relation to the next opponent.
Some quite obvious stuff there but it's a good insight. It then also says that it should be noted that this training methodology demands a great deal of imagination from the coach, especially as he has to constantly create exercises, both in terms of quantity (so as to not tire the players) and in terms of of quality (so that practice is carried out as much as possible in relation to the upcoming opponent).
Other than training, I'll just do a quick flick through the book and pick out any points that may be of interest to anyone...
For him, man marking doesn't exist. He says that if the team presses the way he wants it to and limits the action areas of the opposition then they are already half way to a good result.
Even at Academica, he got a team that was bottom of the league and looking certain to be relegated, to playing a good possession football in the way that he desires. So I think that flies in the face of both the Moyes argument (he can only work with what he is given) and also the Chelsea argument, that he persisted with tactics that didn't suit the players. If Academica could pull it off successfully, surely Chelsea's players could have given it more of a bash?
This is a quote that was told to AVB by a well respected sports professor that also influenced Mourinho, so forms a big basis of AVB's thinking as a manager: 'Football more than anything, more than a physical activity, is a human activity. That is, the human factor is always the most important, and therefore a coach, any coach during his moments of reflection must ask himself the following question: What type of person do I want to be created from the players I lead? Because in football, a player must develop himself in a team, without being reduced to the team.' This is basically saying that he places importance on the human factor, and that he wants players to develop freedom within the team. AVB said 'I am not a dictator as I encourage freedom of choice among my players. They can only achieve their true potential if they are not shackled. Creativity in my players is important. I love the unpredictable part of the game, I strongly believe that player must express themselves and make choices during the game.' This should alleviate any worries some of Harry's boys might have that they will have too many boring tactical speeches to follow. They will still be given freedom to express themselves. But within a set structure.
He believes football is chaotic and encourages the team to embrace that. He doesn't like to have a rigid tactical plan for the match because so many unexpected things can happen - a goalkeeper mistake or a goal in the first minute - that mean he likes to have a number of plans to choose from to go with.
AVB would frequently ask the players questions. He wanted to know whether they felt comfortable with the tactical system he intended to use. Very close to what Mourinho calls 'guide discovery'.
Players at Academica appreciated his methods, particularly the way he would bring to their attention any mistake they had made, never reprimanding them in public nor looking for culprits when faced with a defeat. Again - totally at odds with how it seemed to go down at Chelsea.
He lost two key players when he joined Porto, and only signed Moutinho. So again an example of how he got players using his system and style of play, and didn't need to make radical changes to do so.
People keen to see more rotation may be disappointed. He refused to rotate at Porto, even in the semi finals of the Europa league when he had a massive lead from the first leg, he refused to let any players rest because he always wanted the focus and concentration, and didn't want to show any way that could be construed as them already being through. And you have to say it worked, they had a lot demanded of them, but these players went unbeaten and won everything in sight.
Scolari told Roman the day after he was sacked that 'Until you take power away from the Francophones, you will never have a united group, with everyone fighting for the same objective'. This book says that Terry and Lampard aren't the problems in the dressing room as much as Drogba, and the group he leads. So that being Kalou, Mikel etc.
It seemed like the Chelsea players were willing to give AVB a chance at first, and then it all started to go tits up. But just like they were willing to give Scolari a chance at first, and went on a good winning run initially, something started to happen. It doesn't go far enough into the recent past to say what went wrong, because it stops just when AVB joined Chelsea. But it has guys like Lampard, Terry and Cole all giving quotes on how much they are looking forward to working with him. Cole says 'there are no egos' at Chelsea.
Something strange went on at Chelsea. From how he seemed to be a good man manager, fostering a good team spirit and not necessarily needing a raft of signings to implement his tactics before hand, it all seemed to change when he went there. But there are so many examples in the book, the Academica president saying he fostered a positive environment, the Porto players loving him, and how he seemed to be great at motivating the players, he just seemed to lose it all at Chelsea. But I think we will suit him a lot more.
