The Athletic’s Post

Yesterday the dream was kept alive by none other than that meddling kid Jude. Many would say that advancing to the next stage is not deserved and they would have every right to say so. It is evident that Gareth is inspired by the great Pep Guardiola and has tried to implement his style. The result however is that England looks like a budget Manchester City (although the value of the England team is ~1.2billion). England started in their typical fashion of sideways passes, "controlling" the game but not offering any attacking threat. It can be seen from the sequence maps that England has averaged ~11 sideways passes before losing the ball with a long ball to Trippier or Saka. The most surprising thing for me is that even after conceding, their plan did not change. Yes, they were controlling the ball slightly higher up the pitch but that was largely because Slovakia accepted the play closer to their goal for that period. After Trippier's substitution in the 66', the sequences show a different story. A member of the Fantastic 4 was out of the pitch which meant that the passing rainbow England liked to do was no more. England started playing like a team that wants to score - more direct and taking risks. Why was that? Trippier being subbed off? Cole Palmer on the right? Saka left-back? Phil Foden in a central role? Did the players collectively start playing how they knew they could and disregarded tactical instructions? One can only assume what went on. And the inevitable happened. People say they are lucky, and that is partially true but the odds of a late goal were far from slim. Remember, England does have the best squad in the Euros, and they do have big game players. It was bound to come from somewhere. For me, this England campaign represents the most interesting experiment ever conducted in football. What will prevail? - The players? - The tactics? What are your thoughts on this? How long did it take me to collect the data? I collected the data while watching the game. How long did it take me to create the report? Two minutes. If you want to receive more content like this and information on the release of the tool I use to achieve this report you can sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dU9KGTZM You can also follow the official GARVIZ page here: https://lnkd.in/dWF_yrJU

⭐️Ruben Amorim takes on the nightmarish job of stepping into Sir Alex Ferguson's shoes at Manchester United later this month. But why is the Portuguese coach so highly-rated? 👉United believe that they will have one of the world's top managers. Having gone more than a decade without adding to its record tally of 20 English league titles, United can take heart from the fact that the 39-year-old Portuguese manager might get them the top spot. 👉United has failed to make a profit, posting combined net losses of roughly £372mn from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Amorim walked into Sporting as he broke Sporting's 19-year wait for the title in his first full season, so he might get the right result in the coming season and I am sure this will make the management more confident about the clubs’ financials. 👉Guardiola and the players rightly receive much of the credit for City's success, it's widely acknowledged that City's success has much to do with a consistent playing philosophy, player recruitment and development but on the contrary Manchester United has struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson's Exit from the club. 👉 Football has changed since Ferguson's heyday. The increasing prevalence of football/sporting directors points to how the division of labour is far more important than when the Scot prowled United's training ground. 👉For United, this requires a cultural shift because so much of the club's success came under Sir Matt Busby and Ferguson, two dominant personalities who had extensive powers beyond coaching. 👉I am sure whatever decisions Sir Alex Ferguson used to make no one had the power or influence to change or make any counter statements with those choices or decisions. But in the recent times the top management is making the calls and I believe that is where they are going wrong. 👉 The trouble for the new leadership is that the men's first team hasn't delivered the victories and it will take time for Berrada, Ashworth, Wilcox and Amorim to gel. Unfortunately, there's never much time at clubs like United, they want the fans want quick results which is not in anyone’s control apart from the players and coaching staff. 👉That's why Amorim and United can't just wait for the success to come to them, they have to bring revolution and rebuilt the entire squad into a sustainable, successful side. 👉Amorim has not just been able to spark individual improvement in his squad, but as routinely sell their star players, he has also been skilled in sharp evolutions.He has illustrated the ability to maximise the tools at his disposal, developing new talents every season. 👉United got the right man at the right time as Amorim fits the reality of where United are as of now. He needs to do what is already in his locker: change their fortunes under financial restrictions, unlock a massively underperforming squad, implement a progressive style making them a dominant team and create an aura around the club again.

8 Games to go in the League 2 season for Barrow AFC - and there's a strong chance of a place in the play-offs. It will be a nail biting end to the season. What struck me most is the impact of leadership in the Barrow Bluebirds journey - on and off the pitch. Lessons for business owners? #entrepreneurs #businessowners #businessmentor

Poch to USMNT In sports, just like in life, timing is everything. Just because a player is talented, there is no guarantee that he will land on his feet. At times, a right loan move can be crucial. At times, joining a big club at the right time is extremely important because careers are derailed if the player isn’t ready. But it also applies to managers, especially if you are Mauricio Pochettino. The former Spurs and Chelsea manager is close to joining the US National team. Poch is still regarded as a top coach and this could be a challenge he needs but for someone who showed so much promise at the beginning of his career, nobody could have predicted this. Because what he did at Spurs was remarkable. He took a team known as 'Eternal Bottlers' and made them super-competitive. Tottenham fought for the title between 2015-17 and qualified for a UCL spot for two more seasons, including a final in 2019, with a relatively modest budget. It wasn't just his coaching though. He has an excellent eye for talent. He hand-picked the likes of Luke Shaw, Harry Kane and Dele Alli and made them tick. He was so good that he was tipped to replace Jose Mourinho as the manager of Manchester United. And then, the famous night in Paris destroyed the future of 3 clubs. During 2018-19, under the interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Man United produced one of the club’s best performances post-Ferguson era against PSG. As a result, the club awarded Solskjaer a permanent contract right after the game! I love Ole to death but awarding an interim manager a full-time contract before the end of the season wasn’t exactly a smart move. Just after the game, the tables turned and Man United hit the slump. The remaining two months were disastrous. But it affected Poch’s career more than it affected United’s future. He was the bright new thing, ready to fight managerial gods at the most seductive club in England. He stayed at Spurs with not much hope for the future. In the end, he was sacked a few games into the season and spent a season on the sidelines. His next move could have been crucial but the only club in the market for a manager was PSG, not exactly a manager’s club. The club where brat players dictate how things are. For all his positives, Poch is a coach at heart. He was guaranteed the league title in France but on the training pitch, he would not have much impact with Messi and Mbappe. As a result, he lost his job in 2023 and made another baffling move - this time to Chelsea, which isn't ideal for managers who need time to instil their ideas. He was sacked again at the end of 2024. Now, for the USA national team, he wouldn’t be working every day, in fact, a few days in a month. A multi-millionaire with a decent reputation. But it could have been more. Poch could have been among the pantheon of greats, among Pep and Klopp. The only reason it did not happen, in my opinion, was bad timing.

Attention seeking? No, Attention holding? No..... Demanding respect - YES. Joe Root became England's highest Test Match centurion at the weekend after passing 100 runs in both innings. This takes him past Sir Alistair Cook and onto 34 centuries. Next in his sights are Dravid (36), Sangakkara (38) and Ponting (41) then its Kallis (45) and the great Tendulkar (51). Joe is on track and is quietly going about his business. He's trying to win games for his team rather than break records but his daily execution and diligent process is delivering record breaking outcomes. (Good tip for shouty sales leaders ;) In a world of Bazzball fever, he's playing to his strengths, building an innings and making it count. He has a low ego and is becoming wiser every day as his remarkable conversion rate since turning 30 shows. Sport is fixated on cash laden trophies, fractious rivalries and iconic stars. They grab our attention and spark heated debate. But behind these smouldering scenes, other players quietly go about their work. They deliver for their team, both on and off the pitch and ask for nothing in return. Maybe we shouldn't be so fixated on craving awards, records, salary and headlines. But instead fall back in love with mastering our craft, of continual improvement and being a reliable team player in every context. The rewards will take care of themselves. Clickbait performers maybe tempting but lets celebrate the subtle, silent achievers more. #root #mindset #highperformingteams #cricket #mastery #leadership

It was June, 2020. Spurs hadn't won in 7 matches and were finding it really tough to get a top 4 finish to qualify for the Champions League. They were drawing 0-0 at half-time against West Ham, and another disappointing result was on the cards. But then the coach, Jose Mourinho, gave an inspirational half-time speech that completely changed the game. This video shows the Special One firing up his players with some blunt but motivating words.  Jose's feedback is raw and contains curse language - Brace yourself for the F-Bombs! Within minutes, Tottenham were playing with a newfound desire and hunger - and they went on to win the crucial match. Coaches are capable of changing the current momentum and pace by substituting players, calling time-outs (Hughes, 2017) or giving a half-time speech (Zach et al., 2022) to gain an advantage. Whether you're managing a sports team or leading a business, the ability to rally your team when the chips are down is invaluable. A well-timed, heartfelt pep talk can work wonders in rekindling motivation and fostering a winning mindset. Mourinho's plain speaking resonated with his squad and reminded them of what they were capable of. Sometimes, tactics or long speeches aren't what our team needs. What they need is the leader getting to the core of what's holding the team back and giving them that extra belief to succeed. Speak from the heart, believe in your people, and watch as they rise to the occasion. — Video credit: PetersZ

Jack Grealish Set to Start in Lee Carsley’s First Game as England’s Interim Manager In a significant development for the England football team, Jack Grealish is set to start in what will be Lee Carsley’s first game as the interim manager. The match marks… #EnglandInterimManager #JackGrealishsettoStart #LeeCarsley >>> Read more

Cole Palmer: Chelsea’s Star and His "Flow State" Mastery on the Pitch Since his arrival at Chelsea, Cole Palmer has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League. A product of Manchester City’s famed academy, Palmer’s technical prowess, creativity, and composure have set him apart, but what truly elevates his game is his ability to enter a "flow state"—a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, describing a mental state of complete immersion and effortless performance. What is the Flow State? In football, being in a flow state means a player is fully immersed in the game, instinctively executing complex actions without conscious effort. They operate at the highest levels of concentration, seemingly making time slow down as they read the game and act with precision. For Palmer, this heightened state of play is where his skills truly shine. Why It Matters for Chelsea For Chelsea, having a player like Palmer who can tap into this flow state means they have a midfielder capable of dictating the game’s tempo, unlocking defenses, and thriving under pressure. Cole Palmer isn’t just a promising talent; he’s a player capable of consistently reaching his peak performance by tapping into the flow state, and Chelsea will be the beneficiary of this incredible skill set for years to come. #ChelseaFC #ColePalmer #Football #FlowState #PremierLeague #Talent

Jürgen Klopp’s masterclass in how to win—and lose The fundamental lesson to share with your team. Failure is a part of the process to succeed. Embrace the culture of mistake and accept it. Try to be open towards mistakes and you will find yourself liberate from the choking pressure of being perfect and probably stuck. But Mr Klopp also knows that failure is not shameful but inevitable, and can even be glorious. As Samuel Beckett once put it: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” The fist pump and the hug—the one-two embodies the methods of a coach who leaves an outsize impression on English culture. More than that, it captures a deep purpose of sport. Yes, it can teach you how to win: the tenacity required, and the teamwork, and the luck. But, given that most people are not world champions, on or off the pitch, the corollary of that lesson may be more useful. As much as winning, sport teaches you how to lose, and carry on. ⚽❤️🏆