Sammy Lander, an expert in coaching substitutes, discusses the day-to-day work of a substitution coach. They explore the challenges faced by substitutes, the significance of well-timed substitutions, and the impact of strategic decisions on a team's momentum in football matches.
Preparing substitutes psychologically is crucial to enhance player engagement and effectiveness beyond playing time.
Substitutions coach collaborates with the manager using data-driven and people-driven approaches for strategic tactical decisions.
Flexible and responsive in-game substitutions are key, based on player performances, momentum shifts, and specific game demands.
Maintaining or shifting momentum through substitutions is crucial to complement team's strategic objectives and prevent disruptions.
Deep dives
Importance of Player Preparation for Substitutions
Preparing substitutes psychologically is crucial to ensure they are ready to make a meaningful impact when they come on the field. By helping players understand their value beyond playing time, such as contributing in other ways like warming up wingers to prepare them for match situations, the substitutions coach can enhance the player's engagement and effectiveness.
Tactical Implementation and Communication
Using a data-driven and people-driven approach, the substitutions coach collaborates with the manager to suggest strategic tactical decisions for player substitutions. These decisions are based on trends in opponents' play, anticipated game scenarios, and player performance profiles to ensure that substitutions are strategically timed and aligned with the team's needs.
Decision-Making and Timing of Substitutions
While there is a common notion of making substitutions around the 70th minute mark, the substitutions coach emphasizes the importance of being flexible and responsive to in-game situations. Instead of rigid timing rules, decisions are made based on updated player performances, momentum shifts, and specific game demands to maximize the impact of substitutions.
Managing Momentum and Adaptability
Recognizing the significance of momentum in football, the substitutions coach focuses on maintaining or shifting momentum through substitutions. Analyzing how substitutions can impact the team's flow and rhythm, adjustments are made to prevent disruptions in momentum and ensure that player changes complement the team's strategic objectives.
Language and Clear Communication
Effective communication and the use of clear, concise terminology play a vital role in guiding players during substitutions. Simplified language and visual cues aid in conveying tactical roles and instructions to players swiftly in high-pressure situations, allowing for quick and informed decision-making on the field.
Impactful Substitutions Strategy
Strategic actionable strategies were discovered from data to improve how a team's substitutes are brought into the game. One finding highlighted the effectiveness of introducing one sub at a time to manage their impact better, especially during different game states like losing, drawing, or winning. This approach aimed to maintain momentum and rhythm while considering tactical aspects influenced by game style.
Expected Impact Metric and Data Application
A metric called expected impact was introduced to evaluate players' contributions during their presence on the field, indicating their effectiveness in specific game situations. This metric considered tactical and game state elements, such as possession levels and winning or losing game states. The expected impact metric provided a more nuanced approach to evaluating substitutes' performance, guiding decision-making processes based on individual contributions and tactical adjustments.