How much does mentality affect footballers?

[Relevated]

As we realise what kind of position we are in, does it really have such a huge effect on players? If so, how much of an effect?

And I want to mention Gareth bale. I have some friends who are balding and they are very very unhappy with themselves and they say its like a mental block to them. Could such a feeling translate onto the pitch for someone like Gareth bale? Is he just very very sad?

How much do you think mentality and emotion affects a players performance on the pitch?

 

[KirkDuyt]

The mental aspect is fecking huge. It doesnt have the same impact on all players, but take for instance Depay. A confident Depay can do great things, but at the first sign of adversity he turns to shite completely.

Or look at United after Mou left. It was still the same team, but frees from his reign they suddenly went on to win 15(?) Games in a row. Believe me, that's not down to some sort of miracle tactics by Ole.

The most clear example though is Messi and Ronaldo. The only reason Ronaldo is in that debate is because of his almost insane drive to be the best. Talent wise it's no contest whatsoever, but purely on motivation he's his rival.

Bottom line, even with the best mentality you wont be a top player of you have no talent, but to be truly world class talent alone isnt enough.

 

[Eboue]

This wouldnt be happening if more opposing players gave him a hug.

 

[Jacob]

It's like FM, if a player has below 13 ish in professionalism, he's bound to have unfulfilled potential. Same goes with temper, you need a bit of hunger to thrive. Think young Rooney when he lost the ball, he went mental and hacked them down.

 

[Raees]

Huge. Its the most fundamental difference between someone being an amateur, to being semi-pro, to a pro, to an all-time great.

Ability wise, there wouldn't be a huge deal of difference from some semi-pro's to a pro, but the mental side - there would be a world of difference, both in terms of footballing IQ, ability to make all kinds of football decisions under pressure, dealing with the physical aspect of the game i.e. courage to receive it under pressure, go for tackles etc.

Players feel different types of pressure at different levels of the game.. its why some guys might look really skilful in say the warm up, but are struggling to even produce the most basic of moves in your local 5 aside once the game gets going and opposition are in his face, whereas you might have a pro defender who is average as feck on the ball even in training but fearless in 11 aside, in front of a crowd in terms of going for a header, winning the ball in a challenge. Then at pro level you get guys who find domestic football easy, might start feeling pressure at CL level and making mistakes at that level or someone like Messi.. he feels the pressure at World Cup level and starts playing like an average Joe rather than a GOAT contender.

 

[Schneckerl]

I expected this post to be about De Gea and not Bale's balding.

 

[Skills]

Huge. Its the difference between someone being an amateur, to being semi-pro, to a pro, to an all-time great.

Ability wise, there wouldn't be a huge deal of difference from some semi-pro's to a pro, but the mental side - there would be a world of difference, both in terms of footballing IQ, ability to make all kinds of football decisions under pressure, dealing with the physical aspect of the game i.e. courage to receive it under pressure, go for tackles etc.

There is, I would say. If you're good enough to get paid to play full time at a good level you're pretty special and these guys would generally look like men against children if you dropped them in a semi pro game.

I would say the gap gets smaller and smaller though at the top level, and that's where players really need to mentally zoned in because the gap in ability is relatively small.

 

[Raees]

There is, I would say. If you're good enough to get paid to play full time at a good level you're pretty special and these guys would generally look like men against children if you dropped them in a semi pro game.

I would say the gap gets smaller and smaller though at the top level, and that's where players really need to mentally zoned in because the gap in ability is relatively small.

Like I said it comes down to 'individuals'. Some semi-pro's would be technically on par and some even above some pro's but it comes down to the position they play as well, and also you don't know if some of those semi-pro's missed out on the top level due to injury etc. Can't just make a blanket statement IMO as there will be exceptions to the rule.

For example there are semi-pro's out there who are strikers for example who would certainly be more skilful than a Phil Jones, but there is a reason why he's a pro level defender and they are stuck at semi-pro level as a striker. For me that is not solely down to their particular skillset, the mental aspect of it is huge.. and then there will be other factors which again depends on the individual in question i.e. athleticism, discipline, how they handle pressure/more competition etc etc.

 

[RobinLFC]

There is, I would say. If you're good enough to get paid to play full time at a good level you're pretty special and these guys would generally look like men against children if you dropped them in a semi pro game.

I would say the gap gets smaller and smaller though at the top level, and that's where players really need to mentally zoned in because the gap in ability is relatively small.

Actual pros vs semi-pros would indeed look like men vs boys, no doubt about that.

Lots of players are talented enough to make it to the pros though but fail to do so because they don't have what it takes mentally. I have a friend who's represented Belgium all through the youth ranks alongside Hazard, played for Club Brugge and was invited to United's academy. Played alongside Scholes, Ronaldo, Rooney every Tuesday. Just didn't have what it takes to be away from home on his own at 17 or so, got depressed, drugs, you name it. He always says Hazard was in a class of his own but my friend was definitely better than some guys that turned pro now (Benteke for example). Ability wise, there are lots of players who could become a decent enough pro if they would have what it takes in their head and make the sacrifices which are needed.

A detailed interview about his mental struggles here btw should you want to put it into Google Translate. Total nut job even now tbh

 

[Angry Virginian]

Huge. I remember playing a match in uni a few hours after learning that my then-girlfriend cheated on me. I played a lot shitter than usual as my mind was not on the game and had to be subbed off. That was in my early 20s. People get better at blocking things out of their minds as they grow older. So I think that the effect should be less for more (mentally) mature players.

 

[Robbo's Shoulder]

Mentality plays a huge part in all sport, not just football.
Talent is obvious in all professionals but it's the mental toughness that stands the best from the rest.

 

[Bastian]

Mentality plays a huge part in all sport, not just football.
Talent is obvious in all professionals but it's the mental toughness that stands the best from the rest.

This. I'd add, not just football, not just sport, but in literally everything.

 

[Gio]

Probably need to define what 'mentality' is. Confidence, professionalism, ability to handle pressure, work rate, values, ethics, decision-making, tactical understanding, anticipation and reading of the game - could all come under that heading.

Huge. Its the most fundamental difference between someone being an amateur, to being semi-pro, to a pro, to an all-time great.

I don't disagree, but I think it's hard to say that one facet is more important than the others. If we break it down into physical, technical and mental factors, then the people playing at lower levels will have a range of shortfalls across the three categories. And there will be the odd exception who is professional level in one or even two, but falls far short in another.

 

[Tapori]

As we realise what kind of position we are in, does it really have such a huge effect on players? If so, how much of an effect?

And I want to mention Gareth bale. I have some friends who are balding and they are very very unhappy with themselves and they say its like a mental block to them. Could such a feeling translate onto the pitch for someone like Gareth bale? Is he just very very sad?

How much do you think mentality and emotion affects a players performance on the pitch?

I've never seen Clare present badly. She's a fine journalist with a great mentality.

 

[Buster15]

Mentality plays a huge part in all sport, not just football.
Talent is obvious in all professionals but it's the mental toughness that stands the best from the rest.

Well said.
Professional footballers get the best of everything that current Sports Science can offer and you can coach many things.
But mental toughness is by far the most important and yet difficult to instill.
I can recommend reading the biography of Ronnie O'Sullivan.
By any standards THE most talented snooker player of his age if not ever.
But he often failed because of his character and mentality.

It was only when he started working with Dr Steve Peters that he was able to fully unlock his immense talent.

The human brain is by far the most complex thing we know of and everyone is different.

I have no idea if United use Sports Psychology. But this is a massive area for improvement.

 

[Raees]

Probably need to define what 'mentality' is. Confidence, professionalism, ability to handle pressure, work rate, values, ethics, decision-making, tactical understanding, anticipation and reading of the game - could all come under that heading.


I don't disagree, but I think it's hard to say that one facet is more important than the others. If we break it down into physical, technical and mental factors, then the people playing at lower levels will have a range of shortfalls across the three categories. And there will be the odd exception who is professional level in one or even two, but falls far short in another.

For me mentality needs to cover all of those aspects and more (ethics less so - as you don't need to have great morals to be a successful sportsman IMO).

The reason why I'd say mentality is more important that those other facets (and I agree that you can't be great mentally and completely incompetent technically and physically - you have to have some competence in all these areas to some degree) is that IMO there is a base level of mentality you need to make it pro at a certain level which separates the amateur to the pro, whereas we have seen on a technical level - a wide divergence amongst pro footballers (fact that Messi and Smalling can share the same pitch in a CL QF for instance) and physically we have seen guys like Mata to name but a few, who are fit compared to the average fan but not someone who necessarily is going to be athletically superior to every amateur footballer.

If you completely choke as soon as you're asked to play football in front of say spectators, or you're unable to bring your skills to the table when the environment you're playing in becomes more organised, pressured - then your touch will go, you'll make bad decisions etc.. you'll technically look worse despite the fact you were maybe bossing it in the warm up.

Just taking Smalling/Jones for example, we may laugh at them when placed in pressure situations at the elite level, but if they were to play lower divisions/non-league etc they would look monstrous because they wouldn't feel any pressure at that level. Technically and physically in the case of Smalling they would be amongst the best CB's but the skill/physical level wouldn't be that wide between them and the non-pro's, it is more the confidence, decision making and the other stuff you mentioned which would be above and beyond their rivals at that lower level.

 

[Gio]

@Raees All fair points. Although I think the comparisons between players in different positions are moot. The fact a silky semi-pro winger is better attacking 1v1 than Smalling or Jones is irrelevant because that silky semi-pro winger is competing with players in his position who are better technically and make sharper decisions and might be quicker too. The big pro CB is competing with their equivalents from lower levels for a spot in the professional game.

 

[Raees]

@Raees All fair points. Although I think the comparisons between players in different positions are moot. The fact a silky semi-pro winger is better attacking 1v1 than Smalling or Jones is irrelevant because that silky semi-pro winger is competing with players in his position who are better technically and make sharper decisions and might be quicker too. The big pro CB is competing with their equivalents from lower levels for a spot in the professional game.

I understand that - so just to use a different example before we exhaust this discussion... I am sure we all agree that there will exist more skilful/faster semi-pro wingers out there than say Beckham? who was very one-dimensional in terms of how he ran at players, technically he had a great first touch and a cross.. shot too but he knew his game very well - understood its strengths and limitations, mentally a very well-rounded footballer (brilliant decision maker/awareness/generally oblivious to pressure) and astute individual. Beckham's mental side elevated him to become one of England's greatest footballers.. if he was the type of guy who went into his shell a little, fluffed his lines under pressure, he wouldn't have had that much elite level talent to fall back on compared to say a Figo.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

I feel mentality is important but, I think at the level of Football we speak of here the ones who lacked mentality have already been selected out. And I think it has very little use saying an entire squad especially at this level is lacking mentality. A Spurs side that overachieves almost every season get written off as "bottlers". And just look at what happened in the CL sides lie Real and Juventus who are known for their "mentality" were knocked out by a side usually known for the opposite.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

I'd also contend that luck plays a massive part in becoming a pro, be it avoiding injuries, playing well on a particular game etc. There are probably hundreds of players who are pro level languishing at a lot lower level due to circumstance or external factors.

 

[Chipper]

A lot. See how often teams start playing very well after they've scored a goal when beforehand they were just playing ok or even a bit rubbish. The same for when they concede.

Wolves v United the other week. We're doing good, are 1-0 up, could have been 2 or maybe even 3. Cough up a goal on a mistake then it falls apart.