This week, in the SportPesa Clubhouse, ambassador Doctor Khumalo spoke out on the five pillars that clubs should be implemented as the first half of the season comes to a close.
'16V' continued with his conversation and point out that players need to know their roles and responsibilities, especially at this crucial stage of the season.
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"The self-awareness... if players aren't aware of their roles and responsibilities as professional footballers, then your team is in trouble. This is like the process of understanding, accepting and knowing your duties. It is a greater knowledge about themselves as people and footballers. How players view themselves influences the way they think, feel and behave. Why am I saying this? When players feel like they're not getting given a fair chance, they switch off because they expect nothing to happen.
"Psychologically, they've kind of given up on playing any part in the team and there are so many good players in our league who are experiencing this kind of a feeling. There are coaches who get this balancing act very well, where they don't just do a wholesale rotation in the team. When they give other players a run, to keep them switched on, they do so while maintaining the momentum so that the team doesn't suffer. You don't just throw everyone in without proper thinking behind it otherwise your team will suffer.
"If you check how some teams change their squads, they change quality for quality so that the level of competition is not compromised. They maintain their culture, style of play and identity. That mentality applies the same when it comes to going into the market – you buy what you're lacking instead of just what is available. This self-awareness helps the players recognise their responsibility and how to conduct themselves. These finer details mean so much and play a huge role in the team's success. Anyone with a better plan will emerge victorious and successful from this crucial stage of the season."
To read Doctor's previous column click here
Check out the full SportPesa Clubhouse column in this week's edition of Soccer Laduma, issue 1102.
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