Downtime Support

[errea]

After watching Canada-Portugal and noticing like a lot of you some very basic errors, hesitation and misunderstandings, and early lack of confidence by most players(all correctable, given time and more matches at this level) I began to wonder how the team and players receive any type of support for their efforts, not just the 15 minutes spent in the dressing room after the game but much later and by whom? Are they supported by knowledgable people by discussing what had just happened, what each player had done positively and how in the next game a player should adjust, etc etc. or are all the players just basicly given lip service like merceneries, " good game, nice try, see you........" and rush to grab a plane for their respective teams? This type of support must be there right sfter the game and not a few months down the line at a camp before the next game. I believe solid discussion with all present should be done within 24 hrs of the game so the players go to their respective teams knowing that the good and the not so good has been talked about and would be worked on individually, or a least a player would mentally be better prepared for next game. Losses like against Portugal can be turned to positive experience by such discussions. Our players, all over Europe, away from families, need this kind of support.

[Guest Dave]

agree completely, some very good thoughts. Unfortunately I, like most of us here, have no idea what goes on in that respect. In fact this sort of thing must remain a private matter, and behind closed doors, for obvious reasons. Despite the disagreement many of us have with Yallop re choice of players, tactics etc, I think it is reasonable to assume that he knows what needs to be said and to whom, based on his success at San Jose.