Will Pochettino be able to change Spurs mentality?
The Pochettino mantra is the same as regular readers have been hearing for a while now and brings back to the mind my Spurs Need To Go Mental series around April time. I spoke about it when AVB was appointed and how it had to change, still nothing has happened.
Mentally Tottenham flopped again and those who thought they saw a good performance last week had a reality check. I strongly suggest watching a game like that with the sound off and with concentration, you'll see a different game.
Sammy Ameobi's goal 7 seconds after coming on isn't the quickest substitutes goal ever, no that was Nicholas Bendtner after 6 seconds in 2007, against who? Tottenham Hotspur!
Unfortunately stupid goals are common at Tottenham, lose concentration and we concede an easy goal, it happens again and again and again, it has nothing to do with being unlucky and everything to do with having the wrong mentality. Mentality can be changed but it needs specialist help and a manager or head coach is not a specialist.
Until we give the players over to a sports psychologist, who can give them 15 minutes of exercises a day, they will keep making the same mistakes. Just 15 minutes a day that's all and we would see a different Spurs. With the millions we spend it's crazy we don't maximise what we can get out of each individual asset, that's all players are, a business asset.
Exactly, mentally you have to be ready, switched on, not, as I've said before about substitutes, trying to get yourself ready after you are on the pitch, by then it's too late. It's frustrating because it's so obvious to anyone who has a winning mentality themselves.
I repeat what I said in that Spurs Need To Go Mental series, Tottenham have to become world leaders at assessing a player mentally and then they need to work on them mentally when they are at the club. We need to be the trailblazers, the club players want to come to because we can improve an aspect of play others aren't. We can't spend what other clubs spend but this is an area we can beat them and make our club attractive to players.
Pochettino can see where previous managers haven't been able to. Mentality is not just something you can tell a player to improve, he has to change the way he thinks and without mental training that won't happen. Under pressure they will revert to default and default for most of them isn't good enough.
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Is Hugo Lloris ready when he is called into play or does he go to sleep? He is class because of his mentality, it's his mentality that makes him stand out. I'll repeat two players of the same ability will play at totally different level if one has the mentality and one has normal Tottenham mentality.
I would introduce a sports psychologist into the transfer committee and have him mentally assess any potential purchase, which can be done through studying tapes, picking up body language, habits etc. What we do now doesn't work so simply having different people do the same thing just means different people and making the same mistakes all over again and basically crossing their fingers. We are not learning from our mistakes and that is criminal.
Well it's not difficult to explain to a Spurs fan, he or she expects it, former players expect it, our opponents expect it, managers expect it. You hear old pros saying it all the time, Tottenham play nice football but are soft and you can always beat them. It's true.
It's frightening the number of players that need to leave if we are not going to improve them mentally because if we don't we will never win anything.
Before anyone asks, no I'm not a sports psychologist but I know the mental side of sport is absolutely everything at the top level. Tottenham players are not top level though, we have bought mental mediocrity so we get mediocrity on the pitch.
Mentally Tottenham flopped again and those who thought they saw a good performance last week had a reality check. I strongly suggest watching a game like that with the sound off and with concentration, you'll see a different game.
Sammy Ameobi's goal 7 seconds after coming on isn't the quickest substitutes goal ever, no that was Nicholas Bendtner after 6 seconds in 2007, against who? Tottenham Hotspur!
"After half-time, within five seconds we concede - it's true, a stupid goal."
Unfortunately stupid goals are common at Tottenham, lose concentration and we concede an easy goal, it happens again and again and again, it has nothing to do with being unlucky and everything to do with having the wrong mentality. Mentality can be changed but it needs specialist help and a manager or head coach is not a specialist.
Until we give the players over to a sports psychologist, who can give them 15 minutes of exercises a day, they will keep making the same mistakes. Just 15 minutes a day that's all and we would see a different Spurs. With the millions we spend it's crazy we don't maximise what we can get out of each individual asset, that's all players are, a business asset.
"It was a shock because it all changed in this minute. Six or seven seconds earlier, all was happy in the stadium with a good energy and our supporters were happy and believing we were going to get a good result.
"But in this moment I think it was difficult to manage in our head. Our heads [had] gone and we started to take rash decisions on the pitch and it was difficult. At 2-1, it was difficult."
Exactly, mentally you have to be ready, switched on, not, as I've said before about substitutes, trying to get yourself ready after you are on the pitch, by then it's too late. It's frustrating because it's so obvious to anyone who has a winning mentality themselves.
I repeat what I said in that Spurs Need To Go Mental series, Tottenham have to become world leaders at assessing a player mentally and then they need to work on them mentally when they are at the club. We need to be the trailblazers, the club players want to come to because we can improve an aspect of play others aren't. We can't spend what other clubs spend but this is an area we can beat them and make our club attractive to players.
"It's impossible to go to the pitch and not be ready to play. I think [there was] a lack of concentration from us and we need to work on our mentality because it's not tactical or physical, it's concentration and mentality.
"This is our challenge to improve. It's not easy and we need to be more strong and like a team. We need to speak, to create a different situation on the training ground and work. We know how but you need time to work in this area."
Pochettino can see where previous managers haven't been able to. Mentality is not just something you can tell a player to improve, he has to change the way he thinks and without mental training that won't happen. Under pressure they will revert to default and default for most of them isn't good enough.
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Is Hugo Lloris ready when he is called into play or does he go to sleep? He is class because of his mentality, it's his mentality that makes him stand out. I'll repeat two players of the same ability will play at totally different level if one has the mentality and one has normal Tottenham mentality.
I would introduce a sports psychologist into the transfer committee and have him mentally assess any potential purchase, which can be done through studying tapes, picking up body language, habits etc. What we do now doesn't work so simply having different people do the same thing just means different people and making the same mistakes all over again and basically crossing their fingers. We are not learning from our mistakes and that is criminal.
"I know we lost 2-1 but this is difficult to explain because in the first 45 minutes we played very, very well. I think this was the best 45 minutes we play in the beginning of the season.
"The lack of concentration in the second 45 minutes makes that all change. We need to improve our mentality like a team.
"I am not concerned about the table because we have a lot of time to recover the points. Now, our challenge is improve our mentality, to create a winning mentality."
Well it's not difficult to explain to a Spurs fan, he or she expects it, former players expect it, our opponents expect it, managers expect it. You hear old pros saying it all the time, Tottenham play nice football but are soft and you can always beat them. It's true.
It's frightening the number of players that need to leave if we are not going to improve them mentally because if we don't we will never win anything.
Before anyone asks, no I'm not a sports psychologist but I know the mental side of sport is absolutely everything at the top level. Tottenham players are not top level though, we have bought mental mediocrity so we get mediocrity on the pitch.
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