We’ll shortly begin the step-by-step process of building and implementing an individual development plan. While we do this, we’ll hear from coaches and individual development specialists working in professional football.
Before that though, we’re going to look at the real-life impact of individual player development with a case-study. By experiencing ‘the big picture’ and what can happen when a player buys into the active development process, some of the tasks, articles and videos throughout this course will be more relevant.
Don’t worry if some of the following information is new or unusual to you. In fact, that’s a great sign you’ll be able to take away some really important information from this course.
Jack Grealish
In August 2021, Jack Grealish was transferred from Aston Villa to Manchester City for a reported £100m.
The move came after a 6-goal & 10-assist season. In his previous campaign for Villa, Grealish provided only 5 assists, with an equal 6 goals. Grealish was nominated for the Premier League Player Of The Year award alongside Harry Kane, Bruno Fernandes, Mo Salah and Kevin de Bruyne.
Aside from the statistics often used to measure attacking players, Grealish’s underlying performances were also significantly more impressive. He evolved his game to complete more successful dribbles and through balls, he crossed less from ineffective positions but more from ‘cutback’s’, and shot less often but from closer range, resulting in an almost identical expected goals output.
Grealish had become less wasteful with the ball, and developed more efficient ways to score and create goals.
Here’s a short interview clip of him discussing some of the concepts we’ll investigate throughout this course, including target setting, bench-marking key metrics and the use of a high-profile role model.
Premier League players are obviously extremely talented individuals, but the reality is most elite-level professional footballers are a product of talent, hard work and targeted improvements over time. These improvements may be strengthening a weakness, or further developing something into a Super Strength which we’ll cover later.
Many top players, including Jack Grealish, are actively involved in their own development. They set themselves targets, monitor progress, use analysis effectively, and proactively work with coaches on a predetermined plan to achieve success.
It’s rare to hear a Premier League footballer talk openly about Expected Assists. Whether it’s through a coach or analyst feeding him information, or Grealish himself researching further, this fantastic insight shows a level of understanding and awareness only possible when a player focuses more purposefully on their game.
Please add your thoughts on Jack Grealish to the comments section below. Have you heard of any other players talking in this way about their game? Feel free to provide links for others if you have them.
Do you think your own players can benefit from specific & targeted areas of improvements?
It’s time to start our Individual Development Plan.
Head over to the Resources Module in menu on the left. You can use this menu at any time throughout the course to navigate between the modules.
Once you’ve accessed the Resources Module, download your example Individual Development Plan. You can use as a guide for yourself as you navigate through the course, and you can edit the example one if you’d like, or create one from scratch for yourself.
Save it to your computer, make any changes you’d like to the opening page, and move on to the next module when you’re ready.
It’s fine if you don’t have a specific player you’re building the plan for, and you’re just preparing this for when you’re ready. Our example plan is going to be built around a young striker, and we’re going to shape him into a player like Jamie Vardy.
Once you’ve completed the tasks, please move on to the next module.
I have heard some players ask for their stats but they don’t really discuss targets that would like ti reach.
I think my players can improve once there are targets put in place and there is some sort of accountability.
These type of conversations around a player contribution can be seen impacting contract negotiations.
I have Definitely come to know that Players at the Elite Level are Trying to Achieve Every 1% on others and its good to know how interested Grealish is in Order to Try and Achieve these 1%.
Grealish has evolved his game to complete more successful dribbles and through balls, he crossed less from ineffective positions but more from ‘cutback’s’, and shot less often but from closer range, resulting in an almost identical expected goals output. Grealish had become less wasteful with the ball and developed more efficient ways to score and create goals.
Have you heard of any other players talking in this way about their game?
No
Do you think your own players can benefit from specific & targeted areas of improvements?
Yes
No specific players come to mind discussing this typo of data to the public but I have definitely noticed working with more and more players who use this data to measure their performance and success not only from game to game but during training as well.
I think most players can benefit from using this data but there is always a balance in that regard. There are plenty of players who might not benefit as much by making them think too much about numbers instead of positions or ideas on the field. I believe it’s really important to understand the individual first to make sure you know how much of this data (which needs to be part of the development plan) is shared with the player or how often.
Have you heard of any other players talking in this way about their game?
No, but I’ve had these young people talk about these stats when they watch the elite games in eg SerieA, Prem or La Liga.
Do you think your own players can benefit from specific & targeted areas of improvements?
Definitely, it comes however with a but and that is to understand the meaning of the numbers. I don’t believe in that you can blindly read a metric and then make a conclusion from it. You have to compare you metric to what you see happening on the pitch, the metric is just a guidance.
Have you heard of any other players talking in this way about their game?
yes. I often have 2 or 3 players that want to see their pass map or defensive action numbers tight after a game.
Do you think your own players can benefit from specific & targeted areas of improvements?
Yes. Thats the entire essence of coaching really. As long as you are well within the greater team structure and principles this is just a more precise and micro stats driven version of a feedback loop
I’d argue that even in that small interview, Grealish seems very outcome based and that as data becomes more prevalent xG and xA will become the new G + A’s outcome-based indicator. I would to hear from a development aspect as to why Grealish’s numbers improved this season compared to last. What part of his game or the team’s game put Grealish in better positions to create high quality chances for others.
He seems self aware with a detailed understanding of is progress
I think this video is a great representation of what all players should be doing if they have the data to look at. I think it needs guidance as well but can be a beneficial tool to help players reflect on how they are doing and compare themselves vs other players in their positions. I know only. a handful of players I have played with do this but they are usually some of the better players.
I think players can benefit from this information if also given a solution and a plan to increase the areas of development.
I think it is good that Grealish has been open and honest with his own individual performance. It shows how he looked to develop himself by looking at the best players and how he can develop his game for him to perform at the highest level.
By using statistics, visual graphics, and video, it can allow players to evaluate and compare their performance against others within their own team or across leagues and nations. It gives them a target to improve their game against someone else and gives them something tangible to look at when monitoring their development.
I think players are becoming increasingly more aware of their own development, and the analytics that support this. Most recently De Bruyne used data in order to help him achieve a new contract, using the data to support how valuable he was to the squads performance. The modern day player I believe is more driven and aware so as coaches we need to be just as (if not more) aware of this sort of more process driven data.
Refreshing to hear Grealish speak like this though, says a lot about the personality of a player and one I would enjoy working with!
I think Grealish does well to look to other players to improve his game. In my opinion it is the essence of the game, we have all had an idol when we were little who we looked up to and tried to imitate.
Kevin de Bruyne used data to renew his contract with Manchester City and there are currently some agents who use data to choose the teams that best suit the characteristics of their players.
I believe that any player can improve from knowledge of the game. The more you know about what to do, when to do it and how to do it, taking into account all the variants that are part of football such as teammates, opponents, ball, space, grass, etc. Data can be another complement to the player’s improvement.
Great to see a player willing to learn and make the improvements required to take them to the next level.
Data & statistics are, although new within the last 10 years, becoming more and more prevalent in modern day football, as reflected in not only Jack’s interview, but also during commentary/punditry before, during, and after professional matches, player performance & contract negotiations, and overall player value in the top leagues around the world. The use of xG, xA, types of passes, shot efficiency etc. can be such a useful stat to learn, develop, and excel based on yourself as a player & your position, as demonstrated by Jack & his performance from one season to the next.
This type of reflection of data is rarely observed when you hear player’s discuss their performances, even with the importance of it.
I think the players I work with (majority youth of ages 16 & under) could benefit from knowing how serious professional footballers & clubs consider this information. Scoring goals, earning assists, keeping clean sheets etc. are important in the game and always will be, but these stats don’t paint the entire picture of the small details required to excel and make it to the top level. Understanding the when, where, how to perform certain actions on the pitch is the true skills you need to make it to that next level, and having a role model you can learn from based on these bits of data is very important for development.
Grealish’s use of football KPI’s to identify KDB as a role model to improve his game and then to identify his areas for improvement, set targets, and then monitor his growth, very clearly illustrates how beneficial analytical tools can be for improving a player. In the youth game in the United States, I’ve seen lots of young players struggle with identifying what their missing in their game, which leads to them working on the wrong aspects and ultimately becoming frustrated with their efforts not translating to success on the field. This can have a huge impact on their development and overall confidence, which creates negative impacts on their game. I think educating players in this aspect of analysis can not only lead to increased effectiveness in their training methodology and performance, but it can be a great way for more players to enjoy the game through achieving short-term goals and experiencing fulfillment through realizing their overall development as football players.
It’s interesting to hear Jack talk about his Expected Assists and Big Chances Created because you don’t hear many players talk publicly about these topics. Just like coaches and fans, players are also aware of their stats and most likely thinking to themselves on ways to improve those certain stats. With specific IPD coaches and measurements it can become easier for players to see how they can improve.
Grealish’s comments are really interesting as they are essentially KPIs for his role within his team. While forward players are generally evaluated by the amount of Goals Added, this is the specific way he sees to achieve an improvement in his performance. While output can often lead to confirmation bias, I like how he focuses on the process here, i.e. if he can up his key passes, he’ll create more chances leading to a higher xA. After all, he has little say in whether a striker applies the final touch and sticks the ball away, but he can give them the best possible chance to do so. In City’s system the onus isn’t on him to score, but it is on him to get the team up the pitch and create chances for the more central players such as Haaland, De Bruyne and Gundogan (last season). I also like how specific he is, instead of the generic “I want to add more goals and assists”, because while that is the ultimate goal, this is a targeted way in which to achieve that shows his depth of tactical understanding.
Other players that I have heard pay particular attention to statistics include Kevin De Bruyne and Frenkie De Jong. KDB hired Data Scientists to help him negotiate his contract with City, being able to demonstrate his value to the team analytically, with an emphasis on his creativity similar to Grealish above. De Jong talked about how he heard the noise about playing too slow with the ball but was able to use his numbers to validate the extra pause on the ball as it was leading to better chances for the team. Again, this may be confirmation bias but it is interesting to hear how much these players examine their own performances.
Players are often aware of basic statistical data that provides insight into their overall performance and ranking compared to other players. They show a keen interest in understanding these metrics and their implications. Technical-tactical preparation, both individual and team-oriented, is an area that tends to be overlooked, but players recognize its importance and show great interest in it. As they see the benefits and effectiveness of these techniques, they often seek more information and become more involved in their
development.
I haven’t heard too many players talk about these types of metrics in public interviews, but I know these types of discussions with players happen on a regular/semi-regular basis between player and coaches. Jack talks about Big Chances Created and Expected Assists as two of his metrics which reflects his role within Guardiola’s system. That role being to receive the ball high and wide in the attacking third and taking on the opposition fullbacks for lower crosses. Either this or cut inside for a shot on goal. The metrics that players use will be dependant on the type of player they are (eg. wingers that receive wide and cross early with higher trajectoried balls vs wingers that take on fullbacks 1v1 regularly) and the system that the coach is looking to implement.
My players can definitely benefit from specific and target areas of improvement and most players want to find ways that they can become a better player. From my perspective however, how this would be implemented in a professional setting vs academy setting may be different. Whilst it may benefit professional players to find out and how they can improve expected assists or how quickly they reorganise defensively (time measurement), younger academy players may focus on more general metrics. For example an academy player may have a “successful dribbles” target or a “successful defensive duel” target.
The players have been seeking to improve different aspects of their performance for some time. It started with them hiring individual fitness trainers, external physiotherapists they trust. Later, the idea of having an individual nutritionist was introduced, and, of course, a psychologist.
Because professional staff are pressed for time due to the daily demands of competition, many cannot individually address the technical and tactical improvement of players in such detail. So, the next step being taken is that players are showing interest in their individual improvement in the technical and tactical areas.
There are companies that thrive on this trend (an example in Spain is “GO UP PLAYERS,” which works with Marc Bartra, Gerard Deulofeu, etc., or MBP SCHOOL OF COACHES). Players are also seeking their own private game analysts (Oriol Romeu -FC Barcelona- or Marc Roca – Leeds but loaned to Betis- have acknowledged this. This is the interview where Marc explains it).
[Link to the interview](https://omny.fm/shows/la-pizarra-de-quintana/entrevista-marc-roca?in_playlist=las-entrevistas-de-la-pizarra)
Even Kevin De Bruyne and Joshua Kimmich turn to a statistical analysis and big data agency to showcase their performance when negotiating contract renewals.
[Link to the article](https://www.marca.com/futbol/premier-league/2021/04/07/606de998e2704e7f238b45a9.html)
Because of this, I understand that players’ interest in this area is real, and it should be someone from the club itself who works on it, rather than an external entity.
I’ve rarely heard of players talking so openly about their game but I am afraid that is mostly about players not being open in general. I think any player trying to play at an elite level should be conscious of the specific aspects of the game important for their position, including how to measure it and how to try to improve it.
I’ve heard players talk about modeling parts of their game after others, similar to how Jack talks about Kevin. I haven’t heard many talk about specific metrics that pertain to their position. It makes a lot of sense for an attacking winger/10 to emphasize more his creating metrics like big chances created and xA. I believe it takes a lot of awareness of what type of player you are, what the team is asking of you, and what are the most important metrics to focus on from there. Then you can take it to the training grounds and video to measure progress.
It was great to hear Grealish’s insight on the aspects of his game that he’s looked to improve by looking at metrics such as expected assists. I liked in particular how he looked at what De Bruyne does well and tried to incorporate those features into his own game in a way that makes sense. However, at the very top, this is the kind of mindset that is required to stay there or to give yourself the opportunity to achieve more.
I have not heard many other players talk openly this way about their game. I wish it was more commonplace in the youth and college environments. I think that my players can definitely benefit from specific and targeted areas of improvement because if they are presented with tangible and quantifiable goals, it provides them a pathway to realizing those goals.
I think it’s imperative for any top professional to keep setting themselves SMART targets throughout their career no matter at what level. It sharpens the mind and is a great way to keep trying to develop and improve their game rather than b content and stagnate. The fact Jack shows how open he is to critique his own game only shows how much of an elite mindset he has. This will give him every chance for him to become as successful as he would like to be.
I really appreciate Jack’s comments, because here is a top player who is still committed to his development and who is using an evidence/data-based approach to improve his game. The use of xAssists is a great metric that is trackable and you can compare your performance game to game and season to season and to other midfielders in your team and league to track improvement.
I truly believe that my players can benefit from using specific and targeted areas of improvement. The use of data, analytics give an objective approach to their development and ways that they can track and bench mark which I think if very helpful.
In my opinion, the awareness of measurement from footballers is a strong benefit of individual improvement. Like Jack Grealish said he knows his strength with data metrics and he is able to compare his stats with same position players in the league. When it comes to individual plan, the awareness from football player will help to chase same goal that coaches and analysts have established for the player, I believe.
I like how specifically Grealish names the areas he wants to improve himself in. He uses measurable stats that are easy to keep track which will help to understand what works in the game and what doesn’t in order to become better in that specific area. I think it helps players to name a goal that they want to achieve as specific as they can because it’s easy to say for example: I want to score more goals this season. A better way to say it would be: I want to be more efficient with my goal scoring opportunities inside the box in order to score more goals this season.
Grealish’s comments stand out because he specifically uses analytics terms that are directly tied to the valuation of his performance (xAssist/Created Chances) and what he sees as his most valued skill sets (Passing/Key Passes).
Memphis Depay was the first instance I can recall of a player using analytics data to manage their performance.
For reference, below is a link to a story by Adam Crafton covering the topic for The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/1742037/2020/04/15/the-data-explosion-depay-arsenal-torreira-kante-agents/
For an even greater in-depth discussion on the topic, here is an interview with Giels Brouwer (Head of SciSport at that time of the Depay transfer) and Tifo Football: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP7HH_ucwzo
My opinion on player improvement and individual development is that it can easily lead to improving one’s ability to self reflect.
With better self reflection and improved assessment of your own actions, the more likely you are to achieve a greater knowledge of self.
This allows a player to speak to:
Who they are,
What they do and
How they execute specific actions.
In my opinion, players need to learn this foundational context initially, which can then lead to understanding how to be more effective in a club’s intended style of play.
I think it is always important for a player to be reflective of their performances. I like how Jack Grealish also uses his peers to develop his game.
I believe that this is also a good clip for both grassroots and developing players as it shows that even when playing at the highest of levels in football, that players must be reflective on their own performance to maintain these levels in the ever-evolving game.
For Jack Grealish to show this amount of insight into his game is great. For someone who is already playing at the highest level, it would be easy to be happy with this, but he wants to be better and this kind of thing is the difference when at the very top. It just goes to show that even when you have so-called ‘made it’ you can still develop, improve and have challenges to achieve that are not just based around the team winning trophies.
It is a reflection of Jack Grealish’s footballing ability that he should be speaking about his game in this way. To play at the very highest level, footballers have to obsess over minute and intricate details in order to gain competitive advantages over their opponents. For me, Jack Grealish is the player he is, first and foremost because of his talent and ability, but also – on a more subtle level – because of his mentality and desire to continue his on-field learning and development.
Think it is great to hear Grealish talking about stats like these and working towards improving his game in a quantifiable way. Would be interesting to know if those figures were possession-adjusted as he would probably compare even more favourably to others at better teams given Villa would be unlikely to dominate the ball much back then. Not seen many examples of other players speaking about these sort of metrics publicly but would guess they are mentioned a lot in-house.
The video of Jack Grealish above shows how players who are already at the top level still want to continue to develop their abilities. Grealish shows the importance of having clear and measurable targets. In addition, having a role model is also very helpful to develop your skills.
I’ve read about Stefan de Vrij using video analysis to help his individual development.
https://thecorrespondent.com/469/this-anonymous-armchair-analyst-is-teaching-world-class-football-players-something-even-the-biggest-clubs-cant
It’s great to see players like Jack Grealish being very thotfull on their development process. It’s a great example for other players that a guy like him, in the absolute elite, takes different things of other players to improve his game and be better.
I think that nowadays the players are more and more professionals. They want to improve in all areas and they get the professional football with habits that they learn in the academies.
Habits like gym, nutrition, video analysis, individual training, mental work……
So I think that it is a good example for the young players that players like Grealish speak about this kind of things.
Fascinating insight from Grealish here. Target setting based on position and how that links to overall team performance is interesting. Purposeful focus from players with a drive to improve day in day out is what is needed at the highest level.
The best players are always looking for ways to improve their game. There is no doubt that Grealish is one of the best players in the world and it’s largely due to this mindset he has. With all the talent he has, he is also aware of what he needs to work on and how he can improve his game. Taking ideas from De Bruyne’s game is a great start and noticing his own individual stats is a great way to see where you can work on your game. Stats such as big chances created and xA are evident of who the most creative players are and it’s clear that Grealish wanted to improve the creative side of his game after having a down year. I believe I have heard of Aaron Ramsdale discussing his post shot xg stat once before but I am not 100%. That is all I have heard.
It’s a very insightful interview with Jack Grealish. It shows that Grealish takes ownership of his own development and has a specific plan/knows what to do to become a better player. It would even be more insightful if players talk about how they will achieve something (what movements/skills/positioning does Grealish need to perform to achieve higher xA?).
Having a hero/role model helps to take the specific strength fro your hero and add them to your game. In my opinion it is essential to have specifc and measurable targets because it helps the player and coach to be accountable and track the progress.
It is great to hear an elite player talking about in game metrics relevant to his effectiveness on the pitch. This probably stems from his coaches/analysts highlighting statistics such as xA, which encourages players self-reflection and allows the player to set clear in-game targets.
I think terms like ‘Expected goals’ have crept into the public understanding of top level soccer, but I haven’t heard of many other professional players that have talked about game level metrics in interviews (although maybe they haven’t been asked). We do know that Kevin De Bruyne negotiated his latest contract with Man City using statistics, so it probably is like an iceberg where we are not seeing much of this in the public sphere but more and more players are looking at their own data.
I think a targeted approach is essential for youth development. First is looking at roles and responsibilities in the team and group setting, and then identifying expectations, challenges and strengths and weaknesses; most of my players don’t know what they don’t know (also true for me, hence me taking this course). Helping players identify and become aware of strengths and areas for improvement I think will have a massive effect on player development.
It’s quite rare to hear a player talk about underlying statistics in a public interview. It shows that players do care about these things and are willing to engage with data when it is explained to them. It would also be a way to show a player that they are improving and doing the right things even if the top level numbers (goals and assists) aren’t improving.
This interview shows how the game has now changed and the use of data is influencing decision making for players and coaches. However, for me it relates back to a technically adaptable player, who can adjust this game technically to improve performance, the increase in xA being a result of that. What I gathered from Jack’s answer is that he understands his strengths and using data as an incentive to now use those strengths to affect games, therefore improving his attacking statistics.
I think a very important benefit of setting specific targeted areas of improvements is that it can help the individual player be more intentional with his training. Not just 1 on 1 training but even team trainings. This can help him be in the moment more instead of just letting training sessions pass him/her up. If he has very specific things he wants to improve then any time that team training offers that aspect the player can push himself to focus more and embrace that opportunity within a team training.
Jack Grealish interviews reminds us that regardless of the level (elite-amateur) players want to be impactful and contribute to the team success. This can only continue to happen with a constant growth mindset which Grealish showed even after becoming a record signing in the premier league.
Cool to hear that players and people in general appreciate other statitistics than the more “measurable” ones, such as goals and assists, which is an easy path, specially with attacking players.
It’s interesting to hear that interview for a number of reasons. In particular, why he identified De Bruyne as someone to emulate is intriguing. Perhaps he doesn’t see there being a left-sided attacking player like him, I think systematically we often see right-footed left wingers be more of a goal-threat than assisting threat (i.e. have more xG than xA) e.g. Mane, Diaz, Mitoma, Martinelli, Sterling etc. Therefore Grealish has to compare himself with a right-sided attacking midfielder, but to pick KDB when there are alternatives like Bernardo Silva (who obviously creates more similar angles being left-footed on the right, like Grealish being right-footed on the left)
There’s no doubt KDB is the best attacking midfielder in the league, arguably the world, and there are numerous skills to pick up from a player of that level. Potentially you have to look into the mental aspect of looking up to someone in the same league in your own position- one has to be so driven with self-belief to perform consistently at a high level which could be another reason not to compare himself with a like-for-like. Either way it’s great to hear a player of Grealish’s quality breaking down his game and referring to relatively new terminology when grading performance levels.
It’s particularly good to hear Jack talking about expected assists and big chances created, rather than the headline number of assists, as we know that can be a very misleading statistic. This shows that Jack has engaged with analysis to understand the numbers which truly demonstrate whether he is being effective or not.
At my club last year part of our game-model was to get wingbacks into the box to attack the backpost as cutbacks and low crosses came from the other side. Because of that the wingbacks would have targets for number of touches in the box per game, shots & the coach would also subjectively judge whether he had felt they had attacked the back post well enough when given the opportunity.
With a player I’ve worked with, we used the example of Jack Grealish’s success at Man City as an example to improve his out of possession game as he has a similar playing style with the ball. With Grealish being his idol, we showcased similarities between our player and Grealish at Aston Villa to showcase similarities before showing video and data of Grealish throughout the 22-23 season to highlight the improvement out of possession. Despite thorough planning and continued feedback sessions, our player has continued to struggle out of possession which takes us back to the drawing board of how to impact him.
If a player doesn’t show a willingness to improve, how do we as staff increase their buy-in? I have some ideas which we are working on currently, but how much do we keep trying before we accept that players have to take ownership over their own development?
Great for young players to hear the value of understanding your own impact. I thought it was a unique a powerful approach to contract negotiation, when Kevin De Bruyne essentially utilized a stat’s-based company to show it overall output and what that should essentially make him worth within the market. Having a greater sense of the value that you input is a great reference for performance, but also allows you to move away from just observational feedback, both from those around you and your own internal view of performance.
Here is another reference from a premier players sharing insights they have gained both from date and performance analysis, James Madison shares feedback that he received in regards to set-pieces as well as increasing is output/impact with the support of coaching/analysis staff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z17RCZfYQLo&ab_channel=SkySportsPremierLeague
Its very interesting to me that he so quickly identified a player to emulate and someone on the same team. That humility isnt expected but has served him well. I also wonder- as jack was/is a player who could potentially transform himself into any type of creative midfielder, why he picked DeBruyne out.
First comes from setting an environment and culture at the club where these terms are part of common language. By having a culture of analysis at the club it can change the mindset of players into having a more analytical view point of the game and can help them to make better in game decisions.
The ability to create an environment where players have ownership of their own development is a part of the end goal of player improvement in my opinion. You can hear that Grealish has bought into a designed plan that has reflected on evidence based information (xA, chances created, ability in possession, etc.) and a clear game model in his club environment. I like how he used a player as a reference in order to improve certain behaviors (De Bruyne) such as improving chances created- as this can help gather data and video references to help create pictures in both his mind and the staff’s of what is expected. The simplicity of having few/clear KPI’s shows how this can drive behavior in a more focused manner without too many clouded expectations.
firstly, its always great when a player has set him self individual goals to achieve. we then can see that he admires De Bruyne, so he tries and takes small points out of De Bruynes game and add it to his game to able himself to become better and achieve those goals. his looked at himself and pointed out his strengths and weakness and who’s inspires him to be better
Yes I think that every single player can benefit from specific and targeted areas of improvements because a lot of time we design a trining session for the whole team. Furthermore, setting goals stimulates individual players to improve themselves and be more motivated. I think that the goals have to be gradual, progressive and achievable to encourage the individual player to improve himself. I also think that showing the player current data and videos and designing future goals with him, make him feel an integral part of the project
The video shows how the players can lead their own individual development. The first thing a player can realize is that within the team training environment there is not enough time to achieve individual goals, only teams. Individual Training will help.
The second interesting point here is that the players must set a plan with short, medium, and long-term goals and targets, that facilitate increasing their playing performance. The plan must incorporate a constant evaluation to observe the progress and to continue setting the strategies to move up. This can be achieved by measuring themselves with high-profile players or setting their own benchmark.
Lastly, players need to be part of their development by observing and evaluating themselves and monitoring by self-evaluation, and creating new challenges.
But the key is that in order to progress hard work and dedication play a key role, talent is not enough.
When players like Grealish who are already competing at the top level have used metrics, stats and perfomance data to improve their numbers and furthermore, their game, one can only imagine what young players could do if they adapt similar methods in their training and development. I have also read that top players are working with individual performance analysts to elevate their game. I strongly believe that any player who is seriously willing to consider bettering their skills and performance on the pitch can be benefited by Grealish’s approach.
I think a good player who wants to become a great player can only benefit from being proactive with their own development and using the many tools that modern technology provide them. While I hadn’t heard players actually speak of specific metrics or data like Grealish used in the example above, I think it’s a great tool to marry with video for players to reflect deeper about their game.
I really like when he brings up De Bruyne. I believe using players to ‘mould’ yourself is a great tool and something that I have used when working with individual players in my environment. Players in similar positions or roles, with attributes you may aspire to can help develop more purposefully. Lastly, while coaches or analysts can encourage and try to convince players to do any of the above, there is nothing like the player having the initiative themselves to seek out this information to improve as it seems Grealish has done..
any players could benefit from individual development and all should have the desire to improve because we can all improve. obviously the higher the level is the more difficult it is to put in place with games during mid week, which goes without saying this player effort is top top .
I feel this is hugely beneficial for any footballer across any level to openly discuss their own game and pull up on certain KPI’s on things which need improvement. I believe the best way to use analysis is when players really indulge themselves in that feedback process whether that’s with the analyst(s) or the coach(s) on reviewing their own performance and relating that towards certain KPI’s. The video clip displays a high level of player ownership and engagement towards analysis, which leads to a greater output on what that player gets out of reviewing their own performance. Finally, another great thing of Grealish within this clip is the ability to set SMART goals to develop his game.
It is encouraging to hear players at the highest level talking about areas of growth. It is a rarity as it asking players to be transparent and openly admit there areas in which to improve. With that, specific targeted areas are critical for individual players (and teams) continued development. Targeted KPI’s help provide awareness and accountability.
Jack Grealish has reached the heights he has in football not just becuase of his talent but because of his desire to be better and refine his game. Not many players voluntarily go out to look up things like expected goals or assists. But a majority of high level pros are more than willing to listen to feedback from analysis experts who can clearly show them how to be more effective.
It is always good to hear about the best players talking about their improvement and their need to improve. Specific targeted areas are key at the college level as you only have limited time to work with players. Identifying these specific areas early will help our players maximize their potential and allow them to stay focused on specific goals.
I think this is the difference between players who want to be good and the ones who will push themselves to the next level. Being aware of areas that players want to improve their game and having an understanding of key metrics that may be easy to understand / digest and implement for players whilst modelling their game on others is key. I think there are a lot of players who are critical about how they play and their opponents.
The players who get to this level do so because they leave no stone unturned. They are constantly looking for any advantage they can find by improving themselves. Being surrounded by some other world-class players, Jack Grealish would be foolish not to take note of Kevin De Bruyne’s game. He is able to observe him in training, matches, and video each week.
The specific targeted areas are huge ! Ive seen the Kyle Walker video go viral on his analysis work done on Vinicius before facing Real Madrid, so not only focusing on phases of the game, but also on opponent qualities and tendencies. Having High Profile Role Models I believe is also a huge asset, especially in a youth academy or reserves environment where the model can be local, such as a first team player or someone in a higher team.
It was very interesting to hear Jack be so specific about the areas that he wanted to improve, obviously a lot of thought and work has went into this.
This was a very welcoming video to watch, this tells me that the backroom staff are taking the time to educate players on an ongoing basis. The days are gone where the “coach” would just simply “rewatch” the game and keep their thoughts to them self. Now its a team of analysts who dissect the game in the various moments and supply educational material to the players. Game analysis should be as important as the warm up and cool down of a training session. What struck me while watching the video, is that when asked the question about a great player and he looks up to or try’s to be like, he chooses a current team mate. What a great learning opportunity. As to the second part of the task, do I see benefit to the players in my club, absolutely yes! We do have a post game analysis session with the players and it is a very very useful tool. The challenge I find with youth players, is that there is so much they need to work on and improve, it could become a very educationally taxing component for them. This said we have a process of identifying and sharing the strengths and what they did well and then a snippet of where and what they need to improve on as a team, units and individually.
Definitely, we aim to set goals shorter/longer and with players themselves try to set the metrics especially position specific ones to highlight the clear goals they are aiming to reach.
It is key for players to take ownership of their development, via analysis and 1v1 feedback.
KPI’s are so important in player development. This biggest question is, which ones exactly to focus on for each respective position? It’s important to not go down a rabbit trail of so many KPI’s that we don’t make any one or two the main priority.
Yes it’s great for players to always want to improve their weaknesses and solidifie their strength
I have been working with my players and they have all earn a place in the start 11 and -21 call ups
Great to hear and see players taking responsibility for their own development and seeking help with the right people that kan help them with that. Also role-models is a huge benefit for developing players to have. As Alexander said Wyscout is a great resource to get clips from elite players to show the players.
It’s great to hear elite players openly expressing their desire to learn from others. Understanding the data behind his decisions will help him and others further develop their game
I really believe in developing talent even in the top categories. Interest in his development and self-criticism are pillars of an athlete’s development. In Brazil, players look for analysts regularly, but there are many players who still consider the process as an improvement. It is extremely interesting to hear from the player himself about his development.
Hearing a player speak so confidently about how this data reflects his performance and understanding how that links to his own development is interesting. It showed his understanding of how specific data can support the reflective process significantly and provide an insight when setting objective and measurable targets. This clip also showed a level of player ownership where he has utilised the resources and analysis to compare and improve his performance.
This clip further highlighted the importance of setting measurable goals that are specific and meaningful to the player.
Hearing players be so specific about their targets and where they have come from is not something I hear often. It’s useful to use these metrics as they take into account game state for each action, and provide measurable targets for players allowing them to compare performance to previous games or other players.
it Is amazing to hear Jack speak about his game in such detail. Especially now in hindsight you can see that he purposefully improve in the areas that would impact his game.
Key for humans/players to improve is to set targets goals that they can measure and are tangible and monitor progress.
I am sure that the best players have, among many other qualities, a huge drive to develop. Like the netire football industry, they use science and objective statistics with mathematical foundations for improving their game as hole or some parts.
xG, xA, PPDA etc are still a relatively new advanced data metrics to the public eye and I think will be discussed openly and publicly more with time. Grealish mentions having a role model, this is something we utilise a lot with our players having role models related to their position. This enables us to share best practice content of the role model with the players, which we link directly to elements of their IDP.
Players very rarely go into detail in interviews when it comes to stats such as XG or similar. Madison is a player who often goes into detail about his performances and what he could’ve done better. I think every player can benefit from specific targets, but they have to be dedicated and have coaches / analysts that are knowledgeable and can present these in an age appropriate format.
What Jack said was unusual when you think about other interviews that we see. I personally cannot think of any other interviews or players that speak about it.
Yes, I truly believe every player would benefit. from specific and targeted measurable improvements. However, with that, takes is an extremely dedicated player and knowledgeable coaches to be able to present those goals and areas of weaknesses and strengths.
I think self-reflectiveness is more prevalent in football today. After winning the ECL, Haaland asked Thierry Henry live on air how he can improve his game.
On top of this, in the stats-driven world we live in, nearly everything at the professional level is tracked and not just physical output. Companies like Opta/Oracle are changing the way we use data, and I think it will become even more of a tool for coaches, even not at the professional level.
At FCM, within our Individual Development Programme, we encourage players to seek out role-models to look up to. We find it beneficial for players to have role models in their position, similar to Jack Grealish, who they can analyse deeply and understand the small areas that put them at the top of their game. We find Wyscout beneficial in this process where we can use Elite Position-Specific clips to show what the top professional’s do whether it is receiving under pressure, turning, decision making etc.