EVERY Sunday morning when I finally make my way out to the driveway to collect the paper, I wander back inside, pour myself a cup of tea and I flick through to the back pages of the sporting section to check on the local football scores from across Melbourne and country Victoria.

Most of the time the scores don't register with me in relation to where a team may be on the ladder and certainly not how many matches they may have won for the season, but over the journey, there are a few teams whose scores resonate with me and I begin to take more than a passing interest.

Those teams that do strike a nerve are those teams that don't win, often suffering triple-figure defeats. I wonder what keeps getting them to the line each week and how they cope when getting belted?

There are three clubs who I follow and all three are yet to register a victory at either seniors or reserves level in 2011. Not one of these teams has a percentage over 20 and one of them is just hovering above three per cent. To suggest these statistics are alarming would be an under-statement as they seem to reflect the struggles each has on the field.

I do not raise these deflating statistics to embarrass these clubs. I do it because it is worth considering what could be done to make them more competitive. In every case, they can't be demoted as they currently reside in their competition's lowest divisions.

Indirectly, I know something of the Division Four club in the Eastern Football League and I am certainly aware of the Division Four club in the VAFA, as I have a brother coaching in that competition. The Western Region club I do not know, but it is clearly tough times for them at present.

So what can they do? I asked my brother, a current coach, how he would cope if faced with the difficult situation that these clubs are staring at. I think everyone who loves football needs to think about what they would do.

For me, the very first thing I would need to do is understand the situation at each club, examining them from a historical, financial, coaching and playing perspective.

From here you have a platform from which you can make decisions.

But as a coach, I felt it was best just to approach it from that perspective and I would suggest the following:

1. Set a clear direction about where you want to get to. It may be as simple as being competitive on the field and supportive of each other off it.
2. You need to establish a game plan - which is some basic team rules and structures which must be adhered to by all players. These should be stressed on game day, rewarding those who adhere to them.
3. All training drills need to be based around these rules and structures so the players understand what is required and how they train can be transferred into match-day situations.
4. The game plan must fall within the capacities and capabilities of the players. Play to the strengths of the team, whatever they may be. A basic game plan with rules and structures creates some predictability amongst the group.
5. A large part of pre-season should be spent on the two fundamentals of skills, particularly kicking, and fitness, with an emphasis on running. This simplifies the focus. Skills means there is a chance to have a game plan that allows better ball movement. Fitness is important because it allows an individual and team to compete for longer
6. I'd even create some very basic goals for both on and off-field. On the field, Come prepared and ready to play, play with determination and effort and adhere to our game plan. Off the field, come to training prepared, extend yourself at training by going hard and if you can't attend training or a game, notify the coach or team manager.
7. Finally, establish a strong commitment to keep each other focussed on the game plan.

I recall a few years ago when I was assisting my son's colts team and they had lost four matches in a row and were looking despondent.  They had tried in every game and come up short.

I recall saying: "Nobody will give you a win in this game. So you cannot feel sorry for yourself, you just have to keep working hard and believing that what you are doing is right. And eventually, you will win."

I will keep checking the scores and I am looking forward to reading that these clubs have turned their fortunes around soon.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs