CHRIS Fagan coached Melbourne’s reserves to finals in 1998 and 1999 before serving as assistant coach and football manager. He joined Hawthorn in 2008 in a coaching and player development position.
How has pre-match preparation evolved over time? – Matt Embling
There is probably less preparation done before the match on game day than ever before. There’s so much done now during the week that game day in a sense is much simpler.
With the number of coaches we’ve got and the technology we now have, we can do most things during the week and have all our team meetings a day or two before the actual game. On match day, players have a brief meeting that summarises the key points for the week.
One of the things we’ve tried to do as an industry in the past 10 years or so is make match preparation a lot more individualised. There was a time when the coach would expect all the players to do the same thing. But now you’ll see some guys in the corner with their iPods on, other blokes reading the Football Record, others kicking the football or getting a massage. We’ve tried to get players to tune into themselves really well and understand what makes them produce their best footy.
Another change – and (former Richmond coach) Terry Wallace has probably brought this in – is the on-field warm-up. We used to do the on-field warm-up just before the game started, but now they’re going out 45 minutes before the game starts and doing warm-ups on the field for about 15, 20 minutes or so.
Sports science has had an influence and you’ll often see different players doing different stretches. You’ll see the backline players doing things like spoiling practice, midfielders doing stoppage practice, forwards leading out and kicking goals and those sorts of things. Often you see teams play small games of six-on-six so the warm-up is more like the game they’re going to encounter.
Do you have any tips for motivating players to work harder?
Self motivation is the best sort of motivation, and the positive influence of a coach plays a big role in understanding a player and helping them to be motivated.
How you deliver the message as a coach is really important. It’s no good telling a player they can’t do this and they’re no good at that. Focusing on strengths will help get the best out of them. There’s a saying that your strengths are the weapons you take into battle. Acknowledging a player’s strengths and finding ways to help them become even better at them will encourage them to work harder.
You also need to identify areas for improvement, and goal-setting is vital in seeing that development. Asking a player for their advice and input enables them to see you want to help them be the best they can be. Seeking their opinions also shows the relationship is not one-sided; you want to develop as a coach as well, and how they see things is important to your relationship.
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The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
