Luís Figueiredo Profile Photo

Luís Figueiredo

UEFA A - Football Coach

Development of Youth

- Dec. 6, 2024

Development of Young Talents: From the Academy to Professional Football

In modern football, the financial aspect is a crucial component of a club’s sports project. With increasing challenges in securing sponsorships (reduced due to COVID-19) and declining attendance in stadiums (resulting from interest in alternative activities), the sale of players from the academy has become one of the key pillars for sustaining football clubs. This strategy is essential not only to generate revenue from player sales but also to attract new fans to the stadiums and boost jersey sales. Designing and establishing a successful sports project requires the commitment and effort of all stakeholders, along with attention to fundamental aspects like time and patience. Projects aimed at developing athletes must be planned with a medium-to-long-term perspective, typically spanning 4 to 6 years. The foundations must be strong, and the head coach of the senior team should play a pivotal role in the project. They must have the freedom to express their opinions, ensuring that their vision and philosophy align with the decisions being made. Moreover, the head coach should have significant input in the recruitment and transition of players, actively participating in the club's daily activities. This involvement allows the coach to exchange feedback with the academy staff, monitor the young players’ development closely, and instill ambition in them by showcasing the possibility of being called up to the first team. Such aspirations drive greater dedication and effort from the players. During my two-year experience in Finland, I encountered numerous challenges in the second season, such as suspensions and severe injuries, which reduced the number of available players. With the transfer market closed, the solution was to promote players from the U17 team who had already started training with the senior team during the preseason. When the need arose, these players were permanently integrated into the squad. By the end of the season, two players aged 15 and 16, who had debuted in the senior team, were sold to one of Finland’s top teams, KUPS, the reigning champions. The pathway from youth football to professional football involves several critical stages. It is not only the technical, tactical, and physical development that matters but also the mental and personal growth of the athlete. It is essential to prepare players for the pressures of professional football, the constant criticism, the frustration of injuries, and the disappointment of not being selected to play. This preparation helps to build resilience, work ethic, emotional management, leadership, respect, ethics, and a balance between professional and personal life. Equally important is equipping players with financial management skills, a crucial aspect of an athlete’s life, especially since many young players earn high salaries compared to the general population. This sudden financial influx can lead to excessive spending, poor investments, and, in some cases, significant financial difficulties after their sports careers. Preparing athletes for life after football is also vital, guiding them on potential career paths post-retirement to ensure a smoother and more natural transition. If we want to cultivate successful athletes in the future, it is crucial to carefully plan their present development, prioritizing not just their growth as players but, more importantly, as individuals integrated into an increasingly complex and challenging society. Keywords: Development + Athlete + Human + Resilience

Dec. 6, 2024

Technology

- Nov. 29, 2024

Integration of Technology in Football – Its Importance in Training and Technical Teams

In the past decade, the integration and development of technology in football have been fundamental to its evolution, enabling specialists to adopt a more analytical and detailed approach to the entire process. As a result, technical teams increasingly need to include multidisciplinary coaches from various fields, processing all the information to help the head coach make the best possible decisions. The head coach must become a more well-rounded professional, capable of interpreting the data provided by their staff. It is important for the head coach to have had contact with a wide range of inputs from various areas throughout their past experiences, enabling them to be better prepared and improving the likelihood of success in their choices. It is crucial to have someone on the technical team responsible for monitoring athlete performance, leveraging GPS technology. This field is vital because it evaluates key performance indicators such as heart rate, training load, calories burned/required, speed, and distances covered during both training sessions and matches. This information is essential for avoiding overtraining and preventing injuries, ensuring optimal physical condition and allowing the coach to manage the squad based on upcoming fixtures, thereby maintaining the team's form as consistently as possible. Another important area is tactical analysis, where tools like cameras (e.g., VEO), drones, and game analysis software (e.g., Métrica) can be used to gain a different perspective of the game. These tools help map the entire match and extract detailed visual information on patterns of play, as well as individual and collective movements. This enables teams to easily identify exploitable spaces in the opposition, with such information either being presented to players during match preparation or delivered to the coach in real-time. Big Data is becoming increasingly important in elite football, and having a professional specialized in this area has become indispensable for any technical team. Big Data allows for detailed player analysis, measuring factors like passing accuracy, dribbling quality, distances covered, sprint efficiency, and running technique. This helps assess players' physical wear and tear, enabling coaches to make informed decisions. Furthermore, Big Data can aid in injury prevention by monitoring physical load and fatigue signs, protecting players and avoiding overtraining. In terms of scouting, Big Data is also instrumental in talent discovery, identifying athletes based on specific characteristics and comparing statistics to highlight those who perform best in targeted areas. This allows clubs to find players who fit their tactical model, reducing the likelihood of errors in recruitment. As we have seen, all these areas are becoming increasingly essential for coaches, supporting them in making decisions about the game, strategy, and feedback to players on the pitch, as well as in planning future transfers. Keywords: Performance monitoring, tactical analysis, Big Data.

Nov. 29, 2024

Head Coach

- Nov. 20, 2024

Locker Room Management - Building Trust and Respect Within the Team

When we join a new club, it is normal for players and some staff members to look at the coach and their technical team with some suspicion, unless they are replacing a coach who was not demonstrating confidence or achieving results. In that case, the predominant feeling might be one of hope, which can also be challenging. Therefore, it is essential for the coach and their technical team to implement strategies that show they truly deserve trust in their work. In my last article, I already mentioned the importance of holding individual meetings with all the athletes and staff. These meetings allow the coach to understand each person’s concerns and reflect on what can and should be adjusted. The coach must adopt an inclusive approach, serve as a role model for everyone, and always act with truth and transparency. Everyone in the club should be treated equally. Problems should be addressed within the locker room, where everyone has the opportunity to share their opinions. Knowing how to listen is key to making the best decisions for everyone. It is crucial to foster a sense of fairness and ensure that everyone feels valued, heard, and aware of their role within the team. When there is openness and clear explanations are given with solid arguments, everyone understands the reasons behind the leader’s decisions. Even if not everyone agrees, they recognize that the coach has the responsibility to make choices, which fosters respect and trust in the path the leader has chosen. Keywords: Leadership + Communication + Empathy

Nov. 20, 2024

Tactics

- Nov. 11, 2024

From Tactics to Triumph – The Art of Building a Winning Team

For a coach, after they have chosen their next project, it’s crucial to build a successful, winning team. So, how can we make this happen? Based on my experience, I’ll mention a few key aspects that I believe are essential to achieving this. First and foremost, even before the first meeting with the team, it’s very important to hold an individual meeting with each player, to get to know them a little. This includes understanding their injury history, the performance history from recent seasons, their favorite position(s), and the attributes they consider most important along with areas they need to improve. It’s also helpful to learn where they see themselves in a specific timeframe, for example, 5 years (which allows us to gauge the athlete's ambition and maturity), to set individual goals for them, and to know their opinion about the team and where they think it can go. It’s essential for the coach to listen and take note of the feedback provided by the players, guiding this conversation with subtle prompts that encourage the player to reflect. After hearing all the players individually, it’s time for the first team meeting, where goals and targets will be set. Here, it’s important to emphasize that these goals must be realistic and should align with what was discussed previously in individual meetings with the players. The coach must have “planted the seed” in the minds of the players so that they feel the goal is realistic and achievable. After establishing individual and collective goals, it’s important to give a presentation with the entire staff and players, allowing everyone to see, feel, and reflect on how the entire work process will unfold. It’s crucial for the coach to convey their vision of the game, how they train for it, how they feel about it. This is the time when the coach starts conveying information about the concepts, how they understand and apply these concepts, their language, and how they will communicate. It’s also important to conduct an in-depth analysis of the team and its characteristics, and, if necessary, reinforce it with players who add value, share the same values (mentally), and ambition, but who can bring something different on a technical-tactical level, thereby expanding the range of options. A football team should be unpredictable and able to master multiple game strategies, as each game is different and depends on various factors, such as: the opponent, the score and time on the clock, the location (home/away), the weather, and injuries. The best coach is the one who teaches the team to read and understand the game. It’s crucial for players to know and understand decision-making, why they need to change their playing style, and what it means to adjust their positional behavior according to what the game demands of them. The most important thing for the coach is to be upfront and honest with the players so that they can understand their role within the team and feel part of it. Believing in the message, understanding the goal, being willing to change if necessary, and accepting and correcting their own mistakes – these are all fundamental. It’s essential for the coach to instill this mindset in the players so they can believe and fight to the end, for themselves and for their leader. They will give everything for an idea, a way of being, that stops being individual and starts becoming the team’s identity. Key words for building a winning team: Communication + Honesty + Appreciation + Common Goal

Nov. 11, 2024

India

- Nov. 5, 2024

India – A Unique Football Experience

My latest professional experience was in India, in the city of Hyderabad, one of the country’s most technologically advanced hubs where all the major brands are established. Throughout this journey, I felt incredibly welcomed and valued by everyone, from the players and coaches to the everyday fans who would ask for photos on the street. India is a vast country, the size of Europe, with diverse climates and cultures, but it holds immense potential. The players are technically skilled and physically strong, but they need to improve their tactical understanding and game awareness. The clubs are becoming increasingly structured, and football academies are popping up, but India needs to take that final step to be considered an Asian football powerhouse – it needs to improve its organizational structure and work on international exposure for its players. This organizational improvement must start with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). It’s essential to establish a strong coaching curriculum, bringing in some of the world’s best educators to train local coaches. Indian coaches are curious and eager to learn but need a deeper grasp of the game and its teaching methods. It’s equally crucial to organize youth football competitions, offering young players and coaches consistent match practice and game time. Senior football divisions also need a fresh look, with the introduction of new competitions to provide more playtime for athletes and foster a love for the game among the next generation. One promising development is the expansion of the Indian Super League, which will soon no longer operate as a closed system; soon, we’ll see promotion and relegation, enhancing competition. Football isn’t the country’s main sport (that honor goes to cricket), but the passion for sports and entertainment that I saw among people could, with the right marketing efforts, elevate football’s standing. With billions of people and a love for entertainment, India is undoubtedly a promising market to tap into in the coming years. It’s also vital to reverse the current hiring cycle and give young Indian players more opportunities, nurturing their ambition and drive for growth. Additionally, Indian players need more international exposure to become notable figures who can promote this vast industry, benefiting not only clubs financially but also increasing the pool of national team players. (For instance: how many players in Portugal’s national team play in the Portuguese league?) To support this goal, it’s important to establish international partnerships with European clubs and academies. Sharing knowledge with Indian coaches and staff would be invaluable, as would offering Indian players international experience through training opportunities at European clubs. From a foreign coach’s perspective, the Indian market is very appealing, both due to the respect and professional recognition given to coaches and the financial incentives, as conditions offered in the Indian Super League or I-League can be above average. In conclusion, the key factors for developing football in India are: Organization + Sports Projects + Marketing + International Partnerships

Nov. 5, 2024

Head Coach

- Oct. 23, 2024

Coach – How to Choose the Right Club?

Our life is made up of constant choices, from the moment we wake up until we go to bed. In football, just like in life, making the right choice for the next step (club) can lead to a successful career. Success doesn’t mean you have to win all the time or be champion every year. Success means that the objectives set by the club have been achieved. These objectives can vary, such as: Developing young athletes for professional leagues; Securing the team’s position in the same division; Increasing the number of players coming from youth teams and helping their transition to the senior team; Educating and developing young athletes, fostering a passion for the sport so they can remain connected to football in various roles in the future. First and foremost, before a coach accepts a proposal, it’s important for them to have already engaged in or plan to undertake personal reflection, to better understand themselves. It’s important for the coach to know their strengths, their areas for improvement, both as a coach and as a person. This reflection should be ongoing, day by day, mistake by mistake, experience by experience. It’s essential for the coach to understand their own profile, meaning: Are they a coach who excels at joining a club mid-season and injecting motivation when it’s lacking? Are they skilled in conflict resolution? Are they a developmental coach (working with youth teams)? Do they have a strong personality, fostering unity and leadership? Are they a demanding coach, but one who only lasts 1 or 2 seasons due to burnout? Are they suited for long-term projects (4, 5 years or more) with the same club? After reflecting and finding answers to these questions, the coach will feel more secure, confident about their future, and ready to make their next choice. Sometimes, patience is the key to success. Once club proposals and their projects are analyzed, the path forward becomes clearer, as both the club and the coach should aim to move in the same direction. When a coach is hired by a club, they must add their ideas to an already existing structure. After accepting a proposal, it’s crucial to reflect on important aspects such as: The club’s history; Its best seasons; The tactical system(s) the team played most often and had the most success with; The club’s best transfers; The players in the squad and potential signings, so that the coach’s ideas can be effectively implemented on the field. To bring a coach closer to victory, more than just having good players, it’s essential to have good training sessions and the best players available to understand and implement the coach’s ideas. When all three elements (Club, Coach, Players) are aligned with a common idea and goal, joy, satisfaction, and happiness will be present in the games, creating a positive atmosphere for the fans. Let’s not forget that football is entertainment, and our duty is to distract the fans and help them forget, even if just for 90 minutes, the problems in their lives. This is the magic of football.

Oct. 23, 2024

Pre-Season

- Oct. 17, 2024

Pre-Season – The Initial Project

Every year, during late May and throughout June, football clubs renew their drive for the upcoming season, setting their objectives, which are often unrealistic. Most teams aim to either gain promotion or win the league, which leads to financial constraints and a disconnect from the reality they are in, driven by ambitions that may compromise their immediate future. Sports projects should be designed for the medium/long term (3/4 years), so that all foundations are properly built, and the club can progress sustainably and with a growth mindset. It is essential to analyze the club’s context, the division it competes in, the main rivals for achieving its goals, the youth teams, the scouting department, previous seasons of the champions or teams that secured promotion, as well as the playing philosophy the club wants to implement. For long-term success, there must be no significant gaps or inconsistencies between the various departments, with growth needing to be steady across all areas. In football, clubs should be managed like a business, where the objective must be clear and realistic, and where some key reflections need to be made by the club’s board, such as: • What does the club want for the future? • Is there a project in place, or a plan to create one? • What ideas and style of play do we want? • How to hire a coach? • What process should be followed to choose this coach? • Technical staff: from the club or brought in by the coach? • How to recruit players? Then, in the future, based on the results, conclusions should be drawn, and responsibilities assigned. Not everything is always perfect, and growth comes from evaluating the mistakes made. The club must value its assets to ensure that its financial position can support and project its ambition in achieving the goals set. Clubs should choose the most competent professional to lead the project, and this professional must be given the time to implement their ideas. Fans are also an important part of the life of a club, and as such, communication must ensure they are always engaged, understanding the (new) philosophy and (new) direction of the club, so that its future is secured, making tomorrow more challenging and ensuring that the goals set today can be achieved. Thus, the key aspects for the success of a sports project in a football club are: context analysis, selection of professionals, communication, and patience. If you are looking for a coaching software to build your training drills and managing wellness and RPE questionnaires, then I highly recommend you check ScoutDecision here: Football Coaching Software

Oct. 17, 2024
Luís Figueiredo Profile Photo
Luís Figueiredo

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UEFA A - Football Coach

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