The World Cup is meant to be the stage by which the game of football develops and evolves. A visible forum of new ideas; theories; moves and formations. A means to transfer the best of the game from the top table to the grassroots. Unfortunately, Dutch coach Bert Van Marjiwk took no heed of that notion. For him winning was everything. The only thing. No matter how. As long as the artful Spanish were stopped. For years the Dutch have shot themselves in the foot at the big tournaments. Big egos and superior attitudes undermining their collective talent. The years […]
Read More...Sports Psychology Blog
Welcome to the Sports Psychology blog. Here you will find insights on current sporting events, from the perspective of a sports psychologist.
The purpose of this blog, is to get inside the sporting drama…why the player or team do what they they do…their thinking…mindsets…attitudes…their fluctuating state of confidence…and all the other mental and emotional pieces that create the psychology of sports.
The most recent articles are at the top of the List Of Sports Psychology Blogs Index.
Football: QPR – What Next?
On Saturday, Queens Park Rangers travel to Blackpool, for a Championship match. But who will be in charge of The R’s? Two months ago, Jim Magilton was sacked after a dressing room bust-up with Akos Buszaky. Now. its understood, that new incumbent Paul Hart is on the verge of departing Loftus Rd, after a bust up with loanee Adel Taraabt. Its an extraordinary situation. Or is it? Nothing that comes out of Loftus Rd is surprising these days. Manager and player bust ups. It’s the norm isn’t it? Everyday football club stuff? So why is it, that managers are taking […]
Read More...Darts Psychology: John Part – Jet Lag!
John Part looked unbeatable in his first round Alexandra Palace match against Tone Greebe. Could a fourth world title be on the cards for the Canadian. No! Why? Because he went home for Christmas. Flew back to Canada. And returned to London yesterday. He then played and lost by 4 sets to 1 to Kirk Shepherd, with a heavy case of jet-lag. No wonder he played so badly. Yet the jet-lag itself is not the reason for the defeat. John Part is a very experienced player. He would have backed himself to handle the inevitable tiredness. When your mind and […]
Read More...Football: Manchester City – Core Values?
‘Unacceptable’. The words of Sir Alex Ferguson to describe the manner in which Mark Hughes has been treated by Manchester City. Sitting through the 4-3 Sunderland game at Eastlands, knowing that rumours were growing like wild-fire, about his impending sacking. Of course, it will all be forgotten about soon enough. But the way in which the Hughes sacking has remained a news story, is a reflection of the unfortunate way the City executive have gone about their business. It has to be asked then, as to what are the Core Values that govern the behaviour of all at Eastlands? Values […]
Read More...Darts Psychology: Gary Anderson – The First Round!
It’s the first round of the World Darts Championship, at The Alexandra Palace. Gary Anderson is playing Jamie Caven. Anderson is a class act. He has what it takes to become World Champion. If not this year, then sometime soon. When he’s in the groove, he looks unbeatable. The darts flow from his hand, and the scoring is heavy. But when he slips from that easy groove, then the doubts set in. Anderson should have the match with Caven well wrapped up. But he doesn’t. It goes into a deciding set. Anderson prevails. But it has been a scrape and […]
Read More...Darts Psychology: Vincent Van De Voort – The Walk In The Snow!
So Vincent Van De Voort will face Kevin Painter, in Round Two after Christmas, at the Alexandra Palace. This after putting Gibraltan, Dylan Duo to the sword by three sets to nil. However Van De Voort’s journey to the venue tonight was slightly different. Firstly he drove from Holland to England, after snow cancelled flights out of Amsterdam Airport. Then when an early evening blizzard hit the North London venue and surrounding areas, Vincent had to abandon his taxi, and walk three miles up to the top of the hill. With his young son in tow! Which just goes to […]
Read More...Football: Sir Alex Ferguson – That Man Rafa!
‘Arrogance is one thing. You cannot forgive contempt, which is what he showed Sam Allardyce last week-end’. Sir Alex Ferguson, describing Rafael Benitez’s attitude, after Liverpool opened up a two-goal lead against Blackburn Rovers, at Anfield. Benitez, apparently signalled with his hands, that the game was as good as won, well before time, in a manner that has riled Ferguson and Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce. It’s another heightening in the intensity of the ‘mind-games’ that have been played out this season between Ferguson and Benitez. Mind games that seem to work perfectly for Ferguson, but not for the Liverpool […]
Read More...Darts: Wes Newton – Pressure!
It’s Monday night at the Winter Gardens. The first round of the World Matchplay, and local boy Wes Newton is tackling Kevin Painter. Wes reckons, there are around three hundred of his fans in the capacity Blackpool crowd. This should be a good thing. But by the eighth leg, Newton is seven-nil down. There is no rhythm to his throwing. Good darts followed by bad darts. The harder he tries the worse it gets. Its only by the eighth leg, when he has nothing to lose, that Newton finds some sort of form. But by then, its far too late. […]
Read More...Darts Psychology: Ronnie Baxter – The TV Break
It’s the battle of the super-quick throwers. England’s Ronnie Baxter v Holland’s Jelle Klaasen. After a mere nine minutes, Baxter has captured five legs. He is on fire and Klaasen has no answers. Then, comes the TV break. Time for Klaasen to gather his wits. And time for Baxter to lose his flow. Which is exactly what happens. Klaasen wins six of the next eight legs, and an improbable comeback is on the cards. Only Baxter’s experience sees him over the line. But it’s close. The TV break is often a thorn in the side, of the player in the […]
Read More...Football: Petr Cech – Confidence!
It’s early on, in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final, when Liverpool have a free-kick, thirty five yards out from the Chelsea goal. As Fabio Aurelio lines up to take the kick, Petr Cech drifts off his line, ready to come for a high ball into the crowded box. Instead Aurelio notices the growing gap that Cech has left by his post, and drills a deft left-footer, past him from distance. It’s a big blow to Cech’s confidence, as he then struggles throughout the game. His lack of confidence, seems to impact upon his defence. Chelsea leak another […]
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