Weekly Review 12th – 18th March 2012 [the vitality of preperation]
18 March 2012
Note to self I wrote on Thursday:
so it’s Thursday, just finished three days of training in a row, all decent trainings because I was trying to push it to my limits. So they announced the squads playing on the weekend, I thought this weekend I’d get a run with first grade as there are alot of players out injured and I am in the reserves.. Trainings went decent for me, as I prepared properly mentally and stuff. I see a few of the players are noticing my abilities, commenting on my powerful shooting both left and right foot for example and the coach is not giving me a chance at all. This is bullshit. But still sort of understandable, I’m still not being that one standout player and I don’t know why.. I’m training more than everyone else, I’m better technically and the results don’t come off.. uh. Man this is frustrating, I have a short term aim to be recognized as the best player in Canberra and I’m not even getting a look in for the bench of a club. Uhh.. ridiculous. I guess I just have to prove myself this weekend with assists and a bag full of goals.
Shortly after:
On a timeout reflection, I need to prepare for each training the same. Like Ronaldo – Mental preparation, sleep, good food and hydration (which I usually don’t have enough of in all areas) – this needs to become apart of me. I can’t have short periods where I do this.. like when I go on trial or a game – it needs to be consistent, all the time! So I am giving what I am worth every training. Off the pitch, I am easily able to switch off and become in a lazy mood. This is why I should always be preparing 100% mentally and physically in any football situation.
In that reserve game on the weekend, I was a standout and was no doubt the best player on the team, although I don’t expect any less of myself. Didn’t score or assist, but definently created alot of chances and showed my superior abilities over every other player.
Anyway.. what am I doing in Canberra I ask myself? My parents are becoming increasingly frustrated from the way things are for me in football, as in the constant talk of trials, etc that don’t materialise. There’s always pressure from my Mum telling me to go to Uni and now Dad is starting to almost push that on me and asking if it’s realistic for me to keep on trying to ‘make it’. I get very pissed off when they hint at adjusting my plans and my dreams, I mean they don’t trust me as much as I trust myself, and I guess that’s understandable because they’re my parents and they don’t want me to ‘waste my life’. But I know that in any situation, any problem, I am always going to come out on top and I have no other choice than to be successful in my life.
– When taking players on one on one, look at defenders body position, the angle. If he is showing you one way alot more than another then take the other way
I watched Cristiano Ronaldo – Tested to the Limit earlier this week and it’s basically like a scientific analysis into why he is such an amazing player. These are some points I took out of it:
– Ronaldo is strong on every aspect of his game – and that’s the “secret” to his success.
-ronaldo says his strengths are to do the right things to eat good sleep well, train well and to improve himself in football.
– Ronaldos free kick I can do, sort of like a whip
– ronaldo looks at the body language of a player than the flight of the ball.
– ronaldo looks for movement in the hips to beat a player
– he looks to the foot, looks to the other one, up to the hip – really precise movements. Amateur players look at the ball?
– looks for the angles in the hips, knee, foot.
– this is all in his subconscious from thousands of hours of practice.
Next Week
Now let’s prepare for each training and game and see how we go. 18 hours as always lets go.
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In 2009, I was an average soccer player with a dream. I started this blog to document my journey from local underdog to getting offered over $100,000 in soccer scholarships, a contract to play professionally and the experience of playing in Europe.
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