It’s obviously important to know where a player’s strengths and weaknesses lie on the pitch, however to get your players at their best it can also help to know what’s going on when they’re not kicking a ball. Find out about their individual personalities, their other interests and the things that make them tick, as this can help you to know how to get the best out of them on the field. Being interested shows that you care enough about your team to want to discover the person behind the footie skills, which in turn should make them feel appreciated and motivate them to do their best. Encourage honesty, be approachable and practise clear communication to ensure that you really know the personalities on your team and therefore how to help them be successful.
