Benfica figure on learning the game: A young athlete must... | OneFootball

, assistant coach to José Mourinho - who sees a Benfica player shining - , believes that football is much more than its own simplicity. According to the coach, "learning the game requires acquiring a set of skills" and, in that same sense, it "is subject to constant evolution".

"For a young player who is learning the game, acquiring different abilities and skills, structure in planning is of decisive importance. Structured planning will make it possible to: 1) define diverse content adjusted to the young players' level of learning over a given period of time; 2) periodize content according to learning stages; 3) respect the periods of learning, development and consolidation", he wrote in his latest opinion piece published in the newspaper Record.

"Building solid foundations, in the various dimensions of the game, requires time and a variety of content, practice and a lot of repetition. The young player should have a space where he can experiment, make mistakes, correct them and reinvent behaviors. Understanding the importance of preparation in order to succeed in a given task, without compromising creative qualities", he stressed.

"At senior player level, my principle is that all players can develop new skills and maximize their qualities, regardless of their level of experience. The concept of challenge becomes fundamental in guiding the process. Challenging the player to reach a different level or challenging the player to enhance a certain quality, or even challenging him to learn new skills", he highlighted.

"The process of learning a new game model, with new guidelines, requires: 1) objectivity in direction; 2) structure in planning; 3) time to apply it; 4) stages and process goals. Its guidance should ensure that performance gradually gains stability, with objective indicators of maximization. Performance is a key concept when it comes to senior professional football.

". During this period, there will naturally be a phase of lower performance. Ideally, this phase should last as little time as possible. However, it will always depend on several factors, such as the broader differences from the philosophy previously applied", concluded the assistant coach.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.