Gone are the days where coaches were seen as the sole drivers of athletic performance. We now understand the value of a strong coach-athlete bond.
Coaching, it is fair to say, is an evolving beast. In 2012 Sir Alex Ferguson, still in charge of Manchester United and still seen as a talisman of football management, opened up to Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse about his treatment of players.
“What you can pick up by watching is incredibly valuable. Seeing a change in a player’s habits or a sudden dip in his enthusiasm allowed me to go further with him: Is it family problems? Is he struggling financially? Is he tired? What kind of mood is he in?
“I don’t think many people fully understand the value of observing. I came to see observation as a critical part of my management skills. The ability to see things is key – or, more specifically, the ability to see things you don’t expect to see.”