Step onto the pitch focused, confident, and positive. Walk off a winner.
In the first edition of Focused for Soccer, internationally renowned coach Bill Beswick uncovered the power of sport psychology for soccer players and coaches worldwide. Now completely revised and updated, this new edition cements its status as the essential guide for mastering soccer’s mental game.
Focused for Soccer emphasizes playing first with the head, then with the heart, developing decision-making skills, and keeping emotional responses in check. The practical tips, examples from top Premier League teams, and step-by-step techniques will help sharpen your skills and unleash your potential.
All aspects of the mental game are covered—from concentration and visualization techniques to building mental toughness and team cohesion. Featuring the latest coaching strategies for male and female players, match preparation, and communication, Focused for Soccer is your complete guide to a winning attitude and soccer success.
Chapter 1. The Power of Attitude: Developing a Winning Mind-Set
Chapter 2. Player Attitude: Assessment and Profiling
Chapter 3. Confidence: Building Self Belief in Players and Teams
Chapter 4. Self-Control: Discipline of Thought and Emotion
Chapter 5. Concentration: Direction and Intensity of Attention
Chapter 6. Visualization: Picturing Success
Chapter 7. Mental Toughness: Disciplined Thinking, Disciplined Action
Chapter 8. Competitiveness: Becoming a Match-Day Warrior
Chapter 9. Communication: Sharing Information Effectively
Chapter 10. Role Definition: Team Tasks and Responsibilities
Chapter 11. Cohesion: Building a a Coordinated Team
Chapter 12. Coaching: Creating the Future
Bill Beswick is a leader in the field of sport psychology and is especially known for his work with professional soccer teams. He has a master’s degree, five years of experience as head coach of England’s men’s basketball team, and substantial experience in teaching, lecturing, and coaching, all of which make him ideally suited as the first full-time sport psychologist in English professional soccer. From 1996 to 1999 Beswick helped Derby County Football Club compete in the world’s toughest league, the English Premier League. He then took a job with Manchester United, perhaps the world’s best-known soccer club. There he worked with players and coaches to build mental toughness and competitiveness in an environment where the team is expected to win every time it takes the field.
When Manchester United and England assistant coach Steve McClaren was appointed manager of Middlesbrough Football Club in 2001, he surprised the soccer world by appointing Beswick as his assistant manager, the most senior role for a sport psychologist in the history of British soccer. For five seasons Beswick supported McClaren during Middlesbrough’s most successful period in history. From 2006 to 2007 Beswick was psychologist with England’s national men’s team. Following a spell at Sunderland FC, Bill at present provides specialist advice to clubs in England, Holland, and the United States while continuing to develop Sportsmind Ltd., a company that has provided sports psychology services and resource materials to coaches and athletes for more than 20 years.
"As an organization dedicated to education and coaching development, we highly recommend Focused for Soccer.”
Jeff Tipping -- Director of Education for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, www.nscaa.com
“I have always been interested in the mental side of the game, and Focused for Soccer was the first book that helped me understand the power of attitude and how to get the best out of myself.”
Jamie Carragher -- Defender, Premier League, Liverpool, FC
“Focused for Soccer is the most interesting book on soccer that I have read. The discussion of the modern coach alone makes this book compulsory reading for anyone wishing to belong to that category.”
Roy Hodgson -- Manager, Fulham FC, Premier League
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