ÖFB & Coachbetter are transforming soccer in Austria
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“We are very happy that we have now been able to implement the Players First project digitally. On the one hand, this allows us to share knowledge with the coaches and, on the other hand, to offer them support for their daily work.”
The approach of Players First moves away from old structures to a more supportive tool for the development of players. The idea is to focus on the human being behind a player.
“It's a kind of knowledge management, because we can map everything that soccer has to offer in this platform.“
“In addition, training sessions can be put together very easily. It is already a very versatile platform that will be a great support for coaches in the the amateur sector, but also upwards”
Ultimate goal: Focus on the person behind the player.
To achieve this goal, the solution must be directly linked to the daily usage concept of the primary target groups. This ensures that the concept is not just a one-sided reference work for the ÖFB, but that it awakens a need among users that they can satisfy with the help of the "Players First" solution. All active coaches and those assigned to a team with a C diploma or higher are unlocked with their existing soccer online account.
Players First takes a completely different approach than what is commonly used in soccer. The parameters used in this concept are dynamic and flexible. The content is added to on an ongoing basis. A bi-weekly newsletter informs users about what's new.
More than just a philosophy
Players First is not an in-game philosophy, does not consist of rigid principles, is not based on formations or systems and does not follow a top-down approach. Players First is a tool for soccer coaches to develop players, teams and, above all, themselves. It is intended to help improve soccer in Austria as a collective.
Players First follows a bottom-up approach, where the individual is the focus and also the starting point. There are clear tasks and functions for players and supporting recommendations for action based on this.
“It's really about everything that soccer is about. It's about values, about training content. I think there is something for everybody who is relevant in soccer.”
Players First as a tool for soccer coaches
Players First is designed to help improve soccer as a whole in Austria. Players First takes a bottom-up approach, focusing on the individual. The area of values, is considered very important in the model, as they are the basis for all our decisions. The layer behavior focuses on match Situations. In this layer the situation or action model is implemented, which should lead to a holistic view. The tactical starting point for Players First, was the logic of the soccer game or an objective approach - away from subjective opinions and experiences. In addition to the player tasks (each player has a task to fulfill on the field), recommendations for actions were derived from the overarching objectives in soccer. In the area of game conception, the ÖFB game phase model is implemented, which is intended to clarify the constantly changing sequence of game phases in a soccer game in a figure-of-eight loop.
Values
Why are values so strongly anchored in the Players First model in the first place? Values are something fundamental and give us orientation and support. In the best case, they become our attitude, and further our culture. Values, or rather their mutual interaction, influence all our decisions and are reflected in our behavior, which in turn leads to performance. This is based, among other things, on physical and mental health or a stable self-value. These main values of the ÖFB are mutually dependent.
Behavior in Match Situations
In the case of behavior in game situations, the two associated models, the situation model and the action model, have been integrated. The factors that play an essential role in behavior are our values, the environment, our perceptions, thoughts, emotions, goals, but also incentives that affect us. On the playing field we always find situations in which we act, or in other words start and execute actions.
Player Tasks
Basically, every player on the field always has a task to fulfill. The Players First model helps to clearly define or distinguish the player tasks (in terms of positioning). Starting from the ball action and the 9.15m Players First circle, lines are drawn to the penalty area and from there to the five-meter area. This area can be considered as the direct zone to the opponent's goal and is called the Players First "KorriTor".
Recommended actions
Derived from the overriding goals in soccer, there are three recommendations for action for each player task. They are intended to help players make clear decisions in the respective situation on the field. The prioritization of the recommendations for action depends, among other things, on the player's own idea of the game.
Game Conception
This model deals with the constantly running cycle of the five different phases in a game in the loop of an "8". The "8-loop" is intended to graphically represent that the above-mentioned game phases permanently change and, as long as the game is running, moves in an infinite cycle. For the sake of totality, these phases must never be taken out of the context of the game.
“It's a kind of knowledge management, because we can map everything that soccer has to offer in this platform.“
“In addition, training sessions can be put together very easily. It is already a very versatile platform that will be a great support for coaches in the the amateur sector, but also upwards”
“It's really about everything that soccer is about. It's about values, about training content. I think there is something for everybody who is relevant in soccer.”
When are you gonna level up your club?
Push your training & playing philosophy, gain insights & transparency or simply give your coaches an efficient and user-friendly digital tool. Our Club solution allows officials and club management to equip their entire organization with one platform across all teams and age classes.
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