Introduction
“Changed the way I think about football for sure.”
Not just more knowledge. Different thinking.
This distinction matters more than most coaches realise.
Knowledge vs Thinking
More Knowledge
Adding information:
- New drills
- More tactics
- Additional skills
- Extra resources
Useful. But limited.
Different Thinking
Changing perspective:
- How you see the game
- How you approach problems
- How you make decisions
- How you understand development
Transformative.
What Changes in Thinking
From Drills to Principles
Old thinking: “What drill should I run today?” New thinking: “What principle does my team need to develop?”
Drills serve principles. Not the other way around.
From Telling to Questioning
Old thinking: “They need to know what to do.” New thinking: “They need to understand why they are doing it.”
Understanding outlasts instruction.
From Control to Empowerment
Old thinking: “If I tell them exactly what to do, they will execute.” New thinking: “If I help them understand, they will make decisions.”
Players who decide beat players who follow.
From Results to Process
Old thinking: “Did we win?” New thinking: “Did we develop?”
Winning follows development. Not always immediately.
From Fixing to Building
Old thinking: “what is wrong with my players?” New thinking: “What can we build from here?”
Asset-based thinking creates growth.
Specific Thinking Shifts
About Sessions
From: Filling time with activities To: Designing experiences for development
From: More is better To: Quality over quantity
From: Keeping everyone busy To: Maximising learning
About Matches
From: Scoreline obsession To: Performance focus
From: Results-based assessment To: Process-based evaluation
From: Win at all costs To: Win with development
About Players
From: Talent is fixed To: Talent develops
From: Players fail me To: I have not reached them yet
From: Some players cannot To: Some players have not yet
About Development
From: Linear progression To: Non-linear growth with setbacks
From: Comparison to others To: Comparison to previous self
From: Age-based expectations To: Individual development paths
About Self
From: I need to know everything To: I am always learning
From: Mistakes are failure To: Mistakes are data
From: Expert position To: Learning leader
Triggers for Thinking Change
Exposure to Different Ideas
Reading, watching, listening to coaches with different approaches.
“I never thought of it that way.”
Challenge to Assumptions
Someone questions what you have always believed.
“Why do you do it that way?”
Failure of Old Approaches
What used to work stops working.
“This is not effective anymore.”
Success With New Approaches
Trying something different that works better.
“That worked better than expected.”
Mentorship and Community
Others modelling different thinking.
“Seeing how they approach it changed my perspective.”
The Process of Change
Awareness
Recognising that different thinking exists.
“I did not know there was another way to see this.”
Discomfort
Old thinking challenged feels threatening.
“This contradicts what I believed.”
Experimentation
Trying new thinking in practice.
“Let me test this approach.”
Integration
New thinking becomes natural.
“I cannot imagine thinking the old way now.”
Sharing
Helping others make similar shifts.
“Have you considered thinking about it this way?”
Barriers to Thinking Change
Ego Protection
“I already know how to coach.”
Expertise becomes obstacle.
Comfort With Current Approach
“This is how I have always done it.”
Familiarity beats effectiveness.
Fear of Looking Foolish
“What if the new approach fails publicly?”
Safety prevents growth.
Lack of Exposure
“I did not know there were other ways.”
Isolation limits perspective.
Results Pressure
“I do not have time to think differently.”
Urgency overrides development.
Enabling Thinking Change
Seek Different Perspectives
Find coaches who think differently:
- Communities
- Courses
- Books
- Podcasts
Question Your Assumptions
Ask yourself:
- Why do I believe this?
- What if the opposite were true?
- Who thinks differently and why?
Experiment Safely
Try new approaches in low-stakes situations:
- One drill per session
- One principle per week
- One mindset per month
Reflect Regularly
After sessions, after matches, after seasons:
- What did I learn?
- What would I do differently?
- How is my thinking evolving?
Find Community
Others on similar journeys:
- Challenge your thinking
- Support your experiments
- Share their insights
Conclusion
“Changed the way I think about football for sure.”
This is the highest impact development.
Not more drills. Different thinking.
Not more tactics. Different perspective.
Not more knowledge. Transformed understanding.
What you think shapes what you do. What you do shapes your players.
Change your thinking. Change your coaching.
Want to think about football differently?
The Football Coaching Academy is where coaches challenge assumptions and develop new perspectives together. Join 1,800+ coaches on their own development journeys. Current membership terms are shown on Skool.