Teambuilding: The road to success

by Rinus Michels

The late Rinus Michels, FIFA's Coach of the Century, offers his unique insight into the process of "teambuilding". All the chapters are interspersed with examples from Michels' personal experiences as a trainer. At the same time he gives a reference framework for everyone who is, on a daily basis, involved with the team building process: from professional and youth coaches to managers in the business world. Because of these unique examples, most of which were never published, this will be a fascinating book for anyone involved in a team building process.

Genres: Football, Sports, Nonfiction, Soccer

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Fadzli · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insight into the team-building process within a footballing context by Rinus Michels, who pioneered the “total football” approach popularised by the Dutch National Team in the 70s, and reached its zenith in ‘88 with victory at the Euros in Germany, poetically the scene of the (in)famous valiant effort in the final of WC 74.

Plenty of football-specific examples to look into, consider and apply, and yet there are some team -building principles and considerations that can be applied in various contexts (eg corporate, classroom) settings as well.

[Tathagata Sengupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a difficult read since this is all the notes and thoughts put down from years of experience in coaching. It has complete breakdown of all the important organizational formations along with the role of every position in them.

[William Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book, if a little obtuse, perhaps it can only be penetrated by good footballing minds!

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the guy who taught Johann Cruyff who's the guy who taught Pep Guardiola. Need I say anymore? The focus is on building teams.

Here some of the best pics from his book:

During the 90 minute match every player constantly has to anticipate the ever changing situations and make split second decisions about which option to take. They are created by actions of teammates and opponents. The true top notch players all possess the quality to continuously and quickly oversee all the possible options. They also have the technical abilities and swift movement patterns to come up with the correct solution in most situations.

once this engineer who had a lot of experience with the team building process in the business world was added to the team. He was successful in showing players how the team building process works by using actual practical experiences from outside football.

These motives certainly played a role in the decision of the successful French coach Aime Jacquet in not selecting a player such as Eric Cantona for the Euro 96 squad. During Euro 96 I followed the German as a technical committee member of uefa and discussed this issue with the then German national team coach Berti Vogts. he told me that he had learned a great deal from the 1994 World Cup in the USA. The average results at this tournament were not caused by lack of quality within the team but more by the make up of the group.

If you are able to link a team to a concept then that will function as a team motivator and a team building factor.

With this form of pressure football also known as “hunting the opponent”, the first player who puts pressure on the opponent in possession hardly ever wins the ball. The second player is usually also too late, due to the fact that the opponent usually plays a square ball or plays it backwards. The third player has the best chance of being able to challenge for the ball.

The elements of match mentality: conviction and willingness to be a winner, courage self confidence and controlled fear to lose, controlled aggressiveness, stamina and physical fitness, ability to handle losing, take and demand responsibility, team discipline and team spirit, responsibility for the team.

Do not critique teammates, the coach, the executive committee or the tactics used to anyone who falls outside the immediate team structure. Within the team structure there should be as much opportunity to communicate as possible. Sonny: what I call having BCS with one another.

For example it does not bother players from the Netherlands when the coach criticizes them in front of their group. During the scrimmages the players will keep their slacking colleagues focused by attacking them verbally and physically. Players who are brought up in a different culture might find this to be a humiliating experience.

It is a fact that in athletics as well as in the corporate world it is important to convince each person that in him or her a surplus value is present. To activate this you need the correct coaching convincing and guidance.

My position is: street soccer is the most natural educational system that can be found. By analyzing street soccer yourself you will conclude that its strength is that it is played daily in a competitive form with a preference for the match on all sorts of Street playing fields, usually in small groups. Rarely in street soccer do you see youth players busy practicing isolated technical or tactical drills.

Winning is the raisins in the soccer oatmeal.

[Thomas Santarossa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of, if not the best football book I've read.

From a FIFA coach of the century, I should expect nothing less.

I have no words to fully describe what this book will do for any coach, player or person in the football space besides saying it is a must read.

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Find it hard to believe that anyone with more than a passing interest in football will find this useful.

[Andrew Wedlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a difficult read due to the layout/style of the book but very insightful, one of footballs biggest influences explaining team building/tactical insights is brilliant.