Mind Games

[novascotia]

Ok i am a senior player on an u18 team, and well the coach must hate me or something. I've come back from a serious knee injury and feel that i am back to new. Threw all the surgery and everything i stuck with the team and even came back early so i could play. Anyway i'm getting like 20 minutes a game and am one of the best players on the team, the thing is he takes little stabs at me with sarcasm, when i go on he'll be like you sure you can keep up, or if i miss a shot he will be like and thats why your a limited time defender and stuff like that... the thing is it is getting to my head and our team is falling apart... any advice?

[navid90]

dude sounds like a dick, were u guys close before the you injury or has he always been like this to you?

[Skaog]

Just because he is a coach doesn't mean he is not just a jerk.....there are plenty of them out there. But it sounds like he has lost his confidence in you. You need to go out there and play as hard as you can and have a big game with the time you get and he will be forced to play you more.

[brock_boogie]

Confidence is such an important thing to have in football/soccer.

A lack of confidence can make a great player...average.

It's hard to keep your head in games when your confidence is gone and things can go downhill quickly. My advice would be to ignore your coach and play YOUR game with confidence! You're already on the right track...you said in your post that you consider yourself one of the best players on the team, etc etc. Keep that attitude and when your coach calls your name, tune his comments out and run onto the pitch knowing you're one of the best players out there.

You'll be fine...everyone has experienced an a$$ for a coach, the better players don't let it affect them.

Good luck my son!

~Brock Boogie~