Another foundation of Intelligent Football is the study of time and motion. This business efficiency model is underutilised in sport, with many clubs failing to observe, feedback and improve processes that are key to gaining an edge in football matches.
So what is time and motion? It’s how quickly you perform a particular act and what you set out to achieve. Let’s pick out three key words there in that sentence.
1) Act 2) Quickly 3) Achieve – making the most of every second is the difference between achievement and failure on the football field. Acting decisively while others hesitate, nicking the ball ahead of a lunging opponent, spotting the goalkeeper off their line. These are just of few examples of what you will achieve with the understanding of time and motion and the success that can be gained by thinking and acting quickly.
Take a minute to pause and think of a memorable goal scored by one of your footballing idols. Do you see how by acting quickly they were able to achieve their goal? Stamford Bridge – 2005, step forward Ronaldinho. The Brazilian, while at Barcelona, received the ball with hardly a yard of space 20 yards from goal.
He touches the ball, reads the game and within a second ‘toe-punts’ the ball into the corner of the net. Unstoppable. The quickest route to shooting at goal was with his toes, which caught Cech by surprise and left him stranded in the centre of the Chelsea goal. The time gained by not drawing his leg back to shoot in traditional fashion provided his side with a crucial away goal.
Now, think back to a moment where things didn’t go to plan on the football pitch. It is more than likely that a failure to understand time and motion contributed to this. Bloemfontein – 2010, step forward Gareth Barry and England. An England attack breaks down and the ball is cleared down the left wing leaving Gareth Barry alone against Mesut Özil. The German skips round Barry with ease before setting up the goal to finish England.
By leaving Barry alone to mark Özil, England committed a fundamental time and motion error, completely exposing themselves with their player positioning.
How can Intelligent Football help with time and motion?
Increasing awareness of time and motion is the first step. The vast majority of players, coaches and managers either don’t know what it is or don’t understand how to implement it. Building awareness and knowledge within a group of players can help them to evolve and develop a greater understanding of the subtleties involved with its use in football.
Intelligent Football can help teach the theory and practice of time and motion and suggest formations and tactics to increase efficiency and improve results. The learnings extend further than the field and can see advanced performance off the field in training and in general life habits.
To find out how Intelligent Football can help your team get in touch.
