World Cup 2010, Mental Preparation and Putting Mistakes Behind You
Since England’s disappointing result in their 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match against the USA, fingers of blame have been pointing at England goalkeeper Robert Green. Even if you have no interest in soccer, you’ll have found it difficult to go anywhere since the match without hearing or seeing his name. But, in case you’ve been living in a hole in the ground, Green fumbled the ball pretty spectacularly, allowing a – let’s face it – fairly average shot at goal by Clint Dempsey of the USA to hit the back of the net. So how do you put a mistake you’ve made in front of the whole world behind you; how do you move on when the world’s press are having a field day at your expense, and you’re now the butt of every global text and email joke in circulation? In this case, mental preparation will be key.
What’s done is done
In a post-match interview, Green said, “It’s done. It happened. It’s not something you can allow to affect yourself. It’s very disappointing, but it’s happened.” Now, there speaks a man who understands the power of sports psychology! He’s looking forward, he’s moving on, he’s focusing on what’s yet to come and not dwelling on what has already happened. He can’t changed the past but he can influence the future.
Elite athletes place equal emphasis on physical and mental preparation for competition. It goes without saying that peak fitness can only be achieved through following an appropriate physical training programme but it also takes an appropriate mind training programme to achieve mental fitness. Preparation, both physical and mental is key in competitive sport at any level. Without appropriate preparation, true potential is unlikely to be achieved.
Look to the future
Robert Green didn’t let his mistake upset the rest of his game. His mental preparation allowed him to put it instantly behind him and to focus on the job in hand. He said, “I didn’t let it affect my performance. It’s about mental strength and worse things have happened to people. You go through mental preparation the night before a game and prepare for moments of trauma in a game when it happens.” His ability to pick up the pieces and perform well for the rest of the game clearly demonstrated his strength of character and the effectiveness of his mental skill training. But what happens next?
Green’s fumble has raised a question that has been asked of the England squad before: why do players appear to play better for club than country? Former England international player Michael Owen says, “The only thing I can think of is that it’s the pressure. Players are concerned for themselves, thinking, “if I miss this chance, I’ll be the scapegoat, or, of I miss this penalty, I’ll be criticised…The pressure is always there with England.” He makes a very good point. World Cup squad players carry the hopes and dreams of an entire nation with them onto the pitch, and supporters can be harsh critics. Gareth Southgate, Stuart Pearce, and Chris Waddle have all suffered the wrath of the nation through missed penalties and David Beckham became the “most hated man in England” after getting himself red-carded in the 1998 World Cup.
Could the negative press surrounding Green’s performance have an effect on his next performance? Mistakes are only ever mistakes if we can’t learn from them and move on. Judging by his post-match statements, he’s already there: “It was my mistake and I’m responsible. I’ve made errors before and I’ve been big enough to get over them, and I will this one.” One thing is for sure, his mental preparation for the next match will be absolutely crucial to his performance.
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