Even if you’re not a fan of Barcelona, you can’t but agree with me that their team work is simply the best. It’s the highest form of support play among team members as they knock the ball around; understanding each player’s anticipated moves and how best to put the ball before him. It’s so exciting to watch them play, that you begin to wonder how they were able to assemble together such players that perfectly fit.
FC Barcelona is the best description of what a team should look like. Perhaps, one thing so glaring about the club is their TEAM SPIRIT! And not just what an individual player can do. Barcelona is not about the artistry of Lionel Messi or fernadez Xavi or Andre Iniesta, Barcelona is an army, they live, eats, sleep, and fight as one. Collectively they’re the world beaters.
With players that came from different countries and continents such as Europe, America, Africa to make up the Barcelona team, you would want to find out what elements that helps each player incorporate into the team and as well develop the same perfect fit - The Team Spirit.
With players that came from different countries and continents such as Europe, America, Africa to make up the Barcelona team, you would want to find out what elements that helps each player incorporate into the team and as well develop the same perfect fit - The Team Spirit.
Five Elements that build Team Spirit in a Football Club
1) Strong Team Culture: For a club to develop team spirit, they should build a strong team life style that emphasizes on team collective effort rather than individual heroes. It’s a life style were the team tries to understand the playing style of an individual player as well as his attitude and find the best way to bring him to the Barcelona pattern of play. They try to bring out a player best and as well covers his weaknesses.
FC Barcelona has a strong playing culture that emphasizes on team play and support for each other’s effort. It’s a playing culture they build right from their youth team and any new or additional player that come into the team quickly conforms.
2) Strategic Team Recruitment: First, it starts from recruitment. FC Barcelona doesn’t just recruit any good player or even super star players. The team scouts usually look out for players and a coach that has the right skills and attitude that fits into the Barcelona playing culture.
Barcelona usually goes for players who are strong on the ball and can hold on well to make good passes as well as support other players with the ball. They usually go for good midfielders and attackers who are team players.
Barcelona usually go for a coach that support set play and ball possession skills that allow players express themselves in the team play. A player soon begins to enjoy his game as he gets all the support from team members that seem to understand how to bring out the best in him. Recruiting players whose playing style fit together, helps build team spirit and team overall performance.
3) Established Team Norm: FC Barcelona has a high standard of conduct shared by team members that guides their behavior. They’re not actually a formal or written guidelines, but such informal standards identify key values and identify team members’ expectations.
A new player or coach goes through an orientation period during which team members get to know him and help him understand what behaviors are acceptable to the group.
A well established team norm helps to build team spirit; where everyone knows as well as assumes the role assigned to him and respect one another, in spite the difference in income and nativity. Players are attracted to each other based on the mutual respect for one another. Such divide as racism, class or feeling of indispensability or inferiority doesn’t exist.
4) Vibrant Team Cohesiveness Strategy: The extent to which team members’ feels attracted to the team and motivated to remain a part of it increases when players interact frequently, share common attitude and goals, and enjoy being together. A team manager should deliberately create off field forums where team members can have fun, interact and mingle with each other to promote team spirit.
Coach Josep Guardiola attributes the success of FC Barcelona team to the cohesiveness that comes from shared value and constant friendly atmosphere created in the team. Guardiola believes that team members placed high value on fitness, intensity in training, friendly interactions and individual respect for the group, both on and off the field.
5) Clear Team Objective And Targets: Every team member in FC Barcelona clearly understand where the team is going for each season. Team members agree together as one to pursue some set objectives and targets for the season.
This understanding helps team members to evaluate their conducts and performance as well as adjust where necessary in other to contribute to the achievement of set goals. Such agreed targets can help motivate and build team spirit as they confront challenges and as they confront each opponent during the season.
