Written by Benson Chukwueke, a Sport Marketing and Management Professional. President and CEO of FantaXtik. A great mind when it comes to football ideologies and in depth knowledge implementations, to deliver satisfactory football utility on a global scale.
What is Football Philosophy?
It’s a word that Louis van Gaal often references, about his team, playing style, and every team he coaches. But efforts to pin the Dutchman down on exactly what it means, and what his philosophy is, remain elusive.
Philosophy itself is a theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour, approaches and innate reasons behind certain actions. There are several side to football philosophy, but here we will be looking at Football coaching and team philosophies.
Football coaching and team philosophy include the objectives or purpose of coaching, your approach to coaching, your values, your principles and your team approach to the game.
It may also refer to football culture that has evolved overtime in certain countries. The way a certain people play their football, their approach to the game, style of play and what they strongly enjoy and beliefs about the game, even mythology that surrounds the game.
Here, I am going to be sharing notable coaching and team ( including national teams) philosophies and how they originated or how they were invented; who invented each of them will be reviewed here.
1. England DNA
England pride itself as inventing association football or soccer as it is called in some countries in 1863. They created both the structures and rules as well as traditional formations such 4-2-4, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2; but later in the 20th century, England established a football philosophy known as England DNA.
The England DNA is the playing and coaching philosophy of the England teams that aimed at building English players from grassroots to elite professionals with a well planned developmental structure and regimen. The long-term aim of the England DNA is to help create winning senior teams, in the men’s and the women’s game
The England DNA has a framework that consists of five elements: Who we are, How we play, How we coach, the future England player and How we support. Aimed at England’s youth teams from U15s through to Men’s Under-21s and Women’s Under-23s, the England DNA is the start point for The FA’s approach to elite player development from grassroots.
The first, ‘who we are’, is about instilling pride in representing England and understanding the heritage of the Three Lions past and present. Establishing a distinct and recognisable on and off-field England culture, based on clear values and beliefs, is central to the DNA.
‘How we play’ focuses on the playing style and philosophy, aimed at building possession domination, but also looking at teams without the ball and the transition between. The ability for teams to adapt and be flexible in their approach and with their game plan.
‘The future England player’ is about developing players with outstanding technical and tactical abilities as well as physical attributes and psychological and social characteristics. They are known as the four corners of The FA Development model.
‘How we coach’ looks at the way players are developed so there is a consistent approach to coaching across all the England teams and that training sessions are well-planned, delivered and reviewed. And how players’ performance is backed up by analysis, sports medicine, psychology and nutrition.
2. German Machine
In a culture that models itself on punctuality and efficiency, German football has been packed with teams that are organised, strong and physically fit. Following a complete shake-up, coaching methods and precedencies were revamped and, subsequently, ample amounts of technically cute and tactically rational have entered the fray.
From the youngest of ages, training sessions are done on the sprint and discipline takes a high order within society; making for a profound footballing lifestyle. If something needs doing today, the Germans did it yesterday.
The German “machine” football philosophy only has two settings while in possession: a hammering attack or keeping possession with the back line and midfield. The two settings are called Gegentackle and Gegenpressing.
Gegentackle refer to quick sliding tackles which means fast run over opponent to recover the ball anytime they loss it.
Gegenpressing is a quick counter-pressing when they regain the ball, before opponent can reorganize their back line.
Germans is for tackles and counter-pressing. In essence, it is to win the ball back immediately after losing it in areas high up the pitch and then, a quick counter attack. The German machine emphasizes more on team play efficiency than building play around individual outstanding player.
The German machine style is a choreographic sequence that the German players can repeat again and again... as long as opponent keep making the same mistake the Germans can score many goals with the same repeated sequence of move with extraordinary efficiency. This is why they are called "Machine."
3. Brazilian Samba
Football and samba. Two passions which dominate the Brazilian soul, entwined as in a marriage. The link between samba and football represents a fundamental pillar of Brazil's cultural identity.
Samba is actually a type of musical genre of non stop beat in carnivals, with circus kind of display dance that has its roots in the African slave trade going back much further in time than football.
Later a blend of samba and football artistry became something of a mass appeal. A futsal circus display of football artistry became something of a mass appeal and a phenomena that attracted hundreds of fun seekers to Ipanema beach in Rio and Riviera beach in Sao Paulo
The legends of the game, most emanating from Brazil's black community Samba becames a countries football phillsophy.
Samba football plays to the gallery with such display of football fine art. This is how the Selecao elevated the skills of the game, using all kinds of tricks and feints to glide past the most dogged opponents in the 1930 World cup. A most beautiful and captivating football to watch and appreciate, that capture spectators spellbound for 90minutes or so.
4. Herbert Chapman's Man Marking (WV Shape Marking)
Herbert Chapman, the so-called “inventor of man-marking” at Arsenal in the mid-20s, installed a loose man coverage. Chapman's football philosophy believe it was sufficient if a player kept their opponent in sight and close enough to have instant access to them and stop them from starting any dangerous moves that could hurt the team.
Man marking also known as Man-to-man marking or Loose-man-coverage is a defensive strategy where each player is assigned a specific opposition player to mark rather than covering an area of the pitch.
The idea of man-to-man marking was perfected by the Italian teams of the 1960s and 1970s. Teams such as Inter Milan and A.C. Milan used it in their so-called catenaccio system. Their formation consisted of a defensive line made up of four man markers with a sweeper playing behind them. This brought much success to these teams and soon these tactics became popular throughout the world of football
Some of the renowned disciples of man-to-man marking are Famous examples of man marking are Berti Vogts, Claudio Gentile....
5. Zeze Moreira's Zonal Marking
In open play, zonal marking is thought to have come from Brazil in the 1950s. Fluminense coach Zezé Moreira attempted to move away from the man-marking system often used in the W-M shape, converting from a man-marking back three to a zonal back four.
Zonal Marking Philosophy requires players to run only the vital part of the pitch in an organized and tactical manner, which requires all players to return to their own half of the pitch anytime they lose the ball, and to cluster the 25yards so opponent cannot find space to penetrate the team's defence line.
Rinus Michels was the first to adopt this football philosophy and even refine it to suit during his days as manager of AFC Ajax and Netherland's national team.
However, Arrigo Sacchi would later build on these ideas and made it more of Italian modern day football philosophy, during his days as manager of AC Milan and Italian national team.
6. Gusztav Sebes - Total Football
A tactical mastermind, forging new paths for himself and his team, one of Hungary's most prominent football figures helped the 'Magical Magyars' achieve fame and stardom during the 1950s. Through his unique master-strokes and otherworldly thinking, he managed to utilise the skill and talent of Ferenc Puskas and Nandor Hidegkuti to maximum effect.
Largely remembered for the way he guided his team to a majestic 6-3 victory against England at a jam-packed Wembley Stadium, the Hungarians were the toast of European football for a decade. Indeed, the late Sebes was the driving force behind their meteoric rise and the legendary Puskas proved the point himself when he said: "When we attacked, everyone attacked and in defence it was the same. We were the prototype for Total Football."
7. Johan Cruyff - Pocessional Free Flowing Football
An innovator and a dreamer, Johan Cruyff was first and foremost a footballer who led through actions. Widely regarded as one of the finest players to ever play the beautiful game, he helped proliferate its beauty by producing some of the flashiest pieces of skills ever.
Spouting some memorable quotes that brilliantly encapsulated his mindset, one of the best he ever uttered was this one: "Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is." A real genius and a tactical thinker he took what he learnt from Rinus Michels to mould it to suit. Now, his legacy extends far beyond his playing days (as his stint as manager of the Catalan national side attests to) and his historic proportions continue to grow.
Perhaps, he was the creator of possessional free flowing football, with a belief that as long as your team hold on to the ball, they are in control and can decide many things in the game... to disorganise the opponent's game plan. His team train for quick recovery of the ball and to hold on, passing the ball in a free flowing style what many call "Champagne football."
“Football basically consists of two things,” he said. “First, when you have the ball, you must be able to pass it properly. Second, when the ball is passed to you, you must be able to control it. If you do not control it, you cannot pass it either.”
Cruyff has a lot of disciples whose core coaching style are rooted in the cruyff's coaching philosophy. Notable among them are Luis van Gaal, Pep Guardiola, Barcelona and AFC Ajax has adopted this philosophy.
8. Alex Ferguson's - The Order of Knights
Ferguson speaks passionately about wanting to instill values in his players more than giving them technical skills. He wanted to inspire them to strive to do better and to never give up—in other words, to instill in them winning mentality. His intense desire to win stemmed in part from his own experiences as a player
Fergie was able to sustain long term excellence and success due to two main characteristics: (1) his ability to sense changing trends and adapt; and (2) his ruthlessness, which is often referred to as the Order of Knights
Fergie's The Order of Knights has its root in the England DNA that strive to control players in and off-the-pitch. Ferguson (being a Knight himself) played more of traditional 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 in such mystic way that hardly any coach could imitate; that has made practical impossible for any coach to fit into his tactical big shoes at Manchester United.
He made his players warriors by making them play to their utmost strength and was a master in changing tactics to counter opponent's game plan. His football philosophy in terms of how his team play at Manchester United, is a bit mysterious and difficult to replicate by his successors.
9. Jose Mourinho's - Diamond Order
Jose Mourinho – the self-proclaimed ‘special-one’ has indeed achieved special things in his relatively short managerial career. Not only winning the Champions League with two different clubs, clinching innumerable league titles and a plenitude of League Cups – acting as the icing on the cake. But he also came up with now a popular football philosophy called the Diamond Order.
Diamond Order is actually a formation – 4-3-1-2 (Diamond). In order to understand better about Mourinho’s football philosophy or coaching style, one needs to first understand how a diamond order actually works?
The Diamond order or formation basically refers to the diamond formation in midfield. The holding midfielder and attacking midfielder are flanked by two wingers, who drift into midfield in order to close down the spaces, thereby leaving huge amounts of space on the flanks for both the fullbacks – who ultimately provide the width while attacking.
10. Arsene Wenger's The Fine Art of Team Expression
Arsene Wenger is widely regard as professor of modern football (le 'Prof) with his football philosophy "The fine art of team expression." A style of play that was greatly criticised, but Arsene Wenger often talked about the football philosophy he instilled in north London. "I can understand that people want only to win, but you need to have the desire to transform the team expression into art.
My football philosophy is to instill the fine art of football; normally you need to win and win with style,” said Wenger. “Winning should be the result of the quality of your playing style and how you express yourself on the pitch.
Football is all about taking the fans into cloud seven. And the Frenchman's desire was to ensure that his team gave everyone inside the stadium a thrill that they did not get elsewhere during each week's fixtures.
He adopted a more cautious 4-5-1 system with a focus on keeping the ball rather than lightening-fast counter-attacks. The added numbers in midfield helped Arsenal resist physical challenges and dominate possession. Wenger sought to emulate Spain's internationally successful style in the Premier League.
