Why Blame Raja Gopal

 
 

Soccer is not just kicking the ball. It is a sciences as much as an arts. It combines skill individuals, with pattern and formation, a tactic and psychology. Skills involve the actions of dribbling, the arts of passing, and speed and agility. Pattern and formation is more complex as it is a dynamic shape that changes depending on the opponent's movements. When the Thais played against Malaysia I saw two triangles formed by the Thais both on the left and right plank attacked. The triangles were very dynamic. Whereas Malaysia did not utilized pattern and formation on defense nor on attack.

The decision what tactical move to deploy needs much knowledge on the opposing team; the ability of each of the player and the coach. In short we have to know our enemy in and out. The world football organization take effort to know each of the player in the world, the referees and the people running soccer in every nation. Hence information gathering of our opponents must be up to date. A network of soccer and sports espionage is set up by some countries.

In the playing field all players must be emotionally stable. Families, friends and soccer officials can cause emotional instabilities. It is the work of a counselor to detect any problem that might bother a player. A professional counselor is a must in a soccer team.

Raja is a good coach. But the Thai coaches are better. They seem to know more on the sciences and arts of soccer and deploy the tactical formation in the field.

One of the disaster of sports is when it is made a political tool. If Malaysia were to beat Thailand you will see Najib will come to the fore to take credit for the winning. It was BN that brought victory. The long term effect is bad. Sportsmen who don't like BN government will not give his best.

A statement 'Malaysian coach is as good or better then the foreigners' is not made by the association of Malaysian coaches. Bragging can lead to downfall. And we like to boast a lot, not only on games but on others as well. We are the best in the world.

We have to accept the fact that the Thais are better than us. We have tried our best. We have to improve on the dribbling and passing skills, on how to shield and cut off the attack. We have to learn how to practice pattern formation. We need to gather information and study the tournaments of each country. We need to have an expert to analyze great team play.

If you don't like Raja so much then blame the person who chose him as a coach. Who is better then Raja ?

One of the best coaches I know was Robert Albert. He was thrown out because the politician hated his remarks on smoking. That's the kind of people we have in our country. Raja is not the sole person to be put on trial there are many others. And people who believe in 'bad luck ( soi seow)' can tell you why Malaysia lost.

15/12/2012

 

 

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