Autopilot was engaged and the plane held its smooth arc effortlessly, a tiny silent speck gliding through the sky above the Atlantic. But still the pilot could never head upstairs for a tasty meal in the First Class Lounge. Could he?
Of course a pilot cannot fly a plane from the First Class Lounge. If something goes wrong he needs to be within touching distance of the controls at that very moment – a few seconds delay might make a disastrous difference.
You can probably see where the analogy is taking us!
Great players are at the controls of the ball at all times. To avoid losing the ball, players must always be within playing distance of it.
It’s not really fair to compare losing control of the ball with a plane crash, but in the context of the game losing possession is the worst-case scenario.
In fact, the way some coaches react when their players give the ball away suggests they’d prefer a 30,000ft nosedive!
Technical Point
Take many soft touches to keep the ball close.
One of the best dribblers of all time, Lionel Messi touches the ball on every step without losing any speed. To reach this level needs practice, as much time as possible must be spent with the ball at feet:
“I played every day; every morning, afternoon and night. Inside the house, too. I’d break things. My mum would go mad.”
John Carlin, “Nou Sensation” (February 3, 2008) The Observer Sport Monthly. p.20
Have a think about the questions you can ask your players to help them understand this point for themselves. Use the pilot example from above, or perhaps use something similar such as: “Which seat do their parents sit in when they’re driving their cars, and why?” The point is to tease the revelation out of them, when they understand the logic of the concept they will be much more likely to apply the technique.
