Today I chat with leading Sport Psychologist Dan Abrahams about the mental blocks that footballers present that can go on to influence why they struggle to replicate their form from the training pitch to match days.

Despite our conversation in the main, being football related it does crossover to other sports where we touch on performance anxiety, Dan’s approach to the use of mental skills and how as Sports Psychologists we can educate coaches on the importance of psychological and social factors as well as a whole lot more.  

Enjoy listening!

Key Learning Points:

• When it comes to game day, footballers are going to experience a higher volume of anxiety than when they train. Some players will experience anxiety, doubt, worry or fear as a consequence and possibly a drop in confidence. 
• Some players will become easily distracted and when they play they’ll be inhibited. 
• Other players will see a drop off in intensity levels.
• Players need a mental skills framework to deal with these challenges.
• Dan talks to players about having a match day script, about squashing ANTS, using controllers, raising bars and a high performance mindset.
• The story or narrative a player tells themself is very important going into a game.  
• A key message for coaches is that a task and mastery focus should take precedent over ego or outcome and performance factors that are out of a player's control.

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To Listen to Football or Soccer Podcast Episodes

Podcast Episode Ep27: Natalie Henderson - How to Develop Mental Toughness with Young Footballers

Podcast Episode Ep43: Jamie Forrester - Thriving in Professional Football

Podcast Ep49: How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help - James Maurice

Podcast Ep51: Peter Ramage, Brendan Pearson and Julian Dowe - Why Talking Matters

Podcast Ep64: Edu Rubio - How to Support Young Footballers

Other Football or Soccer Resources

Psychology in Football or Soccer Blogs

Blog: Does Your Warm Up Influence How You Perform?

Blog: How To Overcome Self-Doubt When You’re A Goalkeeper

Blog: 7 Tips on Taking Penalty Kicks Under Pressure

Blog: 5 Ways to Create a Psychological Safe Sporting Environment