“Talent runs deeper than the physical. It’s more than what you see on the outside”

This is one of the statements I make in chapter two of Soccer Brain. It’s entitled “Expanding your Definition of Talent” and is a chapter I loved writing because the notion of talent is one close to my heart. I firmly believe that as coaches we need to look beyond the external into the internal make-up of a player for clues about potential and future success.

In sport, the term talent shouldn’t just be reserved for those who find a skill easier to execute than others. Talent should incorporate softer skills such as belief, discipline, determination, focus and work ethic. These are talents. These can be as in-born as their physical counterparts. From Soccer Brain:

The traditional view of talent is a physical one. A soccer player who shows a deft touch, an eye for a goal, or a vision for space is usually declared talented. The 13 year old who scores 50 goals for her team is labelled talented, as is the 16 year old who makes her debut for her National Youth team. However, I’m going to offer you my definition of sporting talent. It may not be dictionary perfect but it’s my take on natural ability.

Talent in sport is the demonstration of appropriate physical behaviours and appropriate mindsets. Talent doesn’t just comprise of the young soccer player who excels from the get go, seemingly without trying. That is physical talent, which accounts for only one type of aptitude. Talents are packaged differently and there is an accompaniment to physical talent that also exists. That is what makes up the rich tapestry of life as we know it – especially in the world of sport.

My view is that talent also includes mindset. Mindset skills comprise of areas such as focus, confidence, discipline, motivation, self awareness, self management, desire and dedication. The list could go on and on! Mindset talent is crucial in determining a player’s ability to acquire physical skill over time – in the medium to long term - enabling a footballer to transit easily from one age group to the next, from youth team soccer to adult soccer. Mindset talents also influence physical behaviours in the short term – how consistently they are displayed and whether they function effectively under pressure. All well and good to be very skilful on the training ground, but the player who shudders with fear come match day soon has a sharp fall from grace.

My argument in this chapter of Soccer Brain is simple – there is physical talent and there is mindset talent. Both are inborn and both can be developed. Both are important to progression and both determine a player’s trajectory.

I believe a coach who feels this way can be an outstanding one. Why? Because this type of coach believes that anyone and everyone can be developed. This kind of coach looks for the talent she has in front of her and looks to develop and build on the talent each of her players has. If a player is physically small but has great focus and a strong heart then this type of coach will dwell on this quality.

Of course physical talents count and can be hugely advantageous. But it must be remembered that soccer especially is a complex sport. It’s not like sprinting – a sport dominated by body structure and functioning. From Soccer Brain:

Comparing the sport of sprinting with soccer enables us to get to the heart of why football coaches should be looking at mindset talent as a mediator of achievement within football (as well as why they should be optimistic about developing very good players and perhaps several professionals along the way.) Sports like sprinting are closed skill and to a large degree simplistic. Yes this discipline requires sound running technique but from a genetic perspective it requires a lot of fast twitch muscle fibres and that’s about it. Football offers a more complex landscape. A soccer player can ease his way into a team with less physicality if he has great feet and learns to think quickly (think Xavi Hernandes and Lionel Messi). Similarly, a soccer player can earn a living from playing his favourite sport if he lacks the ball skills of a Brazilian playmaker but enjoys the gift of height and muscular strength that are synonymous with playing as a centre back. Swift one-twos between his team mates may not be his forte, but consistently winning headers in dangerous positions might be.

The exciting thing about football (and maybe this is why it is the world’s most popular sport) is that, when you really think about it, physical factors rarely rule you in, or rule you out, of how far you can go.

That to me sums things up nicely. Never rule anyone in and never rule anyone out. Not everyone can be Lionel Messi but everyone can progress. The best coaches are so often the ones who have a tinge of ‘mindless optimism’ about them. They not pick little Joe for the first few games but they believe in little Joe. They can see his heart. They can see his discipline. They can see that there is confidence in him waiting to explode. And they go about leveraging his mindset talents and developing his physical talents.

That is open minded coaching. That is creative coaching. And that is world class coaching.

Dan Abrahams is a sport psychology consultant who specializes in soccer. Abrahams joins the National Soccer Coaches Association of America to share his insights into soccer psychology. All thoughts and opinions in this regular feature are that of Dan Abrahams and not necessarily reflective of the NSCAA. You can find out more about his new book "Soccer Tough" at danabrahams.com.

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