From Training to Match
A game model that doesn't transfer to the match is a PowerPoint presentation. Here we define how we guarantee that every trained concept appears in competition.
Transfer Guarantee
If it doesn't appear in the match, it wasn't trained well. And if it wasn't trained well, the process failed. Not the player.
The 3 Pillars of Transfer
What is trained appears in competition
Training does not simulate the match — it replicates its decision-making conditions. Every drill includes the real context: opponent pressure, time constraints, and decision stimuli.
Drills designed with the same triggers that appear in the match
Restrictions that force decisions within the same time frames the match demands
Massive repetition of the automatism until execution requires no conscious thought
Video filming and review: the player sees their training vs their match — identifies the transfer
The player knows when to act and when not to act
The most important decision is not 'what to do'. It is 'when not to do'. The system trains inhibition as much as action.
Training with dual option: 'if A → do X' and 'if B → do NOT do X'
Scenarios where the best decision is inaction (e.g. don't press when the opponent wants you to press)
Video review focused on 'non-moments': when the player correctly decided NOT to do something
Post-match evaluation including metrics on correct inhibitory decisions
The system reduces 'bad luck'
What many call 'bad luck' is actually a lack of system. The model minimises variance by reducing dependence on random events.
If the team concedes fewer than 3 clear chances per game → we reduce the probability of conceding
If every set piece has a designed play → we convert randomness into percentage
If defensive transition is automated → we eliminate 'silly' goals
If emotional protocols work → we don't drop points through loss of concentration
Training Design Process
Drill Design
Every drill answers one question: what decision do I want the player to train? If the drill has no clear decision, it has no value.
Drill Execution
Repetition without correction is not permitted. Every rep includes immediate feedback: verbal from the coaching staff + visual from teammates.
Post-Drill Evaluation
Immediately after each drill, a 60-second review: did the player make the right decision in the right context?
Transfer to Match
Post-match: compare the decisions trained during the week with the decisions executed in the match. If they match >70%, the system works.