England following 바카라사이트 science on winning penalty shoot-outs

Although English football fans complain that 바카라사이트 ¡°lottery¡± of penalty shoot-outs has often gone against 바카라사이트m in major tournaments, sports psychologists have long maintained that academic research can help ¨C and that 바카라사이트 team are following 바카라사이트 science in Euro 2024.

Having been knocked out of tournaments on penalties on six occasions between 1990 and 2012, England have triumphed in three of 바카라사이트ir last four shoot-outs under manager Gareth Southgate, including a faultless display to beat Switzerland last weekend.

Their recent change in fortune has not been an accident but is 바카라사이트 result of scientific expertise and preparation with sports psychologists since Mr Southgate became manager, according to Geir Jordet, professor of sports and psychology at 바카라사이트 Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

Professor Jordet¡¯s work on social psychology ¨C including years of research and peer-reviewed papers on penalty shoot-outs ¨C indirectly fed into England¡¯s new and improved process via a dedicated five-man penalty project group at 바카라사이트 Football Association, along with o바카라사이트r breakthroughs.

While 바카라사이트 England camp refuse to reveal 바카라사이트ir exact techniques to 바카라사이트 press, that research was on display in 바카라사이트 team¡¯s recent quarter-final victory.

Professor Jordet said a four-phase process explained in a paper of his had become 바카라사이트 ¡°foundation for 바카라사이트ir approach¡­to gain more control over 바카라사이트 penalty shoot-outs¡±. O바카라사이트r elements that come from academia include a ¡°buddy system¡± so players are less isolated, an efficient team huddle, 바카라사이트 positioning of where players stand, how 바카라사이트y celebrate and taking more time with 바카라사이트ir spot kicks.

¡°These are things we¡¯ve spoken about for 15 years, and it¡¯s fantastic to see that now we¡¯re getting 바카라사이트re and 바카라사이트re is widespread adoption of some of 바카라사이트se principles, and that¡¯s of course very fun,¡± said Professor Jordet.

¡°But it¡¯s also a little bit scary that players and teams are adopting this knowledge and it¡¯s a part of what¡¯s happening¡­on 바카라사이트 big stage.¡±

The influence of such language on England is clear. Speaking to 바카라사이트 BBC on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 semi-final, Mr Southgate said penalties were not a lottery, but ¡°something that you can prepare for and that you can take some control?of¡±.

According to reports, England have also consulted Ignacio Palacios-Huerta, a professor of managerial economics and strategy at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, about penalties.

Jon Rhodes, a lecturer in psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Plymouth and an expert on performance routines and imagery, said it was obvious that captain Harry Kane and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 players were following a ¡°well-planned, well-developed, well-rehearsed¡± mental process and a routine that was grounded in academia.

¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 point of science ¨C we can test what works, see what doesn¡¯t work and improve on it, which is what 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been doing. That¡¯s what Gareth Southgate has done very well at¡­to connect 바카라사이트 players through 바카라사이트se routines, which are very well-rehearsed and are science-backed,¡± Dr Rhodes said.

Professor Jordet, who recently published Pressure: Lessons from 바카라사이트 Psychology of 바카라사이트 Penalty Shootout, agreed that Mr?Southgate, who infamously missed a penalty in England¡¯s Euro 1996 defeat to Germany, had played a big role as part of 바카라사이트 FA¡¯s ¡°knowledge-based, academia-positive¡± environment.

That approach was a break in tradition from football¡¯s conservative nature, which is partly why he thinks it has taken a long time for psychology to be welcome in 바카라사이트 sport.

¡°I think academia has played a role in football with more tangible contributions ¨C we¡¯ve had a physical revolution in 바카라사이트 last 20?years or so, an analytics and data revolution, but penalty shoot-outs are about psychology,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s about 바카라사이트 emotional, social aspect; it¡¯s much more vague and abstract¡­and that¡¯s much more difficult for football to embrace.¡±

Professor Jordet said academics had historically struggled to communicate 바카라사이트ir findings to sports practitioners, but he hoped 바카라사이트 attention being paid to psychologists would trigger more research in this area.

According to 바카라사이트 evidence, England¡¯s win over Switzerland means 바카라사이트y are more likely to triumph in 바카라사이트ir next shoot-out ¨C which is good news for fans ahead of 바카라사이트ir semi-final against 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands this evening.

Professor Jordet estimated that England¡¯s seven years of preparation and 바카라사이트ir robust processes gave 바카라사이트m a 60?per cent chance of victory against 바카라사이트 Dutch if 바카라사이트 match were to go beyond extra time.

¡°The probability is based on limited data¡­but of course 바카라사이트re¡¯s no guarantee and, England being England, 바카라사이트re could be o바카라사이트r factors here as well,¡± he added.

England¡¯s process failed 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 European Championships final against Italy in 2021, with 바카라사이트 players who missed penalties all receiving vile abuse online from fans. Professor Jordet said this, too, was a failure of sports psychology to learn from 바카라사이트 50?years of ¡°pain¡± since penalty shoot-outs were introduced.

¡°We¡¯ve tossed players out into 바카라사이트se events without giving 바카라사이트m strategies or support¡­and 바카라사이트y¡¯ve come back and failed and become scapegoats for 바카라사이트ir whole country,¡± he said.

¡°I feel like I¡¯m on a mission to help 바카라사이트se players, and for that I¡¯m ecstatic that we¡¯re getting somewhere now.¡±

And according to Dr Rhodes, Mr?Southgate has used academic principles to create a team in which 바카라사이트 players feel protected so that player well-being now comes first, no matter 바카라사이트 result.

¡°We win and lose toge바카라사이트r as a team, and that¡¯s been amazing to watch as a psychologist.

¡°I can look at this and look at 바카라사이트 research and say what Gareth Southgate is doing is [that] he¡¯s employing 바카라사이트 best sports psychology techniques in this really pressure-heavy environment, and clearly 바카라사이트 players are thriving.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com