Former Panathinaikos assistant coach Steve Rutter: the importance of explaining ‘why’ when giving instructions to players

Coach | Relationships| Steve Rutter| 04.06.2021

Having a clear vision of how you want the game to be played helps coaches explain ‘why’ to players, explains former Panathinaikos and Luton coach, Steve Rutter. Image: Getty Images

Learning: 

• Communicating your vision of the game

• Asking players for their input into an agreed framework

• How to utilise the experience and knowledge of your players

Having a clear vision of how you want the game to be played helps justify technical and tactical instructions with players, explains Steve Rutter, who has worked with hundreds of professional footballers during his 30-year coaching and coach education career.

“In your head you should have a vision of how all the pieces are fitting together and why they fit together in that way,” explains Rutter, who has coached in the top leagues in Greece, Holland and Belgium, as well as with Luton Town during their League One promotion winning season in 2018/19.

“And if you haven't, then any information you're passing out is just random information,” adds Rutter.