What does 'toughness' mean in young player development? 

Player | Journey | John Allpress | 9.02.2023

To have a successful career as a professional footballer you need to be robust, stubborn and purposeful, says former English FA national coach, John Allpress Image: Getty Images /Getty Images Sport

Learning:

-   What does it mean to be 'tough' as a young player

- What does 'toughness' look like for different players

- How can coaches help develop 'toughness'

To have a successful career as a professional footballer you need to be robust, stubborn and purposeful. Dogged on the pitch where you need to win your skirmishes, brave enough to keep getting on the ball and making the right decisions even when things aren’t going particularly well or having the grit to keep running when you don’t think you have another step left in you.

Toughness like this means different things depending on the individual and their needs. What one person finds easy to cope with another finds hard. For some young players picking up new skills is easier than doing the sustained levels of work and focused, deliberate practice needed to improve day on day and get to the performance standard required.