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Author Topic: Belief  (Read 2240 times)

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Alan Southstand

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Belief
« on May 04, 2026, 06:36:49 am by Alan Southstand »
I read this from Thierry Henry, part of a piece on why Carrick should get the ManU job permanently:

People will talk, people will criticise, but football is simple — you either see progress or you don’t. And I see progress. Clear progress. The players believe again, and when players believe, you are already halfway to winning.

Is this why Grant was upset about some of the players, over Easter?



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Ian Nimmo

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Re: Belief
« Reply #1 on May 04, 2026, 07:16:56 am by Ian Nimmo »
Yes possibly because he has made numerous comments regarding players having to believe in their abilities.
I also believe that another reason around the Easter debacle, was that he had given the players a few days off to get away and enjoy prior to the final run in to the end of the season.

GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #2 on May 04, 2026, 07:48:07 am by GazLaz »
There was a massive amount of selection / tactical issues that contributed to those two losses. Look at the XI and shape he played at Exeter… huge contributing factor. 

Blue Green Algae

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Re: Belief
« Reply #3 on May 04, 2026, 08:08:20 am by Blue Green Algae »
There was a massive amount of selection / tactical issues that contributed to those two losses. Look at the XI and shape he played at Exeter… huge contributing factor.

Uh oh, sounds like we've got ourselves a nonbeliever

mpc123

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Re: Belief
« Reply #4 on May 04, 2026, 08:18:19 am by mpc123 »
Fans have a big part to play in this too

Chris Black come back

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Re: Belief
« Reply #5 on May 04, 2026, 08:22:41 am by Chris Black come back »
The Exeter City game was clearly poor but losing the two centre backs in the first half didn’t help, even if his starting set up stank and playing four central midfielders was arguably his worst decision in three seasons of managing Rovers.

sedwardsdrfc

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Re: Belief
« Reply #6 on May 04, 2026, 08:40:29 am by sedwardsdrfc »
Clear progress yes I’d agree with that. But on his comments re player belief I go back to the game v Lincoln.

They knew exactly what the plan was and had no hesitation. That gives the players something to believe in. Very clearly they knew who they were. Not sure we have that if I look at the dithering we show sometimes. Maybe that is the players not taking in the clear message or maybe it’s the coaching. All I’m saying is if you have a clear identity it helps foster belief in how you will win games

GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #7 on May 04, 2026, 09:03:41 am by GazLaz »
There was a massive amount of selection / tactical issues that contributed to those two losses. Look at the XI and shape he played at Exeter… huge contributing factor.

Uh oh, sounds like we've got ourselves a nonbeliever

We went 18 games without a win (or whatever it was). Building a rhetoric around the two Easter games is f**king madness.

We’ve finished the season on a very similar rating (as rated by the best betting syndicates in the world) to the one we started on, with very little fluctuation throughout the season (slight dip in the middle).

We’ve run to our budget and are a mid table league one team. There’s no need for either hyperbolic drama or to get carried away. Just average.

If we sign well on the summer we will improve, if we don’t… we won’t. It’s as simple as that. There’s no real improvement in the vast majority of the key men in this squad. There will be no great improvement by development.

The concern is that we have a pretty ordinary player identification process so getting too optimistic about improving enough next season is difficult.

That’s presuming we will be running with a similar budget.

Dutch Uncle

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Re: Belief
« Reply #8 on May 04, 2026, 09:32:32 am by Dutch Uncle »
While I absolutely agree with all you say Gaz, I do see a few chinks of light of improvement in some players

Senior and Gotts improved as the season progressed

I see possibilities for improvement in Grehan, Robinson and Nixon. Flint and Faulkner may take their chances if given

I can't really comment on the crop players coming through (Williams, S-Brown, McCann, Oram, Bryant, Pavan etc), hopefully some of them may well make it but sadly our past history is not on their side

As you say or hint - this summer recruitment will be key

As for belief - the person around with the bundles of that is Billy - would be great to keep him in some capacity

GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #9 on May 04, 2026, 09:50:18 am by GazLaz »
While I absolutely agree with all you say Gaz, I do see a few chinks of light of improvement in some players

Senior and Gotts improved as the season progressed

I see possibilities for improvement in Grehan, Robinson and Nixon. Flint and Faulkner may take their chances if given

I can't really comment on the crop players coming through (Williams, S-Brown, McCann, Oram, Bryant, Pavan etc), hopefully some of them may well make it but sadly our past history is not on their side

As you say or hint - this summer recruitment will be key

As for belief - the person around with the bundles of that is Billy - would be great to keep him in some capacity

There are a few, as you mention, that can, and probably will improve. There are not enough to drone the squad forward though. Fascinating summer coming up.

Alan Southstand

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Re: Belief
« Reply #10 on May 04, 2026, 12:12:39 pm by Alan Southstand »
My reason for the Henry quote wasn’t to make excuses for anyone, by the way. It was to underline exactly where GM’s mindset is, if we didn’t already know ( or, more pertinently, the players).

I agree with most of above comments, both positive and negative, and I am still seriously worried that the same team who royally f****d up last summer are the same team who we’re expected to pin our hopes on again (albeit with the addition of a player analyst added).

We did a lot of swapping and changing last season (and the season before), which maybe didn’t help, but that improved after we’d somewhat redeemed ourselves (in the transfer market) in January. We became a much tougher team overall.

It’s to be hoped lessons have been learned, by both management and players!

There has undoubtedly been some major improvement in a few of the lads and, if Senior does stay, we have a good solid base from which to build on. But, the positions we need to fill are the ones that cost and thereby hangs another question - do we have the budget?

RugbyRover

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Re: Belief
« Reply #11 on May 04, 2026, 04:08:55 pm by RugbyRover »
McCann's greatest strength is that he can get Terry to turn on the tap. Budget will be fine.

In the box

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Re: Belief
« Reply #12 on May 04, 2026, 04:22:26 pm by In the box »
 :unsure:
I read this from Thierry Henry, part of a piece on why Carrick should get the ManU job permanently:

People will talk, people will criticise, but football is simple — you either see progress or you don’t. And I see progress. Clear progress. The players believe again, and when players believe, you are already halfway to winning.

Is this why Grant was upset about some of the players, over Easter?
Theres a big difference in the quality of the players .. some are getting £millions to just play or not  with little at stake . Rovers players needed a kick up the A .. or it’s back playing in the none league again. McCanns style of a pep talk is I imagine fairly limited as he knows the limitations of his players . Man U have a squad full of class players who just needed to be reminded just who  they are playing for and
With the World Cup on its way it abut easier to persuade them to sort their game out !!!

danumdon

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Re: Belief
« Reply #13 on May 04, 2026, 04:33:47 pm by danumdon »
I've said it before but i don't know what, if any mental health development the players receive during the season.

When you look back at some games and how certain players performed i'd say we don't demonstrate the strongest impression of players who know who they are, how good they are and how much more they could be.

Could it be we are a good psychologist signing away from having a team that can compete at the top end of the league?

Blue Green Algae

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Re: Belief
« Reply #14 on May 04, 2026, 05:06:39 pm by Blue Green Algae »
I've said it before but i don't know what, if any mental health development the players receive during the season.

When you look back at some games and how certain players performed i'd say we don't demonstrate the strongest impression of players who know who they are, how good they are and how much more they could be.

Could it be we are a good psychologist signing away from having a team that can compete at the top end of the league?

Do you think it would be really useful if we had someone in the club who worked with players having the talent but lacking self-belief, confidence and the mental skills needed to become consistent?


GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #15 on May 04, 2026, 05:19:24 pm by GazLaz »
I've said it before but i don't know what, if any mental health development the players receive during the season.

When you look back at some games and how certain players performed i'd say we don't demonstrate the strongest impression of players who know who they are, how good they are and how much more they could be.

Could it be we are a good psychologist signing away from having a team that can compete at the top end of the league?

Do you think it would be really useful if we had someone in the club who worked with players having the talent but lacking self-belief, confidence and the mental skills needed to become consistent?


[/
I've said it before but i don't know what, if any mental health development the players receive during the season.

When you look back at some games and how certain players performed i'd say we don't demonstrate the strongest impression of players who know who they are, how good they are and how much more they could be.

Could it be we are a good psychologist signing away from having a team that can compete at the top end of the league?

Do you think it would be really useful if we had someone in the club who worked with players having the talent but lacking self-belief, confidence and the mental skills needed to become consistent?



Not needed, we only sign good characters.

danumdon

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Re: Belief
« Reply #16 on May 04, 2026, 05:28:35 pm by danumdon »
I've said it before but i don't know what, if any mental health development the players receive during the season.

When you look back at some games and how certain players performed i'd say we don't demonstrate the strongest impression of players who know who they are, how good they are and how much more they could be.

Could it be we are a good psychologist signing away from having a team that can compete at the top end of the league?

Do you think it would be really useful if we had someone in the club who worked with players having the talent but lacking self-belief, confidence and the mental skills needed to become consistent?



I'd like to see these type of issues covered, I've had a taster of this when undergoing training for counselling our staff for traumatic incidents at work (suicides, close call incidents) very illuminating, the results emanating from it were very positive.

Blue Green Algae

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Re: Belief
« Reply #17 on May 04, 2026, 05:35:13 pm by Blue Green Algae »
Maybe we should try these guys: https://promindsetacademy.co.uk/my-journey

DonnyBazR0ver

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Re: Belief
« Reply #18 on May 04, 2026, 06:24:17 pm by DonnyBazR0ver »
Belief covers a few things, self belief, belief in the system and belief in your team-mates. If the right things are coached and messages reinforced, then all should improve over a number of games and results follow.

Once we got onto that losing streak, all of those things seem to evaporate. It didn't seem clear if there was a definite system they all believed in and McCann wasn't too sure who could execute the game plan.  Of course, it isn't easy to arrest a slide when everyone's confidence takes a knock.

There's a few players who will have learned alot last season, about the division and about themselves so are better prepared for next season.

An example of a player who I think has gone full circle and hopefully come out better is Broadbent. Started quite brightly, lost his form and confidence but recently came back into the team rejuvenated. He should now believe he can impose himself on games more consistently at this level.

Gotts by his own admission was going through the motions to start with, thinking he was doing the right things until the penny dropped. After that, he was consistently good.

Senior also another one who took his chances with real determination and never let go of the shirt.


Of course there are others like McGrath and Hanlan who are having their own personal battles with confidence and belief. It will be interesting to see how ready they come out for next season.

GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #19 on May 04, 2026, 06:30:22 pm by GazLaz »
Belief covers a few things, self belief, belief in the system and belief in your team-mates. If the right things are coached and messages reinforced, then all should improve over a number of games and results follow.

Once we got onto that losing streak, all of those things seem to evaporate. It didn't seem clear if there was a definite system they all believed in and McCann wasn't too sure who could execute the game plan.  Of course, it isn't easy to arrest a slide when everyone's confidence takes a knock.

There's a few players who will have learned alot last season, about the division and about themselves so are better prepared for next season.

An example of a player who I think has gone full circle and hopefully come out better is Broadbent. Started quite brightly, lost his form and confidence but recently came back into the team rejuvenated. He should now believe he can impose himself on games more consistently at this level.

Gotts by his own admission was going through the motions to start with, thinking he was doing the right things until the penny dropped. After that, he was consistently good.

Senior also another one who took his chances with real determination and never let go of the shirt.


Of course there are others like McGrath and Hanlan who are having their own personal battles with confidence and belief. It will be interesting to see how ready they come out for next season.

Gotts’ started doing the right things when they started playing him a 6 coincidently. Fancy that.

BobG

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Re: Belief
« Reply #20 on May 04, 2026, 06:50:35 pm by BobG »
Wasn't Copps supposed to be providing mental support?

BobG

DonnyBazR0ver

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Re: Belief
« Reply #21 on May 04, 2026, 06:53:42 pm by DonnyBazR0ver »
Belief covers a few things, self belief, belief in the system and belief in your team-mates. If the right things are coached and messages reinforced, then all should improve over a number of games and results follow.

Once we got onto that losing streak, all of those things seem to evaporate. It didn't seem clear if there was a definite system they all believed in and McCann wasn't too sure who could execute the game plan.  Of course, it isn't easy to arrest a slide when everyone's confidence takes a knock.

There's a few players who will have learned alot last season, about the division and about themselves so are better prepared for next season.

An example of a player who I think has gone full circle and hopefully come out better is Broadbent. Started quite brightly, lost his form and confidence but recently came back into the team rejuvenated. He should now believe he can impose himself on games more consistently at this level.

Gotts by his own admission was going through the motions to start with, thinking he was doing the right things until the penny dropped. After that, he was consistently good.

Senior also another one who took his chances with real determination and never let go of the shirt.


Of course there are others like McGrath and Hanlan who are having their own personal battles with confidence and belief. It will be interesting to see how ready they come out for next season.

Gotts’ started doing the right things when they started playing him a 6 coincidently. Fancy that.

Yes, that was a big factor for sure but just going on his 'A Coffee with' interview when he talked about his belief and taking his chance.

mpc123

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Re: Belief
« Reply #22 on May 04, 2026, 07:15:45 pm by mpc123 »
There was a massive amount of selection / tactical issues that contributed to those two losses. Look at the XI and shape he played at Exeter… huge contributing factor.

Uh oh, sounds like we've got ourselves a nonbeliever

We went 18 games without a win (or whatever it was). Building a rhetoric around the two Easter games is f**king madness.

We’ve finished the season on a very similar rating (as rated by the best betting syndicates in the world) to the one we started on, with very little fluctuation throughout the season (slight dip in the middle).

We’ve run to our budget and are a mid table league one team. There’s no need for either hyperbolic drama or to get carried away. Just average.

If we sign well on the summer we will improve, if we don’t… we won’t. It’s as simple as that. There’s no real improvement in the vast majority of the key men in this squad. There will be no great improvement by development.

The concern is that we have a pretty ordinary player identification process so getting too optimistic about improving enough next season is difficult.

That’s presuming we will be running with a similar budget.

No matter what run you go on, the end points tally will only come at the end of the season.

After things clicked we had a slim chance of play offs and if the players had believed over Easter, we could have sneaked in. That's all Mccann is saying.

People read too much into things sometimes.

Man U were shite according to everybody, but they weren't were they.

If it is the same manager or a different manager, there are lots and lots of moving parts to make it click and Mccann has done a great job first season.

I think we will be fighting for the play offs next season.

mpc123

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Re: Belief
« Reply #23 on May 04, 2026, 07:22:17 pm by mpc123 »
Clear progress yes I’d agree with that. But on his comments re player belief I go back to the game v Lincoln.

They knew exactly what the plan was and had no hesitation. That gives the players something to believe in. Very clearly they knew who they were. Not sure we have that if I look at the dithering we show sometimes. Maybe that is the players not taking in the clear message or maybe it’s the coaching. All I’m saying is if you have a clear identity it helps foster belief in how you will win games

Lincoln have had years at this level to build, that identity as been fulfilled with the right players over time.

If our club had sent a player out on loan that could do what he did at our club there would have been hell on here.

Lincoln have believed in 2 things to get success. It takes time and keep believing.

Season 1 done for us..... season 2 - it takes time and keep believing.

GazLaz

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Re: Belief
« Reply #24 on May 04, 2026, 08:03:22 pm by GazLaz »
There was a massive amount of selection / tactical issues that contributed to those two losses. Look at the XI and shape he played at Exeter… huge contributing factor.

Uh oh, sounds like we've got ourselves a nonbeliever

We went 18 games without a win (or whatever it was). Building a rhetoric around the two Easter games is f**king madness.

We’ve finished the season on a very similar rating (as rated by the best betting syndicates in the world) to the one we started on, with very little fluctuation throughout the season (slight dip in the middle).

We’ve run to our budget and are a mid table league one team. There’s no need for either hyperbolic drama or to get carried away. Just average.

If we sign well on the summer we will improve, if we don’t… we won’t. It’s as simple as that. There’s no real improvement in the vast majority of the key men in this squad. There will be no great improvement by development.

The concern is that we have a pretty ordinary player identification process so getting too optimistic about improving enough next season is difficult.

That’s presuming we will be running with a similar budget.

No matter what run you go on, the end points tally will only come at the end of the season.

After things clicked we had a slim chance of play offs and if the players had believed over Easter, we could have sneaked in. That's all Mccann is saying.

People read too much into things sometimes.

Man U were shite according to everybody, but they weren't were they.

If it is the same manager or a different manager, there are lots and lots of moving parts to make it click and Mccann has done a great job first season.

I think we will be fighting for the play offs next season.


We finished 15 points outside the playoffs.

You are right about managers though. They have to spin 100 plates at a time. If 80 keep spinning they are doing ok, it’s a shame for them that the fans like to comment on the 20 that have stopped spinning more than the 80 that are! It’s fun though!

Blue Green Algae

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Re: Belief
« Reply #25 on May 04, 2026, 09:22:47 pm by Blue Green Algae »

 

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