1

In football (soccer) is there such a thing as a bad player?

Alejandro Vega

English 1302

Mrs. Danyal Howard

October 5, 2023
 2

The world of football (soccer) creates a difficult picture of success and disappointment.

Still, behind every jersey and step on the field, there is a story of commitment, as well as

planning, and teamwork that shows many factors that decide a player's success, which goes

farther from natural skill alone. Now something we need to know is that soccer is a complex

sport, it is not only kicking a ball and trying to score with your legs or whatever part of your

body that is not your hands, it requires skills, experience, teamwork, and both mental and

physical concentration. I am currently majoring in psychology, and my favorite sport is soccer, I

have been playing and watching this sport since I have a memory. As the years passed, I learned

and gained more knowledge and experience about the sport, so I thought to myself and produced

the idea to combine my favorite sport with the career I want to pursue. In soccer, as with any

sport, there is always a label as “bad” and this led me to the question, is there such a thing as a

bad player in football (soccer)?

To start with this topic, we first must know what is considered a “bad” player. A bad

player is considered a person who doesn’t have the technical skills that the team or coach

expects, does not have much experience, or lacks something. However, a player's success

depends on many factors and is not only decided by their natural talent or skill level. A player’s

skill level is one of the main things to see in a player, but how do we measure their skill level?

First, analyze the position that the player plays, the reason is that every position is different, and

they all have different expectations and roles. For example, players who play as forwards or

strikers, their main objective is to score goals or at least create “dangerous” plays. Speaking of

roles, it is important to understand what each position does and what they need to handle. The

team will not do good during games or training if players do not respect the rules of their

positions. When each player plays their position correctly and covers the right areas of the field,
 3

then the team does a lot better and allows each player to use their abilities when needed.

Positions are usually decided by a player's talents, so it is important for a player to focus on their

own position.

Furthermore, skill can also be decided by the team and coaching. Soccer is a team sport

where everyone plays and does something to contribute. Teamwork teaches players the value of

position, communication, and working with each other on the field. They learn when to pass,

shoot, or defend, based on the situation and the positions of their teammates and opponents.

Team training sessions usually include tactical conversations and scenarios of game situations,

which help players understand the team's plans and systems. Based on the article “What soccer

can teach us about teamwork” from Catalyst Global, it points out that soccer teams that are

successful are made up of players who admire and value each other's position and skill. Roles,

duties, and respect allow every action made by the players to be purposeful, improving the

possibility of scoring and winning a match. When a team is under stress, these bases become the

common thread.1Training allows players to practice decision-making in various game scenarios.

“A team's strategy takes the talents of individual players and combines them into cohesive plays.

Practicing at Training tests the resolve and commitment of players to working as a team.

Although physically demanding, practicing and playing together, whether at training or during a

match, are shared experiences that help a team to grow together, building loyalty and trust. 2

There’s a famous quote that says, “There is no such a thing as a bad student, only bad teacher.”
1
Massara, “The Role of Statistics in Soccer Strategy: How Data Analysis Shapes Winning Teams – Soccer Coach
Theory.”
2

José Eduardo Correia Quadros Da Silva, Luís Sérgio Vieira, and Alexandra Gómes, “O Contributo Do Treinador
Profissional Para a Regulação Psicológica e Emocional Do Futebolista,” Journal of Physical Education 27, no. 1
(March 29, 2016): 2703, https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v27i1.2703.
 4

and for that reason let’s get into coaching, it is important to know that a coach plays an important

role when it comes to the development of a player because it doesn’t only helps players to

improve their skills but also helps them shape their attitudes, work ethic, and have a better

understanding of the game. Coaches give players advice and training to develop their technical

skills. They help players with their weaknesses and design drills to improve. Good coaches

inspire players to work hard, to stay disciplined, and to push themselves beyond their limits they

teach a strong work ethic and a winning mentality. Coaches provide emotional support, helping

players to deal with the pressure of competition and manage their emotions during matches.

According to an exploratory investigation aimed at discovering how professional soccer coaches

look at the impact they have on players' psychological and emotional adjustment, ten coaches

were interviewed.3 Based on the interview, coaches understand the value of their players'

psychological well-being but don't succeed in continually using methods that help players

correctly control their emotions and mentality.4 Good coaches recognize that every player is

unique and may require different approaches to development. They customize their coaching to

meet the specific needs of each player. A coach who doesn’t do all these things can be a reason a

player is lacking in their performance and what happens? The fans label the player “bad”.

On the other hand, the lack of opportunities is another factor that can affect a player’s

performance because how can a player develop if they are not given opportunities? How can

they learn? Players need opportunities to improve their skills, compete at various levels, and

develop their careers. This process allows athletes to perform at their greatest potential and

contribute to the sport's growth. Competitive opportunities, such as leagues, tournaments, and

3
Daniel, “What Soccer Can Teach Us about Team Work.”
4
Vince Massara, “The Role of Statistics in Soccer Strategy: How Data Analysis Shapes Winning Teams – Soccer
Coach Theory,” Soccer Coach Theory, n.d., https://soccercoachtheory.com/the-role-of-statistics-in-soccer-strategy-
how-data-analysis-shapes-winning-teams/.
 5

matches, allow players to put their skills to the test, learn from their mistakes, and continue to

progress. There have been many times when players transfer to a team with all the enthusiasm to

play, to have better opportunities, and to win over the fans. That is the reason they accepted to

transfer in the first place so that they can develop.

While skill level can be a factor for player success, another factor is performance which

is something that teams, coaches, and fans look more into. Yes, indeed, skill level comes into

play in a player's performance but when it comes to game day, why do soccer players perform

poorly? Well, there can be many psychological factors affecting a player when it comes to game

day, it can be a player lacking confidence, or even motivation. Sometimes it happens that a

player might not be having a good game, and eventually, it affects its performance. Performance

context also comes from match conditions, what do I mean by that? Well, we look at the teams,

the players’ team might not be doing well in the league and they’re going against the best team in

the league. Pitch quality can be another thing to contribute to getting into a player's head. At the

end of the day, it’s players who need to work on themselves, it doesn’t mean they're bad, it just

means they need to get back to work and learn from their mistakes.

On top of that, how is a player's performance measured? In general, statistics is what

measures and plays an important role in measuring a player's performance metrics. It is used to

analyze and compare the skills and abilities of players to their teams. Right here individual

opinions do not apply and cannot be influenced by them. Coaches and analysts can check

players' progress, recognize patterns, and improve their performance. One key area where

statistics are used in soccer is in player performance analysis.5 By tracking metrics such as goals

scored, assists, and pass completion rates, coaches can identify which players are performing
5
Esther Daniel, “What Soccer Can Teach Us about Team Work,” Catalyst Global, October 17, 2022,
https://www.catalystglobal.com/soccer-teamwork/.
 6

well and which ones may need more support or training.6 However, statistics on defensive

actions such as tackles, interceptions, and clearances can also help coaches evaluate the success

of their team's defensive strategy. Coaches and team managers use player statistics to make

strategic decisions during games. For example, they might decide to substitute a player based on

their performance in some statistical categories.

Something else we can point out is that when teams are looking to sign new players, they

often rely on a player's statistics to assess their potential contributions to the team. Many sports

awards and honors are based on statistical performance, for example, in soccer, we have many

examples, like the Balon d’Or, the Golden Boot, player of the season, player of the month, etc.

But the most common is the Most Valuable Player (MVP) or like we say in soccer “Man/Woman

of the Match "award in many sports is often given to the player with the most outstanding

statistical performance. Statistics are an essential tool in sports to evaluate a player's

performance, make informed decisions, and enhance the overall understanding and enjoyment of

the game.

In soccer, like any other sport, we can see players who are initially labeled as "bad" or not

good enough for the expectations of the team. These players might struggle with their first clubs

or teams but find success elsewhere due to several factors, including changes in coaching,

6
Da Silva, Vieira, and Gómes, “O Contributo Do Treinador Profissional Para a Regulação Psicológica e Emocional
Do Futebolista.”
 7

environment, injuries, or playing style. A perfect example is Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian player

who initially struggled during his time with Chelsea in the English Premier League, and many

labeled him as a "flop." However, after moving to AS Roma in Italy and later to Liverpool, he

has become one of the world's top footballers, winning multiple Golden Boots and being an

important player and part of Liverpool's Champions League and Premier League successes.

Now if we go further, we have another player, that I’m sure most people will know who I am

talking about. Luis Suarez, a Uruguayan player who had a tough time at Groningen in the

Netherlands and struggled during his first period at Ajax. However, he transformed his career

after moving to Liverpool and then Barcelona, where he became one of the world's best strikers,

winning many individual and team recognitions.

The last player I want to talk about is Andrea Pirlo, an Italian midfielder who is

considered to the day one of the best and greatest midfielders of his generation and is known for
 8

his exceptional passing, vision, and football intelligence. They doubted him because he was a

slow player, but we can see that didn’t matter because he had good passing skills and vision. He

was one of the key players who led AC Milan to many championships including two Serie A

titles and two UEFA Champions League titles and with the Italian National Team won the World

Cup in 2006, and today he is considered a legend, they call him “L'architetto” ("the Architect"),

due to the way in which he created plays.

Furthermore, I made a survey/interviewed specific types of people who know about the

sport, and I noticed that the survey could help conclude something; at the beginning of the

survey half of the people agreed with my argument, and the other half thought the opposite, but

at the end, most of them thought that it was just an opinion from fans, it is not actually a fact.

The reason why I chose to do a survey was that I wanted to hear other people's opinions on what

they think, I wanted to see other points of view. I kind of had an idea about the survey, but I did

not think most everyone was going to say at the end it was just an opinion. That says that they

agree that labeling a player “bad” does not mean that they are bad, it is just an opinion from

people.
 9

To conclude this topic, a player's performance can be affected by many kinds of

situations, and individuals may change and develop as soccer players over time. While there is

no commonly accepted definition of a "bad" football player, there are many types of

characteristics and opinions by which a player's quality could be rated. However, when a player

is not doing well on their team, it doesn’t mean they are bad, it just means they are going through

a tough time. It can be that maybe they came out of an injury, maybe the style of the coach/team

manager is not good enough, maybe they don’t have opportunities and the small opportunities

they get are not enough to do anything. I get that statistics is how teams, coaches, sports analysts,

and even fans try to evaluate players which is good because you’re going with numbers, but I

just want to say that in sports, anything can happen, it can be the best team in the league against
 10

last place and at the end of the day the one that wins is the last place team. Who are we to judge?

These players probably know more than us because these are pro players; they wouldn’t be

professionals if they were bad, they worked all their lives to get where they are, and for us to just

call them bad? You might be saying “But he/she caused the team to lose” Every player has their

good and bad moments just like us, we all are humans, we all can make mistakes, and we all

learn from them. Don’t criticize if you don’t know what is going on; I get it that we all have

opinions, and it’s good to give them, especially in sports. I’m also a sports fan, I also played

soccer, and I may not be an expert or anything like that, but I have seen many situations where

people attack a player, calling them and labeling them “bad” and at the end the one who was

wrong was the people who labeled them “bad”.

Annotated Bibliography

- Silva, José Eduardo Correia Quadros da, Luís Sérgio Gonçalves Vieira, and Alexandra Isabel

Cabral da Silva Gomes. “The Contribution of Professional Coach for Emotional and

Psychological Adjustment of Soccer Player.” Journal of Physical Education, July 14, 2016.

https://www.scielo.br/j/jpe/a/7WpqszSWP984HTvrgcmK9Yb/?lang=en.
 11

This is an exploratory investigation aimed at discovering how professional soccer

coaches look at the impact they have on players' psychological and emotional adjustment. The

researchers interviewed 10 professional soccer coaches in semi-structured interviews and

discovered four key categories arranged into two categories. According to the findings, coaches

recognize the importance of their players' psychological well-being but struggle to always apply

tactics to help players in controlling their emotions and psychology successfully. I did talk about

it on my concept map, this article can help me research the psychology of players, their well-

being, and how exactly they are mentally.

- Rahman, M. “Factors Affecting Sports Performance.” www.howandwhat.net, April 18, 2023.

https://www.howandwhat.net/factors-affecting-sports-performance/#:~:text=In%20summary

%2C%20a%20multitude%20of,address%20each%20of%20these%20areas.

This detailed study investigates the major elements affecting athletic performance.

Athletes are always looking to improve their performance and achieve their own best in the

world of sports. Many kinds of situations, both good and bad, might have an impact on their

ability to perform at their best. Factors affecting a sports player can be useful to understand more

what a player feels on the field

- Daniel, Esther. “What Soccer Can Teach Us about Team Work.” Catalyst Global - Leaders in

Effective Team Building -, October 17, 2022.

https://www.catalystglobal.com/soccer-teamwork/.
It talks about how teamwork helps us understand that a winning team is built on the

combination of skills, strategy, coordination, and trust. It points out how every position, whether

goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or forward, has different requirements. How players

understand their place in the team and what is expected of them and required of their work.
 12

Lastly, yes indeed, skills are something important, but it is not about one individual, it is about

everyone on the team using their skills and experiences in one team, I feel this article can be

particularly useful in researching teamwork because the lack of it might affect a player’s

performance.

- Massara, Vince. “The Role of Statistics in Soccer Strategy: How Data Analysis Shapes
Winning Teams.” Soccer Coach Theory, November 2019.
https://soccercoachtheory.com/the-role-of-statistics-in-soccer-strategy-how-data-analysis-
shapes-winning-teams/.
It’s an article about how statistics help to analyze a player and a team and how you can use it for

the team. Coaches can find points of weakness in their team and create tactics for dealing

with those weaknesses. Teams can get a greater understanding of their own and their

opponent's strengths and weaknesses by collecting and analyzing this information. The

importance of numbers also comes into play in my argument because just looking at a

player’s or team’s statistics people will argue if the player is bad.

- Passa, Alex. “10 Great Soccer Players on Poor Clubs (and 10 Poor Players on Great
Teams).” TheSportster, July 13, 2018.
https://www.thesportster.com/soccer/great-soccer-players-poor-clubs/.
It points out that not only valuable but also “poor” players who are not on the right

team, this can eventually contribute to why people think a player is bad. It gives their

reasons for how a player's talent was wasted because they were not in a good team and a

player who was not doing good at the time and thought they should not be in that team.

After seeing the list, I noticed that most of the players listed should not be on the list. It is a

2018 article, most of these players did better in another team and some turned out to be

good in their team.