How are football coaches adapting to the modern game?

“Every type of manager is different,” explained Pedro Mendonca, “but I think the main characteristic is to be able to get the players related to their idea and get players who will be able to do what the coach wants and to believe in the coach.”

“Man management is most important because if the players don't want to play and don't believe in you, it is impossible. You can train very well, you can be the best tactical coach in the world. But if the players don't want to play, it is difficult.”

Over the last eight years, two men have revolutionised the world’s most popular league; the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have built their Liverpool and Manchester City sides to play a standard of football never before seen in the country. Pep’s team achieved a record 100 points in the 2017/18 season, and the sides have battled it out on several occasions in tense title races during their rivalry.

In a rivalry like this, where the standards are so high, you need to squeeze the most out of every potential gain on the pitch. Klopp did just this in 2018, when he hired Danish throw-in coach, Thomas Gronnemark.

Gronnemark had already worked with several clubs around Europe and specialised in helping teams get the most out of those situations. The decision to bring him in paid dividends for Klopp in the season that followed.

“Liverpool's throw-ins were really bad in the 17/18 season,” explained Gronnemark, “he could have been trying to solve everything himself, you know, because he is an experienced manager working for many years, and he played football himself.”

But Klopp had the courage to call me and ask for help. I think that's a really, really important thing. It's actually quite hard to ask for help, especially if you are