| So, you've prepared your team with the right skills, | | | | 3. Channel aggression positively |
| attitude and tactics, and now they are ready for | | | | Cheating will make your players angry, so you must |
| match day. You've spent hours on soccer drills, | | | | try and channel their energy into positives. If they |
| instilling your players with confidence and making | | | | become embroiled in fouling and cheating, it will |
| them familiar with game situations. Most of all, you've | | | | counterproductive to the overall goal of winning the |
| taught your players that the most important thing is | | | | game. Try to make them utilise their aggression in a |
| to go out and ENJOY themselves on the soccer | | | | positive way, for example by making skilful clean |
| pitch. So, as you can imagine, the worst thing to | | | | tackles rather than hasty wild challenges. |
| happen after all that effort that your team ends up | | | | 4. Communicate with the referee- calmly! |
| facing a team bent on cheating and gamesmanship. | | | | Designate your captain to be the only person who |
| Here are some simple tips on how to deal with such | | | | communicates with the referee, and ensure that the |
| a situation. | | | | agreed parties keep in regular touch with each other. |
| 1. Look at your own team | | | | If there are on-field incidents, make sure your captain |
| Start off by having a look at your own team's game. | | | | remains calm and treats the referee with respect; |
| One of the first and most important attributes of | | | | this is much more likely to influence decisions in your |
| soccer coaching is to be able to be self-critical and | | | | favour in the long run. Try and push for clarification |
| analyse problems within your own and team's | | | | of issues rather than making accusations. |
| attitude. Remember that cheating comes in different | | | | 5. Chill out after the game |
| forms, some of which some coaches will accept, | | | | After the game, even if it has been bad-tempered |
| others which they wont tolerate. So be vigilant about | | | | and gone against you, remember there is nothing you |
| your own tolerability and acceptance of cheating and | | | | can do to change the result. There is no point acting |
| gamesmanship. | | | | aggressively to the opposition or the referee if things |
| 2. Don't respond with like for like | | | | have not gone according to plan, whether the |
| Try not to respond to opposition cheating by | | | | opposition have cheated or otherwise. Give yourself |
| repeating their mistakes. It is childish and does not | | | | a chance to gather your thoughts before speaking to |
| set a good example to your players, who you should | | | | anyone, you will be much less likely to say rash |
| remember are young, easily influenced, and will look | | | | things, and will come across as more reasonable and |
| to you for inspiration when there are confronted by | | | | rational. |
| unfamiliar situations. | | | | |