Euro 2025: an analytical view for coaches

As coaches, we need to ensure our observation skills are strong so we can analyse our team’s performance effectively. Analysis, both on an individual and a team level, allows us to review performance, check understanding, assess progress, reinforce key messages, build confidence and inform future priorities.

 

Elite coaches can accurately observe and recall around one third of a game, so what’s happening to the rest? Competitions, like Euro 2025, offer us an opportunity to develop our observation skills and our game knowledge, and, perhaps, look to seek out some of that missing 66.6%. But how can we go about improving our skills?

 

Observing the Euros

If you want to watch some of the Euro 2025 fixtures with an analytical eye, consider doing so making use of the following tasks.

 

Task 1 – understand your habits

Watch a passage of play and make notes of what you observed. What did you observe? Where was your attention focused? What detail did you see? What might you have missed?

 

If you only watch what is happening with the ball, you will miss a huge amount.

 

Watch the same passage of play again three times. Each time look observe something different:

• on the ball
• around the ball
• away from the ball.

This task will support you in being aware of your observation habits and looking to widen the scope of what you observe.

 

Task 2 – observe an individual

Watch a passage of play and observe one player. Think about on the ball, around the ball and away from the ball.

 

Consider the profile of this player, including their strengths and experience, the demands of their playing position and what details enabled them to execute effectively.

 

One simple way of conducting this analysis might be to use the WWW (what went well) and EBI (even better if) frameworks.

 

This task will support you in being able to consider and develop feedback for your individual players.

 

Task 3 – observe the team

Watch a passage of play and observe one principle or moment. Think about on the ball, around the ball and away from the ball.

 

Consider in and out of possession and transition moments, core principles of the game and what the team could have done differently.

 

Again, consider using the WWW and EBI frameworks.

This task will support you in being able to consider and develop feedback for your team as a whole.

 

 

Taking your learnings back to your environment

These tasks can be further developed in your club or team environment, allowing your analysis to be aligned with the needs of your players.

 

In upcoming matches, consider doing the following.

 

Action 1 – practice different skills

Practice different observation skills when watching games. Strike a good balance between on, around and away from the ball without flitting so much you miss everything!

 

Action 2 – individual observation

Using a player’s individual development plan, observe them in a period of the game and prepare some feedback for them

 

Action 3 – match review

Prepare a match review for your team – pick a few moments linked to the game plan/model or just things of interest.