Motivation the issue tonight

Will Spurs be motivated on a freezing Wembley night?

Motivation is key for Tottenham tonight verses Rochdale

Spurs report the game is ON and why shouldn't it be, this isn't real snow, real snow is feet deep, not centimetres. Man up people.

Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.

That's why a coaches job is to discover what motivates each individual, a collective huddle or team talk doesn't last. A coach has to trigger the motivation in each player and that means triggering an emotion within them.

Do that and a player can keep motivating themselves. there has to be an agreed common goal. If a player hasn't bought into the goal or isn't emotionally satisfied, you are not going to get the best performance from them.

It is therefore important to keep squad players happy, to keep them involved, to feel a real part of the group, an important member with a role to play.

The FA Cup gives us another chance to massage some emotions. There is a trophy at the end of the road and performances can lead to opportunities for further performances. Twice now some of the players haven't been motivated.

Danny Rose had two different halves against Rochdale, average in the first half and a different player in the second until a lapse in concentration at the end when, it would seem, the players thought they had won it.


Back at Wembley on a freezing cold night being motivated is more important than ever. The Rochdale players will be motivated, we have to match that motivation.

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