Do Spurs have enough strong characters?

Do Spurs have enough strong characters, I guess we are going to find out.

Self-confidence is arguably the most important ingredient in athletic performance. It plays a crucial role in success, but a lack of it is closely associated with failure.

Confidence levels affect mental performance and mental performance affects physical performance. Man is not a machine.

What is self-confidence?

It is the belief that one can perform a desired behaviour (such as passing a ball).

Variables like previous performance, affective self-evaluation, goal setting, and physiological states (mood or fitness) exert a direct influence on performance. Team confidence affects what individuals do within a team and errors are magnified as teammates lose confidence in each other.

The result is that individuals start trying to do too much themselves, resulting in a reduced team performance as they stop playing as a collective and start playing more as individuals.

When athletes feel unsure of themselves, when they lack confidence, the slightest setback or smallest hurdle can have an inordinate effect on their performance. 

We are seeing that at Tottenham now, an early goal and heads drop, doubt steps in the longer it takes to get back on level terms. At the moment we do not look like scoring more than one goal a game, which gives us a mountain to climb if the opposition score first.

Today it is vital Spurs score first, vital. The players know that and that can induce anxiety which in turn inhibits performance.

Spurs haven't sunk that far yet, there has been effort in performances, just a lack of creativity, which suggests players have gone into their shell a bit in an effort not to make mistakes.

The players perceived efficacy (ability to produce a desired or intended result) of the manager is another important element of confidence at these times. There have been performances (first half against Crystal Palace and Bayern Munich) that show the team are behind the manager.

Right now, character counts. Strong players mentally, those with absolute belief in their ability bounce straight back, but football is a team game and the performance of a team is dragged down by those with doubts.

A prime example is Harry Kane. Does a missed penalty affect him? No, he has banged in many since. He misses chances but still puts himself in the positions where he could miss again. He doesn't stop trying to do something just because it failed the last time.

Compare that to Christian Eriksen who has missed three weak penalties, all hit in the same place, on the trot or his last-minute error against Manchester City. Clearly, he isn't the toughest mentally, hence why he goes missing in big games and isn't performing now that his heart and head are not 100% behind Spurs.

Do you remember Eric Dier fouling everyone against Chelsea? Indeed most of the team lost their heads that night. It showed a mental issue under pressure that has improved but not been eradicated. It is always there willing to rear its ugly head and take a grip again.

Zachary Estes and Sydney Felker conducted studies that showed that confident people tended to be more accurate. They found that people who were told they had performed above average, then performed better than people who were told they had performed below average.

This clearly demonstrates that players need support to perform better and fans who are on a players back and a factor in him performing worse. The folk on Twitter constantly complaining about players are not helping the team perform at all, they are doing the opposite.

They concluded it was mental, motivational, the two factors I have constantly suggested we need sports psychologists and psychologists on board working with the players on a regular basis. 

Research has proved beyond any doubt that mental training programs, particularly from an early age, will have a very positive effect on self-confidence and therefore performance levels.

So what creates our confidence?

• Accomplishments in performance
• Involvement with the success of others
• Verbal encouragements
• Imagery (Using your minds eye)
• Physiological states
• Emotional states

Confidence leads to performance. 

Self-doubt has no place, particularly when things aren't going their best, its a major performance inhibitor. Controlling thought and emotions, channeling concentration, these will improve performance.

Self-confidence can be worked on, there are exercises an individual can perform to enhance them. 

Are we doing that enough at Spurs?