The purpose of this research was to study the North Shewa Zone’s Debre Berhan town football team players alternative affecting variables that would enhance quality training by improving the performance of the team. The sample of the subject consists of 1 football coach and 25 players. To conduct this study both quantitative and qualitative method with descriptive survey design was employed. A variable data were suggested to create the function of quality training has a significant impact to play quality training in football. The result of the study indicates that some variables affect the performance of North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team. The respondents stated that lack of good communication among the concerned body, coaches’ low attention given for trainings, players’ low motivation for gaining new skill, coaches’ limited knowledge how to organize quality training, lack of supervision during training to know the level of performance and low attention given to team work were major variables.
Football is the world’s most popular form of sport, being played in every nation without exception. The sport has become a popular pastime among the people. Above all, interest in football has been growing in the country over the years. The rapidly increasing popularity of football has also need a demand of excellent performance. Football practitioners require many attributes to become successful players 1. These include cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, agility, coordination and tactical knowledge, 2. Based on these premises North Shewa zone Debre Berhan football team is found under Debre Berhan town and the team is played in the second league of the country for the years. However the team doesn’t qualify for the premier league since 1995 E.C. One of the key factors that help to improve the performance of football is the effectiveness of training. The coach plays a major role in the delivery of quality training. The essential condition for the development of football performance depends on the specific improvement on general physical preparation for the highest level. This is particularly an important requirement in the game of football. The players have to master complex techniques prior to their performance become excellent. It is the position of the present researchers to develop the standard player in Debre Berhan city football team. Therefore, the study attempts to suggest some attainable alternatives of developing the performance of Debre Berhan city football team as a function of quality training by motivating the coaching community and appreciate their new role in modifying the existing traditional approach and the system of training in the team. It is expected that this study would provide valuable support in improving the performance of Debre Berhan city football team as a function of quality training.
Therefore, the research is entitled “Assessing the Football performance as a function of quality training” with specific reference to Debre Berhan city football team. The team doesn’t qualify in Ethiopian premier league since 1995 E.C. Thus, the findings would demonstrate the level of performance and identifying the training experience of the team with a rational of technical, tactical, physiological (aerobic and anaerobic capacity), psychological and nutritional factors which might hinder the performance of the team Tomlin and Wenger, 3. Meanwhile, the valuable data obtained from the responses of coaches, players and experts suggest in the field that much not known concerning the status of coaching, quality training and football performance in Debre Berhan city football team. Therefore, the study would cultivate the problems encountering the team and suggest possible strategies. Wherever or not the problem is during planning, designing of the training program, testing, implementation, during follow up of implementation, monitoring and an inbuilt evaluation and assessment conducted before and after training requires training load, sufficient duration, intensity and frequency would be addressed to enhance football performance as function of quality training.
The research tries to answer the following basic research questions:
1. What are the causes of poor performance in Debre Berhan city football team?
2. What is the level of training on the bases of technical, physical, psychological and tactical aspects of Debre Berhan city football team?
3. Does Debre Berhan city football team use scientific method to coach football players?
4. Do coaches use tests and records to evaluate their changes during games and training?
5. Why Debre Berhan city football team doesn’t qualify for Ethiopia premier league?
The general objective of the study is evaluating the training problems which hinder the development of Debre Berhan city football team on the bases of physical, psychological, technical and tactical skills.
• To assess critically and suggest solution for the performance of the team by promoting quality training
• To analyze some factors such as technical, tactical physical, physiological (aerobic fitness) and nutritional variables
• To assess the training session of the team and the quality of training in the team
The study was relied on North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football club
The research design is semi-experimental to cheek the physical qualities of the players by using tests and deep survey, and to know the knowledge of coaches and other professionals in football by using interview and questionnaires.
Participants in this study are North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town twenty five professional football players and one coach were participated in the study. Questions were asked regarding a variety of coaching and athletic experiences such as the structure of training, years of coaches, coaching experience and its engagement in coaching development activities. It was helped the researchers to collect reliable data.
This study questionnaire, interview, observation cheek list and performance evaluation tests and the previous documents on this issue were organized in the findings to obtain the required data from the respondents.
Semi-structured interview, questionnaire, tests and observation cheek lists were used in this study. This combined strategy offers the flexibility of probing and exploring certain subjects in greater depth. The standardized approach was used in series pre-planned open-ended questions in order to organize a number of interrelated sections. The interview guide approach is characterized by the interviewer being free to probe accurate responses that would illuminate the subject being investigated. Predetermined questions were used in conjunction with appropriate probes which increased the richness and depth of responses.
The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods were implemented to analyze the content of the data. All comments, questions or concerns about the interviews were respected to ensure that participant responses and ideas have been fairly represented.
The coaches’ response deals about Debre Berhan football club team organization process in the function of quality training (data collected on Ethiopia, 2016)
As shown in the above table, the coach has profound knowledge of periodization to run the training program, but has no annual plan. Hence the coach should prepare annual training plan. He attended upgrading course that can improve his coaching competence and courses are highly related with the development of professional football. The coach incorporated the methodology of coaching during the training. Talent scouting procedure has used in selection of trainees. Coach uses additional training aid like video, charts for coaching and incorporates the four components of football training during practice. The coach follows the manual while coaching at field. The coaching manual consists of the methods of coaching. The coach stated that level of training is adequate and he tries to motivate athletes frequently in the training and during competitions.
Football player’s response about the facilities and equipment’s for Debre Berhan football club team (data collected on Ethiopia, 2016)
As Table 2 shows respondents stated that the training field is not convenient to conduct the training program, there is no appropriate materials and the training materials has poor quality, all respondents state that North Shewa football sport office doesn’t provide appropriate materials and uniforms when the players compare with the other clubs. 100% of respondents respond that the fee provided for the players is very low.
The support provided for North Shewa Zone Debre Berhan town football team from federation in terms of facilities, equipment, pocket money and salary were inadequate as mentioned by the respondents. Major problems analyzed from open ended and interview questionnaires that obscure the development of players’ performance were: Low attention given to the trainings and teamwork by the coaches and players, player’s low motivation for acquisition of new skills, knowledge of the coach about demonstration of organized training, there is no supervision during training to know players level of performance, no well-organized training, unfulfilled coaching staff, players low level of understanding about tactics and new techniques, lack of football academies in the country, level of the coaches and the standard of the league .
North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team technical evaluation obtained by observing and rating of technical ability
Elements to be considered are pre-race preparations, focus and performance plans and achievement of these plans.
5.1. Technical AbilityBall control: rate-2(need improvement) players must be able to bring a ball played to them under control instantly and smoothly. This is the ability to collect and move in a different direction without stopping the ball completely, yet still maintaining it securely. Develop the technique of receiving a pass at top speed. This means not slowing down to collect a ball coming on the ground, bouncing, or in the air. Players must be able to protect the ball by shielding it and developing deception in order to get rid of their opponents. So north Shewa zone Debre Berhan football team players need to improve their technical skill through training.
Passing: rate -1 (unsatisfactory) - their ball skills including heading, bending, chipping and the ability to drive the ball to a partner. You will find that at a high level, it is easier to control and make quick decisions with a ball that is driven to them, rather than weakly played. Therefore, North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team players must be able to successfully complete short and long range passes and needs to develop the skill of one touch passing.
Dribbling: rate-2(need improvement)- this is the ability to feint, burst past opponents, change directions and speed at will, and break through packed defensive lines. Players exhibit quick feet, combined with a sense of comfort under pressure, to penetrate into space to open opportunities for yourself or a partner.
Heading: rate -1 (unsatisfactory)- the ability to head at goal after crosses, heading high, wide, and deep for defensive clearances, heading balls as a one-touch pass (both into space or to a partner’s feet) in order to create shooting chances. Can players effectively demonstrate the ability to do this under the duress of the game?
Finishing: rate -1 (unsatisfactory)- nothing makes more of an impression on people than the skill of goal scoring. This aspect takes in the correct technique of striking the ball in various ways; driving low balls, hitting volleys, half volleys, half-chances, chipping, bending, heading, etc… Good goal scorers can also finish with their chest, heel, toe and thigh. Coaches are looking for that player who can exhibit composed aggressiveness, swift and secure decision taking at the opportune times. The successful goal scorer has the mentality of a great used car sales man very aggressive and not afraid of failure.
5.2. Tactical AwarenessNorth Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team players tactical insight incorporates the anticipation, reading and execution of certain clues that happen during possession and non-possession of the ball.
In attack: rate-1 (unsatisfactory) players not in possession need to makes themselves available for the ball, perhaps by a diagonal run or a crossover run, realizes when it is crucial to offer close support and when to stay away recognize the proper time to execute “take-over” and “overlaps”. So players in possession should have good peripheral vision, and penetrating vision to see and utilize players who are far down the field. Players need to recognize the correct time to play directly, and when it is important to hold the ball (shielding or dribbling), or when to run at top speed past players opening up passing angles for his team.
In defense: rate-1(Unsatisfactory) during the immediate pursuit and desire to regain possession of the ball, the player should recognize when to race forward to intercept the pass, when to mark the opponent tight in order to discourage the ball from being passed to them (pressure), when, where, and how to tackle, when to jockey the ball carrier and force them away from the goal (patience). They need to improve qualities of tactical awareness through training and game.
5.3. Physical AspectsNorth Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team players need improvement on:
Endurance: rate-2(need improvement)
The ability of a player to commit themselves diligently throughout the game in attack and defense with no sign of fatigue and impaired ball control and constantly running into open spaces demands endurance. Even though this is also a tactical commitment it will only be successful if you have the endurance capabilities to run for 60 to 90 minutes.
Speed: rate-2(need improvement) - Player’s ability to accelerate quickly and maintain that acceleration of the various lengths that player’s position demands. As an example, the forwards need acceleration with changes of speed over three to twenty yards these include; pure straight-ahead running speed, lateral speed (changing direction), change of speed (slow to fast, fast to half speed), and acceleration “stopping on a time”
Agility: rate-2(need improvement)- Player’s ability to change directions quickly twisting, turning while dribbling, readjusting the body to control an awkwardly bouncing ball, and getting up quickly after a tackle are a few examples. This area is enhanced by flexibility exercises such as stretching, ball gymnastics and skill training with the ball. Conditioning training must be combined with skill and tactical training!
Strength:rate-2(need improvement)- Player’s ability to effectively use their body to win physical confrontations strength is exhibited during tackling (1 vs. 1), winning the aerial duel (heading) and changing directions effectively (explosion). It is also important to learn how to effectively use that strength to their advantage as is demonstrated in using their arms to hold a player off while running at top speed with the ball or in shooting for power. Much of their strength and power training can be combined with technique training!
5.4. Personality TraitsEach coach loves to identify key players with personalities and qualities that cause them to become team leaders. The following personality traits are the most recognizable during training and game of North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town team players:
Drive: rate-2(need improvement) it implies pure will power, eager to achieve goals, a burning desire to achieve success, strong self-motivation, commitment, dedication, determination.
Aggressiveness: rate-2(need improvement) “Go-getter”, strong self-assertions, taking risks, wants to dominate opponents, works hard and ruthless in attack and defense, danger, bad losers, inclined to retaliation and revenge fouls, loses self-control and general lack of discipline.
Determination: rate 1 (unsatisfactory) seeks the direct way towards goal, no compromising, doesn’t hesitate when making decisions, willingness, fully concentrated and success oriented.
Responsibility: rate-2 (need improvement) intelligent, can read the game tactically (anticipation), conscientious, reliable, wants security, cooperative, ready for compromise, stable and skillful player.
Leadership: rate-2 (need improvement) intelligence, dedication, pride, bears responsibility for the team, influences the environment, anticipation, intuition, independent and spontaneous, convincing and dominating player, hard worker, no surrender, composed, self-controlled, endurable, communicative, respected and trustful.
Self-Confidence: rate-2(need improvement) secure ball control and determined application of skills and tactics under pressure (both external and self-imposed). These players tend to underrate opposing players, show a lack of willingness to be coached and can become easily complacent.
Mental Toughness: rate-2(need improvement) persistency, consistency, commitment throughout the game, no surrender and tough self-assertion.
Coachbility: rate-2(need improvement) ready to learn to achieve goals, self-motivated, attentive, receptive, willingness, interested, spontaneous, committing themselves, likes to discuss problems, hardworking, self-disciplined, creative, constructive and progressive.
Based on the findings of this study from open ended and interview questionnaires that obscure the developments of player’s performance in the team were drawn in the following conclusions:
• There is no supervision of players during training about their level of performance
• Lack of football academies in the town from the context of the football training principles. The training program and the preparation of the north Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team were quite inappropriate and incomplete.
• Unfulfilled coaching staff because the coach is the most important resource in a training system of a modern society. He /she play a major role in the delivery of quality training which needs to have scientific base.
• Lack of homogeneity about the given training in their clubs; the training program cannot contribute for the development of football performance.
• The training program has failed to succeed from the perspective of the modern way of football coaching as the program of training; the team entirely failed to solve the existing problem of the club.
• Therefore, the current training styles and the method of preparing the team have not yet been following the scientific method of preparing a national football team.
• Lack of sufficient amount of a friendly match as a part of the preparation of the team
• Lack of motivation, attention and understanding given to teamwork both players and coaches about acquisition of new tactics and techniques
• Lack of general physical preparation for the specific improvement of football; this is particularly an important requirement in the game of football where the players have to master complex techniques if their performance has to reach excellent level. As Balyi, 4 stated, the evaluation of training process primarily focuses on program effect depends on the constant monitoring and continuous evaluation should kept feedback for enhancing constant improvement.
• Lack of knowledge to update new coaching skill, meaning innovations and modern styles of coaching as well as the link between football clubs and the technical method of preparing the club and less knowledge of the coach about organized form of training.
• The potential and notable variables and their degrees of consequences such as:
○ Inadequate facility
○ Financial problems
○ Lack of supervision
○ Lack of scientific nutrition
○ Inadequate and insufficient preparation time for matches
○ Lack of support
○ Lack of motivation
In the light of the identified problems gathered from findings, the corresponding recommendations are forwarded:
• The club needs standardized football academy
• The club should focus on talent identification program-meaning talent detection and identification systems applied in the program implementation, follow-up, monitoring and an inbuilt evaluation of the program. Therefore, based on empirical research, talent identification and talent detection should be combined processes that emphasize direction and development instead of the traditional practice of selection and elimination. To produce talented players assuring scientific way of quality training should be done.
• The club must create sound training program at club standard- in order to obtain good results in football club level training program and footballers should correspond with the needs of the team.
• The local sport and club leaders due attention for joint collaboration with stakeholders- the North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football club required cooperation work with football federation and other concerned qualified professionals appointed in the field.
• The local sport and club leaders must be establishing scientific way of coaching environment- the North Shewa zone Debre Berhan town football team needs new methods of training and coaching instruction. The existing traditional approach must be changed and scientific method of training should be implemented in social, psychological, and scientific theoretical aspects to enhance muscular strength, Neuro-muscular skill patterns. Sports medicine professionals must be required to prevent injury.
• The local sport and club leaders must assign qualified coaches regarding what ‘qualities’ are important for successful performance in sport. The assessment of training is used to determine the effectiveness of a training program and the organizational form of coaching.
• The local sport and club leaders should fulfill the standard facilities, equipment’s and the overall set up of club organizations. Therefore, the current organization needs radical improvement.
• Finally the local sport and club leaders better to focus on depth research across the problems of football in our country at large scale.
| [1] | Bompa T.O., (1994). Theory and methodology of training: the key to athletic training. Champaign: Human Kinetics | ||
| In article | |||
| [2] | Bloom B.S., (1985). Developing talent in young people Ballantine Bloomfield, J. & Blanks by, B.A., (1971) Strength flexibility and anthropometric. | ||
| In article | |||
| [3] | Tomlin and Wenger, (2001) football performance and aerobic training, for enhancing motor performance Journal of Sports Med. 5:33-55. | ||
| In article | |||
| [4] | Balyi, I. (1998). Long-term planning of athlete development - the training to train. | ||
| In article | |||
Published with license by Science and Education Publishing, Copyright © 2018 Arefayne Mesfen and Tewodros Abir, Alemayehu Ejigu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
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| [1] | Bompa T.O., (1994). Theory and methodology of training: the key to athletic training. Champaign: Human Kinetics | ||
| In article | |||
| [2] | Bloom B.S., (1985). Developing talent in young people Ballantine Bloomfield, J. & Blanks by, B.A., (1971) Strength flexibility and anthropometric. | ||
| In article | |||
| [3] | Tomlin and Wenger, (2001) football performance and aerobic training, for enhancing motor performance Journal of Sports Med. 5:33-55. | ||
| In article | |||
| [4] | Balyi, I. (1998). Long-term planning of athlete development - the training to train. | ||
| In article | |||
