The players of Ajax have to visualize this week how they sail through the Amsterdam canals with the champion scale. They should almost be able to hear how the Ajax supporters go completely crazy in the stadium when the last whistle has sounded and they are champions. Being busy winning or losing is a recipe for poor results. If Ajax nicely empathizes with the victory, PSV will run away with the main prize.
Psychologist Lars van der Eerden guides top athletes and coaches. Once a week he can therefore be found in the sports center of Eindhoven where many top athletes from the southern Netherlands train. He knows from experience that in extremely exciting situations things go wrong in the head. “The tip for success is very simple,” he says. “Only focus on your task, so in this case on the game and the ball.”
Underdog
After this weekend, the tension with the players of PSV increased enormously. Due to the wins of the Eindhoven players against Feyenoord and an unexpected loss of Amsterdammers against NEC, there is again a serious chance of the championship for the southern people. With two more games to play, the difference between the two teams is only one point, in favor of Ajax.
According to Lars, it does not have to be an advantage that PSV plays the last two games from an underdog position. “They can all play football well. Whether a club fulfills the hope and expectations, not only takes place on the field, but also in the head of the football players. As an underdog you can also become uncertain in your head. Anyone who keeps a cool head and stays with the game has the best chance of success”
“If an athlete starts to think about the consequences of a won or lost match, things go wrong,” Lars explains. “If you start thinking, you can also start doubting, it will be big. You wonder if you can. You can get scared. Fear of failure is a play.”
Ajax is not allowed to read this
Ajax players have to skip this paragraph, because here Lars explains how you put your mind to zero. “You start by acknowledging that it is exciting, but then you put a point. You go back to basics. In the case of PSV you will only play the game that you are so good at. Your focus is on the ball and there are also your thoughts.”
It sounds so simple, put your thoughts on zero, but is often difficult. “Wandering is so squeezed. Think of an irritation to an opponent, a pain, an awkward step, a goal. I train to be aware of those thoughts. They know that those thoughts are not helping and that they should only do their ‘thing’ and nothing else. In this case, focus on the ball and the game.”
Tricks
“Many athletes I guide have devised a special tool to keep them focused on their task,” says Lars. “For example, someone has drawn an asterisk that he looks at and knows:” mind on zero “. Another print in advance:” I’m just going to enjoy. ” Lars himself has the mantra as a triathlete; “stay calm.” “This way I prevent me from following someone like a head when he passes me by.”