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Great goal scorer, but terrible work rate - help?

I manage/coach a girls under 16 team and I have a striker that scored 25 goals last season and she has 6 in 5 games this season but her work rate is non existent. She doesnt chase defenders or the keeper down, if the ball doesn't go directly to her she's not particularly interested but she is a natural finisher. She was captain last season has started captain this season. When I tell her to chase the ball down sometimes she does for a short period another time she'll look at me as if to say I'm trying hard when she clearly isn't. What do you do with a player like this? I don't want to lose her as her goals are invaluable to us. It's a difficult situation

James spinkCoach, England

3 answers

ANSWERS

Football CoachCoach

Look at it from another side, she's a striker and she's scoring goals - that's what you want her to do. It does sound like she's working hard but not in an obvious way, you judge a striker on goals and by the it looks like she's doing a good job. Just take Berbatov for example!

Let her know that she is playing well and give her constant encouragement. If you're still desperate for her to press just casually take her aside in training and tell her that that it will improve her game if she does it a little bit more (don't tell her she HAS (or NEEDS) to do it.

If you have someone who is more vocal and influencial in your team I suggest you make them captain, but taking away the captaincy from a player mid-season can be tricky - so you have to weigh up the pro's and con's

Football CoachCoach

limit her playing time. and make sure her sub is someone w/high work rate. if she's competitve she might respond to that. pull her asiide in practices. i'd have at least 2-3 conversations about her work rate before doing so tho.

Football CoachCoach

sorry disregard the "pull her aside" bit in my last response.

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