Your technique is not a luxury, it’s not an advantage. Simply put, you MUST be technical, very technical, to even get a shot, to even be considered!

‘Technique’ has become a category that players feel they can decide to add to their game. It has become something that’s seen as a luxury when in reality it is NON-NEGOTIABLE. It is the bare minimum that is REQUIRED as a footballer. 

Story:

From the beginning of my days as a footballer, I always considered myself a technical player. As a child, my father would drill me endlessly on every technical aspect of my game and it was something that has stuck with me throughout with career. During my years as a player in the American youth system, I felt like my technique was an advantage because while there were, of course, technical players; there were many MORE ‘untechnical’ players.

All was well and good growing up, being called “technical” by my youth coaches and feeling more comfortable on the ball compared to the players I was playing against. My aspirations, though, were to play at a much, much higher level. During my early years as a professional, I trialed and played abroad - trialing in Argentina with Estudiantes de la Plata and later playing with Hannover 96 and Werder Bremen in Germany. Competing first hand with players of this caliber was initially a bit of a shock because I had this misguided idea that my technique would set me apart. Instead, it was the only reason I was allowed to take the field with these players BEFORE even judging the other aspects of my game (Ability to read/understand the game, Physical, Psychological). Unless you’re aspiring to play for fun and not at a demanding level, EVERYONE is “technical” at any relatively high level, and to get there, you have to have it all - a strong foundation of:

Technique

Fitness

Strength

Tactical understanding

Psychological strength

PLUS an even “stronger strength” (terrible word 😅) that sets you apart from everyone else

This “shock” would be what led me to truly understand what a “Professional footballer” really is and the level I had to aim for in ALL aspects of my game in order to come close to making it. 

The underlying message here is - If you’re a “technical” player, great, take that technique to another level WHILE strengthening the other parts of your game. If you’re not a “technical” player, bust your tail to become “technical” and work on it ruthlessly WHILE working ruthlessly on the other parts of your game. 

Either way, there’s ALOT of work to do. A lot of hours to put in. 

Get to work.