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“He was already a topic of discussion leading up to the match, and now it seems he will be in the spotlight once again,” noted former England winger Aaron Lennon on BBC Radio 5 Live, reacting to Andre Onana’s blunders against Lyon.
Izzy Christiansen, a former midfielder for both Lyon and England, added, “He appears somewhat foolish tonight, and Matic is likely the one who will have a restful night.”
Sports psychologist Moore, who co-hosts the What’s Your Goal podcast with ex-England international Katie Chapman, discusses how the human brain tends to focus on perceived risks, threats, and errors, particularly regarding one’s ego, status, and reputation.
“As a goalkeeper for a renowned club, there’s an inherent pressure on him, especially amidst the recent negative press surrounding the team. This situation is likely to compound his difficulties,” Moore explained.
“Instead of thinking ‘how can I succeed?’, he might be stewing over ‘how can I prevent a mistake?'”
Matt Shaw, a chartered sports psychologist at InnerDrive, emphasizes the importance of minimizing external distractions for players, stating, “It’s possible that the timing of those comments coincided with his poor performance, but we can also examine instances where no such comments were made, yet his performance varied.”
Shaw asserts that the chatter surrounding players can become exaggerated in significance due to media and fan reactions, while the players themselves might not be as swayed.
“For many athletes, it’s like water off a duck’s back,” he remarked. “When these comments do affect players, it’s noteworthy, but we often overlook the fact that they are experts in their field who can experience off days, as well as manage their response to these situations.”
He pointed out Onana’s pre-match engagement with fans, suggesting it indicated that external pressures may not have significantly impacted him. “Though players can be affected, it often doesn’t have a profound effect on them,” he added.
“Our work with athletes focuses on helping them maintain a steady mental state. While it may seem straightforward to connect pre-match comments with in-game errors, once the match begins, it’s improbable that these thoughts occupy their minds, as they have much more immediate tasks to concentrate on.”
Shaw concluded, “What we aim for is for players to think constructively about what they need to focus on to perform optimally. Clearly, remarks about his ability as potentially the least effective goalkeeper for United are not the kind of thoughts that will benefit him, but I’d be surprised if those were at the forefront of his mind.”
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www.bbc.com