In the first episode of The World Cup Psychology Show, Tim Harkness, Chelsea’s former head of Sport Science & Psychology, who worked with Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, and David Wheeler, one of the only former pro footballers turned psychologists working in the game, join me to examine how mentally ready England are for the World Cup.
Key talking points:
* The psychological thinking behind England’s squad selection and preparation: we discuss the factors Tuchel, his coaching and backroom team are likely to have taken into consideration when selecting the squad, from the probable use of quantitative psychological evaluations to the emotional skills players such as Jordan Henderson possess.
* Learning from previous tournaments: we look at what’s gone wrong for England in previous European Championships and World Cups and how the team can learn lessons from those exits, focusing on the role of on-pitch communication, team cohesion and emotional regulation.
* Dealing with fatigue and heat: we examine the issues which are likely to dominate the competition, from fatigue to heat, with 25% of games set to take place in 26-plus degree temperatures.
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