re: Thinking, Fast and Slow: Parallels with Player Development in Football

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Without a well-honed, advanced and broad technical skill-set, it is surely impossible for a young footballer to concentrate on anything but their attempts to pass, receive, dribble, cross, shoot, head, turn and tackle. The basis of the game is technique, everything else is supplementary. With a finite supply of attention, a young player who must expend significant energy on the deliberate execution of technique is inevitably lacking in attention to ‘spend’ on collective strategy, tactics and individual-role specifics.

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one big problem with this theory is the french system

it seems to produce magically skillful players who don't always put it together on the field. there is a strategy/teamwork angle that is crucial in sports. the french side is like the first wave of NBA euros. they could dominate any workout session or skills display, but many had no idea how to play basketball.