The goal of this study was to compare the tactics expertise paradigms and game-reading skills of elite football coaches with different geographical and cultural backgrounds, based on empirical data. In total, ten elite football coaches participated in the study. All participants had at least 10 years of coaching experience and had either UEFA Pro or A license. Coaches came from the following football federations: Scandinavian (n = 4), Baltic (n = 3), and Turkish (n = 3). In order to gather empirical data regarding the knowledge of coaches about theory and methods in crisis situation (tacit knowledge), we used the interview form comprising of 25 questions. The Kruskal–Wallis H test results indicated significant differences between groups (p < 0.05) in all aspects of tactical expertise paradigm examined: strategic planning, offensive organization, defensive transitions, crisis management, and methodological fidelity. Effect sizes calculated for each aspect proved that the membership of the coaches’ group (geographical and cultural school) accounted for significant percentage of variance in their tactical expertise (n2 = 0.777–0.860). The results obtained showed that Scandinavian School of coaching prioritized structural discipline and collective intelligence principles, obtaining the highest ratings in strategic planning (4.43) and methodological fidelity (4.77). Turkish School demonstrated its advantage in crisis management (4.59); however, Turkish coaches were characterized by the lowest rate in methodological fidelity (2.94). As the result, ability of Turkish coaches in tactical improvisation and intuitive expertise conflicts with system-oriented approach. Despite obtaining the best score in defensive transitions (4.76), the Baltic School demonstrated its reactivity in regards to offensive organization and strategic planning. To conclude, this study showed that tactical expertise is not only a set of technical knowledge, but also the specific cognitive scheme that includes geographic and cultural code elements. It can be concluded that distinctive feature of Scandinavian rationalism and Turkish dynamism provides useful theoretical background for hybrid coach models in contemporary football.
The goal of this study was to compare the tactics expertise paradigms and game-reading skills of elite football coaches with different geographical and cultural backgrounds, based on empirical data. In total, ten elite football coaches participated in the study. All participants had at least 10 years of coaching experience and had either UEFA Pro or A license. Coaches came from the following football federations: Scandinavian (n = 4), Baltic (n = 3), and Turkish (n = 3). In order to gather empirical data regarding the knowledge of coaches about theory and methods in crisis situation (tacit knowledge), we used the interview form comprising of 25 questions. The Kruskal–Wallis H test results indicated significant differences between groups (p < 0.05) in all aspects of tactical expertise paradigm examined: strategic planning, offensive organization, defensive transitions, crisis management, and methodological fidelity. Effect sizes calculated for each aspect proved that the membership of the coaches’ group (geographical and cultural school) accounted for significant percentage of variance in their tactical expertise (n2 = 0.777–0.860). The results obtained showed that Scandinavian School of coaching prioritized structural discipline and collective intelligence principles, obtaining the highest ratings in strategic planning (4.43) and methodological fidelity (4.77). Turkish School demonstrated its advantage in crisis management (4.59); however, Turkish coaches were characterized by the lowest rate in methodological fidelity (2.94). As the result, ability of Turkish coaches in tactical improvisation and intuitive expertise conflicts with system-oriented approach. Despite obtaining the best score in defensive transitions (4.76), the Baltic School demonstrated its reactivity in regards to offensive organization and strategic planning. To conclude, this study showed that tactical expertise is not only a set of technical knowledge, but also the specific cognitive scheme that includes geographic and cultural code elements. It can be concluded that distinctive feature of Scandinavian rationalism and Turkish dynamism provides useful theoretical background for hybrid coach models in contemporary football.
