Cherchesov briefs UEFA student coaches

Guard against excessive stress – choose the right staff and support set-up – learn to delegate. Some of the important advice given by Russia’s national team coach Stanislav Cherchesov to UEFA Pro Licence coaching students at the latest seminar in Nyon.

Cherchesov, who took the Russian hosts to the quarter-finals of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, was a special guest at the course at the House of European Football in Nyon.

The former Russian goalkeeper, who has also managed club teams not only in his home country, but also in Austria and Poland, gave students from Armenia, Croatia, Georgia and Lithuania a number of key pointers as they embark on what they hope will be successful coaching careers.

“If I do something, I try to do it thoroughly, from A to Z,” Cherchesov said. “Coaching is a profession, and you have to work hard at it.”

“But you must be able to control stress,” he added. “Don’t be too tense. You have to know your job, and this will help you achieve a more relaxed frame of mind. Believe in what you do, have a positive attitude, and enjoy the job.”

Cherchesov insisted on the need for coaches to work together with people who were on the same wavelength. “You need to pick colleagues around you who will give you good advice, who you can trust, and who will say ‘no’ to you when necessary,” he reflected.

“As a coach, you have to be able to delegate – you can’t do everything – so it is important that you work with people who know what they have to do in any situation.”

Cherchesov reflected that attitudes towards Russia’s national team had changed after their fine showing at the World Cup on home soil. “As the hosts, we understood our destiny, and we achieved a lot,” he said.

“We changed mentalities. Now we have to show that it wasn’t an accident.”

Cherchesov emphasised that it was important for coaches to know their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their players. “Know yourself, have belief in yourself,” he told the student coaches, “and you must not be afraid to take decisions that will not be popular.”

“I was delighted to accept an invitation to take part in [this] seminar for coaches,” said Cherchesov. “Exchanging ideas regarding development is what is helping to improve football in Russia, and making it more meaningful. I think it was an interesting and constructive discussion.”

“It was a pleasure to invite Stanislav Cherchesov as our special guest to speak to coaches who are just starting out on their journey,” said the head of UEFA’s education services, Frank Ludolph.

“He provided invaluable insights into his coaching philosophies and, in particular, how he coaches his country’s national team, while also explaining how he was able to deal with the pressure and expectations of a whole nation during this summer’s World Cup, which Russia of course hosted.”

“I am sure that his thoughts, knowledge and understanding of the game will be immensely useful to the next generation of coaches who were in attendance.”

Read Stanislav Cherchesov’s interview in UEFA’s coaching publication, The Technician