Cross-Pollination of Strategies: Rugby’s Influence on Football Coaching

omidbasir- In early February, a colleague who ardently supports football while disdaining rugby voiced his frustrations in the office. The Six Nations, Europe’s premier international rugby competition, commenced on February 5 and will continue until mid-March, with England set to face Ireland in a pivotal match this Saturday. Amidst his complaints about local pubs airing continuous rugby games instead of football for the upcoming weeks, it’s evident that some of football’s top managers are looking to rugby for inspiration.

Prior to England’s match against New Zealand in November, Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler visited the England rugby camp. Rugby players are accustomed to football managers observing their training—Antonio Conte and Gareth Southgate have both visited in the past—but the reverse is also true. Hürzeler was particularly impressed by the positioning of rugby coaches during matches, seated in the stands rather than on the sidelines.

“The head coach is always observing, not emotionally involved on the sideline,” Hürzeler noted. “It’s about overseeing the game like an analyst and making decisions from a distance. That might be the future of football as well.”

In France, since Paris Saint-Germain’s clash with Lens in September, manager Luis Enrique has adopted a similar approach by watching the first halves of home matches from the stands. “For a long time, I’ve seen rugby coaches analyze games from a different perspective,” Enrique remarked. “I wanted to watch the first half from the stands, and it’s magnificent. I can control everything, which enhances my halftime discussions as I can analyze events in real time.”

However, this method is more challenging to implement abroad, as Spanish regulations mandate managers remain in the dugout. Nonetheless, Enrique has taken inspiration from rugby in how he conducts training as well; he often observes sessions from a six-meter-high scissor lift at PSG’s Campus. He emphasized that this vantage point significantly alters his perspective and aids in improving his team’s movement.

Will this strategy become common in the Premier League? Currently, if a manager is spotted in the stands, it is typically due to a reprimand. Yet, some have favored this approach; Sam Allardyce, for instance, utilized it around 15 years ago, alongside predecessors like Walter Smith and Jim McLean, who famously directed from a glass box during touchline bans. Leyton Orient’s Richie Wellens is also known for preferring the stands, yet Allardyce is often recognized as a pioneer in this practice, having first implemented it during his tenure at Bolton, Newcastle United, and Blackburn.

From the early 2000s, Allardyce spent considerable time with the England rugby team, studying their strength and conditioning regimens, data usage, and management styles. “Our psychologist at Bolton recommended I observe from the stands, as all I would do on the bench was jump up and down. We utilized earpieces and radios to communicate with the bench, which allowed us to present visuals at halftime instead of merely discussing tactics,” Allardyce shared. “This approach helped remove emotional biases from decisions and provided a clearer view.”

Despite some clubs disapproving of his absence from the dugout, Allardyce maintained that if he were managing today, he would undoubtedly choose to oversee from the stands. “There’s no definitive right or wrong approach, but it can be contentious if it becomes a topic of discussion in boardrooms.”

Rugby’s influence is also evident in the terminology some football managers are adopting. Terms like “bomb squad” and “finishers” are now being used to describe substitute players who can impact the match’s dynamics. Former England rugby coach Eddie Jones introduced the term “finishers” in 2017, which has since been echoed by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who recently referred to his bench players as “impactors” or “finishers.” This linguistic shift has sparked debate; ex-Watford striker Troy Deeney criticized it as “childish,” arguing that it might confuse players who do not enter the game.

Additionally, the Springboks, South Africa’s national rugby team, utilize a “bomb squad” bench, comprised of players who inject fresh energy into the game. Following England’s 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley, coach Thomas Tuchel was introduced to this terminology, stating, “I like ‘bomb squad’ more than ‘finisher,’ even though I haven’t used that term yet.”

While some elements of rugby, like the television match official, may have contributed to the flaws seen in VAR, the overall crossover of ideas is noteworthy. When I conveyed these developments to my football-disparaging colleague, he humorously retorted, “What, how to take over a pub and ruin my Saturday afternoon?”