How Jesse Lingard Found Love and Thrived

Jesse Lingard has proven his doubters and haters wrong. He has found a club, teammates and staff which appreciate and value him. And he has shown what a talented player he is. It's a lesson for young players in finding the best environment to thrive. 

I am genuinely delighted for Jesse Lingard. Since he moved to West Ham he has been a revelation. Since he debuted he has scored and assisted more goals than any other player in the Premier League, with 7 goals. What an impact! And what a response to all those doubters and haters these past few years. 

It doesn’t seem so long ago that Lingard was scoring for England at the World Cup. Yet a lot has changed since. Effectively his career has stalled. He became seemingly surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. A few cameo’s but no consistent run of games. The fans turned on him, criticism rained down on him after each performance, or after he posted a video, he was subjected to hate and ridicule. 

During this time he has admitted suffering from mental health issues after admitting his mom suffered from depression and he had to look after his two teenage siblings. It is example of what these young men have to experience, which many don't appreciate or see. Far too often these young lads are subjected to criticism from keyboard warriors or the veracity of the crowd - their own fans sometimes - who treat these young men terribly during their most difficult times. A bad performance results in criticism from the stands and social media. And yes you can argue its part and parcel of being of a professional footballer, but the vitriol, not to mention the racism which young black lads experience, is unacceptable. Yet in football it is deemed acceptable? There is a cultural acceptance here which needs to change. Social media needs better policing and these people should be fined and arrested for what they post. 

The pressure to perform

So with all this going on, a player is going to struggle to perform. It’s the overload of pressure, the expectations and pressure at home, the negativity they receive, can a player really be in a frame of mind ready to perform – to express themselves, to be creative and to enjoy playing? It’s the opposite! And the negative cycle perpetuates the issues further – negativity breeds a negative performance, cue more negativity and vitriol, which leads to more frustrations and difficulty for a player. And without a strong social support around it can lead to issues of mental health and depression, not to mention the difficulty in performing anything like their best. 

Negative cycles can be hard to get out of. Unless you leave them. And that's what Lingard did.

It felt like Lingard needed a change a few years back; this young energetic Academy product, skilful, dynamic and at times electric, all of a sudden wasn’t young in football terms anymore. He is now 28 years old. Perhaps half way through his career. It should be his peak years. Yet it got toxic at Old Trafford. He needed a move to play. He needed to get out of that pressure cooker, away from the hate and the lack of love – from the fans and the club. It still continues to baffle me that an Academy product was treated so badly by his so called ‘own fans’. This happens far too often. The same happened with Frank Lampard at West Ham. They didn’t appreciate him, he left and proved them very wrong. 

The perfect fit

A fresh start can be all it needs. And it’s worked wonders! He has found a team where he plays every game, a manager who has shown trust and love, a freedom to be himself and express himself and also importantly a team which was doing well. Had he joined Newcastle or West Brom, they may have appreciated Lingard like Moyes has, but they are teams struggling. It’s not easy to express yourself in this kind of environment. No, West Ham were perfect in every way for Lingard. 

His first game against my team Aston Villa I thought he was excellent, and the team really impressed. They looked a proper team – in attack and defence. And since then, where he hit the ground running, he has continued to fly. Back in the England squad too! What a great story! 

West Ham are now a team which could be pushing to be in Europe next year. It’s a compliment to the work Moyes has done at West Ham, he has flipped this team from an embarrassment into a very well coached and efficient team, actually exciting to watch. Lingard has added to this and fitted in perfectly. It’s a lesson that perhaps a player isnt’ a bad one, he just doesn’t fit in that environment, the style or ethos of the manager. Not every player can be suited to a manager or club. 

Lingard has had his struggles on and off the pitch and been subjected to abuse. But he took a brave choice to leave United and get back to playing. To get back his love for football. And he hit the ground running. It really does look like a new lease of life. Players, like all of us, sometimes need a change, to reinvigorate and rejuvenate our energy and mental well-being. He has found a team he loves and a manager who has shown him love. It seems easy. But it’s not always the case. 

The coach player relationship

The relationship between players and their coach is fundamental to helping them develop and improve. Are we aware of how our bias’ affect these relationships?

A few weeks ago our Academy offered our U16’s their scholarship decisions. It’s a time of mixed emotions; for the players offered they receive a fantastic opportunity to become a scholar at a professional football club. For those not offered they now have the difficult period of going on trials, travelling around the country, seeking to find a club. Others who aren’t offered sometimes lose their love for football and can fall out the game. As staff it’s difficult, you build bonds with these young lads and want the best for all of them. The hope is that many of this group get scholarships somewhere, and those who don’t you hope can look back on their experience with the Academy and appreciate the support, guidance and experiences they had. And hopefully they are better people for it all and can go on to succeed in the future, in sport or another area they have a passion for. That is the hope. 

 

The key for me as their coach is that we have sought to provide these lads the best opportunity and experiences. That we have been able to help each one of these lads and aided their development. These lads and their families are giving up a lot of time every week to travel to training and games. It’s a huge commitment. The important part is that we as staff make it a worthwhile experience. That they look back on their time and think of it positively. 

 

Based on this it is important to understand the role and influence a coach has on a group of players. As a team and individuals. How the coach treats the players, how much respect they show and give. It can determine what kind of player you get. If you spend all your time calling players “shit” is it a surprise you get players who don’t perform? If you shout and scream, blame them and highlight all their flaws, what kind of response do you expect? 

I believe this applies across all ages and levels. People want and expect to be treated fairly and with respect. And not just ‘the best’ players but all of the group. A coach who gives all his love and positivity to the 'better' ones and neglects the ‘bad’ ones is not a good coach. Your role is to make players enjoy their experience, make them want to come to train and develop and improve. To create an environment which is positive and happy, yet also demanding and challenging. 

Coaches too often care more about winning games over helping players develop and improve. What usually happens however is that by focusing on developing the players, improving their game, coaching them, the team improves and results come along with this approach. I also believe it creates an environment of development and garners a greater sense of team ethic and togetherness. The team is seeking to improve. So mistakes aren't lambasted every poor touch, the players support each other and they work for each other. This is a positive learning environment. 

Lingard was never a bad player, but perhaps just needed a change and new environment. 

Perhaps he just lost his energy and belief, perhaps a new change helped him. 

Perhaps the lads we didn't offer scholars to will thrive somewhere else, in a new environment and they can continue their journey. Football is not always easy or simple, the setbacks and adversity are part of the path. However how you react to them, how you adapt are key elements for their progression. 

The important thing for coaches to consider is - did I give my best to help this player? Did I focus on helping the player and person, or did I neglect them because they didn't help me win games? What kind of coach do you want to be remembered as. Let's do our best for all the players we work with. Make their experiences positive memories. 

The Whitehouse Address @TheWAddress