Jupp Heynckes Quotes

My concentration level blocks out everything. Concentration is why some athletes are better than others. You develop that concentration in training and concentrate in a meet.

I think, of course, when you are coming somewhere, when you know you are playing good tennis, it always helps you.

I think we all have had better days in competition.

There's an adage that a lot of coaches have, that I completely disagree with, is if you make the Olympic team too early you become complacent.

Matches are won and lost so many times in the locker room.

You can teach all the other stuff, you know. You can teach shooting the ball, you can teach having a good touch... passing and whatnot, but when you get out there on the field, it's just a mindset you need to go into the game with.

People expect you to play your best, so I go through a routine to prepare myself so that I know I'm physically and mentally ready - prepared for the game.

I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That's all mental. It messes people up.

I had come across a few sports psychologists, and I had no time for nearly all of them. I just don't think they work in a team environment.

I have always maintained that in basketball the importance of the mental to the physical is about four to one.

The mental side of sports, it's huge. It's such a massive part of the game.

Been dealing with pressure since I've been playing sports, so that's why I play the position. It's a pressure-packed position and I love it.

When I'm practising on my own, my game feels great, but there's a big difference between practising on your own and playing against people.

People might think it's all about getting up for a game but it's often the opposite.

I think all you can do is prepare properly for every game but you also have to be realistic. Be realistic about what you are as a team.

My routine prior to a big game is the same for any other match. Eat, sleep, chat with teammates during the day, and then, as the match draws near, I listen to my music on the trip to the stadium and zone in.

With a good start, players can relax a bit more and aren't so anxious throughout the season.

I work better under pressure. I was the local badminton champion when I was a kid, and there was another girl who used to thrash me for the five days leading up to the tournament and then I would just nail her to the floor in the competition.

I'm not saying there's no pressure at Evergrande, there's pressure at Evergrande all the time. But I am myself and, no matter if I'm playing for Real Madrid or at the World Cup, I've never felt pressure.

Learning how to compete is one of the most important things that an athlete can do. You can train as well as you possibly can and go compete and completely choke.

Some players like to practise right up to the start of play. But for me, whatever warming up I did was only going to be followed by cooling down again.

When I first came to England to play I saw coaches having a go at players when they made mistakes and they would literally be talking them through the game.

In my own opinion, psychology in football is far more important than anyone believes, including the coaches.

Once you graduate from the Under-19 level, no one really gives you technical advice. It is all about making mental adjustments.

I always say that mentality is a crucial aspect in a football environment.