Chris Smalling Quotes

Sometimes in the past when I played something might make me lose focus, or I would go home after a game where I thought I could have played better and I would let it hang over my head for a long time when it shouldn't.

Sometimes the biggest problem is in your head. You've got to believe you can play a shot instead of wondering where your next bad shot is coming from.

When I go out on the ice, I just think about my skating. I forget it is a competition.

You can only do so much in the gym or pool. Seventy per cent of it is physical, but the final 30 per cent is down to the mental capacity to actually control what you can do in competition.

We must condition the players. They need to get into the right frame of mind in the hours leading up the game.

A lot of times when I'm confident and relaxed on the court, I'm going to be a pretty tough out. But when I'm not so confident and not so relaxed, I tense up and my balls fall short and everything. It just sort of unravels.

You can't lose your concentration at all. And there are times when you're on the stage, and you've got silence, which is wonderful, but you have to have the confidence to make you realize it's fine. You can't suddenly wobble and think, 'They're not interested.'

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.

Mental attitude and concentration are the keys to pitching.

As soon as he thinks about the record, he's finished. The secret is to put it out of your mind.

A good 80 percent of the vault is still physical and another percentage of it, 20, 25 percent is mental. Mental is always the mental strength, the confidence building up to that contest or repetition, practice, practice, and practice.

Before a race, I block out what's going on in the stadium. It's different for everyone. But for me, I've always been able to block it out. For a sprint race, it's important not to get distracted.

I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon as I see the targets, I tune them out.

Actually the adrenaline of the game will probably help me out a little bit to regain command and concentration about the things that I have to do.

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.

You play this sport in the mind, not only on the field.

Everybody has some part of their game that is easily influenced to choke.

It gives me a lot of confidence to play with my feet, and I have to be focused for 90 minutes.

No, I don't get nervous when I play basketball.

Psychology is a big part of sport that some people do not realise. But it is a skill you have to practice.

I understand that when people try to wind me up, it's because I'm playing well. Whenever I had trouble, it was because I reacted to something. Now I'm much more focused on the game and on doing my job.

I've never been cold during a big game. It's the adrenaline. You're always moving.

Don't think about the 50 reps ahead of you, just the next 5.

I have shot a basketball my whole life and it is both physical and it is mental as well. Overall I think confidence plays a huge role in shooting.

Sometimes self-esteem affects you on and off the pitch. Until you face your next game and you miss an easy chance, for example, then you feel not as great.