Over Coaching

Is there such thing as "over coaching?" I've heard this term used a number of times when it comes to high profile players who are out of form and not shining as they usually do.  Recently it has been suggested that players such as Roy Asotasi and Israel Folau have been lacking in form due to over coaching by the staff involved with their respective clubs.  Both cases are extremely different so I will focus on each of the two players individually.

First I will talk about Roy Asotasi.  He is a strong runner of the ball and has always seemed to get over the advantage line, encouraging second phase play with his fantastic off loads and line breaks.  However, recently he has begun adding some footwork into his game, as Gould puts it..he has begun "dancing" in front of the defence before he reaches them.  As a consequence, he has been unable to make strong meters and has come up with an increasing number of loose carries.  I believe that Asotasi has been told to be more "creative" in the way he hits the ball up and as a result, he is failing to make those strong meters that once came so easily.  In other words, he has been over coached.  The Rabbitohs staff have forced him to change his playing style which has affected his overall performance as a player.  They should just allow him to hit the ball up as he pleases and eventually, those line breaks and offloads will come back into his game, hopefully with a few less mistakes.

Folau is a different story.  He is wasted on the wing.  Folau stays on his wing and waits for the ball to come to him.  There is no denying he is an incredible athlete with an instinct for scoring spectacular tries and always seems to be in the right place and the right time.  However, the line he runs has to be fixed.  He needs to be coached to come in and find the ball instead of letting the ball find him.  For example, look at Roosters winger Shaun Kenny Dowall.  He is always coming in field in search of hit ups and opportunities to hit the ball up.  I believe Folau would be a greater asset to his team if he adopted some more creativity into his game, but I believe he is told to stay put on his wing and wait for the ball, yet another example of over coaching.

This could all just be in my head, but I believe that some of the league's great players could be performing on a whole new level, they could be greater than we know...we just have to allow them to do what they do best and not try and control their natural game too much.