Mistakes and errors have lost quite a few games this season be that under the guidance of Alan Sheehan or Vitor Matos. We saw it yesterday for two goals which cost the Swans the game, reflecting back on that now it was a game that could have been won.

Most of what head coaches train or implement is based upon a cognitive recollection of what they have seen in a game. That makes sense, but it’s all very much on sight and reflection followed by implementation on the training ground. Something some learn in early life is ‘it’s essential you work hard but it’s even more essential you determine what it is you work hard on’ If you only work on what you enjoy then you don’t experience the pain of learning. This is the essential quality of teaching and discovering the impact on those who are receiving the information.

I’m pretty uncertain whether this is happening in many coaching arenas, especially football.

When you think about it head coaches are only paid for the ‘attempt’ to improve a club that employs them. They can’t be paid for results because that hasn’t happened yet. Their rewards will come if they are a success, and as we know rewards are very much built into football contracts for players and coaches alike.

Those that follow the philosophy of working hard will agree, but get this - we all are looking for improvement. My belief is are we seeing too much failure because that ‘magic’ a coach or player is looking for is more about the work you avoid doing to get there. So, you will never see absolute progress. Apply that to your daily life and be honest about it, that’s glaringly obvious. Good teachers and obviously coaches fit that description. The only real experience in coaching that would tackle this way of learning and development has been sketchy when implemented by Russell Martin. We’ve seen the rebellious nature of players when they are faced with a type of learning such as this.

They want to learn but they don’t want to learn how to learn.

Vitor Matos has to raise his own expectations personally, he really needs to step over that bridge of fear that many football coaches fail to do. The fear of being rebelled against is the concern, cynicism from others which is more prevalent today than ever before has to be accepted to achieve more. Swansea City have decided to go out on a journey with Vitor, a tremendous personality who to an extent is experiencing failure in certain situations. However, if that failure is gauged on defeat then the three games he has experienced ‘in defeat’ should be encouraging. In five games Vitor has only competently won one (hard to take ?) the other four are examples of this, but only one of them a Swansea win. I say competently as yesterday’s game at Stoke was an incompetent loss. Mistakes by players who continue to make mistakes not addressed were illustrated in potentially the worst decision Vitor has made in his five games in charge. It’s no reflection on Josh Key as a person or as an individual, I can assure you he is referred to as a very humble person who comes from a good Christian family (for context) However, exposing him yesterday in a game which could have easily been won or gained the Swans a point was a horror move.

Excuse the pun but social media has crucified Josh, even though it’s more than apparent he has some struggles at this moment in time. They don’t care, why should they ? It deflects from them and massages their ego. Others join in and the bullying starts. Those that know about cynicism and its development into modern day English language will also know about the historical terminology for these individuals. Quite simply dogs, and dogs hunt in packs disguising their own insecurities and this happens with the many inadequates who haunt these arenas. Yes, it will ‘come on top’ to coin a phrase for some but in the meantime their thoroughly hateful remarks will remain a continuous barrage of abuse. Documented, evidenced and there for all to see, one challenge or response and they become the victims.

They may as well be living in a jam jar. Please look that up.

And this is a decent point, when someone is enclosed like that they make themselves noticeable to many people, That’s the attention they crave. A football coach could be considered in the same vein. They present themselves on a public level for everyone to make judgements upon. Anyone who chooses to can see them, find them and determine how they are viewed. The more intelligent fan will find out for themselves of course. And evaluate for themselves. Vitor is in that position but it’s the way he manages his own processes from here on in that will determine the rest of the season. Not what other people think or want to disseminate to others, it’s down to him.

Many people have repeat routines in daily life. These routines if not evaluated can easily slip into that moment when you are driving and ‘come to’ wondering where the last few minutes went ? Or a moment at traffic lights where a horn sounding brings you round. That’s the point, Luke Williams favoured constant and repetitive training until that horn sounded at his own traffic lights in February. Alan Sheehan was sleep walking into his own destiny without really seeing his decline in action. Whether he reflected or not through those latter stages, it was more likely to be a personal reassurance he was right. If you doubt that then why did we see the same monovalent one stop performances this season ?

No changes, no change.

If certain processes are followed or tried like facing fears and working on things you don't like, be that to keep relationships solid or that primary fear of being castigated you are in a reverse process. You can try things, you can even be determined to try things but it’s how you manage that process that is key. Otherwise you may as well drink your hemlock and get it over with. Coaching is all about development and not only of the player, it’s for everyone involved. Face that first and plan your escape from a predictable working day. Instead of putting the cones out drive a different route. Coaching properly in football has to be one of the most difficult things to do because it presents people with a league table of success.

Everyone is jealous of what others have, but nobody is jealous of how you got it.

And that’s pretty much what all of the people care about, being first or competitive in that league ladder. Vitor has seen three defeats all by the odd goal, and within those defeats there have been very similar processes to evaluate and improve upon. That’s where his destiny lies today, it’s that obvious, what isn’t is the way he gets there, that’s the real search for an identity which isn’t called the ‘Swansea Way’

Keith Haynes has written on many sporting topics and books on Wales and Swansea City including biographical accounts working alongside Roger Freestone, Tony Ford and long term friend Phil Sumbler. He has also worked for 442, Total Football, the Mirror and many other national publications

Artwork by Swansea Independent