Confidence represents a fuel source for the individual and the team, one that drives success in all its forms, whether it is accomplished performances or the ultimate collective goal, winning trophies.
Its absence can make the best players appear hesitant and unsure and great teams distinctly ordinary. Confidence can come from a single source, a player that becomes an inspiration to team-mates with his infectious positivity or the certainty he brings, someone who does a disproportionate amount of the heavy lifting.
I was lucky to play with several that could impact people, as well as the match. A couple of times in my own career, I felt in that zone where things flowed easily and produced a high-end output. It’s an alliance of…