Everything has a counter part, such is life, salt and sugar, bitter and sweet, night and day, life and death, light and darkness, male and female.... I could go on for like forever.
A universal truth is that Balance requires two variables of the same kind but opposite nature. Whether we like it or not, the world has been coded that way.
In football, it is no different, each and every aspect of the game requires that there is another as it's counter part. To balance, difference is needed.
Generally, football is divided, ON FIELD and OFF FIELD. On field, involving professionals that play or aid in the game being played; players, coaches, doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, gym trainers etc. Off field, involving professionals that aid in administration and running of the club; president, chairman, CEO, COO etc.
Now, both sides of the industry require a constant proportionality for the institution to work perfectly. Beliefs, ideas and fundamentals need to align with goals, needs and wants. Here, I'm not talking of coordination, rather, the true paradigm, balance.
Professionals adhering to work ethic will always attain coordinative environment as a base from which they can work together for the betterment of the institution. Problem is, the same can not be said when speaking of balance.
Either side of the industry, principles (individual or collective) have to align with goals in a pragmatic manner. On field, this involves, for let's say coaches; aligning individual views on the game with collective team views. For players, it involves playing for the best of the team even if compromising a bit of yourself. Off field, with the president/chairman for instance, it involves operating in the club's best interests instead of individual ones.
Balance hinges on the person at hand. The perspective from which a person sees certain variables as to be in perfect proportionality, more than often, does not coincide with how another will.
The paradigm.
Balance is a universal truth, ones perspective does not change how the truth applies itself into the environment. Balance is balance, whether or not a person sees it or not is strictly reminiscent to them. Balance is infinite, though, dependent on other phenomena.
See, balance has, does and will always exist. Balance is among the pillars holding life together, maintaining order and rule in the universe.
Personally, I have employed an approach to cracking football, where by, I discern concepts of life and apply them in football in a relatable and meaningful manner. Such an approach points out that the universe is the sample space to obtain knowledge and thus broadening the scope of attaining and utilizing knowledge.
Coming back to the topic, in football, we strive for excellence or perfection though none exist—as in a complete manner. Let's stop and think, how is that attained without having constant viable proportions within the included variables? We also strive for success, how is that to be attained without weighing priorities to see how they interchange and relate? We strive for clarity, how to get to it? Via explicit differentiation of pros and cons in the game. We strive for simplicity, where do we buy that? Oh! Wait we just have to balance out needs and wants then elaborate. Do you now see why balance is important?
A personal view on balance (might be a bit extreme).
I advocate for balance and consider it among the returning points throughout processes in football and life at large. I take it as far as negating one individual being the focal point in a team.
"No one individual is to be left about"
my words as I explain my perspective on a post shared previously.
My main concern with the concept being, a fact that; prioritizing one individual for the supposed better of the team ensures detriment of others. Inherent demands for accomplishment diminish the probability of individuals (except one who is the focal point) to reach their expected full potential.
I take this even further to advocate my concern on how athleticism is viewed among football professionals. I argue;
"Athleticism is overrated"
By this, I do not mean it is unnecessary, but rather, the emphasis on it is a bit overwhelming. I fear that as we continue to uphold the physical we will in turn lose the technical. It has not happened, yet, thus we still see ourselves safe. I'm projecting that if we do not take counter measures athleticism will be the death of technique.
Influencers.
As explained above, balance hinges on perspective of the person at hand. It differs in perception from person to person, but why is that so?
✓Individual beliefs: some people lean away from balance as their ideals do not comprehend. The need and importance of balance is trivial in their minds.
✓Previous life experiences: being shaped in the rule of the jungle as in survival for the fittest makes some people o intuitively lean away from balance.
✓Intellect: since we differ intellectually as human beings it is only natural that our perceptions are also different.
✓Individual behavior: ego and selfishness lead people to think they are entitled to the best of everything, much more than everyone else is.
Who is the writer?
Luqman Kabange is a 21 year old college student at Kibaha College Of Health and Allied Sciences Pwani, Tanzania studying Clinical medicine. Also found on X as @KabangeLuqman.
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