“Know Your Players First”: The Coaching Lesson Behind Abel Ferreira’s Approach (Patreon)

When a football coach takes over a new team, there’s an immediate urge to impose ideas: a preferred formation, tactical schemes, new routines. But one of the biggest truths in football management is this: before you teach players how to play, you have to know who they truly are.

Few modern coaches embody this principle as clearly as Abel Ferreira. Early in his tenure at Palmeiras, Ferreira faced the same puzzle any coach encounters when joining a new club: figuring out which players fit best in which roles—not just on paper, but in their own minds and hearts.

Modern football squads are full of versatile players. Full-backs who can step into midfield. Wingers who switch flanks. Midfielders who drop into defence. Versatility sounds ideal, but it’s a double-edged sword. A player might be capable in several roles yet secretly feel out of place. Coaches often discover too late that a player’s “best position” in theory doesn’t match where he feels comfortable or confident.

Abel Ferreira didn’t want to make that mistake. So he tried something different.

A Simple but Powerful Drill

Instead of assuming he knew best, Abel turned to his players. He created an unusual exercise during one of his early training sessions.

He placed markers on the pitch representing each position in a 4-3-3 formation. Then, gathering his squad, he issued a challenge:

“I want you to choose the position where you feel happiest, where you feel most comfortable, and where you believe you perform best. Be honest—with your head, and with your heart.”

It sounds simple. But the exercise forced players to confront—and declare—their own preferences. At first, many were hesitant. But gradually, they stepped toward the positions they felt were truly theirs.

In that moment, Ferreira learned things that video analysis, scouting reports, and stats alone could not reveal. He discovered which players were comfortable switching flanks, who preferred the left or right, and which versatile players actually wanted to play in their newly assigned roles—or secretly longed for another position.

But even more importantly, he opened a door for communication and trust.

More Than Tactics—Building Trust

Abel Ferreira has often said that football is about more than tactics. For him, it’s about creativity, innovation, and relationships. His simple exercise embodied all three.

By asking the players directly, he:

• gained clarity about the squad’s true shape,

• found solutions for potential crisis situations, and

• sent a message that their opinions mattered.

This approach has crucial benefits:

• Clarity – Coaches avoid assumptions about where players fit best.

• Commitment – Players buy into tactical plans because they feel heard.

• Flexibility – When injuries or suspensions hit, the coach knows who’s willing and able to adapt.

Even beyond positions, it’s a method for identifying leaders, gauging character, and testing who’s prepared to sacrifice for the team when needed.

The Broader Lesson

Abel Ferreira’s exercise wasn’t just about finding a left-back or defining wingers’ preferences. It was a reminder of a fundamental truth in football: before a coach can shape a team, he must understand the people within it.

Players are not pieces in a game of checkers. They have instincts, emotions, and comfort zones. If a coach ignores those, even the best tactical plans can fail.

Sometimes, all it takes is a few markers on the grass, and one honest question:

“Where do you feel happiest playing football?”

For Abel Ferreira, that question wasn’t just about positions. It was about respect—and about building a team from the inside out.