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Former US coach Bob Bradley explains coaches' views on hydration breaks
Bob Bradley discusses the impact of hydration breaks during the FIFA World Cup, highlighting the mixed opinions among coaches regarding their effectiveness and influence on game dynamics.
During the friendly match against Senegal, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino pulled out a laptop during the first hydration break, raising questions about how such breaks might affect the game. "After the USA-Senegal game, there was talk about these breaks and the use of laptops. And since the World Cup started, it hasn't been talked about anymore," said Bob Bradley, former USA coach and analyst for FIFA World Cup NOW. “If the team is playing well, you let the guys come and talk to each other,” Bradley added. "You make some observations and, if there's something specific that happened in some games, then it's easy to say: 'Let's change the way we press.'"
Many of the tournament's top coaches have expressed their reservations about hydration breaks. Thomas Tuchel, England manager, said: "It interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought." Lionel Scaloni, coach of Argentina, confirmed that the "four periods" concept is real, while Roberto Martinez, coach of Portugal, called the break "revolutionary". Marcelo Bielsa, Uruguay's coach, said the four-quarter nature of the game "will alter the culturally constructed conception of how to interpret football."
“They think it stops the game,” Bradley said. "They would say that in some games it might allow you to do something tactically, but it's not necessary to do it every time. But in extreme conditions, it is necessary. However, what they don't like is that it interrupts the rhythm of the game, and everyone feels that it has changed the identity."
How teams react to the break and how the game changes is also up for debate. Bradley highlighted a potential trend of more action immediately after play resumed. "After the hydration breaks, it might seem like there were more chances, shots and goals," Bradley said. “It's hard to know what that means, because there were more goals during the World Cup period.”
Who could benefit most from these breaks in play? The weakest. They have the opportunity to change tactics and regain energy while defending against the teams with the majority of possession. "Scaloni pointed out that it's actually an advantage for weaker teams, and that's true," Bradley concluded.
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