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Butler defends Manning Cup coaching methods
November 23, 2021
MONA HIGH School's Manning Cup head coach, Craig Butler, who is being heavily criticised for giving players push-ups in the middle of Manning Cup games whenever they make certain mistakes, is defending this method.
However, Butler says his methods are tried and proven and that, unless his critics can match his track record of developing and exporting players, they should take a page from his book.
"I don't really see where I could I be outdated in my methodology. The concept of it being outdated means the coaches would have to be educated in a current way and I don't know if there are many coaches who have left the island to get educated.
"Every organisation has ways of looking at things, and my way at looking at the Manning Cup is it is only a simple schoolboy competition, like any other across the world, and my job is to prepare the players for the next level of advancement," he said.
"Who has more professional players, higher transfer fees, or has an academy that is rated by FIFA higher than me? Until they can answer those questions, maybe they should have their players do some push-ups and mind your own business," he argued.
"I think the country should be adopting my methods and ask me to write the book for them, instead of questioning them," he stated.
Although winning the Manning Cup is his objective, Butler insists he will not try to do so at all costs and to the detriment of the youngsters' development.
He said his method is a means of reinforcing the need for excellence and that he has the full support of the principal, parents and players.
"If a player misses a shot wide he does 10 push-ups, if it's over the bar he does 20 push-ups, if he takes it off his weaker foot to shoot with a stronger foot then he does, 30 push-ups," he informed.
"It doesn't matter if it is a Manning Cup match or a training session. Even if it is the Manning Cup final we are doing the push-ups," he added.
"Winning the Manning Cup would be nice. But instead of being an end-all it must be a developmental process.
"I would rather lose a Manning Cup final and have a player try to use his weaker foot and miss a goal, rather than he takes the ball from his weaker foot to his stronger foot and score and win the final," Butler continued. "Because that player will go to Europe and not be able to make a team and I would have done him a disservice because, as a coach, I did not put that pressure on him.
"My players are always happy to do push-ups. They do not see it as a disrespect and the principal, the parents and the players are all behind it," he noted.
The Phoenix Academy owner believes, at this age, it is about developing the youngsters for the highest level, insisting that he will continue to do what has worked for him for the last 30 years.
"The better a player is, the better a coach will be able to execute tactically. So the focus is not winning the Manning Cup at all cost. We want players to be disciplined, focused and technically competent while winning the Manning Cup."
Continuing, he said: "But how can they question what I am doing when I have produced at a high level? Would you rather they do the push-ups and correct their faults now, rather than win the Manning Cup and go to Europe and can't get a game because they are not complete players?
"So it is not to win the Manning Cup, but to make them the best players they can be in high school. So until they recognise that, they (critics) will always complain about my methods," he said.
