The Booth Phenomenon

Working his magic, David Booth talks to his players before last night's victory over Yadanarbon

Getting inside the heads of footballers is every coach's aim. If he can get them to play the way he wants them to play and to believe in his system, then that's as good as it gets. If that system and style of play works, the team keeps winning and the players see the benefits of following their coach's advice and instructions, then everyone is a winner. Since his arrival at Phnom Penh Crown at the end of June, David Booth hasn't tried to change everything at once, he's worked on the basics starting with a strong defence and asked his players to pass and move, accentuated the positives and coaxed them onto his wavelength in how the game should be played. Following his advice, the Crown team registered eight wins and a draw to capture the Cambodian League championship. But that success wasn't enough for David Booth and his team. The final stage of the AFC President's Cup was approaching and he, and they knew, a step up in their level of performance would be required to have any chance of success in this higher standard of international competition. Having already experienced winning the domestic title by following his instructions, the Crown players are now totally sold on the coach's advice and their desire to attain even more success has been evident throughout their time here in Taiwan. You play football to enjoy it, and winning makes it even more enjoyable. If you develop a winning habit and you succeed against higher-ranked teams, the belief in yourself, the team and your coach gathers even greater momentum and that's where Crown find themselves at this minute. They believe they can win because they believe in their coach and themselves. This is a completely new phenomenon for Cambodian players, something they've never experienced before, this is The Booth Phenomenon. Ask any one of the Crown squad and they will tell you they have never been in this situation before. They are pinching themselves to make sure it's real. This is a different level for all of them...and they are loving every minute of it. Of course, they now have to go on to win in Sunday's final to really make the grade but everything that their coach has asked them to do, they have done, so who's going to argue that they can't continue that trend. If they believe it, it will happen.