The new season has begun. For some players, it brings a new club, a new coach, or a reshaped team. Sometimes it’s just one small change: a new signing, a tactical tweak and suddenly you’re no longer in the starting lineup. Instead, you find yourself spending more time on the bench.
It’s a tough reality. Players often feel overlooked, underappreciated, or start to question themselves. These feelings are natural, and they affect not only young talents but also established professionals at the very top of the game. The real question is: how do you respond?
Start with Self-Reflection
Before looking outward, turn the focus inward. Ask yourself honestly: What am I doing well? Where do I need to improve? Writing down strengths and weaknesses provides clarity. With clarity comes direction, and direction keeps you from getting stuck in frustration.
Understand the Reasons, Don’t Search for Excuses
Why am I not playing? The answer is rarely simple. It could be performance, fitness, mentality, or even nutrition. Often, it’s a combination of factors. Everything is connected. Only by understanding the reasons can you address them. Blaming others won’t change anything, taking responsibility will.
Feedback: The Coach Holds the Key
The most direct way forward is through a conversation with your coach. Honest feedback brings clarity: What’s going well? What do I need to improve?
The key is to listen, take notes, and then put in the work. Coaches quickly recognize who accepts feedback and who is willing to grow.
Learn from Others
Your network is a powerful resource. Through your agent or personal contacts, seek out conversations with experienced players who have been through similar phases. Their advice is often the most valuable: practical, grounded, and delivered with the benefit of hindsight.
Mentality: Be Ready When the Chance Comes
Not playing doesn’t mean standing still. On the bench, stay engaged. Follow the game closely, analyze situations, and train as if you’ll play tomorrow. The mindset must be: I’m the next one who will be needed.
And there are countless examples to prove it. Every level, every league, every season produces stories of players who bided their time, stayed mentally strong, and never gave up. The season is long. Opportunities always come. The ones who are prepared, seize them.
Patience, Persistence, and Character
Change doesn’t happen overnight. Expecting everything to be different in a week only leads to disappointment. What’s required is patience and persistence. At the same time, character matters: give maximum effort in training, support your teammates, and set the tone with your attitude. Even without minutes on the pitch, you can earn respect and trust – often the very foundation for your next opportunity.
Parents as Supporters
For parents, this is also a difficult phase. The key is not to add pressure or shift blame onto the coach. Instead, offer patience, encouragement, and steady support. Help your child shift focus away from “not playing” and toward growth.
Take Responsibility and Follow Up
Ultimately, your development is in your own hands. After four to six weeks, go back to your coach for another conversation. Show that you’re committed, proactive, and serious about improvement.
Conclusion
Not playing is a test: emotional, physical, and mental. But it’s also part of the game at every level. These periods shape players, teaching resilience, patience, and the ability to prepare for opportunities before they appear.
In the end, one truth remains: Sitting on the bench is not defeat. It’s a test. Pass that test, and you’ll be ready the moment your chance arrives.
