Come match day, every player ponders the same questions...

“Will I measure up? Will I perform to the best of my ability? Will I suffer tired legs part way through the second half – will I have the stamina and mental alertness to last until the final whistle?”

What to eat and drink for peak performance How to boost team spirit and create a winning frame of mind Training and fitness for 90-minute staying power Top physio tips for injury recovery

Mastering the Game is a definitive guide to football success that breaks the mould.

Mastering the Game deals with the level of training, and types of exercise best for you, mindful of physical development.

Mastering the Game is about getting the body to do what the brain wants it to do. Which means the kind of nutrition that makes the best sports performance diet, the best foods to eat, fluid intake – when, and in what quantities.

Mastering the Game includes the all-important subject of psychology. How to build confidence and overcome pre-match nerves.

Mastering the Game reveals how to mentally cope with intimidation by an opponent. How to get your mind ‘in the zone’, how to build team spirit, how to re-focus on success after you’ve suffered defeat. How to deal with injury, and how to keep a level of fitness when injury puts you out of action.

Mastering the Game is a source of winning information for School teams, Saturday and Sunday teams, players of all ages and skills levels. And its content even reflects the GCSE physical education syllabus, ideal for revision purposes.

Whether you are a young player, a beginner in your twenties, a coach or PE teacher, with contributions from respected football and sports science professionals, Mastering the Game TM takes training, fitness and match performance advice and guidance to another level.