Published Paper Details:

The study was conducted to find out the perceptions of effective coaching and coach- Players relationships within a team sports. The findings are based on interviews with 6 male coaches and 25 players from soccer teams. Qualitative data analysis reveals that relationships within team sport are based on mutual respect, Trust and honesty. The results also indicate that coaches and players describe two different types of coach- Players relationships-the close, `family' oriented relationship or the `professional', arms-length relationship-both of which are considered equally effective as long as The coaches and Players share the same attitude towards the relationship. These findings have implications for effective coaching and how coaches interact to develop relationships with their Players. They demonstrate that if coaches are to be perceived as effective, it is crucial to consider individual Players preferences with respect to the type of relationship formed. This highlights the need for specialized coach training in people management as the professional coaching role increasingly requires attention to personal development in conjunction with the technical, tactical and physical training of their Players.