Andrea Anatasisi Edit
Wed, Jan 18, 2023 6:24PM • 37:10
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
coach, team, important, italy, player, coaching, andre, people, talk, moment, staff, season, assistant coach, lost, difficult, world, philosophy, study, national, person
SPEAKERS
Andrea Anastasi, Paul Barnett
Paul Barnett 00:00
So, Andre Anasazi Good morning, and welcome to the Great coach's podcast.
Andrea Anastasi 00:05
Thank you very much and good morning to everyone. Very excited
Paul Barnett 00:09
to talk a little bit about volleyball with you today. But perhaps before we start something simple, can you tell us where you are in the world and what you've been up to so far?
Andrea Anastasi 00:19
I mean, brugia is my new club. You know, in Italy after 1112 here in Poland, like a coach of the national team and some club. I received this proposition from one of the best club in the world for sure. And then this woman Yes, I am in the new apartment is still not ready. Totally. But it's okay. And we prepare soon. Everything for to leave all the season here. Live. Okay. berusia is in this moment in Italy.
Paul Barnett 00:50
Well, thank you for stopping unpacking those boxes and spending a little bit of time with us today. I might start by asking you about some of the best volleyball coaches in the world because you know them and I've worked with and I've seen them up close. There's people like Marcelo Mendez, Daniel Castile, Arnie Bernardo, as Ender and Ronaldo pecha, these big names in the world of volleyball, but I'd really like to ask you on dry, what do you think the great coaches do differently? That sets them apart?
Andrea Anastasi 01:20
What do I do? Now? You mentioned that some of the best coach in the world and what is really interesting about all the coaches that you mentioned, because that every one of his own school there is, of course, a school of Argentinian coach Marcelo Ghanian, there is the Brazilian school that is totally different from the Landorus end of course, but the United States school is another school really important and from that bill currently gonna the photo is dicey some years ago but was the mentor of all the coaching the word for one different system after we can talk about a different system you know, because we have after the Italian side, the Italian coach that are really famous for the street rule on the tactics or France coach that they are like Lord or auntie Lee, that is one of the best coach in the world and is connected with the techniques it's really interesting because you can arrive in the same point with a different road you need to say one sentence and this really one the tougher are the live every road go to Rome because they make a lot of road but from Rome, they don't say this We Cassia is the most important road in Rome, it is what they all got wrong not outside mean, if you achieve one goal is not necessary to view but there is different view point of view. And this is really really interesting because fortunately, I can say that I know every school every important school in the world every important vote I don't want to say for example in Belgium there is only veto island now but Vitor is sign the maybe the last five, six year because he's really intelligent that guy's intelligent coach with his own vision about volleyball. It's really interesting.
Paul Barnett 03:17
Sandra you played for the Italian national team over 140 times and he then went on to become a successful coach. But when you give advice now to players who wants to be leaders one day who want to coach What do you tell them to spend time developing
Andrea Anastasi 03:34
okay it's chosen to invest in because they represent my company for like a players like autism for me something specific because the national team and they are invaluable freak about the national team because we have a huge competition for the national team. We are maybe the only sport that at two different season from national team during the summer and league in every country during the winter is stupid or not and it's a strange every time to explain to the people soccer of basketball or tell no not during the summer is a time of the national team and during the winter the time of the league for this reason the season is totally different but I think that to play with national teams something specific because you represent the country we represent the our heart and three when it was a child the dream wasn't to play the top team was to play the national team I can achieve this red result also went to the last before we don't mention that Julio Velasco, Italy is something specific No I mean, was my coaching national team was my mentor. He invited me to start to be a coach and yes I can say that when I was layer I want to be player national team I want to stay in national team was my first goal and when I was coach, the only dream was to became coach of the national. Fortunately, I achieved the Bob situation I can represent Every every time I said that a T shirt is because absolutely is the correlation team and is the same. I think now with the coach regression team in Italy Ferdinand, the Georgie, that it was one member of the team of Juba last week mean that we started this project and we start to achieve amazing result.
Paul Barnett 05:20
You have a history, Andre of taking over teams, and then quickly improving them. There's two really notable examples. There's the 2007 Spanish team that wins the European Championship and the Polish 2011 team that wins its first medal in the World League. So, what I wanted to ask you was What is this taught you about the most important tasks for a leader when they take over a new team?
Andrea Anastasi 05:45
This is interesting question as it is more connected by philosophy. The most important effort for one coach when you go outside is to try to understand the mentality of the counter variable. Now, in Italy we are usually thinking that space similar to liberties not like this properly, because in Spain with a lot of different region a lot of different language they are not so close like a country like people can think is different that if I coach player from the south and Lucia is not like in the north, like by the Bosque or Barcelona this is Catalonia and they talk differently when I go in one place or in one new team like I am now in Peru to the My first effort is to study exactly what is the idea the mental idea of the country? What is the usual thing of the country because it's really important that you are involved with the in the mentality of the country, you can go there at all we make like this because Italy is perfect. No, it's not like this, I have to use it to be really plastic, I have to be really emphatic with the other foot to try to go inside the project. The second thing in my opinion and this is connected with my philosophy of coaching is to be essential, you have to choose what is important now there is that okay, we say return less is better. Now, because less is better, because you have to choose you have to take a decision, you have to go inside what is important for this team what is important for the other team. I remember that in Spain, a give a lot of attention to the block and defense because the team of Spain was amazing in this defense system. And there was invest a lot of time in this because they was they love to play in defense, in my opinion, is different with Poland. Poland is another country. In other history. The problem is really big, and they have the fight all his life with Russia, Germany, Russia, Germany for the last 1000 years. They are really one country totally different to the other in Europe. Why? Because they are Catholics in the middle of nowhere. For example, they are really similar like tradition like Italy that we are controlling we have the Pope in Rome and the influence of the Pope is really big. But at the same time also Paul are really Catholics and they are in the middle of the East Europe where they are not Catholics. And this is the ever war every time Russia, Germany, Russia and Germany you have to know what is the mentality especially for me then when I arrived in 2011 in, in all on the start to grow in the Lord. But the mentality of the oldest person was a little bit strange, because you know, they have the oppression of the Russia for for the year for the year, not one or 240 year and this is another things because you cannot different mentality for the oldest persons in the ying yang and Poland are amazing, open. They are all talking English for this don't learn to talk in Polish unfortunately. But without the say, you have to know the history of the country for to achieve some result in May. And after that you have to choose what is important that important for sure. [PB1] The first thing that was really clear was that they like to be aggressive now in service a wrestling spike and you have to keep focus about one thing that is important or depends about the team. And this always the same also now the daily Bucha from three weeks, one month, every day I'm talking every time I meet personality they meet my director, my assistant coach and my physical train every day I meet the players to understand how it can help that because in the admin, you know the coach, we are here for helping the people and if you make a good job, you can continue to job if you make a bad job, you're going home is alive.
Paul Barnett 09:41
Let me ask a follow up question. You adjust your style based on the history of the country and the way that changes their behavior. But what about when it comes to giving people feedback? How does that have to change based on the demographic of the country?
Andrea Anastasi 09:57
It's like this now you receive Every day feedback about your work your job or the relation that you have with the other about this is really important. What do you receive back, you have to note every time I said, one important thing is one small notes where you take informations every day, every day when they finished, maybe made one note, maybe two, maybe three, the sentiment you want to say is simple thing. But I received one information, I received one talking, I'm not the person that is closing, if my system was vulnerable side, of course, I have my system. But for example, I make by example to you yesterday, we was talking with my staff about one system for defense, the high ball the other side of the curtain. And my assistant coach, give me one interesting feedback about the last season. And there was like this, and then they'll say no, is bullshit. No, I said, it's fucking interesting. We have to make like this. And in the end of the practice with my notes to say, Okay, we change our system with this way, R and B, and r is my system d is your system butter with two different kinds of differences. Is that what you want to say? I'm really open, that it's not that 10 close, I receive every information and try to use this information. It's not that I think oh, I am so intelligent that I am the only person that that there is no, I still maybe when I was younger culture was a bit more closed. It's normally no but now I like I love to listen, the other could the other day give me a lot of idea. A lot of motivation for to go in front,
Paul Barnett 11:40
there's a lot of ladies that would be listening, thinking you've only just moved back to Persia, you haven't unpacked your flat. Yet. You've already built the connection with your staff where they'll give you feedback. This is not an easy thing to do. How did you quickly create an environment where people can be open and honest with you
Andrea Anastasi 12:02
a different strategy this because for me is my goal at this point is the moment is more like you can understand we don't have all the team because all my player at the national team, we have all seven player and we have time to know them. I need all the players also for to teach and talk with them. How is your family? What is the situation with obviously our Batum? And you feel good here? What is the relation with the other guys? What is the relation with the club and the same question. But I mean the same in my staff, we organized the last week or so one drafting session. The players and the staff was amazing, was really tough for me because I'm not the act like them. But was amazing because it's an opportunity for create the team spirit of course, but I spend time to talk, I go to play tennis with them or but now literally we play a lot of paddle this new sport that in Europe now is really famous. And they go with the staff with my assistant and my physio to play paddle in the evening after the practice for two after we drink one beer with all and we have dinner connection, we joke that I really invest time in this direction,
I really invest on one dinner, one lunch, sometimes a little bit with to practice, I go to lunch to eat one salad with some member of the staff for maybe one, maybe two is the time. It's really important work for me, I believe that the goal of the coach is to try to be empathic with the other, the other half to be open. And this is my every time is my first part of the job. But I am like this like a person. I'm not close person, I try to be open and try to understand what I can do better for sure, like guy told to you is philosophy to be empathic, but it isn't time essential. I don't want to lose time. Every time I choose what is important with these guys, what is important with my assistant, they are two assets. Then I have this statistic I have the physical training. I am the director, sports director. I am the general director and I like to go with the day by day. This is the most important part of my work and especially in this moment,[PB2]
Paul Barnett 14:20
Andre, you said great summary your philosophy is empathetic but essential and you talk there about your values of empathy, openness and learning. Are there any other values or behaviors that are really important to your coaching style?
Andrea Anastasi 14:34
Yes. Okay. This part of my philosophy is clear. I don't want to repeat because I just told you,
I think that there is one second thing that is connected with to be essential when you are essential. You have to understand what is important for you for your team for your relation with the person with the players with the cloud and so on. And you need a big leadership also. And it's not that someone gives you the leadership or you add coached by the king, you are so intelligent that you can believe that no, it's not like this, you know exactly. When we go inside the work is only after a few time that the people recognize you your leadership, you have to show your leadership with listening for sure. When talking with good talking. Because also when you talk with the player, when you're told with the team, you have to be like this. Sometimes the guys are surprised because I make meeting with the guys really sharp. I go inside I make before to start the season one question for the guys because they want to know something more from them. But when I make the question, is it you guys? The reply have to be simple, not long. I the one that someone started to know you have to do if I asked you what you want to improve yesterday, okay, and what to prove my behavior I want to prove physical way I want to prove in spike, in a sense simple. Because if you're not simple, after you make confusion, you start to lose the attention. And this is how to be a leader. And you have to go into the idea of the leadership like you want to be like a coach, I want to be essential. I want to be listening, I want to be emphatic, yes, perfect, but is concerned because of the leadership that people have to know that when I told them to shut up some time, most of my time is listening. [PB3]
I learned in my career that all the people or the person want to someone that listen you is normally how many times our family have a problem, our son have a problem or friend have a problem. They want to talk you have to listen when you have to listen, you have to be patient, you have to give the time to the other to talk with you. And this is for me one of the goal. [PB4]
But the leadership that is concerned because so your podcasts are sure is really interesting things.
Because it's also the how to use your body, how to use your hands, how to use your voice, the tone of your voice. If you want to have attention, you can let these guys know is not like this. In some time, especially when you talk with all the team you have to talk some maybe sorry, some not nice work. But the bad words sometimes is what's going on. The coach will say something Yes, I won't say something I wanted to make like this use them is sometimes time I said that when you are a coach, you learn to be an actor, you have to be actor also on the bench during the match. A lot of people say Oh, you are acting some time. Some time, I actually have some time. Now some time I am in this really Italian and I moved my body and with my hands. And but the people know sometimes maybe not so nice because I am close to the guys and they talk with the eyes and they know they feel the coach and they know that I'm not happy anymore. For example. It's really important how you behave, you have to learn not only to deal with it, but to behave like[PB5]
Paul Barnett 18:00
I'm trying. I was doing research for you. And I found an article in an Iranian newspaper. It was a really fascinating interview with you and you said something that caught my eye in that interview you said winning depends on a lot of things. It depends on your activity inside the court. But I wanted to flip that around and ask you if you could give us an example of something you did off the court. That improved the cooperation of the team on the court.
Andrea Anastasi 18:28
One thing that I learned in my career that when you when you have to have one close team, you have to create workflows Tim, you said to me before that he was making it easy to commit catch him one of the best coach in the world. And I remember from catching the victory of the Olympic Games with the man in 2008 because it was with Italy they lost the quarterfinals under like this. What are the final three one? Okay, it doesn't matter. But what's going on in this thing there was behind this team a great philosophy and then try to explain as law shortly this philosophy the philosophy was a big study after 2004 the United States Federation was really happy about the result of 2004 Olympic Games and they make a meeting that was that built on that goal and the coach of the national team and they said what can we do for to improve this kind of thing they they said okay, they go to the University of statistic of Provo in UCLA, they go to the university they give to the university no statistic there no connection with God. They give them one other match to watch and they say okay, guys, this is statistic you have to give me your opinion about what is really important for BOD widow about 2005 In the beginning, the university the three format for study everything because those two because you need a lot of Time and after the ending of this longest study, they decided that in that moment observing the reception was the key point for doing something perfect. Well, they make their work for a year for a year without great results in 2006 because 2006 They have a lot of problems in the world championship, they don't have good result, but they still work in one direction, we have to create a team for 2008 with this field, service and reception they put inside the team one player that only nobody put inside of it Salmone is one receiver smaller nothing special but amazing new reception of course they come in back liable for the Olympic Games that is towards one of the best player in the world setter in the world. They put one idea about the technical thing the second thing if you remember I remember very well unfortunately the during the Olympic Games the coach McCutchen lose is father in law I think father elope with one crash bigger big problem and I remember exactly that catching go in United State for the funeral usually begins in the coming back during this period he wasn't on the bench for two or three months until like this coming back for the semi final for sure because he was with me and they know because they lost but this thing was like closing the human side of the dots on there was closing with this coach they was closing between them and they was they have something more
what I learn from this things is that if you want to achieve results, you need a great team also in connection and you can create connection is not that I can make every time great connections not like this for to be some time for to be a good team you have to be lucky that you find a person with the character attitude that they can work together. Sometimes you have a team that you can't work together because they are not friends they are not they do a lot to play together and when you don't have this kind of connection the result doesn't arrive I can tell you also the last season with mashallah I have to resist any pressure with the last season was dramatic, the team doesn't exist they don't have good relation they don't like to play together and one start the problem in 2022 with the COVID with the problem with the injured is a something that is not for me and is impossible this is for to tell you that is not every time possible to create a winning thing in the career of the coach you have to know when you have a good team you have to go inside now I am present word about Bucha how I can create a good team can I create a good team? Okay talking topic will say because if we don't have one thing with great connection in the ending can be difficult to achieve where result this is for sure. Of course I will try to do my best. Of course I hope that in the ending this is one thing that can work to get[PB6]
Paul Barnett 23:08
contra you've written two books unfortunately, they're not translated into English so I couldn't read them. But the second one is called Training license now that's the translation anyway and it talks about the work of the coach if I was to ask you to go back in time and give yourself advice about coaching when you were just starting out knowing what you know now after writing these two books after coaching all around the world what would you tell yourself
Andrea Anastasi 23:39
it's not so easy to explain everything this is one thing that was really nice because when I was writing this book with my friend because of course I ride with camel camel is my Polish when really one journalist really great that was working a lot together for making this book of course I try to give the experience that they have because in this room there is the name of a lot of coach that they sign in my opinion, the history of volleyball but doesn't matter what is important is some time to give back your knowledge to the principal I love to read books I love to take informations about especially in this moment not for me when I talk with the guys with my staff I say why don't read this book, why not read the other book and they give the notes now with the phone I send the peak am also here some book that I like to have of course most of them I just study is there is a notes and so on but you know, I hope that also this book that is ultimately more commercial you have to be honest with you Why is more commercial because it's not all connected with the work of the coach, but is connected with all Mike Every year and there is some part that is connected with a career, that difficult moment, because it's really interesting because when we talk about the career of every sportsman, we know like to talk about the difficult moment, but in this book, we talk about the difficult moments specifically, there is some critical moment of the career of every coach that are the key point if you want to become something you have to have a difficult moment in I have like coach, a lot of difficult moment. Not a lot, but I can say yes, three, maybe three time really strong moment. That was the time for to go up or go down. You can disappear. nothing and nobody remember about you or you can grow in when you have difficult moment is the time to evaluate your attitude how you are good, because there's not when you win. When is easy, and sometimes loving you when you finish the tournament, you are with the head and the tournament, the head and the lead for you when you have a dog whether you say oh, great, okay, no, I don't know, after you have to realize what's going on. Because you are so important that when you have a difficult moment, it's totally different. Because it's you notice the noise of the difficult moment. And you are every time thinking what can I do better. And in this book, there is also this because I live because of my friends. And I want to talk about this moment of your career the other moment, because the one difficult moment that arrived in Italy in 2005. I was coaching Julio in the league. And honestly, the first season was really good the second season dramatic really bad that like the last season in Russia, but different things and was the top number, what can I do? And I got to Spain, I said this proposition that was the best decision because I changed my mind, I changed my philosophy. And I go after another moment difficult was in Italy in 2002. So after the World Championship, we don't achieve we lost in quarterfinal and was a dramatic situation for Italy and for me. And so after in Poland in 2013, we won I wanted 2011 2012 was okay this season, but it doesn't do nothing. I know that nothing the team was destroyed some a huge problem between the player and I lost the job in other time, what can I do I make reflection, I don't take any work during the winter 2014. And I study, I study, I study and I restart, it's really important. When you have a difficult moment, first of all the last season, I have another difficult one, but was different. Because I was prepared about this moment because I know that I don't have the team, the people that put in them, they fight and they are really not good. And they say okay, you can do nothing. All you need something different for your work. Because if I was staying there again, probably I don't have the motivation for to go away to and fro. And I prefer to take a decision to come back to Italy because they see this proposition is amazing proposition for to restart and other parts of my career.
Paul Barnett 28:10
It's a great, I love the example of having the courage to walk away. I think that's a very powerful idea and not reinvesting energy in something that potentially isn't giving you energy back. And I wanted to ask you, Andre, you're very empathetic. You're very self aware. You talk about reading, you talk about thinking you talk about resetting yourself. But you're also very good at managing your emotions as a leader. I've seen some footage of you Yes, I know you are Italian. And like you said you use your hands and but you're very good at keeping it in a controlled manner. And it seems very deliberate when you use your emotions. And I'd like to ask you, when it comes to this emotional aspect of leadership, what advice do you have for younger coaches out there?
Andrea Anastasi 28:58
Their advice is they have to study. Now we live in one moment, amazing in my opinion for the young coach because from your home, you can turn on your PC. And you can have a lot of informations a lot of podcasts that you can listen, learn English also for this because there is some podcasts like Ted that you know for sure, that are interesting, the younger coach act to know how to be able to know if to listen, what the other coach, the typical coach now because like I explained before my opinion, this is the key point. You have to be open. If you think that you are the most intelligent person that coach you have done, we are finished. You have to try to improve yourself to be plastic to go inside the project. [PB7]
I'm not the person that now after a long year of coaching, what I can say to the younger culture that they have to study, to study to watch Also when I everytime when I say with my stuff on the watch the match the same watch the coach of the bat how we behave, how is his style also now every match that they watch we have the camera that thing the coach in the face you can understand the emotion you can understand when one coaching is lost because sometime you are lost during the match and you said what can I do? There is a lot of moments during the match that we are not sure what are you doing there is a lot of moment during the match that you are sure this is the typical situation that you have like a player there is some match that you are perfect you are perfect condition you are in the mental way physical way technical way you feel good you see what's going on you see every time what you can do for your job and so on in the same situation for the coach we have day perfect your Sunday that you are now your brain is perfect work really to the highest level you cannot is the face of the player. I watch the player okay this guy's is not on good day was the face what's going on? What's going on? What can I do? I have to change him or not or a tool with him because there is some player that if you change them, they are offended they don't come back there is player that they need one break in the bed one bank one break in the batch that you have to know your players of course but they understand but when you are in the good moment you notice everything and there is dated you are not in good moment because it's normally because sometimes we are not in good day we have a problem at home. We have a problem with ourselves. I don't know it's the life. We are not every time on one of the percents on time we are what is important is to try to prepare ourself for the appointment that we have today. For example, we have won the first practice of the season with another team we pick a practice because we don't have too many players and preparing What can I say what can I do I have to give them three goals not for three goals. This is the trigger the pages prepared for the understand, but maybe at AWS today I'm not brilliant and they can see everything but it is the life what they have to do they have to work about themselves. One the last time that I don't want to boring you one thing that I make in my career and is one of the best things I have a long long long cooperation more than 10 year with one guys is a doctor psychologist and to develop that he was working in psychology that was like a team building motivation and so on we have a long run cooperation that was working with him inside the team inside the staff and make a lot of experiments. I was working with him to make some speech for the company the company call us for make speech about in building in spirit and so on so on. Was 10 year amazing. After I go to Bala that we have to close this cooperates we are friends of course, sometimes we talk and they say what do you think about this and so on. But the idea is to be open it and to study. If you want to know something we have to start because if you don't have that knowledge about to be a leader the knowledge about via gorgeous difficult. This is not only concerns about the techniques, this is not mix,
Paul Barnett 33:24
Andre, you've talked about openness, studying, learning, empathy, so many wonderful ideas to help people of any walk of life but if we zero if we come back, we zero in and focus on the people that you've interacted with through coaching, the staff, the administrators, the fans, the players, what's the legacy that you hope you've left for those people
Andrea Anastasi 33:50
and like I told you, about the people around me I try to take inside me all the information all the emotion all the knowledge, I like to listen to the other every time okay about the funds in Italy they are really close to the team like for and I always try to be nice with them respectful with them. Because they are really good also when important they was waiting us to in the night when we coming back for the for one match there was waiting us to give us one clap no every time I stopped with a give them my time also if I was tired or peace because it's the life like give them my time because I give my respect. This is one thing that they give to everyone. Yes, a lot of respect. Of course I hope that is the same direction. But yes, respect is another thing that is important are the people have to fill it. These things. If my assistant coach come to me and say hey, we changed the default. What do you think about change is a good idea to we change and he was watching me too. It's so easy to change something Yes, because it was a good idea and understand and is not one thing so important. The priority is that I feed the ego of my staff when the physical training come to me and said, Okay, Brian, what do you think about? Say my friend, you are the physical trainer decide, I'm with you work with you. They said of Thank you. I feed the egos of my guys, I want that they are independent. I want that they take decision and dependent on one day. Also during the practice is not that I shut up my stuff. I don't say no, don't say nothing. I only have to talk. No. I said with them. If you have to tell something tell of course. I have one assistant coach really good. That is younger, motivated. Also, interestingly with these guys is it come from the south of Italy, but the mother is from London. And they talk it all clearly in London accent and some time we were talking in English, not between me and you, because the other guys maybe don't understand baby. But now I have a lot of Spanish also in the team and I during the practice, I talk in Spanish. Sometimes I'm forgetting to look in English but yesterday was so funny, because I started talking Spanish while explaining something because they were Cuban to Cuba three and one Argentina four. I was talking in Spanish. I could talk in Spanish and my labor was like this. You don't understand nothing I say I say Sorry, guys. I started talking to you earlier. That's why I use the Spanish English with the other word is. But the understanding is I think they got the guys I try to make them. proud of the work.
Paul Barnett 36:42
Andre, it's been fascinating chatting to you today. It's a real masterclass in being an international leader. Your ability to work across cultures and get into the psychology and the demographics and the history of different countries is wonderful to listen to. It's a it's a great example for any international leader or coaches listening. So thank you so much for your time today and all the best for the season ahead within within liveth