By Andrew Warshaw
November 15 – Former German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says the social media revolution is having a detrimental effect on footballers being able to communicate properly on the pitch.
Lehmann was one of the key speakers on the final day of the International Football Arena in Zurich this week and provided an original insight in the pitfalls of players doing too much tweeting and texting.
Lehmann made 61 appearances for Germany and played for Arsenal, Milan and three of his own country’s leading clubs during an illustrious career.
Currently doing his coaching badges, he explained: “When you are not talking properly and you have to think and react quickly to a teammate, it’s difficult when you have the mentality of always having a few seconds more to reflect a little bit longer before typing in something.
“I believe this is having a major impact now on communication.”
While he realises that such practices have become an everyday part of society, they are not conducive, Lehmann says, to teamwork.
“The players may be intelligent but they have lost the art of quick language,” he explained.
“Being on their little gadgets all the time means they are less capable of giving quick and fast commands on the pitch.”
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