--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a player, you play and you have much…" description: "\"As a player, you play and you have much more influence. As a manager, you talk about the game all week with every player and all of a sudden when it st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/marco-van-basten-4950_difficult_as-a-player-you-play-and-you-have-much-m_2392762.jpg" --- # As a player, you play and you have much more influence. As… ![“As a player, you play and you have much more influence. As a manager, you talk about the game all week with every player and all of a sudden when it starts, your influence is so small and it was very difficult for me to accept that.” quote by Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/marco-van-basten-4950_difficult_as-a-player-you-play-and-you-have-much-m_2392762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/marco-van-basten-4950_difficult_as-a-player-you-play-and-you-have-much-m_2392762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/marco-van-basten-4950_difficult_as-a-player-you-play-and-you-have-much-m_2392762.jpg) > “As a player, you play and you have much more influence. As a manager, you talk about the game all week with every player and all of a sudden when it starts, your influence is so small and it was very difficult for me to accept that.” [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Players have direct influence on the game; managers influence only through discussion, which feels limited. **In simple terms:** Players act, managers talk. Key Takeaway Accept limited managerial influence. Themes leadership influence team dynamics expectations Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice analytical When to use this quote - coaching - team meetings - career transitions - organizational change Key Concepts sports psychology management theory Questions to Reflect On - How can a manager increase real influence? - What skills bridge the gap between talk and action? A Different Perspective Managers can still shape outcomes indirectly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [The manager could not even talk to us at the interval. He said we were bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-terry/the-manager-could-not-even-talk-to-us-at-the-interval-he-said-we-were/) [John Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-terry/) > [Without emotional control you cannot play, influence; you cannot react. You have to know what you have to do and not react. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/without-emotional-control-you-cannot-play-influence-you-cannot-react/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [Louis van Gaal is a big manager, very experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/louis-van-gaal-is-a-big-manager-very-experienced/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I'm not a good manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-m-not-a-good-manager/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I may go so far as saying LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game. Because he is so potent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-may-go-so-far-as-saying-lebron-james-may-be-the-greatest-player-to/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [You can be a huge player, if you play alone, the team loses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-varane/you-can-be-a-huge-player-if-you-play-alone-the-team-loses/) [Raphael Varane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-varane/) > [As a player all you can do is play within yourself, even in the context of a team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-a-player-all-you-can-do-is-play-within-yourself-even-in-the/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [The average player would rather play than watch. Those who don't play can't possibly appreciate the subtleties of the game. Trying to get their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-toski/the-average-player-would-rather-play-than-watch-those-who-don-t-play/) Bob Toski > [Normally, I am a player who can play in different positions, but never in defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georginio-wijnaldum/normally-i-am-a-player-who-can-play-in-different-positions-but-never/) [Georginio Wijnaldum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georginio-wijnaldum/) > [If you're a football player, you can play anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-horan/if-you-re-a-football-player-you-can-play-anywhere/) [Lindsey Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-horan/) > [If you want to be a big player and play for a big club, you have to deal with the pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-nasri/if-you-want-to-be-a-big-player-and-play-for-a-big-club-you-have-to/) [Samir Nasri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-nasri/) > [It is not enough to be a good player... you must also play well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-good-player-you-must-also-play-well/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [I think it's important as a player every now and again to play something that's influenced you as an artist just to expose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-degraw/i-think-it-s-important-as-a-player-every-now-and-again-to-play/) [Gavin DeGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-degraw/) > [People ask when I was younger in the league who my favourite player was to play against and it was Steve Nash. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-mills/people-ask-when-i-was-younger-in-the-league-who-my-favourite-player/) [Patty Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-mills/) > [There's Pele the man, and then Pele the player. And to play like Pele is to play like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eusebio/there-s-pele-the-man-and-then-pele-the-player-and-to-play-like-pele/) [Eusebio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eusebio/) ## More by Marco van Basten > [When you are a good player you want to play every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/when-you-are-a-good-player-you-want-to-play-every-week/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [There was a moment in 1996 I had to say: 'I have to try to get healthy.' We made a decision to fuse my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/there-was-a-moment-in-1996-i-had-to-say-i-have-to-try-to-get-healthy/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I think my gymnastic background helped a great deal with my agility when I took up football seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-think-my-gymnastic-background-helped-a-great-deal-with-my-agility/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Maybe an orange card could be shown that sees a player go out of the game for 10 minutes for incidents that are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/maybe-an-orange-card-could-be-shown-that-sees-a-player-go-out-of-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [If you can score a lot of goals in Italy, you can do it in the Champions League as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/if-you-can-score-a-lot-of-goals-in-italy-you-can-do-it-in-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Football should be tense, fair and attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/football-should-be-tense-fair-and-attractive/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I try my best to do what's best for the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-try-my-best-to-do-what-s-best-for-the-team/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I have worked with Johan Cruyff, with Rinus Michels, with Arrigo Sacchi and with Fabio Capello.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-have-worked-with-johan-cruyff-with-rinus-michels-with-arrigo-sacchi/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Arsenal are the most beautiful club in England. At Man City and Chelsea, they will never have that class and style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/arsenal-are-the-most-beautiful-club-in-england-at-man-city-and/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [When I became the assistant, I was intelligent and helpful. I had patience. As the head coach I was completely the opposite. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/when-i-became-the-assistant-i-was-intelligent-and-helpful-i-had/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Arsenal are a really big club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/arsenal-are-a-really-big-club/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Messi is the best player in the world. If he wins a World Cup, he will be the best player ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/messi-is-the-best-player-in-the-world-if-he-wins-a-world-cup-he-will/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [In England there's a lot of money to create a great team like Barcelona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/in-england-there-s-a-lot-of-money-to-create-a-great-team-like/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I'm not a good manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-m-not-a-good-manager/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [Scoring can be simply a matter of confidence. Sometimes it happens easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/scoring-can-be-simply-a-matter-of-confidence-sometimes-it-happens/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) [Explore all 104 Marco van Basten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) ## More Difficult quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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