--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you have to be more flexible to…" description: "\"I think you have to be more flexible to be a pro coach because once you pay the guy the money, whether he can backpedal the way you want him to or what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nick-saban-2879_coach_i-think-you-have-to-be-more-flexible-to_1612391.jpg" --- # I think you have to be more flexible to be a pro coach… ![“I think you have to be more flexible to be a pro coach because once you pay the guy the money, whether he can backpedal the way you want him to or whatever, his style of play may not suit you, but you still are going to play him, and he is going to be a part of your team.” quote by Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nick-saban-2879_coach_i-think-you-have-to-be-more-flexible-to_1612391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nick-saban-2879_coach_i-think-you-have-to-be-more-flexible-to_1612391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nick-saban-2879_coach_i-think-you-have-to-be-more-flexible-to_1612391.jpg) > “I think you have to be more flexible to be a pro coach because once you pay the guy the money, whether he can backpedal the way you want him to or whatever, his style of play may not suit you, but you still are going to play him, and he is going to be a part of your team.” [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective coaching requires adaptability; a coach must adjust tactics to fit players’ abilities and circumstances. **In simple terms:** Coaches must be flexible to fit players. Key Takeaway Adapt your strategy to your team’s strengths. Themes flexibility leadership team dynamics Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice insight When to use this quote - team building - player development - game planning - conflict resolution Key Concepts coaching philosophy player fit strategic adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can you assess when a player’s style is incompatible? - What strategies help integrate a rigid player into a flexible system? A Different Perspective Flexibility alone cannot fix a mismatch in fundamental skill levels. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Coach Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach-pay-6149266/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Going Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-team-1139881/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Pro Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pro-coach-1387059/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Think Flexible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-flexible-6149267/) ## Related quotes > [If you're a pro coach, NFL stands for 'Not for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/if-you-re-a-pro-coach-nfl-stands-for-not-for-long/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) > [I wanted to end my career as a pro coach and if possible, in Florida.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-corso/i-wanted-to-end-my-career-as-a-pro-coach-and-if-possible-in-florida/) [Lee Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-corso/) > [We love to compete, and I feel like national champion is a title I want to get every year, so to see it going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/we-love-to-compete-and-i-feel-like-national-champion-is-a-title-i/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [Who I am is a guy who's going to do whatever the team needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/who-i-am-is-a-guy-who-s-going-to-do-whatever-the-team-needs/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [What I miss the most is the locker room, the dinners after the games. 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I think that would be disrespectful to me to trade me to somebody like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-payton/i-m-not-going-to-go-to-a-team-that-s-losing-i-think-that-would-be/) [Gary Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-payton/) > [I'm not going to put my team in any situation where I go 0-for-5 because I want to play and be a hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yadier-molina/i-m-not-going-to-put-my-team-in-any-situation-where-i-go-0-for-5/) [Yadier Molina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yadier-molina/) > [The team that can be consistent - for the most part all year - is going to be the team that is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-trotz/the-team-that-can-be-consistent-for-the-most-part-all-year-is-going/) [Barry Trotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-trotz/) > [I felt I could have been the kind of player Denver needed, but there were too many things going on with the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-rose/i-felt-i-could-have-been-the-kind-of-player-denver-needed-but-there/) [Jalen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-rose/) > [Looking at the team sheets, you're never quite sure one weekend to the next who's going to be in a team and who isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-southgate/looking-at-the-team-sheets-you-re-never-quite-sure-one-weekend-to-the/) [Gareth Southgate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-southgate/) > [What I've been telling everyone that loves Carolina football is that we are going to put a team out there that, number one, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-spurrier/what-i-ve-been-telling-everyone-that-loves-carolina-football-is-that/) [Steve Spurrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-spurrier/) > [It's very important to know what you are facing, whether you are going to be part of the team or just a squad player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/it-s-very-important-to-know-what-you-are-facing-whether-you-are-going/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [I'm going to do what the team asks me and I'm going to do it at a high level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-ramsey/i-m-going-to-do-what-the-team-asks-me-and-i-m-going-to-do-it-at-a/) [Jalen Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-ramsey/) > [ It's just that \[the Hawks have made\] a lot of changes. A lot of their great players have moved on. They have a lot… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-modano/it-s-just-that-the-hawks-have-made-a-lot-of-changes-a-lot-of-their/) [Mike Modano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-modano/) > [There have been ups and downs, but it has taught us a lot in life. Going with the team through those ups and downs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-tendulkar/there-have-been-ups-and-downs-but-it-has-taught-us-a-lot-in-life/) [Sachin Tendulkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-tendulkar/) ## More by Nick Saban > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We create a standard for how we want to do things and everybody's got to buy into that standard or you really can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-create-a-standard-for-how-we-want-to-do-things-and-everybody-s-got/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [What makes Freddy Krueger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can't get rid of the guy. He never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/what-makes-freddy-krueger-such-a-horrible-character-what-makes-him/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-said-as-soon-as-we-had-a-playoff-we-were-going-to-minimize-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Our goal is to work against things we have not seen that we will see in the near future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/our-goal-is-to-work-against-things-we-have-not-seen-that-we-will-see/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I've always been able to stay focused on trying to recruit good players and trying to develop those players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-ve-always-been-able-to-stay-focused-on-trying-to-recruit-good/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think people always assume that every team has great intangibles, and that's not necessarily right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-people-always-assume-that-every-team-has-great-intangibles/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think there's a certain pride people have in competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-there-s-a-certain-pride-people-have-in-competition/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Soccer is a continuous game, rugby is a continuous game, but for the physical elements that are involved in playing a football game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/soccer-is-a-continuous-game-rugby-is-a-continuous-game-but-for-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [You can't allow yourself to be vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/you-can-t-allow-yourself-to-be-vulnerable/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/there-are-two-pains-in-life-there-is-the-pain-of-discipline-and-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [As a coach, when it comes to football players, we're trying to change their behavior and make them better. As people, we're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/as-a-coach-when-it-comes-to-football-players-we-re-trying-to-change/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We're not going to talk about what we're going to accomplish, we're going to talk about how we're going to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-re-not-going-to-talk-about-what-we-re-going-to-accomplish-we-re/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I want what's best for people who want to improve the quality of their life. I hope whoever our leader is will do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-want-what-s-best-for-people-who-want-to-improve-the-quality-of/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [The thing that concerns me the most is when I hear that people are making a lot of money a lot of ways except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/the-thing-that-concerns-me-the-most-is-when-i-hear-that-people-are/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) [Explore all 147 Nick Saban quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## More Coach quotes > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I think it's very important to have contact with the players that I will coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-have-contact-with-the-players-that-i/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [No one likes a change of coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/no-one-likes-a-change-of-coach/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) > [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. 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