---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you have to praise players."
description: "\"Sometimes you have to praise players.\" — Rafael Benitez"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png"
---

#  Sometimes you have to praise players.

![“Sometimes you have to praise players.” quote by Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png)

> “Sometimes you have to praise players.”

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates praising players to boost morale and performance

**In simple terms:** Highlights importance of positive reinforcement in sports

Key Takeaway

Use praise to motivate teams

Themes

motivation team dynamics leadership

Mood

encouraging practical

Type

coaching inspirational

When to use this quote

- team meetings
- training sessions
- public statements

Key Concepts

sports psychology coaching methods player development

Questions to Reflect On

- When is praise appropriate?
- How to balance criticism and encouragement?

A Different Perspective

Overpraise can reduce accountability

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/players/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praise Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-players-2014525/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/)

## Related quotes

> [I think coaches who don't coddle but praise players when they deserve it get the best results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-herman/i-think-coaches-who-don-t-coddle-but-praise-players-when-they-deserve/)

[Tom Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-herman/)

> [You don't expect opposition fans to praise the other players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-villas-boas/you-don-t-expect-opposition-fans-to-praise-the-other-players/)

[Andre Villas-Boas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-villas-boas/)

> [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/)

[Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/)

> [But if you listen to great piano players, both classical and jazz, there's a huge range of dynamics and colors and emotional expression that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-burton/but-if-you-listen-to-great-piano-players-both-classical-and-jazz/)

[Gary Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-burton/)

> [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosevelt-skerrit/there-is-no-reason-why-one-should-believe-you-should-leave-out/)

[Roosevelt Skerrit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roosevelt-skerrit/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [It is always difficult, but when you have been a manager for a while with different teams, sometimes you were only playing once a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/it-is-always-difficult-but-when-you-have-been-a-manager-for-a-while/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [I've worked with so many teams, so many dressing rooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/i-ve-worked-with-so-many-teams-so-many-dressing-rooms/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [If you spend £200million, £300m every year, obviously, even if you make mistakes, you have a good team, but without spending so much money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/if-you-spend-200million-300m-every-year-obviously-even-if-you-make/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/)

[Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/)

> [That's what good players do, try to help their team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/that-s-what-good-players-do-try-to-help-their-team/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

> [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/)

> [What bothers me is when my players don't train well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kewell/what-bothers-me-is-when-my-players-don-t-train-well/)

[Harry Kewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kewell/)

> [You get better by studying and playing with better players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michail-antonio/you-get-better-by-studying-and-playing-with-better-players/)

[Michail Antonio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michail-antonio/)

> [It's not that easy for some of these players in China to get the coaching they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chang/it-s-not-that-easy-for-some-of-these-players-in-china-to-get-the/)

[Michael Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chang/)

## More by Rafael Benitez

> [If you spend £200million, £300m every year, obviously, even if you make mistakes, you have a good team, but without spending so much money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/if-you-spend-200million-300m-every-year-obviously-even-if-you-make/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [It is always difficult, but when you have been a manager for a while with different teams, sometimes you were only playing once a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/it-is-always-difficult-but-when-you-have-been-a-manager-for-a-while/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [I've worked with so many teams, so many dressing rooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/i-ve-worked-with-so-many-teams-so-many-dressing-rooms/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [When you have a run of games where you keep winning and winning, you know it must end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/when-you-have-a-run-of-games-where-you-keep-winning-and-winning-you/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [You must wait until the end, and at the end of the season you can say it was a good or a bad season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/you-must-wait-until-the-end-and-at-the-end-of-the-season-you-can-say/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [You cannot win every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/you-cannot-win-every-year/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [When you're a young manager and trying to build something, you work very, very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/when-you-re-a-young-manager-and-trying-to-build-something-you-work/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [As a manager, you are important sometimes, and you make mistakes, but the most important people are your staff and your players. Never call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/as-a-manager-you-are-important-sometimes-and-you-make-mistakes-but/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [When I was at Valencia my wife said that we would win the league. She was right and to mark the occasion she asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/when-i-was-at-valencia-my-wife-said-that-we-would-win-the-league-she/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [You have to be positive and turn things in your favour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/you-have-to-be-positive-and-turn-things-in-your-favour/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [It is very important that you can express yourself, especially at half-time in a changing room, which is the crucial time for a manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/it-is-very-important-that-you-can-express-yourself-especially-at-half/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [As a manager, I have to keep calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/as-a-manager-i-have-to-keep-calm/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [What features in a midfielder am I after? Players who have the mindset to win every game - then we can start to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/what-features-in-a-midfielder-am-i-after-players-who-have-the-mindset/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [In Spain, the game is more technical; in England, it's more physical, while in Italy, it's more tactical. Each country is a challenge, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/in-spain-the-game-is-more-technical-in-england-it-s-more-physical/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [If the owner wants to support the team, that's okay. If the owner can be on the pitch and score a couple of goals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/if-the-owner-wants-to-support-the-team-that-s-okay-if-the-owner-can/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

[Explore all 119 Rafael Benitez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

## More Football quotes

> [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/)

[Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/)

> [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/)

[Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/)

> [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/)

[Brendan Mundorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-mundorf/)

> [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/)

[Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/)

> [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/)

> [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/)

[Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/)

[Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/)

> [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/)

[Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/)

> [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/)

[Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/)

> [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/)

[Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/)

> [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/)

[Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/)

> [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/)

[Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/)

> [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/)

[Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/)

> [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

[Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes you have to praise players.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rafael Benitez"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Football"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/rafael-benitez-3934_football_sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players-184_1849226.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes you have to praise players.” — Rafael Benitez",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rafael Benitez",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes you have to praise players.",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/sometimes-you-have-to-praise-players/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
