After Stijnen’s stunt: why psychological games are not risk-free – “Can also have a motivating effect”

A sweltering changing room, ice-cold water in the showers or toilets that don’t work: how far can you as a club actually go to unsettle an opponent? Today, Sporza Daily investigates psychological warfare in sports.

Do you remember the previous round of the Croky Cup? Charleroi coach Rik De Mil was then particularly angry about the way his team had been received at Patro, including a sweltering dressing room.

Football coaches Guido Brepoels and Dennis van Wijk, both men of many wars, don’t mind it. “Oh, I have often experienced something like that. That has always been the case. And it should be possible, as long as it remains respectful,” Brepoels puts things into perspective.

“It should indeed not be insulting or hurtful,” Van Wijk agrees. “But other than that, I think something like that is allowed. Handing out small injections, that can’t hurt. It used to happen more often, but it wasn’t talked about that much at the time.”

Giving out small injections doesn’t do any harm. It used to happen more often.

Dennis van Wijk

Such an example of psychological warfare can also return like a boomerang. “Absolutely,” says Brepoels. “An opponent can also get motivation from it.”

“But if you are well prepared and focused on the match, you shouldn’t be distracted by something like that. At the highest level, those mental games shouldn’t get you out of balance. You have to be able to deal with that.”

“That’s right,” says Van Wijk. “You can expect those tricks of the foor to intimidate the opponent. Only when it crosses the line does it go a bit too far.”

If a certain routine is broken, it can certainly be destabilizing.

sports psychologist Michaël Verschaeve

And ethics also play a role, adds sports psychologist and mental coach Michaël Verschaeve. “How do you want to win as an athlete? Do you use all resources to achieve this or not?”

“People who have a real winning mentality can really go very far. And some also say: “I want to win, but in the right way.”

And he also warns of a boomerang effect. “If a certain routine is broken, it can certainly be destabilizing. But if there is clear sabotage, it can also be detrimental. Then you get a group that quickly unites against a common enemy.”