Why do soccer players get to be "unlucky?"

[Unregistered]

Excerpt from:
http://acoachinglife.wordpress.com/2...to-be-unlucky/

You hear it at every soccer practice and every soccer game. A player scuffs a shot, misplays the ball out of bounds, misses a trap… and as the ball scoots off in the resulting unintended direction, a coach or a spectator or both yell out “unlucky.” But here’s the question: Is there any “unlucky” in soccer? Or is it more accurate, if less charitable, to yell “unskillful?”

I’ve wanted to write about this question ever since one of the instructors at my C license course posed it to the candidates. He extended the argument to all sports, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard “unlucky” shouted at another sporting event. No one yells “unlucky” when an outfielder drops a fly ball. No one yells “unlucky” when a basketball player blows a lay-up or a dunk. No one yells “unlucky” when a touchdown pass slips between a wide receivers hands. No one yells “unlucky” in any other sport. They might boo. They might say something like “you’ll get ‘em next time.” But no one says “unlucky.” So why are soccer players uniquely “unlucky?”

[Unregistered]

In all the years my kids have played, I don't think I've ever heard anyone shout that out! Is it a regional thing?

[Unregistered]

Maybe because in all the other sports you mentioned people are using their hands which is much more natural then your feet. You grab things with your hands, write with your hands, steer with your hands, etc. Try doing those things with your feet!

[Arsenal_U14G_Fan]

Rofl

Excerpt from:
http://acoachinglife.wordpress.com/2...to-be-unlucky/

You hear it at every soccer practice and every soccer game. A player scuffs a shot, misplays the ball out of bounds, misses a trap… and as the ball scoots off in the resulting unintended direction, a coach or a spectator or both yell out “unlucky.” But here’s the question: Is there any “unlucky” in soccer? Or is it more accurate, if less charitable, to yell “unskillful?”

I’ve wanted to write about this question ever since one of the instructors at my C license course posed it to the candidates. He extended the argument to all sports, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard “unlucky” shouted at another sporting event. No one yells “unlucky” when an outfielder drops a fly ball. No one yells “unlucky” when a basketball player blows a lay-up or a dunk. No one yells “unlucky” when a touchdown pass slips between a wide receivers hands. No one yells “unlucky” in any other sport. They might boo. They might say something like “you’ll get ‘em next time.” But no one says “unlucky.” So why are soccer players uniquely “unlucky?”

I agree that I hear this comment all the time and frankly it is just bad. Most often it goes down like this "Good idea, unlucky".

[Unregistered]

good ideas

are supported and encouraged in the game. Other sports (basketball, baseball, football) are sports that precision and execution. Not to say that soccer doesn't, but soccer is a game where the coach can't diagram a play on the spot after a timeout. soccer is a players game...basketball, football, baseball are games where coaches have a HUGE influence. This is one of the many reasons why soccer is a great sport to play and watch. Players, especially at the youth level, should be rewarded for good ideas. EVERYONE player will screw up at some point in a game. There are good mistakes and bad mistakes....but its not the mistake that matters, its - how do you respond to the mistake & is it a good or bad mistake? bad mistake = not getting back on defense, playing a ball into pressure in the defensive third, clearing a ball out of bounds under no pressure. good mistake = shot missed over bar, trying to play appropriate through ball only to have it drift out of bounds, passing ball with proper technique in correct situation only to have it be a bit off target. unlucky is a great soccer term.

[Unregistered]

Hear it all the time. However, depends on how you interpret things. Really it is just a saying, a comment. I also hear "good shot" as it is barely hit and just rolls on over right to to the goalie. I hear "do it again" when all I saw was blah. Stuff like that.

Personally I wouldn't encourage this to be picked a part. All you are going to do is end up allowing parents to go out and say "what a crapy shot, don't do that again" or as you would put it "that was un-skillfull".
As parents we all think it, but that doesn't mean we should shout it out. As players they know when they screw up, they don't need the sideline parent yelling it out, their coach does just fine with that one.

Maybe saying "unlucky" sounds better than basically "you suck". My preference is just to keep quiet.

[Unregistered]

the phrase "unlucky" is used quiet often in Europe; especially in English Football.

I think it has sense mirgrated over here to our soccer both youth and professional. This is why we do not hear in used in other sports.

It is like others said better be say "unlucky" then "that was terrible". You are still able to keep the players head in the game without the negativity.

[Unregistered]

Unlucky

Unlucky is commonly used in soccer and has been forever. There's a lot of margin for error in soccer and sometimes your unlucky (over hit a cross, hit the post, even missed a trap), sometimes you made a mistake (missed a trap, missed a sitter). It's an acknowledgment of the idea or effort. Why would you say something negative other than to be negative? Either think back to the last perfect game you played or watched (that shouldn't take long) or think about how many plays could have turned out a little differently with either better execution or luck. It's called encouragement.

[Unregistered]

The precision in soccer is lower than other sports, therefore luck plays a bigger role in certain elements. A key to the game is realizing this and accounting for it (i.e. always have a backup plan).

[Unregistered]

"Unlucky"

Excerpt from:
http://acoachinglife.wordpress.com/2...to-be-unlucky/
.....
Is there any “unlucky” in soccer? Or is it more accurate, if less charitable, to yell “unskillful?”
.....

There is no "unlucky". The reason to shout "unlucky" is to keep the parents happy, as they just can't believe their daughters are unskillful.

[Unregistered]

There is no "unlucky". The reason to shout "unlucky" is to keep the parents happy, as they just can't believe their daughters are unskillful.

what an absurd notion.

[Unregistered]

Unlucky is said because the player(s) involved either struck the ball wrong or played it a little wide, etc. The player is skilled enough and has the right thought of where to land the ball, but they are not professionals. Actually, even professional players are "unlucky", but since they are playing at the highest level we call it a "wiff". As an adult player myself, I know where the ball should be directed when I pass or shoot, but it doesn't always go in the exact spot it should. I'm guessing the term isn't used at the professional level because you expect those players to do better than our youth players. Many of our youth have the right thought, but are sometimes "unlucky".

[Unregistered]

Lucky

what an absurd notion.

Of course it's to keep the parents happy. If we really believed that bad vs good outcome was a matter of luck, then whenever a good outcome happened, we would yell: "You were lucky!" The fact that we attribute only the bad outcomes to chance shows that we do it to keep the parents happy.

[Unregistered]

Unlucky

It's used at every level. Next time you watch a high level professional game watch how many times a forward will give a thumbs up or other sign to the player who crossed the ball even when it's an errant pass. He's not saying "wiff" or "you aren't skillful" or anything else like that. He wants the other player to keep it up -- maybe they'll get "lucky" and score.

[Unregistered]

I have seen it yelled at skillful players who, yes, get a bad touch or have a truly "unlucky" issue with the ball. It really does refer only to those who typically don't screw up those passes, shots, moves, etc.

I have also seen it yelled at players who weren't unlucky to whiff, skim, miss, etc. the ball, but simply lack the skill to perform such tasks.

All in all, though, most coaches and parents who use that term use it to describe a play, move, pass, shot gone wrong but attempted by a skilled, competent player. It's truly a "soccer term" and those using it usually use it appropriately.

Those using it to excuse whiffs, misses, etc. by players who simply get lucky when they DO perform those tasks well really should not be using the term at all. My guess is that they hear others using it and think it's simply a cool, good word to use, and then end up using it incorrectly.