Motivation is defined as the direction and intensity of one’s efforts. Direction in this context refers to why a person is involved in certain situations and why they avoid certain situations. Intensity on the other hand is concerned with how much effort a person gives towards reaching a certain goal.
Question around motivation include: why do people participate? Why do people discontinue participating? What goals influence participation?
The Black Stars’ players especially will be confronted with the above dilemma at AFCON in Gabon. The reason is not far fetched when viewed against the backdrop of recent happenings around the team.
The issue of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation will play a huge part in how the players especially approach the tournament, because without mincing words, the tournament is likely to be the last hurrah for quite a number of the players’ international career with the Black Stars. In order to make it a memorable one, there is an important choice to make. What then would be the motivating factor under a circumstance like that? To take a bow without any silverware to show after all these years, or to exact their pound of flesh because a workman deserve his just wages?
It’s not only important to have an understanding of how one views motivation, but it’s also important to understand how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation impacts player motivation.
Putting aside all various reasons why players play for the National Team, I think there couldn’t have been any time in the life of players of the current senior national team who must come to a consensus of going into this AFCON tournament with one motive – going for the ultimate whether they get extrinsically motivated or not.
This is simply because majority of the players are at the crossroads of their international careers with the national team, and this seemingly final appearance or effort after a number of fruitless attempts to have their names cast in gold at countless international tournaments must be one in which intrinsic motivation must override the extrinsic option.
The choice is theirs to make. An opportunity for an enhanced trophy cabinet or bloated bank balance at this point in their professional lives as footballers who once upon a time had the rare opportunity of putting on the enviable national team shirt?
When that decision is intelligently made, I can hardly imagine anything stopping them from winning the often elusive championship in any international tournament, and AFCON- GABON provides an opportunity which could well be the last for quite a number of this current crop of senior national team players.
Article by: Coach David Duncan