Dimmah

I need some tips on boosting morale and team talks.

kkboy80

if they played **** i say disappointing, if they played so-so or good i say for the fans, if they look shaky warn against complacent..lol simple enuff

Cheg

If you are winning never say pleased or thrilled. Second half will be played as if they are still in the dressing room.

Xennaz

It depends on a few factors, I've found.

Firstly, your pre-match team talk. If you tell your players to "relax and enjoy", you can't tell them you're angry at half-time. Similarly, if you say you expect a win at home(especially against far weaker opposition), and are only up by a goal, saying you are pleased is not reaally going to work.

Of course, other things like form, morale and personalities play important roles too.

Macyst

I usually start the match with "For the fans"

For half time really depends on how the first half turned out and players morale.

4+ goals: thrilled
2+ goals" pleased
[These 2 will likely that you won't score anymore but it's a safe option]
1 lead: Not complacent/Don't expect performance to drop
Draw: one goal more/You can win the game/Disappointing [For good/ok/poor morale respectively]
-1: Disappointed, Question passion
-2: Angry [if morale is good/ok]

Several times that things are turned around with angry comment.

Humber

Ive tried avoiding using negative comments and just limit myself to sympathise and only disappointed if they lost a BIG game we should have won easily.

MUFC4LIFE

Players on 5 - Angry
Players on 6 - Difference/Prove a Point or Disappointing
Players on 8 - Pleased
Players on 9/10 - Delighted

Winning by 1 or more goals - Complacent
Winning by 2 or more goals - Don't let it drop
Losing - Where's the Passion Lads
Drawing - We can win this
Playing **** - Disappointing

Players with 7 normally get told as a team.

glamdring

I tend to find half time team talks a total lottery. Whenever I am 1 goal up I always Encourage, if I'm 2 goals up I very rarely tell the players I am pleased, mostly tell them not to let their performance drop, but both those always cause their performance to drop anyway. If we are losing it depends whether we are home or away as to whether I get angry, question where the passion is (my favourite when available) or tell the players we can still win. Very rarely I will tell the players to relax and enjoy it at halt time and they promptly concede 3 goals in the second half!

I have never found a satisfactory half time talk that will keep the team playing at a good tempo and scoring goals if we are winning by 2 goals or more at HT

mimland

I have actually started to use pleased abit more and yes sometimes you get he feeling they stay in the dressing room. Many times though I have found out that they play a very stable defensivly game and counter when they get a really good option to do so. They will do what they can to keep the scoreline but they wont work very hard on adding to it. I just wish they would swap around again when the opposition starts to catch up.

Newky

2-0 up or more at halftime and playing well I say Thrilled - never been turned over and quite often get a few more. I do change tactics to ultradefensive/counter attack though.

Losing or drawing and playing well - sympathise

Losing and getting dominated or drawing at home and not really firing - disappointed combined with more attacking/higher tempo tactic