Steve Black’s mind games are a winner for Huddersfield Town star Michael Collins

Oct 31 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

JONNY WILKINSON is far from the only sportsman to buy into the Steve Black approach.

Town midfielder Michael Collins this week became the latest to pay tribute to the club’s performance coach, who is widely recognised for using his skills in sports psychology to turn the 2003 rugby World Cup winner from a tortured soul into an optimistic philosopher.

It’s no surprise that England and Lions ace Wilkinson, now plying his trade with French club Toulon after first working with Black at Newcastle Falcons, still keeps in close contact with the genial Geordie.

For it’s impossible not to enjoy the company of the man of whom Wilkinson says: “He is the best at what he does, and I know that to be exactly true.”

Collins, a former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international who harbours ambitions of a full cap, admits he’s his own worst critic, and that at times, his confidence has been sapped as a result.

But he says Black has helped him deal with those demons.

“Blackie is responsible for our physical conditioning, but he’s also excellent on the psychological side of things,” explained the 23-year-old, who claimed his second goal of the campaign as Town put four without reply past Leyton Orient at the Galpharm last Saturday.

“He spends a lot of time working with the players on a one-to-one basis, and for me, he’s been brilliant.

“I have had occasional dealings with sports psychologists in the past.

“But it’s been a regular feature since Steve arrived and it’s something I’m interested in and really believe in.

“I do a lot of reading about top sportsmen, and they all use psychology as a tool to get that vital extra dimension to their performances.