The STAR Game

The STAR Game
How Behaviour and Mindset Shape Football at Every Level

Discover the missing dimension in football.

In an era where every pass, sprint, and press is measured, The STAR Game reveals what the stats can’t show: the psychology behind the performance. Drawing on the acclaimed STAR Framework – Socialiser, Thinker, Adventurer, Realist – David Chadderton takes readers beyond tactics and physicality into the inner world of decision-making, pressure, confidence, and fit.

This groundbreaking book reframes football through mindset, not metrics. From elite players and tactical systems to managers, fans, and club culture, it uncovers the behavioural blueprints that shape success and explain failure – often before a ball is even kicked.

Whether you're a coach, scout, analyst, player, or passionate fan, The STAR Game will teach you to see football differently. With real-world examples, psychological insight, and a fully operational model built on the OCEAN personality science, this is football's most human—and most usable—framework yet.

You’ll learn:

Why mindset is the most underused asset in recruitment and coaching

How personality shapes performance, leadership, and learning

What separates flair players from system players, and when to trust each

How club identity, fanbase psychology, and managerial style interact

How to build psychologically balanced squads and backroom teams

From Manchester to Madrid, grassroots to Champions League, The STAR Game offers a lens that makes sense of the unpredictable – and turns behavioural nuance into strategic advantage.

The future of football isn’t just tactical. It’s psychological. And it starts here.