From fostering team spirit to watching DVDs and putting an arm around a player's shoulder, preparation between games is key for every coach.

In the third of our seven-part documentary series, The Coaches, UEFA.com speaks to some of the best in the business, including the likes of Laurent Blanc, Leonid Slutski and Mircea Lucescu. "I talk to certain players for a long time every day, but with others I may not have a face-to-face conversation for several months," said Slutski, the PFC CSKA Moskva trainer.

FC Twente's Steve McClaren, meanwhile, added: "It's about preparation. It's not just about the game, it's about what you do before the game – what you do before the season begins, the work you do and the philosophy you have."

For further insight from a host of top-class coaches and managers, view the video above.