Former Swindon Town boss Maurice Malpas won 55 caps for Scotland and made a record 617 appearances for Dundee United. His coaching career started at Tannadice before he moved on to Motherwell, Scotland U21s and Swindon

I’ve just started playing semi-pro and the local paper wants to talk to me but I never know what to say. Do players get taught how to be interviewed without saying anything?
Danny Welch, via e-mail 
As a manager or a coach you learn to say everything without saying anything. Unless it’s necessary or unavoidable, you never criticise the team or individuals, you try to talk around the outskirts of the game, highlighting one or two points – preferably good points.

As a player speaking to the press you don’t want to give an opinion on your team-mates. You can talk about the team as a collective unit, but once again never discuss individuals. Whichever point of view you are coming from, you always look for the positive.

The hardest thing is talking to the press after you’ve been beaten, and well beaten. It’s very difficult to say anything positive. This is when you get caught out and end up saying something that becomes a headline. In the past there was no training it was just something you picked up with experience.

In today’s game, media training is part of scholarships for youth players. There’s far more media attention in today’s game; 20 or 30 years ago you would have only have faced the press before and after a big game.

Today’s players have become accustomed to dealing with it. They’ve been taught how to face the camera and say the right thing. Of course they’re always encouraged to say positive things.

I hear all this talk about zonal marking and man-to-man marking. Which is the best and how can I get my team to work on it?
Nick Wise, via e-mail 
I don’t think you should be asking me that because we keep on losing goals from set-pieces! I’ve been brought up with a man-marking system – it’s far easier because you can give each individual a job to do against an opponent. It’s their job to put them under pressure, to prevent them from scoring.

In the pro game we always decide who is marking who before the game, so when the opposition gets a set-piece everyone knows their job and is well drilled in what they are supposed to be doing.

You have to try and match the players up to give yourself a better chance of defending. Sometimes teams change their game plan so you have to adapt, but in general it’s all predetermined.

A man-to-man marking system requires each player to get his starting position right. Concentrating on the flight of the ball, following the man if he runs and challenging for the ball if it reaches your man.

There are too many grey areas in zonal defending. You’re only meant to attack the area directly in front of you, but you get problems if you’re standing and you’ve got people running into your area. Someone on the move is always going to have a better leap than somebody standing.

I’ve just joined a new team and none of us have played together. We’ve got no shape, discipline, communication or organisation. How can we improve this?
Matt Topp, via e-mail 
Play more small-sided games. Even play head-catch, handball – games where communication and passing and moving are essential.

This will develop team understanding: if one player moves into a certain position another player will cover him or support him.

It’s like creating a domino effect in the team, a natural instinct, without thought, to react to what is happening in front of you as part of a team.

It’s no good having great individuals if you can’t play as a team. The team is the most important thing. In an ideal world you’ve got 11 captains out on the pitch, but there’s players who are uncomfortable with telling players what to do.

You can have your captain and two or three other experienced players who have an idea of what you want, passing it on to the team out on the pitch.

Every time you play in a team for the first time you think you’re the best and everyone should do what you tell them, but the team need to respect each other.

You’ll always going to have the domineering players so it’s up to them to do it with respect and for everyone else to listen and take instructions and advice onboard.

Nothing should be taken personally; it’s done for the good of the team. It’s an emotional game and if things aren’t going to plan players find it hard to accept criticism.

When you’re playing well everybody is happy to listen and accept criticism. The players have to want to play for each other. A good team-bonding night out could also help.