Latest news with #chaos theory
New York Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Pellegrino Matarazzo on the USMNT, Chelsea and a coaching return: ‘I'm ready for the next step'
As a former college mathematics major, Pellegrino Matarazzo could tell you a thing or two about chaos theory — the unpredictable nature of things. Or he could just refer to his last 18 months in football. During that time, the 47-year-old was sacked as manager of Bundesliga side Hoffenheim despite saving them from relegation and then guiding them into the Europa League. Advertisement Next he was interviewed for the USMNT head coach role before the gig eventually went to Mauricio Pochettino. So, instead, he spent time observing Claudio Ranieri's work at close quarters as the veteran Italian became Roma's third manager of a turbulent campaign, steering them to a fifth-place finish. That's why, of all his attributes, Matarazzo thinks one in particular makes him especially suited to a job in the dugout. It's not speaking four languages, or the resilience which helped him break barriers as an American coach in Europe at Stuttgart and then fellow Germans Hoffenheim. 'I've always been someone who's able to deal with chaos very well,' he says. 'Because I have the ability to focus on what's important. I stay structured and remain focused and factual.' In other words — he can handle the heat, and is happiest in the kitchen. Matarazzo has just returned to his home in Germany, having spent the last month working as an analyst for host broadcaster DAZN at the Club World Cup. It was the first time he had taken on such a role. 'It was something different,' the New Jersey-born son of Italian immigrants says of being on TV. 'It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me valuable insights into the entertainment side of the game, which I hadn't been exposed to in the same way during my career.' But, while watching games at FIFA's revamped and greatly expanded club tournament from a television studio, Matarazzo was also expanding his knowledge of the game beyond Europe, where he has coached since retiring as a player at German side Nurnberg in 2010. As Brazilian teams reached the quarter-finals (Palmeiras) and semis (Fluminense), he was impressed. 'The aggression, the passion and the physicality of South American football was striking — in many cases surpassing that of the European game,' he says. 'Certainly part of it was driven by players' motives and their need to prove their value on an international stage. But the Brazilian teams in particular, they played with a complete brand of football which I value highly: very pragmatic, disciplined, organised. 'It's completely contrary to the old stereotype of Brazilian football, which was usually about flair, technical ability and creativity. What I saw were teams playing with a very well-rounded approach — defensively sound, and very successful.' For a coach who admits he would love to work in the Premier League, Matarrazo also noted how eventual winners Chelsea are quickly developing from big-spending also-rans into a potentially dominant force in the game once again. 'They grew within the tournament,' he says. 'I was watching them in the first couple of games, and there was still a lot of sand in their engine. But that final was spectacular, and Cole Palmer outstanding. Advertisement 'The key is Joao Pedro (the Brazilian forward signed from fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion partway through the competition). I'm a fan of (another new option for Chelsea up front Liam) Delap, don't get me wrong, but he's a different profile. I think Palmer becomes more creative with Joao Pedro in there, too. 'It's just a great team and when I see (Moises) Caicedo, how he plays… oh man. This guy is amazing. If I had a dream team, Caicedo would definitely be a part of that. For me, he will be the best No 6 in the world. 'They (Chelsea) can defend deep, they can defend in a high press, as a low-block high press. They're flexible in their defensive structure. They conceded very few chances (in the final) against Paris Saint-Germain. 'One of the critical things I was seeing in the first few games is that they can now break down low blocks. That's why, with this extra element of Joao Pedro coming in, plus the other players that they already had in their roster, I think it's going to be fun to watch in the upcoming season. 'They could win the Premier League.' Matarrazo's enthusiasm for the club game is so palpable you suspect it will not be long before he returns to management. For now, he prefers to stay in Europe, having turned down offers from MLS sides, but in different circumstances he could have spent this summer guiding the USMNT through their Concacaf Gold Cup participation. As a candidate under consideration, he held talks with U.S. Soccer in 2024 before the federation ultimately opted for Pochettino's star-factor. 'I did truly appreciate the great conversations we had,' he says. 'They (U.S. Soccer) were very, very thoughtful, well-structured, professional, and I'm sure Pochettino is an excellent choice. He's an established coach with tremendous international experience at club level. And if you're just two years short of a run-up to a home World Cup, then it's important to energise the U.S. soccer landscape emotionally. So that's something a big name like Pochettino can absolutely do.' Advertisement But what does he think of the task facing the Argentine after a summer when key senior players, most notably Christian Pulisic, withdrew from the roster to prioritise rest after busy seasons with their clubs. 'We're just beginning to see the results of the work being done,' Matarazzo says. 'It's positive. Reaching the final of the Gold Cup with several key players missing was a significant achievement for Pochettino, that's my opinion. It's a result that will earn him both respect and credibility within the U.S. soccer landscape moving forward. 'Think about it. I felt like, in this tournament, it was the first time you felt real progress was made in establishing a culture, an identity, which built around what we in Germany call the basics of football; when you speak about work ethic, intensity, a team-first mindset and when you get those basics down, then you can grow a programme.' Some will wonder whether, with less than a year to go before the World Cup and no signature victories yet under Pochettino against any of world football's big beasts, the USMNT can reach the level required to succeed in the tournament their homeland will co-host with Canada and Mexico and shift the dial on football's status in North America. 'Let's put this way, my feeling is we're cutting it close,' says Matarazzo. 'And I think the next big step will be to reintegrate those key players in the next phase of development. 'There were a lot of starters missing. The loss to Mexico in the final was not a question of mentality; it was a question of quality. Mentality might get you out of the group phase in the World Cup, but if you want to make a deep run in the tournament, you need overall better quality on the pitch. 'So I think that's the key in the next phase this fall: reintegrating those key players and just growing that cohesiveness moving towards the World Cup. Advertisement 'It's important to not underestimate momentum. So if there's growth happening in this next coming year and if the players feel it and you take that momentum into the tournament, then it can be successful.' Matarazzo feels that new Bayer Leverkusen signing Malik Tillman and Real Salt Lake's Diego Luna took their chances to impress at the Gold Cup: 'They were given a platform, and they performed. And that not only gives Pochettino more options going forward, but it creates healthy competition. That's an important message — the most important take-away from this tournament is that nobody is irreplaceable. That will lead to more focus, higher performance from all the players in the upcoming camps.' Matarazzo will be watching Tillman's progress back at club level in Germany with interest. The midfielder came through Greuther Furth's academy before moving to Bayern Munich, and later PSV of the Netherlands, before joining Leverkusen earlier this month in a €35million (£30m; $41m) move. He wanted to sign the then teenager to play under him in Nurnberg's B team before the German-American dual national headed to Bayern. 'He's strong, he's got a good shot, he is game-intelligent,' Matarazzo says of the 23-year-old. 'Malik sees slots opening to play the ball deep. He could be more consistent in his output, and if he is, then he would be a top player.' So with Tillman and Luna in mind, how does Pochettino go about reintegrating players such as Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun while retaining the emphasis on that 'team-first' idea? 'It's a tough dynamic, but which dynamic is not tough in football?,' says Matarazzo. 'Let's be honest, the job is so complex. 'Like I said before, if you have a tin place that you want to see, and the players coming into that culture already feel the energy in the group, it's easier for them to adapt. And you need open, constructive communication with the player camp and the player himself.' Advertisement In this, he speaks from experience. Matarazzo is still smarting from the nature of his sacking by Hoffenheim in November. His time there, he says, was 'cut short in a way that was not natural'. He had to contend with a total overhaul of the club's management structure after he had saved them from relegation after being appointed in February 2023 and then delivered qualification for the Europa League a year later, with the CEO and sporting director who had hired him both being fired during the following pre-season. Then came a chaotic period with a void at the top, until a new executive team was installed. 'I belonged to the old leadership,' he says. 'So I was not looked favourably upon — there were people within the club who were very happy to see me go. So it was just a difficult situation; keeping the players in balance, protecting myself from invisible attacks and just a lot of volatility and chaos in the club. 'And listen, I coached at Stuttgart for almost three years. So I've been part of emotional clubs and we also had a change of leadership at Stuttgart when Thomas Hitzlsperger stopped in 2022 (the former Germany midfielder left his role as CEO). I was working there, and then Alex Wehrle came in, so I knew what that feels like but that situation felt natural — this was not natural.' The club's Croatian forward Andrej Kramaric went public rebuking any suggestions the dressing room was not behind him. But the coach had less and less influence on recruitment and, despite being open with the new board about the approach from U.S. Soccer to hold talks, the news was leaked to the German media. He began to feel like he was on borrowed time with the board. 'Now I'm going to say something cliche,' he says. 'What doesn't break us, makes us stronger. But I don't have to get into details anymore because it's in the past and I've already reflected on my time there. Advertisement 'I'm ready for the next step.' He has no shortage of learnings before that next step from his time observing Ranieri and then Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma. He can turn, too, to his former room-mate from his coaching-course days, the ex Bayern Munich and current German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. 'I've known Julian for a long time,' he says. 'We were opponents at under-19 club level. We completed our pro licence together and he brought me onto his coaching staff midway through the season (at Hoffenheim in 2017). 'He's a sharp thinker, he has a clear vision. I took a lot from our experiences together; not just tactically, but in terms of leadership, communication. I can take inspiration from him, from Gasparini, and of course from Claudio.' He admits also to admiring Roberto De Zerbi's tactics in the Premier League at Brighton & Hove Albion, but his ultimate inspiration, when it comes to hard-work and perseverance, is familial. 'My mom and dad came to the United States with nothing,' says Matarazzo. 'They were from a long line of Italian farmers. My father was an auto mechanic and my mom was working as a secretary. 'They put four kids through college (Matarazzo graduated from Columbia University). They gave us the tools we needed to to be successful in this life. And we're four brothers all together and we all have the right head on our shoulders, and we're doing good things because they put so much into every day. 'My dad was working every day. My mom… what she was doing for the household and working at the same time was incredible.' Matarazzo's accent is identifiably American but he can just as easily lapse into German-English inflection. Still, he has had to deal with flickers of European prejudice against American coaches. 'A foreign coach is more readily accepted into any football culture if they come with a proven track record and if they can speak the native language,' he says. Advertisement 'But I do think that one of the challenges I've seen is there's still a certain degree of scepticism about whether someone from the U.S. truly understands the game and can perform at the highest level. 'I often ask myself, why do most commentators and analysts in the U.S. still have English or Spanish accents? It tells you something about perception, and there's certainly been a shift in a positive direction since I first arrived in Europe 25 years ago. It's to do with the growth of MLS, and an increasing number of U.S. players that are making their mark overseas. 'But when it comes to American coaches and experts, I'd say we're still in the process of earning credibility, both abroad and within our own country. 'I took the approach of climbing the ranks from the ground up in another country. So it's like I immersed myself in culture in the football environment and earned my place. 'But even that, it's still a completely cut-throat business and there are so many highly qualified coaches out of work all competing for the same opportunity. So it's definitely possible — I'm living proof of it — but it requires a lot of commitment and sacrifice. 'After Hoffenheim I do feel I have unfinished work. There's still a curiosity within me: how high can I go? What's my level as a coach?' Matarazzo is ready to embrace the chaos once again.
Health Line
16-07-2025
- General
- Health Line
What Is the Burnt Toast Theory?
The burnt toast theory is a metaphor for life that helps people interpret minor inconveniences as having positive ripple effects or a 'silver lining.' It's related to the butterfly effect. While not a scientific theory, the burnt toast theory draws on chaos theory, a mathematical theory that many use to explain the world's unpredictable nature, and the butterfly effect, which highlights the potential unexpected and wide-reaching impact of seemingly inconsequential events. Appearing initially on TikTok, the idea behind the burnt toast theory is that burning your toast and having to toast another slice may have saved you from a car accident or caused you to cross paths with a new friend. Ultimately, it's a psychological coping mechanism that may help you react calmly or positively to life's inconveniences, potentially supporting your overall mental health. Despite the name, the burnt toast theory doesn't have to be about toast or misfortune specifically. It extends to looking for the possible benefits in any minor frustration you may experience, such as: from not getting a job you applied for (there may be a better one in your future) accidentally getting on the wrong bus (you may run into an old friend) forgetting an ingredient at the grocery store and having to make a second trip (you may meet someone special in the checkout aisle) forgetting your lunch and having to go out to get a replacement (you may end up in conversation with someone in line who provides a networking opportunity) Keep reading to learn about the potential truth behind the theory and how you can use it to reframe your thinking around life's frustrations. What are the benefits of the burnt toast theory? The burnt toast theory asks you to slow down and appreciate even minor frustrations for their potential positive ripple effects. While there isn't any research on the benefits, it may potentially help you: reframe small inconveniences as part of a bigger picture foster mental resilience cultivate an optimistic mindset practice patience in response to inconveniences grow mindfulness practices, like slowing down to appreciate the potential benefits of a challenging scenario cope with unexpected change improve your perspective »Read more: Ways to relieve stress Is the burnt toast theory real? The burnt toast theory references chaos theory, which explains that the world is complex and that you can never know all the possibilities in a world where the unexpected can happen. It also taps into the butterfly effect, highlighting the potential for one small event to affect other events in significant ways. However, there isn't any scientific research specifically on the burnt toast theory. It appears to have originated from a TikTok video. However, that doesn't mean that the theory doesn't potentially have some truth behind it. There have been famous examples throughout history of people narrowly missing catastrophic events due to seemingly random occurrences, and people having life changing experiences that stem from one event. A few well-known examples include: Michael Jackson reportedly overslept and missed a meeting in the World Trade Center on 9/11 after a late-night phone call with family members. Marilyn Monroe reportedly became a model after appearing in photographs of the World War II defense plant where she worked. A Parkland High School student reportedly left school early, before the shooting began, to see a friend who had come home from college that week. A married couple from different countries met because they were on the same international flight diverted to Newfoundland in the wake of 9-11. A person sitting in seat 11A became the sole survivor of a 2025 plane crash in India due to the location of the seat. While it's impossible to know if toasting a second slice of bread, stopping to fill up a car's gas tank, or missing your bus or train may save you from an accident, practicing the burnt toast theory may be a helpful coping mechanism for managing your response to unexpected change and frustrating occurrences. Research-based positive thinking mindsets If you're looking for other positive ways to frame your thoughts with more research behind them, you can try mindfulness techniques, affirmations, and mantras to steer your thoughts to the positive. Mindfulness Mindfulness refers to a practice of being in the present by noticing and recognizing things that keep you in the moment, such as those you can: see touch hear feel taste Mindfulness can help you learn to accept your feelings and experiences without judgment or reaction. Some specific mindfulness techniques may also help with the way you respond to stress or frustrating events. Techniques may include: Mindful breathing: Mindful breathing, or Pranayama, involves inhaling, exhaling, and holding your breath in specific sequences to connect the body and mind. Body scan meditation: During body scan meditation, you focus on each part of your body and the sensations you feel there. You follow a relaxed breathing pattern and imagine any pain or discomfort leaving that area before shifting your focus to another area. Walking meditation: During a walk for meditation, you take a walk and pay close attention to your feet on the ground while walking slowly. Positive self-talk It works by recognizing patterns of negative self-talk in yourself and challenging them. If you find yourself worrying about the worst possible outcome of a scenario, you can challenge the thought by asking how logical and likely that outcome is. You can then focus on better and more likely alternatives. For example, is it likely you will lose your job or have a disciplinary action for being a few minutes late after burning your toast? A more likely consequence may be a professor or supervisor looking at the clock and you apologizing. Or, your lateness may go unnoticed completely. Mantras or affirmations Mantras are a form of meditation using a specific sound, word, or phrase. The oldest mantras date back to the Vedas, ancient religious texts from India. People tend to use mantras and affirmations interchangeably. To use one of these positive phrases, you repeat it to yourself. This can help replace negative thought patterns. Some examples include: 'I can handle this.' 'This will pass.' 'I deserve to feel at peace.' If the burnt toast theory doesn't work for you If you're managing severe stress or anxiety rather than minor inconveniences, focusing on the burnt toast theory or other positive thinking mindsets may not be enough. You can consider talking with a licensed mental health practitioner. These professionals can help you reframe your thinking and support your progress over time. They may also recommend other treatments and interventions for anxiety, like cognitive behavioral therapy.
