Mindset can be a very powerful thing. If done right.
Thinking back to the 2008 season I was in charge of an under 11's team that needed just one win from 5 to secure league victory.
Our next match was against bottom of the league, they struggled to put 11 players out every Sunday and had shipped almost 200 goals in 18 games.
The night before the match I took the team out on the town. 7 of them died of alcohol poisoning before the sun rose, and out of the other 9, 4 became permanently disabled needing 24hr life long care. I was fine and we put a team of 3 out, but they just weren't up for it and disgraced us with a total lack of effort, losing 1-0.
I stepped down for the last 4 matches as basically the board wanted me to take all blame.
They didn't play those last 4 matches and the team folded. I spent just over 2 years in prison and took some awful beatings in there. Even had molten sugar poured over my groin. And all because the little fucking chavs believed they could handle hard liquor by the pint, when they couldn't.
Self belief if a very powerful tool, if the players are on board and aren't complete cunts, like mine were. :/