A respected and experienced manager, his coaching techniques, especially in regards to athletic preparation, fitness, and training (a field for which he has a particular interest), are also proverbial for their effort and diligence. Notable features of his system are the use of a high defensive line, the offside trap, high pressing, and zonal marking, as well as short first touch passes and one-twos played on the ground, although the deep-lying playmaker in his formation must also be competent at providing long passes and switching the play. The wingers in his system are set to move inside the channels, and usually play a free creative role. All of these elements combined made Zeman's tactics solid, spectacular and extremely versatile: they are effective against top teams as well as weaker ones.