And so Gareth Southgate resigns as England manager. Three days after defeat to Spain in the finals of the European Championship, he walks away, having failed to break England’s 58 year trophy drought. But it all could have been so different. With fifteen minutes to go In Berlin, England brought the scores level against Spain. Here was the moment. Momentum was with them. This finally was the opportunity to break the stop situation. But, what happened? England became passive again. They surrendered the initiative to Spain. The moment was gone. And the match was lost. Was it fear of failure […]

One of the recurring questions that has been coming up since England’s uninspired draw with Denmark, is ‘are England too tired?’ It’s a surprising question to hear being asked after game two of the tournament, and of course it’s a possibility that they have over-trained in camp as part of a thorough, ‘leave no stone unturned’ preparation. Whereby pattern repetition has left the players under-stimulated and lacking in enthusiasm for the tasks being asked of them. But that is only speculation. For in reality when the collective is right, tiredness is not an issue. When the collective is right, there […]

And so Troy Deeney’s six-game tenure at Forest Green Rovers is ended with a not unexpected sacking. Meaning that Dale Vince has now gone through four managers in a year. Ian Burchnall. Duncan Ferguson. David Horseman. Troy Deeney. Four managers. And potentially two relegations. Two relegations is not unlucky. Or unjust. It is a consequence of how everything that happens off the field, manifests itself on the field. You are a bottom of the league operation. Whether you like it or not. But none of this just happens. As an owner or leader of a club, you have to pay […]

It’s post match at The New Lawns and Forest Green manager Troy Deeney is not holding back in his assessment of his players performance after their two-nil loss to Harrogate Town. His twelve minute Radio Gloucester rant lets everyone know how he is feeling about individuals and the overall group mentality. And social media laps it up. A full-on managerial rants gets everyone’s attention. Why? Because they are pretty rare. There is what happens in the sanctuary of the dressing room. Between the manager, staff and players. And what is communicated to the outside world. And they are two separate […]

And so, after a mere fifteen games in charge, Wayne Rooney is sacked as manager of Birmingham City. With the Blues spiralling towards the relegation zone, the American ownership group, took the decision to relieve the England icon of his duties There was a promise to deliver ‘no fear football’ to the Blues faithful. Which may have eventually happened. But the question is how do you transition from the defensive solidity of a John Eustace team to no fear football? A transition is by nature something that involves small measurable steps. Steps that are easily absorbed and integrated methodically. Transitions […]

On Saturday 16th December, the Premier League game between Bournemouth and Luton Town was abandoned after Hatters captain Tom Lockyer collapsed on the pitch. Since then they have beaten Newcastle United. And today secured all three pints in a comeback win at Sheffield United. And the presence of their missing captain is there for all to see. In their goal celebrations. Togetherness. Spirit. This is a team wit a cause. And in sport, and in life a cause can be a very powerful thing indeed. With a cause you can move mountains. With a cause you can go beyond what […]

So Manchester City are the World Club Champions. A 4-0 over Fluminese secures a calendar year five-timer for Pep Guardiola. They’ve won everything! Which is the dream. The intent made manifest. But where do you go from here? What’s beyond winning everything? Winning everything again? Winning everything better? It’s the challenge the very best face. How to renew yourself in the face of unprecedented success. Pep described it like this. ‘Today we celebrate on the plane. Tomorrow rest. Try to buy a new book and start to write beautiful histories”. When Tottenham Hotspur won the double in 1962, manager Bill […]

It’s not long after his sides penalty shoot-out exit at the hands of Chelsea, and Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is bemoaning the loss. Calling the penalty shoot-out, ‘a lottery’. Now Eddie is not the first manager to call the shoot out format a lottery. Its been happening ever since they began in the mid-seventies. But is what he is saying true? Is the penalty shoot-out a lottery? A lottery suggests  too many factors outside of the managers control. Primarily players taking penalties who may not be experienced penalty takers. Or have no confidence in their ability from the spot, […]

          So Ian Wright is to step down from the Match Of The Day team. Having turned sixty, Ian has decided that he wants to do different things on his Saturday’s. There are life and career moments when Change comes knocking on the door. It’s part of how we grow as individuals. It might be every seven years when new possibilities open up. We feel these moments in different ways. ‘It’s time to move on’. ‘I need to test myself in a new way’. ‘I need a new challenge’. Or. ‘I’m bored’. ‘This no longer satisfies […]