The Sports
Psychology Blog
Today's Sports Psychology blog comes at the end of the week, in which Manchester United's players Christmas Party is still making headline news.
Football: Sir Alex Ferguson - A Clear & Potent Message
So we understand Sir Alex Ferguson is angry with his players for their Christmas Party shenanigan's. And so he should be. The hard fought for values of Manchester United were denigrated. One player arrested on suspicion of rape. Lurid tabloid tales of sexual debauchery dominating the front pages.
What players get up to in their private lives is their business. But the football club Christmas Party is the business of the football club. The senior players should carry the clubs core values with them wherever they go. On and off the pitch. Failure to do so, suggests a misalignment with those values.
The Christmas Party's first loyalty should be to the football club. Then to the players. The party should be a good natured celebration. An opportunity at team bonding. This party seemed to have other agendas.
This is the perfect opportunity for Sir Alex Ferguson. Rock bottom is the perfect catalyst for change. The perfect catalyst to reignite players hunger and ambition. To drive out familiarity. An opportunity to realign the players with the clubs core values. An opportunity to make the club stronger.
It would be no surprise to see Manchester United emerge from this tawdry incident, fortified and reinvigorated. And the players hungry to prove a point to their manager.
