The Confidence Coach's Sports Psychology Articles
On The Couch With Dr. Martin - 442's Sports Psychology Expert
The Confidence Coach's monthly Sports Psychology Article in 442 magazine. This article was written before the start of the 2007-8 Premiership season.
Chelsea FC - Brand Values
Chelsea Chief Executive, Peter Kenyon, has spoken recently of the need for the club to make, at least, the final of the Champions League in order for them to be acknowledged as a ‘world brand.’
In this ambition, he speaks with the same voice as the owners and directors of most, if not all, major European clubs. A positive brand image is a route to financial success, stability and profit for stakeholders.
Also, it is true that players with experience in the Champions League are likely to be chosen for the national team, for past and present coaches feel that such players will have accumulated fluency in the language of international football through this competition.
Many players, most recently Claudio Pizarro after his move to Chelsea, say that playing in the Champions League final is the pinnacle of their life at a football club.
But many diehard fans, who would rather see their team win the Premiership, don’t agree. There may be developing a sense of disconnect between these fans and the club they support. A gap in credibility which refuses to be bridged by clever merchandising.
Over at Newcastle United it’s summer, and hope springs. Again. A new millionaire owner, Mike Ashley, has raised the expectations of long suffering fans. A top four finish is now possible they claim, optimistically. Unrealistically? But is that it? A top four finish.
What about the manner and style of the football. Played the Newcastle way. With Keeganesque flourishes. That liberates the locals from the confines of everyday life. That is the nourisher of dreams.
It's about creating what is known, in sports’ psychology, as The Golden Triangle; place, people, team. It's the relationship that Bill Shankly created at Liverpool and why Old Trafford is called the ‘Theatre of Dreams‘.
It's the reason why David Moyes, when he arrived as manager, labelled Everton, the club of Harvey, Kendall and Ball, The People's Club. And the core fans appreciated him. They were together, there was a coalescence of purpose.
That's partly why Everton broke through their ‘stop situation’ to establish a top four finish. They all understood that, even when winning, working class heroes have plenty to lose.
It’s why Bayern Munich subscribe to the motto of ‘More than one-nil’. In which the true purpose of Bayern Munich is to serve the community.
Football clubs have been driven by a deep-rooted set of values which provide the foundation for everything that happens at the club. They provide clarity, continuity and morality. They can disinfect and wipe away negativity.
Good coaches espouse the club’s eternal verities and use them as the building blocks of success. What develops is as clear philosophy that governs events on and off the field. It's what makes a great football club. Clearly, success will be judged on results, but a team is far more than the sum of its cups. Outstanding clubs like Barcelona, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Arsenal have principles which transcend instant gratification, which link umbilically to the community.
Values are the DNA of success And this is why the franchise option taken by Wimbledon was so widely condemned by supporters who felt it was a denial of a fundamental truth.
The values of a football club are not something to be decided by the board alone. Or in the interests of shareholders. It's a conversation that includes all parties. It takes into account the motives behind the development of the football club; the aspirations of the supporters and board of directors; how the football club represents the needs of the community; the way that business is conducted.
Chelsea may well meet Peter Kenyon's goals and win the Champions League, thus boosting brand values. But at what price? At what price if it undermines other, values held dearly by hardcore fans?
It's a strategy that does not lead to collective unity, so doubts must exist about its
Martin Perry: Confidence Coach & Sports Psychology - 0044(0)77897 56425