The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog, comes as Kevin Keegan and Newcastle United, part company.
Football: Newcastle United - The Core Values
So the search is already on, for the next manager of Newcastle United. David Moyes? Didier Deschamps? In many ways, it has become irrelevant, who the new manager on Tyneside is.
Whoever takes over the reigns, will have to lead a deeply troubled football club, where a misalignment of values, has held sway for far too long.
You have to go back to the days of Sir John Hall, to find a time when the board, the football club and the Newcastle community, appeared to be working towards the same aims, with the same motivation.
Unless the deeply-rooted problems at Newcastle are resolved, then there will be more change, than stability. A new manager, however good, however experienced, won't make any difference at all.
The situation, urgently requires an external expert, to sit down with all parties; board; staff; community, to create a long-term plan, based around the core values of Newcastle United football club.
These core values, must be easy to understand qualities and attitudes. Values that can be measured, through daily behaviours. Values such as Serving The Community; Stability; Keeping Hope Alive; Loyalty; Openness; Tradition.
These values would be measured and reported on a weekly basis. All decisions would be made with these core values in mind. The values, would direct all behaviours at the football club.
Without core values, providing a guiding light and alignment, then, anything goes. The football club, then becomes subject to the whims of whoever is in charge. Personal agenda, and financial gain v serving the true needs of the community. And serving the community, is what a football club, is traditionally designed to do.
Without an understanding of this core principle. Newcastle United will continue to lurch from one crisis to another.
