“You see these players pulling out of taking chances. A few are scared of making mistakes, scared of giving the ball away. If you are confident you try things. They aren’t but that will change.” The words of Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan, after Saturday’s mauling by Manchester United. This is a critical point in the season for Keegan’s team. They are hovering above the relegation zone. They are on a losing streak. And to compound things, confidence is low. As a born enthusiast and communicator, you would expect any team of Kevin Keegan’s to ooze confidence. To have no […]

Causing panic in the Charlton Athletic defence, Paul Dickov scored his fifth Blackpool goal in six games on Saturday. The man christened by ex-manager Joe Royle as ‘The Wasp’, has not lost his sting. Yet, amazingly, we have to go back to 2006 for Dickov’s last league goal. Having failed to score for both Manchester City and Crystal Palace, you could be excused for thinking that his best days were behind him. But the seaside air has had a galvanising effect on the Scotsman. Sometimes a players arrives at the right club at just the right time. He is exactly […]

So in Avram Grant’s first major final as Chelsea manager, his side go down to Tottenham Hotspur. Beaten, playing a brand of cautious, inhibited football, that lacked passion. Lacked verve. Lacked boldness. In taking over the reins from Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant had to tread carefully. Try too hard to be his own man and change too much too soon, then the shock could be counter-productive. Better to make small, subtle changes. A little at a time. Avam Grant negotiated that challenge well. The absence through injury of the Untouchables, John Terry and Frank Lampard, allowed new leaders to emerge. […]

“I do it in the hotel room before the game, do it on the bus and do it on the pitch. I work on every eventuality and hopefully don’t get surprise.” Portsmouth and England goal-keeper David James, talking about his use of sports psychology. James is referring specifically, to his use of Visualisation. Mentally imagining outcomes; possibilities; potentialities. Expecting the unexpected. Thus in the white heat of a competitive match, his mind is able to coolly handle the pressures he is put under. Handle it, because he has been there before. Been there before in his mind. His mind, therefore, […]

It’s midway through the second half of the Preston North End-Portsmouth fifth round FA Cup tie. The Championship side have won a penalty that could give them the lead. It’s Simon Whalley stepping up to take the kick. Facing him is David James. The odds, as always in a penalty, should be in Simon Whalley’s favour. But, not on this occasion. As Whalley is walking back to take the kick, James is standing in the middle of his goal. But he is doing more than that. Mentally he is filling out his goal. That is, he is imagining himself covering […]

It was the day that Manchester United players, officials and fans paid tribute to those who lost their lives in Munich. A club feeling the intense pain of its history. And then the players had a football match to negotiate. But no ordinary football match. This was the Manchester derby. A game charged with a passion all of its own. In the build up to the game, Sir Alex Ferguson bemoaned the fact that City were the visitors. He would have preferred different guests, such as Middlesborough. He was right. For his players had to handle a week of reflection. A […]

Its the week of Fabio Capellos debut as England manager. A home friendly against Switzerland provides an undemanding test. Although it is, essentially, an exhibition match, the coach has been made aware of how important the press and, through it, the public, regard even the most insignificant game and the myriad of trivial issues which arise from it. Much of the talk is of the Capello Code of Behaviour as if this is some kind of revolutionary approach to managing people. In essence, he demands respect for self and respect for others; the kind of common decency and professionalism which […]

In advance of Havant & Waterlooville’s game at Anfield, the Havant squad made an agreement that any shirts received from Liverpool players, in the after-match shirt swap, would be put into a collective pool. Then lots would be drawn to determine which Havant players would receive which Liverpool players shirt. A very fair system. One which builds the team ethos. Unfortunately the plan went out of the window. Havant players Alfie Potter and Rocky Baptiste acquired the shirts of Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard. They are refusing to part with them. Their sense of acquisitiveness is understandable. However, it may […]

The Tottenham Hotspur sporting director, Damien Comolli, issued an apology to Arsne Wenger in the wake of Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over Arsenal after the visiting manager’s post-match television interviews were interrupted by a trio of home players bursting into the room and spraying champagne. Wenger was the innocent victim of what sources at Spurs admitted were “players’ high jinks” as Jermain Defoe and two team-mates emerged from the celebrations in the home dressing room and into the White Hart Lane interview area, spraying bubbly as they went. It is understandable that Spurs would be pleased with their night’s work. This […]

So Havant & Waterlooville will be feasting on a Rocky diet before the trip to Anfield. It a common practise for football clubs to use motivational film to lift their players. Here are some good examples and possibilities: Film: Bridge On The River Kwai Scene:The British POW’s march into the Burmese camp, whistling Colonel Bogey. Their boots are falling apart, some are on crutches and the heat is blistering. Yet they are disciplined, defiant and united. They are coming in on their terms. Message: Building team-spirit before a tough away match at an intimidating venue. Film: Pulp Fiction Scene:Jules and […]