This week’s podcast explores Carlo’s comments relating to the love and family atmosphere prevalent at Goodison, looks at the impact of such whilst comparing how other achieve “high performance”.
We then look at the morality of the wages paid in football before predicting the outcome of tomorrow’s critical game versus Crystal Palace.
We hope you enjoy it, and feedback is very welcome.
All podcasts are available on on Spotify and iTunes and many other podcast platforms.
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As far as leadership is concerned,
it’s clear that a lack of responsibility in terms of too many players’ performances
has been present for way-too-long.
Seamus Coleman, as a role model and as a professional, is a shining example of someone who accepts full
responsibility as an individual.
Richarlison, as a player with ambition and who acts with admirable purpose in taking extra responsibility,
particularly with his defensive work; somewhat to the sacrifice of his goalscoring stats,
but for the benefit of his team-mates and club; wonderful to have here.
But as leaders, there isn’t one at Goodison.
Leaders not only of determination, but of charisma.
The Andy Grays.
The Dave Watsons.
Even,to some extent, the Phil Nevilles.
And yes, I should include Lucy Graham in this list.
I hoped Andre Gomes would be that leader, after watching his
performances two seasons ago – before that injury on All Saints Day, 2019.
It’s painful to admit,
but the Premier League is spoiled with classy managers, including Klopp.
Managers with high credentials.
Thankfully none – not even Pep – could’ve got as much from a squad of talented individuals, yet so lightly numbered at several key areas of starting XI positions.
What Carlo Ancelotti has achieved has been almost a minor miracle.
Yes, he doesn’t make excuses for himself or any of his staff.
Having total confidence in your own ability is vital. Being able to convey that confidence in the trust and respect of others – vital too.
This said,
something that all clubs have been hit by, but hurting us more than anyone, was the lack of a full, thorough pre-season to vastly increase our players’ overall fitness, strength and durability, in comparison to our competitors.
So long as that pre-season isn’t stolen from Carlo again, plus assuming the 2021-22 fixture list isn’t as tightly congested like this season, we can expect to be much better prepared to challenge and play top level teams TWICE A WEEK, not just once.
When you discussed the definition of ‘success’, regrettably, lifting a trophy has become a dying dream in the face of the financial rewards of repeat-qualification of a certain tournament.
And for ‘wage caps’,
like FFP, the corrections need to be implemented to a far more widespread vision
than just by The F.A., UEFA, or the sport of football alone.
A whole world, run with flexible salary caps that ‘rewards talent’ with realistic flexibility, without allowing athletes to be either exploited
(beit legally,
financially,
physically in workload,
media responsibilities,
political responsibilities etc.).
AND at the same time, realistic flexibility to hold clubs, as well as players, to structured and responsible
progress; protecting participants at all levels of all sports.
Football is not the only sport where disgust of moral duty absence is apparent, believe you me.
There are a lot of bad things going on on this planet.
We can only leave the world a better place we vacate, than in what we were brought into.
For this, well done for speaking with conviction in such broad terms.
(To quote the great Scouser Mark Reynolds: “Don’t you turn too – if I ever change…”.)
Fascinating listen.
I don’t know if anyone watches The Big Match Revisited on a Saturday morning but a couple of weeks ago they had Spurs v Man Utd 1979 and an interview with Keith Berkinshaw, the Spurs manager, in which he stated that higher transfer fees and player wages were threatening to kill the game – and that was over 40 years ago.
Whilst I agree that football is morally bankrupt, regrettably wages caps won’t work as long as someone is prepared to pay a player (or his agent) what is demanded.
I note that it is suggested that wages be limited to a percentage of turnover; perfect in principle but unenforceable as how do you describe turnover – what’s to stop an owner entering into a great “sponsorship” deal?
A few years ago I was invited to a talk given by Paul Barber, CE at Brighton, at the Amex and as he put it “when a club gets promoted to the Premiership, its turnover goes from £10m to £100m+ overnight. In what other industry does that happen?”
“Trying to sign players is a nightmare as agents come up with all sorts of demands. We (Brighton) would like a clause lowering wages if relegated but the agents say absolutely no. Agents demand bonuses for their clients all sorts of things, such as league position, European qualification, cup progression, and regardless of whether or not their client plays”.
It was quite an eye opener for me but it did make me more sympathetic to the views of Simon Jordan, the ex-Palace owner, who is now a regular on TalkSport and who views most agents as the Devil Incarnate!
For me, football sold its soul when it did the Sky deal and we’re now in a position where without football Sky goes bust, and without Sky, football goes bust.
As to the answer or way forward, I’m afraid I’ve got no idea; once you let the genie out of the bottle, you can’t put it back.
Thank you Paul for adding to the debate and your kind comments. As you say football lost its soul sometime ago, the question is it redeemable or do we career head long into something even less palatable and/or sustainable?