| Soccer matches are all about scoring goals | | | | feelings here?" Strachan replied: "Apart from |
| and being winners. As a result, soccer can | | | | yourself, we're all quite positive round |
| hold up a mirror to life since many humans | | | | here. I'm going to whack you over the head |
| also want to achieve goals and to be winners | | | | with a big stick; down negative man, down." |
| in the game of life. There is much to be | | | | Strachan often speaks with disarming honesty |
| learned about life in general from soccer | | | | and schoolboy cheek. He is ready to admit |
| players, managers and commentators. | | | | that he and his players are not always at |
| | | | their best. He is ready to face reality. |
| When you listen to commentators on soccer | | | | Facing up to reality is a key characteristic |
| matches, the key words they use again and | | | | of the successful. When he managed a team in |
| again when teams are winning are words about | | | | England, a reporter asked him: "So, Gordon, |
| character and attitude like belief, | | | | in what areas do you think Middlesbrough were |
| excitement, confidence, effort and so on. | | | | better than you today?" Strachan replied: |
| Soccer skills and strategies are important | | | | "What areas? Mainly that big green one out |
| but mean little without the right attitude. | | | | there...." Strachan has had his defeats but |
| Team managers urge their players to show | | | | recently he has led his latest team, Celtic, |
| focus, determination and maximum effort. They | | | | to undisputed victory in the Scottish Premier |
| tell them they should expect to win and not | | | | League. He is widely accepted as a great |
| to show too much respect for their opponents | | | | manager. Another great manager now works in |
| no matter how famous they are. I love | | | | the English Premier League. He is Jose |
| listening to the comments of the great soccer | | | | Mourihno, the manager of Chelsea. He came to |
| managers. They have all been to hell and | | | | England in June 2004 and soon showed his |
| back. They are praised and popular when their | | | | confidence in himself and his players. He |
| teams win. They are criticised and even | | | | wants only to be judged by the results. A |
| sacked when their teams fail to win. They | | | | good manager wins. A bad one loses: "I'm not |
| know the heights of elation and the depths of | | | | a defender of old or new football managers. I |
| despair. They have to find ways to deal with | | | | believe in good ones and bad ones; those that |
| both and to keep motivating their teams to | | | | achieve success and those that don't. Please |
| win. Gordon Strachan took over as manager of | | | | don't call me arrogant, but I'm European |
| Celtic, one of the top two clubs in Scotland, | | | | champion and I think I'm a special one" He |
| in 2005. It was not long before he | | | | soon proved himself to be a 'special one' in |
| experienced "the worst night of my life" | | | | England as well as in Portugal, his native |
| Bratislava beat Celtic 5-0 in the Champions | | | | country. As the name 'the special one' |
| league, the top European competition. His | | | | suggests he believes in himself in a big way. |
| watch stopped after the match and he still | | | | A key factor in his success in England is his |
| wears it to remind himself that it was the | | | | self-belief and a rich Russian backer who |
| worst night of his life. Celtic, the pride of | | | | allows him to buy the best players in Europe. |
| Scotland, had been humiliated by a less | | | | You can safely bet money that Chelsea will |
| famous team. Other failures seemed small to | | | | win almost all their matches. The odds are |
| him by comparison. We can all learn to deal | | | | not great but you could put £100 on |
| with difficult situations by reminding | | | | Chelsea to win and make an easy £26 from |
| ourselves of worst situations in our past or | | | | your bet. Of course, this does not always |
| by imagining how much worse our lives could | | | | work out. No team is perfect! Mourinho is |
| be than they actually are. None of us knows | | | | passionate about soccer but retains his sense |
| for sure what will happen to us tomorrow. We | | | | of perspective and humour. Recently he was |
| could be seriously ill or even dead. Gordon | | | | asked in London if he was concerned about |
| has faced this possibility already. He told | | | | losing the championship to his main rivals, |
| the media that on his gravestone he would | | | | Manchester United. His reply was typical of |
| like these words carved: "This is better than | | | | him: "No, I'm more concerned about bird |
| that night in Bratislava." He uses the humour | | | | 'flu." |
| of exaggeration to deal with the criticisms | | | | |
| of the media when things go wrong. A reporter | | | | The assembled press started laughing. |
| commented when his team lost a match in | | | | "Seriously; it's that swan in Scotland that |
| Scotland: "Bang, there goes your unbeaten | | | | concerns me. It's not that far from here!" |
| run. Can you take it? " "No," said Strachan. | | | | (The swan was the first creature with bird |
| "I'm just going to crumble like a wreck. I'll | | | | 'flu in the UK in 2006) Over the last few |
| go home, become an alcoholic and maybe jump | | | | weeks, his team, Chelsea, have been |
| off a bridge. Hmmm.... | | | | criticised for having players sent off for |
| | | | breaking the rules. When Jose was asked about |
| I think I can take it, yeah." He knows the | | | | his success away from home against West Brom, |
| importance of positive thinking if you wish | | | | he commented ironically: "Maybe we won |
| to achieve success. One reporter foolishly | | | | because we played with ten men. That is our |
| asked: "There's no negative vibes or negative | | | | best tactic at the moment. |