| Soccer matches are all about scoring goals | | | | A key factor in his success in England is his |
| and being winners. As a result, soccer can | | | | self-belief and a rich Russian backer who |
| hold up a mirror to life since many humans | | | | allows him to buy the best players in Europe. |
| also want to achieve goals and to be winners | | | | You can safely bet money that Chelsea will |
| in the game of life. There is much to be | | | | win almost all their matches. The odds are |
| learned about life in general from soccer | | | | not great but you could put £100 on |
| players, managers and commentators. When you | | | | Chelsea to win and make an easy £26 from |
| listen to commentators on soccer matches, the | | | | your bet. Of course, this does not always |
| key words they use again and again when teams | | | | work out. No team is perfect! Mourinho is |
| are winning are words about character and | | | | passionate about soccer but retains his sense |
| attitude like belief, excitement, confidence, | | | | of perspective and humour. Recently he was |
| effort and so on. Soccer skills and | | | | asked in London if he was concerned about |
| strategies are important but mean little | | | | losing the championship to his main rivals, |
| without the right attitude. Team managers | | | | Manchester United. His reply was typical of |
| urge their players to show focus, | | | | him: "No, I'm more concerned about bird |
| determination and maximum effort. They tell | | | | 'flu." The assembled press started laughing. |
| them they should expect to win and not to | | | | "Seriously; it's that swan in Scotland that |
| show too much respect for their opponents no | | | | concerns me. It's not that far from here!" |
| matter how famous they are. I love listening | | | | (The swan was the first creature with bird |
| to the comments of the great soccer managers. | | | | 'flu in the UK in 2006) Over the last few |
| They have all been to hell and back. They are | | | | weeks, his team, Chelsea, have been |
| praised and popular when their teams win. | | | | criticised for having players sent off for |
| They are criticised and even sacked when | | | | breaking the rules. When Jose was asked about |
| their teams fail to win. They know the | | | | his success away from home against West Brom, |
| heights of elation and the depths of despair. | | | | he commented ironically: "Maybe we won |
| They have to find ways to deal with both and | | | | because we played with ten men. That is our |
| to keep motivating their teams to win. Gordon | | | | best tactic at the moment." However, he |
| Strachan took over as manager of Celtic, one | | | | realises that the main reason Chelsea win so |
| of the top two clubs in Scotland, in 2005. It | | | | often is as follows:"We have top players and, |
| was not long before he experienced "the worst | | | | sorry if I'm arrogant, we have a top |
| night of my life" Bratislava beat Celtic 5-0 | | | | manager." Public confidence is so rare in |
| in the Champions league, the top European | | | | the UK that it is often mistaken for |
| competition. His watch stopped after the | | | | arrogance. Jose does not believe in having |
| match and he still wears it to remind himself | | | | favourites; he believes in the power of the |
| that it was the worst night of his life. | | | | team rather than the individual: "I don't |
| Celtic, the pride of Scotland, had been | | | | want special relations with one of them (his |
| humiliated by a less famous team. Other | | | | players). I hate to speak about individuals. |
| failures seemed small to him by comparison. | | | | Players don't win you trophies, teams win |
| We can all learn to deal with difficult | | | | trophies, squads win trophies." Another |
| situations by reminding ourselves of worst | | | | great manager is Harry Redknapp of |
| situations in our past or by imagining how | | | | Portsmouth. He commented about his players in |
| much worse our lives could be than they | | | | a match with Burnley which ended in a 2-2 |
| actually are. None of us knows for sure what | | | | draw: "When the crowd was on their backs no |
| will happen to us tomorrow. We could be | | | | one wanted to try anything in case they got |
| seriously ill or even dead. Gordon has faced | | | | booed. They were defensive and wanted to |
| this possibility already. He told the media | | | | avoid mistakes." Harry understands human |
| that on his gravestone he would like these | | | | psychology. If we are too worried about |
| words carved: "This is better than that | | | | appearing foolish or making mistakes we will |
| night in Bratislava." He uses the humour of | | | | fail to make things happen and we will not |
| exaggeration to deal with the criticisms of | | | | make full use of our abilities. We go into |
| the media when things go wrong. A reporter | | | | our shells and play safe. I remember feeling |
| commented when his team lost a match in | | | | like this when I played cricket at school. I |
| Scotland: "Bang, there goes your unbeaten | | | | tried to avoid being anywhere near the ball |
| run. Can you take it? " "No," said Strachan. | | | | in case I dropped a catch. It was many years |
| "I'm just going to crumble like a wreck. I'll | | | | before I realised that I was quite good at |
| go home, become an alcoholic and maybe jump | | | | catching! A commentator remarked: "Harry |
| off a bridge. Hmmm….I think I can take | | | | knows how to get his teams going and how to |
| it, yeah." He knows the importance of | | | | restore their confidence. Now they expect to |
| positive thinking if you wish to achieve | | | | win at Fratton Park (the Portsmouth ground). |
| success. One reporter foolishly asked: | | | | They firmly believe they will win." Recently |
| "There's no negative vibes or negative | | | | they have won three games in a row and are on |
| feelings here?" Strachan replied: "Apart from | | | | their way to escaping relegation to a lower |
| yourself, we're all quite positive round | | | | division. Another manager, Stuart Pierce, of |
| here. I'm going to whack you over the head | | | | Manchester City also knows the importance of |
| with a big stick; down negative man, down." | | | | confidence: "We need to go out and really |
| Strachan often speaks with disarming honesty | | | | believe we can play a bit." What key success |
| and schoolboy cheek. He is ready to admit | | | | lessons can we learn from the above? Skill |
| that he and his players are not always at | | | | is important but attitude is even more |
| their best. He is ready to face reality. | | | | important. We should expect to win and not |
| Facing up to reality is a key characteristic | | | | show too much respect for the obstacles in |
| of the successful. When he managed a team in | | | | our path whether they are human or otherwise |
| England, a reporter asked him: "So, Gordon, | | | | and whether they are real or imaginary. We |
| in what areas do you think Middlesbrough were | | | | need to believe in our own ability and expect |
| better than you today?" Strachan replied: | | | | to win even if this makes us seem arrogant. |
| "What areas? Mainly that big green one out | | | | We should handle failures by reminding |
| there...." Strachan has had his defeats but | | | | ourselves that things could be much worse. |
| recently he has led his latest team, Celtic, | | | | Retaining our sense of humour also helps. |
| to undisputed victory in the Scottish Premier | | | | Teamwork is a key factor in many types of |
| League. He is widely accepted as a great | | | | achievement. We should not be worried about |
| manager. Another great manager now works in | | | | making mistakes whether we are playing soccer |
| the English Premier League. He is Jose | | | | or cricket or the game of life. We need to |
| Mourihno, the manager of Chelsea. He came to | | | | face up to reality and be willing to be |
| England in June 2004 and soon showed his | | | | judged by the results we achieve as well as |
| confidence in himself and his players. He | | | | the effort we put in. On the whole, I think, |
| wants only to be judged by the results. A | | | | that the effort we expend is more important. |
| good manager wins. A bad one loses: "I'm not | | | | We cannot always control the results but we |
| a defender of old or new football managers. I | | | | can control the effort we put in. The same |
| believe in good ones and bad ones; those that | | | | manager can lose with one team and win with |
| achieve success and those that don't. Please | | | | another. He is still the same person and he |
| don't call me arrogant, but I'm European | | | | still made the same efforts. I'll leave you |
| champion and I think I'm a special one" He | | | | with a final quote from Gordon Strachan who |
| soon proved himself to be a 'special one' in | | | | has been both a winning and a losing manager: |
| England as well as in Portugal, his native | | | | A reporter asked: "Gordon, can we have a |
| country. As the name 'the special one' | | | | quick word?" "Velocity", replied Gordon as he |
| suggests he believes in himself in a big way. | | | | walked off. |