I stepped in to referee my son's Under 10 team's big match today, Holy Trinity Hawks v St James Harriers, two teams first and second in their league.
It was a great match played in the right spirit with two well drilled, enthusiastic kids and the hardest decisions the rookie ref had to make was a handball (against us)that lead to the first goal and a couple of over enthusiastic tackles.
Fast forward to the second half, we are 2-1 down and crawling all over them looking for an equaliser that would set us up nicely for the second half of the season after Christmas.
3 minutes to go we get a corner, our midfielder hits it and it ends up in the back of the net without another player touching it....a George Best moment, wild celebrations all round... but wait, the goalie and the away coach who was on the goal line said it had gone in through a gap in the side netting.....drama.... what the hell to do???, looked like a goal to me, easy to look like a cheating "homer" so I did the simple thing and asked the kid who took the corner.....answer : "It did go in through the side netting", no goal.... peep, goal kick and despite a couple of good chances Holy Trinity Hawks lose 2-1.
Well done Master B, Mum and Dad should be proud of you.
The great news is that the Thierry Henry Factor hasn't filtered down yet and kids understand the difference between right and wrong and that drawing or winning by a lie or cheating doesn't feel anywhere near as good as doing it the right way, long may it continue !
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Who would be a football manager?
It has been an interesting week for football managers with episodes highlighting the trials and tribulations of management at different levels in the English game.
Just look the scenarios of Messrs Pullis, Deehan and Magilton.
Pullis of Stoke City in England's Premier League was disappointed in his team's lack of guts at Arsenal last Saturday and decided on the spot that the previously approved Players Christmas Party would now only mean one day off not two....poor James Beattie stood up for his teammates heartbroken at the thought of only one night partying in the Smoke and allegedly got up close and personal with the Boss. Club back manager player probably on his bike in the January window.
John Deehan, assistant Manager of non league Kettering Town ( much loved as the first ever English club to have a shirt sponsor under legend Derek Dougan in the 1970's and fathers of an entire industry) gets the boot for making three substitutions,in an FA Cup replay against Leeds United, his manager was playing in goal at the time. In another throwback to the 1970's the owner was so annoyed at missing the chance of playing Man Utd in the next round, he chopped him on the spot. Manager backs assistant, but openly admits he really needs the job and the money, tough situation for him.
Now Jim Magilton of Championship side QPR, who had been on a great run but have stalled, has been suspended after another alleged close discussion with a player who had disappointed him in the performance against Watford. Owners suspend manager, backroom staff walk out in solidarity, player asks for a transfer.
The common thread is that all three are very experienced football men who have been around the block and seen it all in dressing rooms across the various levels of professional football.
A football manager does not have the same range of management tools available to him that managers in Industry and there are times when, in a man's environment the only answer is a full and frank man to man conversation.
Similar restrictions apply to managing upwards, with the quixotic behaviour of some owners presenting situations that they don't teach you at Harvard Business School.
Add to that the day to day pressure of managing extremely well paid athletes who have their own agendas and it is a real challenge.
Who would be a manager?
Just look the scenarios of Messrs Pullis, Deehan and Magilton.
Pullis of Stoke City in England's Premier League was disappointed in his team's lack of guts at Arsenal last Saturday and decided on the spot that the previously approved Players Christmas Party would now only mean one day off not two....poor James Beattie stood up for his teammates heartbroken at the thought of only one night partying in the Smoke and allegedly got up close and personal with the Boss. Club back manager player probably on his bike in the January window.
John Deehan, assistant Manager of non league Kettering Town ( much loved as the first ever English club to have a shirt sponsor under legend Derek Dougan in the 1970's and fathers of an entire industry) gets the boot for making three substitutions,in an FA Cup replay against Leeds United, his manager was playing in goal at the time. In another throwback to the 1970's the owner was so annoyed at missing the chance of playing Man Utd in the next round, he chopped him on the spot. Manager backs assistant, but openly admits he really needs the job and the money, tough situation for him.
Now Jim Magilton of Championship side QPR, who had been on a great run but have stalled, has been suspended after another alleged close discussion with a player who had disappointed him in the performance against Watford. Owners suspend manager, backroom staff walk out in solidarity, player asks for a transfer.
The common thread is that all three are very experienced football men who have been around the block and seen it all in dressing rooms across the various levels of professional football.
A football manager does not have the same range of management tools available to him that managers in Industry and there are times when, in a man's environment the only answer is a full and frank man to man conversation.
Similar restrictions apply to managing upwards, with the quixotic behaviour of some owners presenting situations that they don't teach you at Harvard Business School.
Add to that the day to day pressure of managing extremely well paid athletes who have their own agendas and it is a real challenge.
Who would be a manager?
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Tiger Woods is not a robot after all.
So Tiger has come clean and issued a mea culpa over transgressions and sins, blaming the media for catching him on and kicking up a storm. Media commentary goes mad and speculation about sponsorship deals is rife.
The curse of the Gillette Three has Procter & Gamble marketing guys reviewing media spend commitments and Frau Federer on edge and checking her hubby's voice mails, and in certain sectors of the media and sports marketing world there is an unhealthy dose of schadenfreude that Mr Perfect has taken a fall.
So let's forget for a second that this is a major drama for him and his family and think about the Tiger Woods brand.....most of his endorsements are, (or have been) from heavyweight safe, blue chip corporate brands that appeal to the mass market of 25-54 year old males who follow golf..Gillette,GM, Netjets, Nike etc, Brands which fit the projected image of the corporate golf world.
Here's a prediction....his image among younger consumers will go from Boring Robot who plays perfectly and says nothing of interest other than the odd expletive of frustration on the course to Cool Guy, and you'll see some big new slightly edgier brand endorsements in the pipeline.
Looking objectively at it, it is not a surprise and he shouldn't be damned for his situation. He'll be back and maybe we'll all like him a little more as he's proved he is actually human after all.
The curse of the Gillette Three has Procter & Gamble marketing guys reviewing media spend commitments and Frau Federer on edge and checking her hubby's voice mails, and in certain sectors of the media and sports marketing world there is an unhealthy dose of schadenfreude that Mr Perfect has taken a fall.
So let's forget for a second that this is a major drama for him and his family and think about the Tiger Woods brand.....most of his endorsements are, (or have been) from heavyweight safe, blue chip corporate brands that appeal to the mass market of 25-54 year old males who follow golf..Gillette,GM, Netjets, Nike etc, Brands which fit the projected image of the corporate golf world.
Here's a prediction....his image among younger consumers will go from Boring Robot who plays perfectly and says nothing of interest other than the odd expletive of frustration on the course to Cool Guy, and you'll see some big new slightly edgier brand endorsements in the pipeline.
Looking objectively at it, it is not a surprise and he shouldn't be damned for his situation. He'll be back and maybe we'll all like him a little more as he's proved he is actually human after all.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
It takes a big man to put his hand up when he's wrong
OK,first things first a confession, I'm Irish and I support the Irish football team and I'm a tad disappointed at the result of last night's World Cup Qualifier in Paris. Although I fully expected France to build on their first leg lead and win comfortably,the outcome was not a shock, the way it transpired was.
Thierry Henry; let's give him the benefit of the doubt on the first touch, it may have hit his hand, the second touch in which he scooped the ball round was blatant, clear and unequivocal cheating. Adrenaline took over and he couldn't help himself, pass to Gallas, un-zero, les bleus. 15 minutes later , tout fini, France off to South Africa, an average Irish team stays at home and goes off to the beach.
I wake up this morning, annoyed but hey ho, on we move, it was a game of football and nobody died. I'm lying in bed listening to a sports talk radio station when an irate caller said, "I'll never buy another Gillette product again"
Gillette spend millions a year using Henry, Federer and Woods in product advertising, all chosen for their clean images, character and manliness.
It leads to the question: Can we envisage the morning after the US Masters a similar debate on Tiger taking an air shot and denying it to the world's press.....highly unlikely....ditto Federer on a dodgy line call, can't see it.
Imagine the flip side. 10 seconds after the ball hits the back of the net Henry does the decent thing goes to the ref and says "Sorry, No I handled it" and becomes one of the world's greatest ever sportsmen, sports heroes and a genuine role model, France go on to win in extra time or on penalties and he is a global icon.
Wouldn't that have been something? How in awe would the world have been? Sponsors would have been lining up,a global hero to kids and adults alik.
Back in the real world, will an Henry endorsement ever have the same ring and is this his defining moment in terms of his personal legacy....?
Shame,,,,,,great footballer, but putting his hand up was a step too far
Thierry Henry; let's give him the benefit of the doubt on the first touch, it may have hit his hand, the second touch in which he scooped the ball round was blatant, clear and unequivocal cheating. Adrenaline took over and he couldn't help himself, pass to Gallas, un-zero, les bleus. 15 minutes later , tout fini, France off to South Africa, an average Irish team stays at home and goes off to the beach.
I wake up this morning, annoyed but hey ho, on we move, it was a game of football and nobody died. I'm lying in bed listening to a sports talk radio station when an irate caller said, "I'll never buy another Gillette product again"
Gillette spend millions a year using Henry, Federer and Woods in product advertising, all chosen for their clean images, character and manliness.
It leads to the question: Can we envisage the morning after the US Masters a similar debate on Tiger taking an air shot and denying it to the world's press.....highly unlikely....ditto Federer on a dodgy line call, can't see it.
Imagine the flip side. 10 seconds after the ball hits the back of the net Henry does the decent thing goes to the ref and says "Sorry, No I handled it" and becomes one of the world's greatest ever sportsmen, sports heroes and a genuine role model, France go on to win in extra time or on penalties and he is a global icon.
Wouldn't that have been something? How in awe would the world have been? Sponsors would have been lining up,a global hero to kids and adults alik.
Back in the real world, will an Henry endorsement ever have the same ring and is this his defining moment in terms of his personal legacy....?
Shame,,,,,,great footballer, but putting his hand up was a step too far
Monday, 5 October 2009
PPV Internet Streaming of Ukraine v England Football Match is progress, not a drama
Today's announcement that the Ukrainian FA have sold the UK broadcast rights to the Internet streaming operation of Perform Group has been greeted with howls of protest from media and traditionalists that all England games should be broadcast on free to air television at best and digital broadcasters at worst.
A couple of points some to mind;
It is not an FA decision, the broadcast rights belong to the home federation and they make the call on the offers they receive from international broadcasters, so no point making a drama on the airwaves or in cyberland forums.
This medium will, with the convergence of technologies, be an accepted part of our sports media industry landscape and a way in which we consume sport,very very soon, so we need to test it as sports marketers, as broadcasters and importantly as consumers.
The game is a dead rubber as England have already qualified, so what better opportunity to introduce the concept?
Another example of the speed with which the sports media landscape is changing, next stop live streaming on hand held devices.
A couple of points some to mind;
It is not an FA decision, the broadcast rights belong to the home federation and they make the call on the offers they receive from international broadcasters, so no point making a drama on the airwaves or in cyberland forums.
This medium will, with the convergence of technologies, be an accepted part of our sports media industry landscape and a way in which we consume sport,very very soon, so we need to test it as sports marketers, as broadcasters and importantly as consumers.
The game is a dead rubber as England have already qualified, so what better opportunity to introduce the concept?
Another example of the speed with which the sports media landscape is changing, next stop live streaming on hand held devices.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
can you blame sponsors for pulling out?
From the excellent www.sponsorpitch.com website anda very short blog from me, can you really blame them, who wants their logo all over images of blatant cheating? Clients always used to use the argument, " We don't want our logo on images of a crash"....
Hard to get brands into the sport when their sector is on its knees, easy way to give them an out.
Renault's sponsorship programme will recover but sports lawyers worldwide
will now working on a new clause....team corporate morality.
ING announced today that in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, ING will terminate the contract with Renault Formula 1 with immediate effect.
ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship. As announced on 16 February of this year, ING decided not to renew the three year sponsorship (2007-2009) contract with Renault F1 and to end its presence in Formula 1 after the 2009 season.
Earlier today, fellow Renault sponsor Mutua Madrilena, a Madrid-based insurance company, also cancelled its sponsorship of the French team with immediate effect.
Dubbed "crashgate," the wrath of F1 and its sponsors have come down upon Renault after it came to light that the team deliberately caused a crash in order to fix the result of Singapore's Grand Prix. ING had previously announced it would end its sponsorship of the Renault team at the end of this season
Hard to get brands into the sport when their sector is on its knees, easy way to give them an out.
Renault's sponsorship programme will recover but sports lawyers worldwide
will now working on a new clause....team corporate morality.
ING announced today that in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, ING will terminate the contract with Renault Formula 1 with immediate effect.
ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship. As announced on 16 February of this year, ING decided not to renew the three year sponsorship (2007-2009) contract with Renault F1 and to end its presence in Formula 1 after the 2009 season.
Earlier today, fellow Renault sponsor Mutua Madrilena, a Madrid-based insurance company, also cancelled its sponsorship of the French team with immediate effect.
Dubbed "crashgate," the wrath of F1 and its sponsors have come down upon Renault after it came to light that the team deliberately caused a crash in order to fix the result of Singapore's Grand Prix. ING had previously announced it would end its sponsorship of the Renault team at the end of this season
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Cheating in sport, let's live with it?
Another day another cheating scandal in sport. Diving in football, false blood in rugby, staged crashes in Formula 1, mass indignation all around in the media and in general everyday conversation.
All these instances were about gaining an advantage, to win a game, to progress in a tournament or to win a race.
These examples reflect the pressure to compete, win and succeed whether the success is ensuring your team gets to the group stages of the Champions League(££££), the semi final of the Heineken Cup(£££) or wins a Grand Prix and sells more cars(££££££).
The pressure comes from the overriding need to deliver, on players, coaches/doctors and team management.
The Renault case is the most disturbing because a young man was allegedly asked to carry out the antithesis of his sport, crash the car rather than try to win, in the process putting himself and his competitors in potentially mortal danger.
All sad when looked through the rose tinted glasses of the Corinthian spirit that we try and engender in our kids as we teach them the importance and values of sport as a life improving activity.
Perhaps we need to add a new chapter to that book of sporting instruction. It would read something like this....when money kicks and sport becomes a business,all bets are off on the integrity front, people will do anything to win regardless of the impact on the sport and the hopes of fans and spectators, so expect it.
A simple and increasingly true perspective that perhaps we just need to acknowledge and live with it.
All these instances were about gaining an advantage, to win a game, to progress in a tournament or to win a race.
These examples reflect the pressure to compete, win and succeed whether the success is ensuring your team gets to the group stages of the Champions League(££££), the semi final of the Heineken Cup(£££) or wins a Grand Prix and sells more cars(££££££).
The pressure comes from the overriding need to deliver, on players, coaches/doctors and team management.
The Renault case is the most disturbing because a young man was allegedly asked to carry out the antithesis of his sport, crash the car rather than try to win, in the process putting himself and his competitors in potentially mortal danger.
All sad when looked through the rose tinted glasses of the Corinthian spirit that we try and engender in our kids as we teach them the importance and values of sport as a life improving activity.
Perhaps we need to add a new chapter to that book of sporting instruction. It would read something like this....when money kicks and sport becomes a business,all bets are off on the integrity front, people will do anything to win regardless of the impact on the sport and the hopes of fans and spectators, so expect it.
A simple and increasingly true perspective that perhaps we just need to acknowledge and live with it.
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