This has got football in it but it is NOT about football… England. Or ‘In-ger-land’ as I like to call them. Please note, this article isn’t ‘having a go’ at our failed superstars. We return on the early flight from Rio (three weeks early to be fair) with our pride intact. One hard-earned point off those pesky Costa Ricans may not have been enough to qualify for round two. But there is a bright-side. No hooliganism. And no biting. Plus Roy Hodgson has been unbelievably articulate and upbeat.
But there is also a down-side. Was it me, or did the lads look terrified? We’re they gagging to get the ball or was it a hot potato? Was captain Stevie G bathed in smiles and confidence, or all furrowed-brow and downcast eyes? We lost narrowly against Italy in game one.
But that’s not where it went wrong. Here’s where it went wrong! Elder statesmen, Gerrard and Lamps, sat the team down and spoke of the horrors of returning home winless. The press reported on it.
“Gerrard has failed in three previous world cups,” said one of the BBC team, “so was able to give a first-hand account of the numb feeling of coming home empty-handed.”
And that was when I knew.
Their heads full of exactly what they didn’t want, they lost feebly against a little-known South American nation with a population the size of Wales, and scraped a nil nil against the powerhouse of Costa Rica (excuse the hint of sarcasm, I’m hurting, okay?)
Like I said, I’m not being critical, I’m merely pointing out how the science of positive psychology would have helped. Language and leadership are crucial. Scaring the living daylights out of your team by visioning how badly things might turn out, might be, with hindsight, exactly the wrong language and leadership. A much better strategy would have been to sit the lads down and get them to imagine returning home to a tumultuous welcome. Luton airport decked out in flags. Supporters camping in the terminal to await our arrival. Tea at number 10. Knighthoods all round. The lads would have been sat there, Cheshire cat-style, eyes shining, chests puffed. Yes please skipper.
And Steve G delivers his awesome question, ‘So what are we going to do against Uruguay and Cost Rica to make that happen?’
Then Stevie, do what all great leaders do, shut up and listen.