GOOD MORNING FROM LONDON

02 MARCH 2024

FOOTBALL CLUB PROBLEMS.

FINAL EPISODE 9

BRINGING THE PARTS TOGETHER

EPISODE 8 CONCLUDED;-

“Ms Chair’s initiative worked. She had approached the Monsignor and he had lit the blue touch paper. But, in this instance, there was no explosion – just a period of reflection as the No 5 pieced together the parts of the jigsaw and in his case the pieces fell into place. The No 5 continued to be a personality and temptations were often encountered but, now at least, he had a compass and was better equipped to distinguish right from wrong and to improve himself as a person.

But the road ahead was rocky,”

People are conservative. They tend to repeat today what they did yesterday. Change is difficult. Thinking a change is so much easier, more comfortable and more stimulating than doing a change. Implementing thoughts requires follow through tomorrow, next week and next month and if things do not fall into place change is jettisoned and progress does not happen and you are back to Square One. Snakes and Ladders comes to mind.

Now No 5 has experienced something significant. The Monsignor has approached him and the No 5 feels important but is there a follow up? Is a significant exchange with the Monsignor enough to get the No 5 into first gear. It works for some of us but fails with the majority. But in our narrative Ms Chair is ahead of the game. She knows there has to be follow through. The No 5 cannot be left on his own. He will lapse and revert back to his bad ways to the detriment of FTFC.

Something more is needed. The Chair, the Coach and his Agent maybe? But they have their own very full in-tray. The No 5 has friends – some closer than others and they are all well-intentioned and that is the problem. They mean well but lack the skills needed to keep the No 5 focused and on the right path. They are friends not psychologists. In truth the No 5 needs a professional and not an amateur.

Ms Chair is always ahead of the game. She chats with the Monsignor and now she needs to keep the initiative within her frame of reference. The No 5 needs a prop, a support, someone he can confide in and here is the problem – he cannot be a Club appointed psychologist because he will always be beholden to the Club. This is the moment when the No 5 has to find his own confidant, his own professional adviser who can help him to keep on the straight and narrow

Problems face soccer players – flash cars, gambling, drinking, nightclubs, hangers-on can entice them into a self-indulgent and destructive life style. They need access to wise and independent counsel. The Club will offer help but that is for the duration of the stay at the Club. Each player needs to find his/her own counsel.

In our narrative Ms Chair has done a great job. She is far-sighted and aware. She has solved the Striker’s problems and also offered assistance and guidance to No 5 But are all Clubs as capable? Are they ahead or behind? Foresight, perspective, sensitivity, imagination and judgment are her qualities. Not very different from those of a dispute resolver you might think.

NEW TOPIC; THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ADVOCATE