sport & selling

More footballing woes.  In 2006 England got lumbered with incompetent, Graham Taylor Mark 2, Steve McLaren.  How things could have been different though.  We almost landed Brazilian World Cup winner, then Portugal boss and now Chelsea-bound ‘Big Phil’ Scolari.  The man credited with making Arsenal such a business operation to

As reps, we often experience the two competing forces of motivation.  One school says, it’s many incremental improvements that progress you.  The other, claims you only score big by thinking big and dreaming high is the true way.  Here’s a sporting example of how the small improvement theory

England’s latest footballing messiah has a worse hand than the one Eriksson threw down the drain; no world-class ‘traditional’ centre forward, little flank prowess, players picked on ill-deserved reputation, too few youngsters coming through, goalkeeping worries, Rooney depriving Gerrard and Cole space.  To mention just a handful.  So how

Roger Milla helped light up Italia 90.  He was the perfect antidote to the defensive footie and cheating Latinos that had plagued much of the preceeding tournaments.  Possibly in his early-fifties even back then, as Westerners like to think can only happen in Africa, the Cameroon President made the national

Anyone following the remarkable world of ‘arrers’ will be aware that they’ve had in their midst for the past twenty years their own ‘Don’, ‘Tiger’ & ‘Daley’.  The player that always takes the major title when push comes to shove.  Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor though, suffered a recent slump.  No

Bob Woolmer transformed cricket with his views on coaching.  The success they bought included making my own following of Warwickshire so much more enjoyable as we dominated the early 90s English scene, before he moved on to S Africa and then, tragically, Pakistan.  I myself came into contact with him

Adam Gilchrist single-handledly changed cricket.  Very much for the better, I might add.  He built on the exceptional mid-90s groundwork of Alec Stewart to show how wicket-keepers should not only be expected to contribute valuable runs, but that they should also be readily accumulated at a fast pace in the

A senior sporting administrator just swapped circket for football. Richard Bevan [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3174813.ece] is apparently adept at raising the influence and profile of a previously ignored constituency within a game. When representing professional cricketers, he helped garner them extra clout in part

With rain pumping down this washout of a Summer in London, I ended up watching the Open golf from Carnoustie on telly Sunday afternoon.  It was gripping drama, with Sergio folding under the challenge from Padraig Harrington up to and during the eventual play-off. Commentators rarely offer insight of note.