So Hull City AFC have been relegated from Premier League football.
They’re not the first and they won’t be the last, but at the this stage in the season the questions start to roll in:
– Why did it happen?
– Whose ‘fault’ is it?
– Should the manager be sacked?
– Are they good enough to get back up?
It’s OK to ‘analyze’, and the experts will. But the answers won’t necessarily be found in statistics.
You will find them (or not) in the hearts and minds of the players and manager.
Tactics and injuries aside (all teams have them right?) you have to look deeper into the psyche of the team, and to an expert, the body language on and off the pitch will tell you the story. Sadly, this is usually missed by the people who need to pick it up.
Did the team (do all teams?) want to win? – Absolutely.
Did they want to win as much as they want to breathe?- Hmmm.
Sure they will argue the toss that they desperately wanted to win. But that’s not what their body language , heart and performance said.
Individually you can be a great player and play your damn socks off on the pitch. But if your team aint with you , it’s not going to matter.
That’s where the manager comes in.
Most players respect- sometimes like – their manager.
But it takes a special person to bond that team from day one. To push them to their limit and to turn them from a team ..into a tribe.
A tribe so strong that will no one break their desire to win.
Hull City are a good, capable team. Capable of staying up – they just didn’t.
So here’s another ‘test’ for them.
How committed are they to bouncing straight back? Every minute. Every game.
Tigers are ferocious.
Let’s hope Hull City show their teeth and stop at nothing.
And that, will depend on how well their manager pushes them to be the best they have ever been.
And for what it’s worth – here’s my advice to the manager:
Listen with your eyes.
Amana
Straightforward, straight talking coach