And so Troy Deeney’s six-game tenure at Forest Green Rovers is ended with a not unexpected sacking. Meaning that Dale Vince has now gone through four managers in a year. Ian Burchnall. Duncan Ferguson. David Horseman. Troy Deeney. Four managers. And potentially two relegations. Two relegations is not unlucky. Or unjust. It is a consequence of how everything that happens off the field, manifests itself on the field. You are a bottom of the league operation. Whether you like it or not. But none of this just happens. As an owner or leader of a club, you have to pay ..read more

So Andy Murray bows out of the Australian Open at the hands of Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. There was something poignant about Andy’s demeanour as the first-round match drifted away from him. Head bowed. A feeling of inevitability. Nothing really coming off. It never used to be like this. Andy Murray had an elite level ability to turn matches around. Especially against lesser opponents. Go to the chair one-set down. Think. Solve Problems. Strategise. Win Match. When you have graced the game at the highest level for so long, it’s not easy to have to deal with feelings of ordinariness ..read more

It’s post match at The New Lawns and Forest Green manager Troy Deeney is not holding back in his assessment of his players performance after their two-nil loss to Harrogate Town. His twelve minute Radio Gloucester rant lets everyone know how he is feeling about individuals and the overall group mentality. And social media laps it up. A full-on managerial rants gets everyone’s attention. Why? Because they are pretty rare. There is what happens in the sanctuary of the dressing room. Between the manager, staff and players. And what is communicated to the outside world. And they are two separate ..read more

It’s the seventh set at the World Darts Championships. Luke Littler is honing in on a 112 finish. For a five-two lead. Treble 18. Treble 18. Pause. Check scores with Russ Bray. Double two? Double two. Reset. Out of rhythm. Miss. Luke Humphries takes out 28 for 4-3.. And doesn’t look back. Taking the next four sets to claim his maiden World Title. It’s an unstoppable surge from the Newbury dartist that is worthy of a champion. Sport is full of turning moments. When game dynamics change. When opportunities to wrest control present themselves. At the Alexandra Palace, Luke Humphries ..read more

And so, after a mere fifteen games in charge, Wayne Rooney is sacked as manager of Birmingham City. With the Blues spiralling towards the relegation zone, the American ownership group, took the decision to relieve the England icon of his duties There was a promise to deliver ‘no fear football’ to the Blues faithful. Which may have eventually happened. But the question is how do you transition from the defensive solidity of a John Eustace team to no fear football? A transition is by nature something that involves small measurable steps. Steps that are easily absorbed and integrated methodically ..read more

It’s mid way through the heavyweight clash in Riyadh between Daniel Dubois and Jarrell Miller. And the American is start to look very dangerous, catching Dubois. Putting him on the back foot. And inducing looks of anxiety on Daniel’s face. Daniel, despite winning the early rounds, could be in trouble. Miller will sense blood here and go for a knock-out. But…it doesn’t happen. That turns out to be the best Miller has. Daniel isn’t put into any further trouble and closes out for the win with a stoppage in the tenth. So what’s just happened? Well we learn from promoter ..read more

So Manchester City are the World Club Champions. A 4-0 over Fluminese secures a calendar year five-timer for Pep Guardiola. They’ve won everything! Which is the dream. The intent made manifest. But where do you go from here? What’s beyond winning everything? Winning everything again? Winning everything better? It’s the challenge the very best face. How to renew yourself in the face of unprecedented success. Pep described it like this. ‘Today we celebrate on the plane. Tomorrow rest. Try to buy a new book and start to write beautiful histories”. When Tottenham Hotspur won the double in 1962, ma ..read more

It’s not long after his sides penalty shoot-out exit at the hands of Chelsea, and Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is bemoaning the loss. Calling the penalty shoot-out, ‘a lottery’. Now Eddie is not the first manager to call the shoot out format a lottery. Its been happening ever since they began in the mid-seventies. But is what he is saying true? Is the penalty shoot-out a lottery? A lottery suggests  too many factors outside of the managers control. Primarily players taking penalties who may not be experienced penalty takers. Or have no confidence in their ability from the spot ..read more

          So Ian Wright is to step down from the Match Of The Day team. Having turned sixty, Ian has decided that he wants to do different things on his Saturday’s. There are life and career moments when Change comes knocking on the door. It’s part of how we grow as individuals. It might be every seven years when new possibilities open up. We feel these moments in different ways. ‘It’s time to move on’. ‘I need to test myself in a new way’. ‘I need a new challenge’. Or. ‘I’m bored’. ‘This no longer satisfies ..read more

          It’s Everton manager Sean Dyche speaking after his teams comfortable two goal win at former club Burnley. Sean has had to make formation changes to set up his team. And has done so without any training sessions. Why has this worked? Because his players are now open to change. And tellingly he goes on to add that, ‘Thats when you know you are onto somethIng. I know it!’ This is wisdom speaking. Know-how. A man who has insights into the secrets of success. The signs. The clues. The responses. The body-language. The micro details of ..read more