Thursday, 26 March 2015

Motivation

A follow up piece to the character assassination of former England manager Fabio Capello. In the comments section he receives a lot of support from England fans who lay the blame at the poor attitude and motivation of England’s senior players. How do you motivate a player who earns £300,000 a week?

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2664589/Fabio-Capello-lacked-warmth-rigid-I-fear-Russia-struggle-against-Belgium-changed-approach.html

 

The article by Rio Ferdinand slates Capello, yet as mentioned, the fans in the comments defend Capello’s stunning CV and criticise the International records of players like Rooney, Terry and Ferdinand himself.

 

What would motivational theories such as Taylor, Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg, or Mayo make of all this? How do you motivate such wealthy players who possibly do not want to risk injury which would affect their club careers? If you give in to all their demands you will be viewed as weak, yet if you are too strict and inflexible you may have a player mutiny on your hands, something the Netherlands have experienced in several International Championships.

 

Perhaps it is all in selection? Choose team players and not players who are in it for themselves?

 

Kraft and Heinz to Merge

A rumoured $40 billion merger brokered by Warren Buffet and an event which will create the World’s 3rd largest food and drink company… the breathtaking merger of Kraft and Heinz!

 

Kraft bought UK chocolate giant Cadbury and also own such brands as Kenco coffee. But to merge with a brand as famous as Heinz is really taking things to a whole new level:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32050266

 

Management Styles

Interesting football examples here: Capello (Autocratic) vs Hodgson (Laissez-Faire or Democratic)?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32056733

 

However, it can be said that both styles underachieved in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Capello did emerge from his group before bowing out to Germany.

 

Football has thrown up some excellent examples of Autocratic managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson and the new Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat. Laissez-Faire approach seems to generate few successes in sports, perhaps down to the pressures and rigour of practice/training required.

 

I wonder what style Dave Brailsford (Team GB Cycling supreme) or Sir Clive Woodward (England’s Rugby World Cup winning boss) would be regarded as?