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THE QUARTERLY LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMANCE JOURNAL OF THE LMA WINTER 2021 | ISSUE 49 | £7.50

The one thing I learned more than anything else as a manager was to be your own person. As the manager you have to remain completely authentic.

WHILST THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON YOUR OWN, I’VE FOUND IT OFTEN HELPS TO TURN TO OTHER PEOPLE. WHENEVER I FELT UNSURE OF ANYTHING I KNEW I COULD TURN TO CERTAIN FRIENDS AND MANAGERIAL COLLEAGUES AND ASK THEM FOR HELP OR ADVICE. THEY WERE ALWAYS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, BECAUSE THEY HAD AT SOME POINT BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR. WALTER SMITH OBE

THE LMA INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP AND HIGH PERFORMANCE The LMA Institute of Leadership and High Performance is established to provide CPD-accredited vocational in-career learning and personal development for the managers, coaches and performance support teams across English football.

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

WELCOME

AN INSPIRATION TO ALL As we approach the halfway point of the season, it has been great to see both an outstanding level of football and the return of fans to the stadiums. Fans are the heartbeat of the game and their return has been unanimously welcomed by all. We also congratulate LMA President Gareth Southgate OBE on England’s FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification, and Steve Clarke and Rob Page for guiding Scotland and Wales to the tournament’s play-offs. This October, we were sad to lose one of British football’s greatest managers, Walter Smith OBE, who amassed an incredible 21 trophies with Rangers. Walter personified dignified leadership and a relentless enthusiasm for football. Since his retirement, he played a truly invaluable role in supporting and developing the next generation of football managers and coaches, most recently as an LMA Technical Mentor. I know that many of you were fortunate enough to know Walter and would agree that his willingness to share his experiences and offer guidance to our members, partners and friends was an inspiration to all. The LMA continues to be concerned about the culture of abuse that is so damaging to the game’s reputation and that has a negative impact on the individuals within it. We are aware of the depth of feeling that exists within the LMA membership and we share the strong desire to see change. Solutions are to be found both through regulation and by ensuring that all abuse in football becomes socially unacceptable. The LMA is in discussions with the other game stakeholders to find a viable and effective way forward. The LMA continues to provide health and wellbeing, and legal support to all its members and their families, and we are in regular ongoing contact with our members on many aspects of their personal and professional lives. LMA members and their families also have access to 24/7 mental and emotional wellbeing support, as well as ongoing training, CPD education and guidance. As we look ahead to 2022, we will continue to strive for positive change in football and play our part in supporting future development across the game. Richard Bevan, LMA Chief Executive

EDITOR’S LETTER

Often, it’s the toughest challenges and the most gruelling experiences that shape us, as people, leaders and managers. We learn fastest and gain most in strength and resilience not during our purple patches, but rather when our abilities and perseverance are tested to the limit, often without much in the way of reward. Reflecting on his managerial baptism of fire at Bury, Chorley Assistant-Manager Andy Preece says, “Any challenge now seems achievable. I genuinely believe that if I hadn’t been through that experience at the start I wouldn’t be the manager or person I am today.” Two years into Preece’s tenure as Player-Manager, Bury went into administration and he found himself leading the side through an intensely difficult period. “An awful lot is expected of you in that situation, he says. “You’re dealing with players and staff who aren’t getting paid and who are worried about their families, disgruntled fans, and constant personnel changes, with different people coming in and out of the club.” Preece is far from alone in having faced a truly uphill challenge as a young manager just starting out on his career journey. When you’re working with minimal budgets, little professional support, constant change and upheaval, and often low morale and confidence in the team, just avoiding relegation and keeping the stadium half full can be a huge feat. Preece did much more than that, taking Bury to the League Two playoffs the season after it went into administration, and while his achievements didn’t receive the recognition they deserved, he has shown huge proactivity in furthering his learning and seeking out new opportunities to demonstrate his potential. Read more about his story on page 30. In this highly competitive field, where the headline numbers often hide people’s true achievements, determination, positivity and courage are the name of the game. Alice Hoey, Editor

EDITOR Alice Hoey alicehoey1@gmail.com EDITOR FOR THE LMA Sue McKellar sue.mckellar@leaguemanagers.com ART DIRECTOR Ian Cherry ian.cherry@leaguemanagers.com SENIOR WRITER Mark Farthing mark.farthing@leaguemanagers.com PUBLISHER Jim Souter jim.souter@leaguemanagers.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Adam Tarrant adam.tarrant@leaguemanagers.com

COVER PHOTO Action Images PHOTOGRAPHY Action Images, Rangers FC, Manchester United FC PRINT PARTNER Jellyfish Solutions Limited

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The League Managers Association, St. George’s Park, Newborough Road, Needwood, Burton upon Trent DE13 9PD The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily those of the League Managers Association, its members, officers or employees. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

WINTER 2021 ISSUE 49

AGAINST ALL ODDS Chorley’s Andy Preece on achieving incredible feats with minimal resources.

ON THE COVER: WALTER SMITH OBE. THE LMA PAYS TRIBUTE.

PITCH PERFECT A baseball perspective from mental skills coach David Franco.

29 34 38 48

63 64 68

THE EXPERT Scott Peltin & Jogi Rippel Are you ready to lead, personally? IN-DEPTH You’re welcome A good ‘onboarding’ process can make all the difference to performance. FIRST PERSON Opening up the race Josh Apiafi on diversity initiatives in horseracing. KEY TAKEAWAYS Adopt the beginner’s mind Former international RU player Nigel Redman. THE EXPERT Ed Morris Where are we with Long Covid? HEALTH & WELLBEING Temples of doom Dealing with headaches and migraines. 10 IDEAS Self-promotion Bigging yourself up without bragging.

IN-DEPTH A lifetime’s work Executive Coach Zena Everett on taking control of your career journey.

74 79

MENTAL WELLBEING Too much to manage How being overwhelmed can change your thinking. HOW TO: Walk

“He was a great friend of mine for years and years” Sir Alex Ferguson CBE LMA Board & Hall of Fame Member

A T R I BU TE TO

WA LT E R S M I T H O B E 19 4 8 - 2 0 21

All at the League Managers Association are so deeply saddened by the loss of our very close friend, LMA Member Walter Smith OBE, who has passed away at the age of 73.

Following his highly-esteemed career in management, Walter quickly became an integral part of the LMA team. He was dedicated to giving back to the game and, for the past five years, he has been working as an LMA Technical Consultant and Mentor to current Premier League managers and has also worked tirelessly in sharing his advice and guidance with those who are newer to coaching and management.

Manchester City Manager and LMA Member Pep Guardiola said: “I am so very sad to hear the news of Walter Smith’s passing. “I was of course very aware of Walter’s impressive management career before I came to the Premier League. Through his role as Technical Consultant for the LMA, I have had the opportunity over the past five years to get to know him and see what a humble, insightful and very genuine man he was. “I always enjoyed spending time with Walter and we had been planning to have dinner together again. “I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to get to know him.”

LMA Executive Committee member David Moyes added: “I looked up to Walter with so much respect. He was such a great Scottish manager but, to me, he was an even better man. He was honourable, he showed great dignity, and always demonstrated such class. He was a true friend and mentor, and a man I feel privileged to have known. He will always be remembered fondly.”

“Walter was a great person to be around and a pleasure to be managed by. He was a hero of mine growing up, watching him winning trophies at Rangers and getting the opportunity to eventually work with him at Everton was something I couldn’t refuse. “Everton was the right club at the wrong time for him. However he gave everything in very difficult times and I genuinely believe under most other managers the club would have been relegated and lost its proud record of top flight football. “I worked with Walter again with Scotland and Rangers during successful times and he became so much more to me than my boss.” David Weir

“Ongoing learning and development is essential for all managers and the webinars, manager development and mentoring programmes that the LMA provide are an invaluable resource.“ Walter Smith

To become a successful manager you need drive and determination, so it’s only natural to put the job before other things. Regardless of what you do, it’s always on your mind; it’s all encompassing and separating yourself off from it is a big part of managing your own resilience. Walter Smith

Paying tribute, LMA Chairman Howard Wilkinson said: “I am devastated to hear of the passing of my very good friend Walter Smith, a Scottish legend who amassed 21 trophies at Rangers. “His ever respectful, polite and modest manner and demeanour gave no clue as to his remarkable career and success in both Scotland and England. Walter’s achievements, knowledge and character put him up there with the very best. “In the very earliest days of the LMA Institute of Leadership and High Performance, when we invited Walter to share his career insights with the wider LMA membership, he gave his time freely. In a Q&A session with his former Chief Executive, Martin Bain, he shared openly and honestly insights from across his extensive career in management, and this was very much appreciated by everyone who felt privileged to be in attendance.”

LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan added: “For very many years, Walter has been a close friend and supporter of the LMA and, in more recent times, he has generously given his time to support and mentor others working across the professional game. “It is impossible to express how valuable that support has been for his fellow members, and I have no doubt that Walter had so much more to offer.”

“Although Walter was only with the team for a short period, his impact on the group was significant, leaving me and the rest of the players with invaluable messages to take forward at that time.

Ally McCoist said: ‘He means everything to a lot of folk. He was my boss, my coach, my second father and then turned into one of my best friends.”

Everyone knew immediately that he was a winner, determined to make us better, support the manager and help us to achieve everything we could that year.

Graeme Souness remembered: “Walter Smith was my rock at Rangers. The overriding memory I’ll have of him is not of football but as a friend. If you were drawing up a list of people to be in the trenches with, Walter would be top of mine. “His knowledge of football was fabulous and he was fabulous to be around. He loved a laugh, loved football stories, but when business was to be done, he quickly went into that mode. Walter never changed. He was wise when he was young.” LMA Hall of Fame Member José Mourinho said “I always enjoyed Walter’s company… he was a top man”.

We spent fantastic moments together as a group, winning the FA Cup. That day will always stand out to me as it was one of the first trophies that I won. It was special for the squad, the manager and of course, Walter. He instilled extra belief in me every day whilst I was developing, training to be the best, to demand the ball, be brave and strong. Those sessions helped me so much at the start of my time in Manchester and stuck with me throughout my career. Everyone knows the imprint that he has had on British football and his legacy will never be forgotten.” Cristiano Ronaldo

Sir Alex Ferguson CBE remembered: “He was a great friend of mine for years and years. “In Walter you were dealing with a man with great moral compass in how he lived his life and the friendship he offered so many people. His contribution to football with Dundee United, Rangers, Scotland, Everton and Man United was immense. “He had a wonderful connection with people because he was a great listener: that was one of his greatest qualities. He listened and showed an interest in people and helped everyone he could. It’s such a loss to the game and to everyone that knew him.”

Paying tribute, LMA Member Steven Gerrard said: “Walter was an incredible leader and a very successful manager. “I always found Walter to be so insightful and will always value the important nuggets of advice that he shared with me. He was honest and genuine and made me a better person. I’ve been the lucky one to spend time with him.”

The thoughts of all at the LMA are with Walter’s wife Ethel, his sons Neil and Steven, his grandchildren, of whom he was so proud, and all of his family and friends at such a sad time.

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

IN TRIBUTE

PAUL MARINER 1953-2021

Having played as a centre forward for Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town, Arsenal and Portsmouth, as well as making 35 appearances for England, Mariner spent the later years of his playing career in Australia and the US. It was stateside, while playing for Albany Capitals, that he began to coach and he embarked on it full time when he hung up his boots in 1993. Mariner started out as Assistant Manager for Harvard Crimson before moving to New England Revolution, again as Assistant Manager, for f ive years. Following his return to the UK in 2009, he took the reins at his former club, Plymouth, for a year, as Head Coach and then brief ly Manager. He later returned stateside to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC as Director of Player Development and then Head Coach.

HAVING FACED HIS TEAMS AS A MANAGER, I REMEMBER PAUL AS A TOUGH OPPONENT AND A GREAT TEAM PLAYER. HIS ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION FOR THE GAME WAS APPARENT THROUGHOUT HIS PERFORMANCES.

PAUL WAS VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED AS A PLAYER AND A MANAGER, AND WE PARTICULARLY REMEMBER HIM FOR HIS KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY TO HIS FELLOW COACHES. HE WAS ALWAYS KEEN TO WELCOME COLLEAGUES WHO WANTED TO LEARN FROM HIS EXPERIENCES COACHING OVERSEAS.

HOWARD WILKINSON LMA CHAIRMAN

RICHARD BEVAN LMA CHIEF EXECUTIVE

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

IN TRIBUTE

LEN ASHURST 1939-2021

Len Ashurst spent the best part of his playing career at Sunderland, where he notched up an incredible 458 games over 13 years, a club record for an outfielder. He moved to Hartlepool in 1971, where he became Player-Manager and began a career in management that would last 22 years and take him across the globe. Ashurst’s achievements include pulling Sheff ield Wednesday back from the brink of relegation in the 1975/76 season and, at Newport County, achieving promotion, winning the Welsh Cup and reaching the quarter-f inals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. He achieved promotion with Cardiff City in the second of his two spells with the club before returning to manage his beloved Sunderland, taking them to their f irst League Cup f inal. Ashurst then took his expertise further af ield, coaching with the Kuwait and Qatar national football teams before becoming Manager of Qatari club AlWakrah and Sri Pahang in Malaysia. During the later years of his management career, Ashurst worked with The FA as an administrator and with the Premier League as a match delegate. He was inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame in 2014.

LEN WAS A REAL BRICK IN THE OLD WALL THAT WAS FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT AND HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM. HE WAS THE SALT OF THE EARTH, RESPECTFUL, KIND AND ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS. HOWARD WILKINSON LMA CHAIRMAN

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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS AS THE COACHES’ CHOICE

In recent months, the LMA Hall of Fame 1000 Club has welcomed three new members: José Mourinho, Steve Bruce and David Moyes. The 1000 Club is a celebration of success and longevity. In a profession where time can often be an all too rare commodity, 1000 Club members have exhibited an enduring quality, achieving a truly prodigious amount.

Jose

IN JOINING THE LMA HALL OF FAME 1000 CLUB, HE ADDS LONGEVITY TO HIS ARRAY OF MANAGERIAL ATTRIBUTES WHICH HAVE ENABLED HIM TO WIN AN INCREDIBLE 25 TROPHIES IN THE PAST TWO DECADES.

Primeira Liga x2 Taça de Portugal Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira UEFA Champions League x2 UEFA Cup Premier League x3 FA Cup Football League (EFL) Cup x4 FA Community Shield Inter Milan Serie A x2 Coppa Italia Supercoppa Italiana La Liga Copa del Rey Supercopa de España Manchester United FA Community Shield UEFA Europa League

Howard Wilkinson, LMA Chairman

To be inducted into the LMA 1000 Club is an achievement that I am proud of and I thank the LMA for remembering this milestone. José Mourinho, LMA Hall of Fame Member

BEING IN THE COMPANY OF SOME WONDERFUL MANAGERS WHO HAVE REACHED THIS MILESTONE IS A GREAT HONOUR FOR ME. David Moyes, LMA Hall of Fame Member

LMA MANAGER OF THE SEASON

2002-03 LMA MANAGER OF THE SEASON

2004-05

LMA MANAGER OF THE SEASON

2008-09

Football League Second Division FA Community Shield

David

Many congratulations David on reaching 1000 games, which is an absolutely fantastic achievement. You are joining an elite club of managers in the LMA 1000 Club Hall of Fame and you thoroughly deserve all of the plaudits that come your way. Sir Alex Ferguson CBE, LMA Board & Hall of Fame Member

Steve

FA Cup Runner-Up EFL Championship Runner-Up x2 Football League Championship Play-Offs Winner x2

HE IS A PASSIONATE FOOTBALL MAN, WITH THE DRIVE AND DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED IN EVERY ROLE TO WHICH HE IS APPOINTED, BUT ALSO THE HUMILITY AND COMPASSION YOU WOULD EXPECT OF A GREAT MANAGER. Richard Bevan, LMA Chief Executive

It was very special for me to manage my 1000th match as Newcastle manager and join the 33 other members of the LMA Hall of Fame 1000 Club, which of course includes my former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and fellow Geordie Sir Bobby Robson. Steve Bruce, LMA Hall of Fame Member

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THE EXPERT

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AGAINST ALL ODDS Throughout his career, Andy Preece has achieved incredible feats with minimal resources, including, as Assistant Manager, taking nonleague Chorley to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Alice Hoey asked him about his baptism of fire and his continued positivity.

“Bury was my first job and I think what happened in those four years really set me up for the rest of my coaching and management career.” Many managers feel thrown in at the deep and, despite their best efforts, ill prepared. For Preece, that included “shaking buckets in supermarkets, selling players, and doing anything just to keep the club afloat.” Preece had only just started his B-Licence when Bury went into administration and says the challenges he faced in that period were so tough and so broad that it left him feeling that he could face anything his career might throw at him.

PREECE IS THE FIRST BLACK ENGLISH COACH TO HAVE LED A TEAM INTO EUROPE, HAVING DONE SO IN SUCCESSIVE SEASONS WITH AIRBUS UK.

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Words: Alice Hoey Photography: Reuters / Action Images

Behind the scenes “A lot is asked of you in a situation like that,” he says. “You’re dealing with players and staff who aren’t getting paid and who are worried about their families, disgruntled fans, constant personnel changes, with different people coming in and out of the club, and all the while you still have to try to get good results on the pitch.” Preece had to stand up and be the leader, which isn’t easy when you’re 33 years old with little or no experience. What’s more, Preece was Player-Manager so faced intense pressure to perform both on and off the pitch. “For 12 months or so I didn’t have an assistant, so I was handling pretty much everything on my own,” he says. “It was incredibly tough, but it does mean that any challenge now seems achievable and I genuinely believe that if I hadn’t been through that experience at the start I wouldn’t be the manager or person I am today.” Incredibly, in his last season with Bury, and despite having one of the lowest budgets in the league, Preece succeeded in taking them to the League Two playoffs. Given the huge disadvantages that he had to overcome, his achievement should have opened doors. Frustratingly for Preece, it somehow passed under the radar. Undeterred, he took up a PlayerManager post at Conference North side Worcester City, taking them from the bottom four to achieve three consecutive top 10 finishes and reaching the second round of the FA Cup. He achieved the same feat in

the FA Cup with Northwich Victoria, bringing in vital revenue for both clubs, before moving to Welsh PL factory team Airbus UK. There, in his first two seasons in charge, Preece led a team that had never finished in the top half of the league to second in the table and qualification for three successive Europa Leagues. Brave new world Preece also has experience abroad, helping to develop players in Vietnam. He had worked previously with the academies at Fleetwood and Blackpool and had visited the set up at Wolves to see how it operated day to day, but this was an altogether different prospect and a challenge he relished. Even as his flight was about to take off he had his reservations, he recalls. “It was no small thing to leave quickly for a role I didn’t know that much about, to go to work in a different culture and language, and to be away from my family for a year.” He has no regrets, however, grateful for what proved to be an incredible life experience and an opportunity to grow further as a manager. “I’m really proud of what we put together, and it was important for me personally at the time, because it reinvigorated me and I returned to the UK with fresh self-belief and positivity.” Winning partnership When the role of Assistant Manager at Chorley came along, Preece was initially reluctant, as he was used to being the decision maker. However, it was Manager Jamie Vermiglio’s first

ANDY PREECE HAS MANAGED 700 ELITE GAMES, WITH OVER 300 WINS UNDER HIS BELT.

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role and, having played under Preece at Northwich, he was keen to have his support. “The fact that I’d previously been Jamie’s manager could have made it a difficult relationship, but it wasn’t. We had always stayed in touch and had a good connection, and we have huge respect for each other professionally,” says Preece. “A headteacher by trade, and an incredible manager, Jamie comes at leadership from a different angle so we’re learning a lot from one another.” The duo have certainly had an incredible start – winning promotion in their first season, then reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup, knocking out Wigan, Peterborough and Derby in the process. “We were pinching ourselves, because while some non-league teams get that far, it isn’t usually by beating the calibre of opposition that we did.” Unsurprisingly, he’s glad he took the role. “It would have been easy not to, to be pig-headed and say, I’m not going from manager to assistant, but it’s been incredibly rewarding and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved here,” he says. “My role has gone from coming in twice a week for a few hours to being full-time Director of Football, setting up a massive education programme and overseeing the academy, there are some great people around me who I can learn a lot from, and we’re starting to see all the hard work pay off, with eight players coming through into our first team squad.” Preece believes the key is understanding your players and finding a way of playing that really

plays to their strengths. “Over the years I’ve found ways to win games using different styles of play, each time getting the best out of the players I had and ensuring they understood their roles and responsibilities,” he says. “Ultimately, you have to find a way to win games quickly and for that you have to be adaptable. I doubt I would have survived as long as I have in the game without that adaptability.” The fact that Preece has held such a variety of positions is also a string to his bow, demonstrating his adaptability. As well as having been player-manager, head of academy and now assistant manager he has scouted and done media work. “That means I have a thorough allround understanding of the workings of a football club, from top to bottom,” he says. “I’ve seen the game from different perspectives and so now at Chorley I know what people need from one another and what they’re going through because I’ve been there. That’s a real advantage.” Ups, downs and ups It’s fair to say that Preece’s career trajectory has been far from smooth, with financial difficulties and administrations at Bury and Northwich Victoria resulting in relegations beyond his control. Yet he has embraced the challenges and, despite the hurdles, has overachieved in every role. Aware of the many great managers out there and the scarcity of good opportunities available, he has always looked for ways to push himself out of his comfort zone and to

improve, completing his A-Licence, Pro-Licence, the LMA Diploma in Football Management, the PFA’s On the Board programme, and now the LMA Mentors course. “I’ve been mentoring, informally, in my current role as Assistant Manager of Chorley – I think many of us do so throughout our lives, often without realising it - but the mentoring course has helped me to formalise it and give it more structure,” says Preece. “I now have a much better understanding of what a mentee might need from me and how to provide that. Mentoring isn’t about giving the other person advice or solutions, it’s about helping them find them, and there’s a real skill to that.” He admits he didn’t anticipate how personally fulfilling he would find the course, which has seen him dedicate more time and energy to supporting his mentee. “It’s incredible to see the person you’re mentoring go on to achieve new things, but also it reaffirms how valuable your experience is. That boosts your confidence,” says Preece, who adds that there are many managers and coaches out there who, like him, haven’t yet had the chance to fulfill their potential. “Sharing the experiences and challenges I’ve had has been fantastic, because I know that sometimes you need someone else to help you realise your strengths and the real value in what you’ve done. A little push and a little guidance can make all the difference.”

ONBOARDING When a new member joins the team there’s a lot to take in, from where to hang their coat to the organisation’s culture. If they are ‘onboarded’ well, however, they’ll hit the ground running.

YOU’RE

WELCOME

WORDS: ALICE HOEY

Onboarding, or ‘organisational socialisation’, to give it its even more daunting title, is the process of introducing a new team member to an organisation so that they understand what they need to do, how and why. By the end of the process, they should feel confident and able, feel a welcome part of the team, and understand what values and behaviours go with that. Essentially, the more effective your onboarding process, the quicker your new recruit will be able to find their feet and start doing what they do best.

help them feel at home, and equip them with the basic knowledge they need to turn up on time and perform at their best. Some organisations will provide a written welcome pack of sorts to refer to, but all will prioritise the personal approach. Player Liaison Officer Phil Lythgoe is the first point of contact for new signings arriving at Norwich City. Having already installed them in a local hotel while he tries to find them suitable rental accommodation, he’ll talk them through the packed integration day that lies ahead.

“We’ll give them a tour of the grounds, give them their squad number, show them their locker, and go through all the little details Given that all this requires focus, it’s important they’ll need to know when they start,” says that basic things like their schedule, where they Lythgoe. “Throughout the day, they’ll also put their things and who to go to for what don’t have meetings with the key people they’ll be get in the way. The initial part of onboarding, working with: our Head of Physio and Head ‘orientation’, is therefore where you show the of Strength and Performance, and Sporting new team member around their physical Director Stuart Webber.” workplace, and possibly also their digital one, The grand tour

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

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WELCOME. BIENVENIDO. SALUT. PRIVET. KHUSH AMDEED. BINE ATI VENIT. YŌKOSO. HUĀNYÍNG.

SETTING THE TONE FOR WHAT KIND OF MANAGER YOU ARE IS ALSO KEY; WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT FROM YOU AND WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL?

If time allows they will also try to arrange a meal with owners Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones, so when they leave they know all the logistics and what’s expected of them, but also feel welcomed warmly into the fold. Bedding in The lengthier and arguably more important element of onboarding is called ‘relational onboarding’ and it’s the process of building the relationships the new recruit needs to be as effective as possible. They’ll also develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of your team, asking, for example: what are the short and long term goals of the organisation, its core values and history, and how do these drive it forward as a team? Who is responsible for what and who can I turn to for help and support? What is expected of me as a member of this team, not just in terms of my role and responsibilities but also my conduct and attitude? They might find the answers to some of these questions in your written code of conduct or on the posters you have on the wall, but others will need to be experienced and absorbed over time. “We explain to our new recruits that Norwich City is a club with a big focus on community and family,” says Lythgoe, “but they also find that out very quickly once they’re here, especially after they’ve played a few home games. It all tends to fall into place in the first four or five weeks.” Setting the tone for what kind of manager you are is also key; what they can expect from you and where do you draw the line between professional and personal? This is especially important if you have worked with them before, because roles and people change and it’s easy for the boundaries to become blurred. Team effort It’s worth remembering that, while onboarding naturally focuses on the needs of the new recruit, it will only be truly effective if you involve the rest of the team. The work you do with the group before and after their new teammate arrives will reduce the chances of cracks appearing as you evolve your side, and keep the additional support you need to provide to a minimum.

According to Lythgoe, word spreads fast and the players tend to know well in advance who is joining the squad. There’s still, however, a process in place to ensure they’re brought up to speed on who their new teammate is, why you decided to sign them and how it might impact on their own roles. Rather than simply announcing their arrival, find ways to help everyone get to know one another, professionally and personally. “Supporters expect the players, old and new, to just click together on the pitch, but it’s not as easy as that,” says Lythgoe. “It can be a big culture change for some players, especially those coming up from lower leagues or the academy, and also from Europe. They often find the intensity of training in the Premier League difficult,” he adds. “We sometimes train well into the evenings, so they’re long days. It can take a while for new players to settle into that routine, not to mention adapting to the different culture and way of life.” One way Lythgoe has found to help young academy players come up into the squad is to assign them with a mentor within the group, normally someone playing in a similar position. This mentor or ‘buddy’ approach helps them feel at ease in their new environment, and they’re likely to learn more quickly by having someone willing to share their experience and field their questions. Too much, too soon How long your onboarding process is will depend on how much and how complicated the information is that you need to share and what they

need to know in order to hit the ground running. While it might be tempting to brain dump everything on them as quickly as possible, it’s worth considering whether this is necessary or beneficial. It may be better to take a ‘need to know’ approach, and to build up their understanding as you go along. “It’s a difficult balance,” admits Lythgoe, “because you want to try to answer as many of the questions they might have at the start as possible, but you also need to avoid overwhelming them. There’s an awful lot to take in on our integration day and there will always be follow-up questions over the days and weeks that follow. Every player is different, and often I’ll be asked something I’ve never been asked before.” Another pitfall to avoid is to make assumptions about what the new hire already knows about the organisation or club. While you might not want to teach grandma to suck eggs, it’s better to start with the fundamentals than miss out chunks of your onboarding because you assume they don’t need it.

SUPPORTERS EXPECT THE PLAYERS, OLD AND NEW, TO JUST CLICK TOGETHER ON THE PITCH, BUT IT’S NOT AS EASY AS THAT. IT CAN BE A BIG CULTURE CHANGE FOR SOME PLAYERS.

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

THE LEADER

YOU WANT TO TRY TO ANSWER AS MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE AT THE START AS POSSIBLE, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO AVOID OVERWHELMING THEM. The final stage in the onboarding process is follow up and feedback. It’s essential that you identify any gaps in the new team member’s understanding, anxieties or other issues early on, before they get in the way of their performance. For Lythgoe, as he’s in regular contact with new signings from the start, this feedback tends to be an ongoing and informal affair.

However he does make a point of scheduling a face-to-face session with each new recruit around a month in. “I’ll sit down with them to check if everything is ok, because sometimes there are things away from the club that are worrying them and that I may be able to help with,” he says. “The less they have on their mind off the pitch, the better they will be able to perform at their best on it.”

The murder of George Floyd was a wake-up call for the world, and for me. Around the world, in most sport and business, awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion was moving up the agenda, but horse racing lagged behind.

THE LEADER

OPENING UP THE RACE FIRST PERSON

Former amateur jockey Josh Apiafi was part of the founding management team at Betfair before becoming CEO of the Professional Jockeys Association and launching the loyalty programme Rewards4Racing.com. Now more widely known as Sky Sports Racing’s presenter, Apiafi is spearheading a programme of initiatives to ensure horse racing becomes a more diverse and inclusive sport in years to come.

Photography: Reuters / Action Images

THE LEADER

In horse racing, not many people look like me. Of the top 500 senior executives in our sport, only two are from ethnic minority groups (up from one a year ago), while only three of the 450 professional jockeys in the UK are non-white. Draconian views are sadly still common – I’ve had one senior board member ask me in the last year, ‘so what do we call you people now?’ You can’t change something like that overnight. The murder of George Floyd was a wakeup call for the world, and for me. Around the world, in most sport and business, awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion was moving up the agenda, but horse racing lagged behind. I decided, therefore, to try to get my own house in order, to address these issues in horse racing. Hopefully that would then be a building block towards societal change.

If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. Over the last year, I have been presenting a series of programmes called Leading the Way on Sky Sports, interviewing leading figureheads within the horse racing industry to talk about diversity and inclusion and their journeys into and within the sport. It is important to get a diverse range of faces out there for teenagers to aspire to, because you can’t feel a sense of belonging when no-one looks like you. You need to be able to see someone, like Ashleigh Wincheard (who is Travelling Manager to leading racehorse trainer Neil Mulholland) on the screen or on a poster, and say to yourself, ‘she looks like me’. The photo (left) is from a programme I made in 2020 called ‘The Uncomfortable Race’. I interview a group of black Generation Z racing fans about their experiences and views on horse racing in relation to diversity and inclusion. The guys pictured, all under the age of 23 and all on different pathways within our sport, had reached out to me at the start of my campaign. It was fascinating to bring them together and to learn from one another’s experiences. It’s a challenge to engage people in racing. Having watched the World Cup, you can feel inspired to go outside and kick a ball in your garden, but if you watch the Derby, you can’t just pop to a local racehorse trainer and jump on a racehorse! What that means is we have to make the most of the entertainment side of the sport, and engage people through the amazing stories behind the individuals in racing. The Formula One documentary series ‘Drive to Survive’ was a huge success because it made people who weren’t previously fans of F1 care about who wins or qualifies. It made it personal.

Horse racing must be m

The pathways into horse racing are poorly defined. Various funding initiatives and academies exist to introduce young people to the sport, but these are predominantly part of a pathway to become a jockey or a work rider in a stable. There is a fantastic initiative called ‘Racing to School’, which gives children a behind-the-scenes experience of a raceday. In 2019, they brought 15,000 school kids to experience racing. However, what we found was there was nowhere for them to go next, to continue their fan journey with the sport. We are now implementing ways to continue that engagement, including a parents and guardian’s week in the summer holidays, where those children can bring their parents for a similar experience. The next step is to launch a young person’s racing club. The aim is to ensure that if you are 18 or younger, whatever your background, creed, colour or religion, there is somewhere to land to further your engagement within the sport. New media is essential in achieving that. Yet in horseracing it’s very limited. I asked every marketeer within the sport about their strategy on TikTok,

Snapchat, YouTube and Twitch and was met with blank faces. Gen Z are already there, waiting to be engaged, and we have to offer them creative content. I’m having ongoing conversations with TikTok’s UK management team, discussing racing’s relationship with the platform with a view to building a strategy for consistent content next year. When the next generation isn’t engaged with your marketing channels it’s difficult to reach them directly to inform them about your sport. You can however, engage the organisations who do have that access, like inner city youth schemes and inner city county councils. That’s how I believe we can start to make significant changes to the diversity of our sport. Horse racing must be more reflective of society. If not, it will never be attractive to the next generation of fans and employees. Sustainability, and diversity and inclusion are very close to the hearts of young people and important when determining who they will engage with. Setting aside those that ride horses, if you asked 100,000 teenagers what they want to be when they grow up, not one of them will say they want to work in the

racing industry. A major part of the challenge for me is therefore ensuring that working in horse racing is an option for all young people, no matter what walk of life they are from. Sky has given me a platform to bring about change. Around the time of George Floyd’s murder, I was asked by one of my fellow presenters live on air for some quick wins where horse racing could start to enact change. I talked about the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) graduate course, an incredible course providing great opportunities for work placements at renowned international industry stakeholders. The course had been running for over 30 years, but you had to be a graduate to qualify for entry. Having left school at 16 to work in racing, people with my educational background never had the opportunity to apply and that only served to widen the gap between the haves and have nots. Over the last 30 years, fewer than 10 people on the course have been from ethnic minority groups. The following week, I was asked by the BHA to present my ideas and six weeks later the course was changed to the British Horseracing Development course, open to everyone. Quick win – tick!

more reflective of society.

We developed the Racing Media Academy to engage the next generation. In April 2022, 10 applicants from diverse backgrounds will take part in a week’s residential course at the racing school at Newmarket, before going to one of the many industry firms we’ve collaborated with on a 6-10 week placement. We want to ensure that young people from all backgrounds have the opportunities they deserve to work in the horse racing industry. My aspiration is that in years to come those representing the sport will be far more diverse than has traditionally been the case. Sky, RacingTV, Racing Post, Racetech and Equine Productions have all signed up to ensure the success of the Academy.

I got my resilience and determination from my dad. An orphan, he joined the lowest ranks of the RAF working his way up to becoming a pilot, he then became the first black commercial pilot; there are still very few today. I gained strength from the fact I was different from everyone else; I thought then (and still do), ‘I’ll show you’. It was my challenge and I’ve never bucked a challenge. It’s 30 years since I left home at 16 and moved 250 miles away to a full-time job in racing. I’ve had to be confident of my own ability because everything I’ve achieved in my sport, I’ve done myself. I set up my first business some 25 years ago and I’ve been independent all the way through.

Change at leadership level will take longer. It’s difficult to change the make-up of your board if you don’t have a fixed period of tenure; if that’s the case you should be looking seriously at how long people are able to hold onto those positions for. In my opinion, it isn’t healthy for an organisation if everyone is of the same demographic; you won’t get diverse thinking or a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. The world’s most successful organisations are those with the most diverse workforces.

I’ve been mentoring three of the guys from The Uncomfortable Race programme. While I have no official experience in mentoring, I do have experience of being a nonwhite person in the horse racing industry, and have had to overcome many hurdles and barriers throughout my career. Hopefully I can use that experience to ensure they and others won’t have to.

We want to ensure that young people from all backgrounds have the opportunities they deserve to work in the horse racing industry. My aspiration is that in years to come those representing the sport will be far more diverse than has traditionally been the case.

THE LEADER

Our natural tendency is to let the situation we’re in dictate our perspective, but elite performers understand that perspective is a choice, says mental skills coach David Franco.

Words: Alice Hoey Photography: Reuters / Action Images

Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford throws to first base after fielding a ground ball against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park.

THE LEADER

“In baseball, players no longer see mental skills as something you need only when things aren’t going your way,” says Franco, who was until recently Peak Performance Coach at the Seattle Mariners and now Mental Skills Coordinator for the Texas Rangers. “They understand that you don’t have to be weak in order to get stronger.” ‘Mental skills’ and ‘mental health’ have, in recent years, shaken off their negative connotations and there’s now an understanding across sport, business and other high-performance environments that they play a central role in our performance and development. Indeed, bringing in a mental skills coach like Franco to work not just with the players but with their coaches and managers is fast becoming standard across elite sport. “That’s exciting,” he says, “because there’s still so much room for improvement in this area. For a long time, coaches and leaders in sports, business and in other walks of life acknowledged the link between mental skills and performance, but it was rarely discussed or worked on in much detail. That’s now changed, and conversations around things like being able to control your mind and emotions, and how to stay in the moment when surrounded by chaos have become a normal and productive part of training and development.”

strength and conditioning work or training drills, Franco sees the impact of his work everyday. “It’s in the way that the coaches and players speak to one another, the language they use, and the knowledge they have around peak performance,” he says. “For example, I love to see them talking to one another about their routine for the 15-second funnel. In baseball, this is what we call the crucial interval between pitches, so having a good mental routine to control what’s going in in your mind during that funnel is a massive part of on-field performance. When it’s a close game, the crowd is going wild and the atmosphere is electric, what happens in the minds of the pitcher and the batter in those 15 seconds between pitches can determine whether you win or lose. “We therefore have to help the players calm their minds and avoid falling into the mind traps that have previously taken them into a poor mental space. They need routines to focus on the right things at the right time.” That’s what mental skills are, he adds. They can be defined as simply thinking about the right things at the right time. “For a hitter that will mean seeing the baseball and committing to their plan for that pitch,” he says, “while for a pitcher, it’ll be knowing what pitch you’re going to throw and throwing it with full conviction.”

Commit to hit

Control the controllable

While there’s still no reliable or accurate way to quantify or track the benefits of mental skills coaching on performance as one would, say,

While any team will be hungry for good results, Franco believes you should never be focused on achieving that aim, especially given you have

no direct control over final results. Instead, it’s better to concentrate on the things you can directly affect, those processes you have in place for things like the 15-second funnel. “Something as simple as taking a deep breath and visualising the pitch that you want to throw can give your mind somewhere to go, regardless of what’s going on around you and the million different distractions vying for your attention.” That doesn’t, he adds, mean you don’t care about the results, or that you’re going to be any less bothered by a loss or a bad performance. It simply means you’re taking ownership of it and are using it as a way to motivate yourself and continue your development. “Sometimes we can learn a lot from bad performances,” he says, “other times it’s better to put them behind you immediately and look forward to the next day.” Live, breathe baseball Given the intense nature of the baseball season it’s especially important that players are able to put a performance behind them and move on. With around 162 games in total, some professionals will play almost every day for months on end with few days off. Unsurprisingly, many find it hard to leave the sport at the stadium at the end of the game. “To get through the season and keep playing at a high level for that long period of time, it’s crucial that we look at what they do off the field in terms of their physical and mental recovery and their overall mental health,” says Franco. “A big part of our mental skills work with the players

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

and their coaches is therefore about helping them develop routines so they can process what happened and then leave it at the field. It’s really important that they can go home and get back to being a dad, husband or friend.” A communication curveball Given the intense schedule of training and competition that the players are accustomed to, when the Covid pandemic hit it was a particularly challenging period. Players were confined to their homes not just around the US but around the world, unable to interact and communicate in the way which they were accustomed.

Conversations around things like being able to control your mind and emotions, and how to stay in the moment when surrounded by chaos have become a normal and productive part of training and development.

“Right at the start we knew we had to get everyone talking to each other as much as possible, so we set up lots of Zoom calls with the players in small groups,” recalls Franco. “Initially we mapped out all the mental skills we’d need to talk through with them, but by the second week we realised that what was really important was just to connect people and let them dictate the content of the calls. Some groups read books together, others made presentations to one another or talked about the news stories they’d seen on TV. Ultimately, it was about maintaining a sense of camaraderie and connection.” While you can work on your individual mental skills, fostering a healthy group mentality is, after all, the key to peak performance in a team sport. “You have to get the players to buy into the idea that when you play for something greater than yourself, and you’re aiming to win for the team, it takes a lot of pressure off you as an individual and it makes you all better players.”

7 KEY TAKEAWAYS

ADOPT THE BEGINNER’S MIND Speaking at the LMA’s Autumn Leadership Forum, former international rugby union player Nigel Redman worked through some of the questions we should ask ourselves and our teams, and explained how our knowledge can sometimes hold us back.

VISION AND PURPOSE My starting point when working with teams is always to ask, who are you and what do you stand for? What messages do you want people to walk away with and why are you doing what you do in the first place? Many teams seem to be lost at the moment; they’ve forgotten who they are and where they’ve come from.

WHAT DO YOU ASPIRE TO? Winning is just an outcome. What does success really look like to you and how can you articulate that? I worked with British Swimming as Elite Coach Development Manager and saw how they changed their understanding of success from winning medals to simply swimming the season’s best at the biggest meet of the year. They went from a three medal sport to a six medal sport in a four-year cycle. Get everything right, they say, and the medals will come to you. Define success and align it with your values.

HOW FAR IS TOO FAR? What are you prepared to do to be successful, and what are you not prepared to do? When we’re under pressure, perhaps facing the sack, do we change the way we do things? It’s important that we understand how far we’re prepared to go to change performance and that we have people around us prepared to manage up and tell us when we’ve crossed the line and are not being true to ourselves.

TALK ABOUT IT Wouldn’t it be great if we truly valued the contribution of everyone in the team, if we could have open, frank conversations, debate things and then go out united? In that situation, you may not all agree with the decision, but you’ll get behind it because you feel that you were listened to and your opinion was valued.

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

THE LEADER

BE PASSIONATE ABOUT LEARNING Don’t assume you have all the answers, even if you think you’re the best qualified person in the room. Sometimes our knowledge can be our biggest inhibitor because we think we know about something and hide behind it. But sometimes it’s our lack of understanding – not just of the technical or tactical side of things, but of the people around us and of what we’re here to do - that causes us real problems.

STUDY THE PROBLEM Often we come up with solutions without really stopping to understand what the problem is. Be curious and explore it, because otherwise the answer you come up with might not be the best one. People sometimes think that asking questions suggests they don’t have the answers; they think their credibility is all wrapped up in what they know. But it’s good, because you’re exploring new territory.

SEEK DIVERSE OPINIONS If we get a load of football experts in a room to solve a problem we’ll get a load of football solutions, but if we look at the problem from a variety of perspectives and get different people to talk about it, we’ll come up with a range of possibilities. You can then personalise that for your own sport. Debate it with your people to see what it might look like in your environment. Put it through your own filters.

PA S T,

M E E T

P R E S E N T

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LMA NEWS

ROUND UP

LMA EVENTS & CORPORATE ACTIVITY

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

LMA NEWS

LMA Ambassadors Mark Bowen, Paul Clement, Steve Coppell, Les Ferdinand, Mark Hughes, Steve McClaren, Richard O’Kelly, Martin O’Neill and Chris Wilder attended the LMA Annual Golf Day, in association with Prostate Cancer UK, held at The Grove. LMA Ambassadors Phil Brown, Steve Coppell, Chris Hughton, Harry Kewell, Sammy Lee, Fabrice Muamba, Steve Staunton and Kit Symons supported the GRS Football Tournament at St George’s Park. Steve Martin, CEO of Influence at Work, delivered a session with Castrol EMEA senior leaders. Sam Allardyce and Alan Shearer attended a dinner and Q&A at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, sharing their leadership insight and experiences with the Anglian Home Improvements team. Ebony Rainford-Brent and Michael Holding took part in an online Black History Month Q&A for T. Rowe Price employees. Roberto Martinez supported Mondelēz International’s Growing Here Week with a Q&A hosted by Sky Sports Presenter Jess Creighton. Emma Hayes delivered an on-stage Q&A at Leigh Valley Sports Centre for Nike.

ROUND UP

LMA INSTITUTE ACTIVITY LMA Autumn Leadership Forum In October, the LMA Autumn Leadership Forum

psychology of winning teams. The final session

took place at The Belfry Hotel and Resort.

was delivered by Nigel Redman, Head of Team Performance at the RFU, who discussed building

The first session was delivered by former

high-performance teams in elite sport.

Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Osborne, McChrystal Group, on the ‘Team of Teams Theory’. Osborne

The day closed with a panel discussion involving

was followed by Professor Dave Collins, Grey

LMA Members Michael Duff and Shelley Kerr and

Matters Performance, who presented on the

rugby league coach Brian McDermott.

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

LMA NEWS

SUPPORTED BY

MATT LITTLE

OWEN EASTWOOD

Matt Little, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Performance Coach Owen Eastwood, who currently

to Andy Murray for 13 years, discussed elite

works with the England senior men’s football team

performance, leadership development and building

and the British Olympic team, reflected on the role

coaching teams.

of energy within high performance environments.

ZENA EVERETT

PROFESSOR BINNA KANDOLA OBE

Arbuthnot Latham’s Head of Client Propositions,

Professor Binna Kandola OBE explored some

Simon Coll, hosted a webinar on the key issues

examples of modern racism and why this is a

affecting global markets and their impact on

problem, in particular in terms of wellbeing. He also

investment. There were presentations by Co-Chief

explained how leaders across all fields can be active

Investment Officer Gregory Perdon and Chartered

allies.

Financial Planner Chris Allen.

ROUND UP

LMA TECHNICAL ROUND-UP The LMA has continued its programme of Technical events, offering a new way for members to learn from both their peers and other experienced industry voices. These events focus on some of the challenges and issues most relevant to managers in the game today.

Science of Performance In September, the first LMA Technical Performance Clinic of the season took place, hosted by former Olympian Gail Emms. The three keynote speakers focused on the science of performance: James Collins, Nutritionist at Intra Performance Group, Dr Charles Pedlar, Chief Scientific Officer at Orreco, and Dr Kate Hays, Head of Performance Psychology at EIS.

LEAGUE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

LMA NEWS

Coaching Masterclass The LMA’s second Technical Performance Clinic of the 2021/22 season took place at St. George’s Park. LMA Members Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington delivered a practical coaching session, followed by a debrief and Q&A.

THE LM A CHARI TY Benevolent Community Education

THIS IS AN ADVERT FOR THE LMA CHARITY IN THE GAME

NOW WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION... We provide support to those who have fallen on difficult times. We provide specialist care, advice or assistance to those in need. We engage our members in local, national and international community projects. We deliver profile, visibility and support to our trusted charity partners.

WE CARE. WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

During the recent lockdown the LMA’s charity, In the Game, has been more active than ever. Our starting point is our commitment to helping our members and their families, but we continue to provide valuable support to our communities and our trusted charity partners. If you would like more information or to make a donation to the charity you can do so by calling the LMA office on 01283 576350 or by visiting our Just Giving page justgiving.com/inthegame.

OFFICIAL CHAIRTY PARTNERS

SUPPORTED BY

LMA NEWS

GRASSROOTS

The LMA continued its support of grassroots football by delivering coaching sessions with its ambassadors. Raising money for the charity Kids Out, LMA Ambassador Paul Tisdale delivered a session in Wiltshire to a team of young and enthusiastic players from Derry Hill United U11s. LMA Ambassador Gareth Ainsworth supported a charity coaching session for a team of U16 girls in Reading. This was an auction prize donated to Special Olympics GB.

PERSONAL WELLBEING & PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY

Specialists in ACL Reconstruction, 3D Biomechanical Analysis and Rehabilitation Sports Surgery Clinic is a centre of excellence in Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation with world class facilities situated on its campus with concierge VIP service from Dublin airport five minutes away. SSC caters for all the medical needs of elite athletes and their medical teams including orthopaedic review, surgery, MRI, 3D biomechanical analysis and residential rehabilitation stays. For more information or to organise an appointment contact: sportsmedicine@sportssurgeryclinic.com

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THE EXPERT

DR ED MORRIS

Where are we with Long Covid? Dr Ed Morris is a Consultant Anaesthetist in the NHS and Medical Governance Advisor to the Premier League.

At the beginning of 2021 we

Elite athletes are therefore in a

were just beginning to recognise

very low risk group, although

that some people recovered

several players and coaches

faster than others after Covid-19

from the professional game

infection, and that a few people

have spoken publicly about their

seemed to be left with ongoing

experiences of Long Covid.

symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue or ‘brain fog’.

The Zoe study’s latest data estimates that around one in 45

As time has passed and more

ONE IN 45 PEOPLE STILL HAVE SYMPTOMS OF LONG COVID MORE THAN 12 WEEKS AFTER THEIR INITIAL INFECTION.

people still have symptoms of

research has been done, we

Long Covid more than 12 weeks

understand more about what

after their initial infection. Dr

happens after Covid-19. Studies

Hodes makes the additional point

by the NHS and the online

that still feeling unwell after that

‘Zoe’ study (which collects data

time might actually be a sign of

from volunteers globally) have

another, possibly serious illness,

enabled us to learn a lot about

and so it is vital to be checked out

who might be affected by longer-

by a doctor if your recovery is not

term problems.

complete.

Dr Simon Hodes is a GP in

For most fit, healthy, young

London with a special interest

people Covid-19 is likely to be a

in Long Covid. He says that

mild illness with a full recovery.

the definition of Long Covid is

Older staff in the professional

evolving and it is now accepted

game, particularly those with

that some people may take