On The Front Foot Issue 6

PSN

ON THE FRONT FOOT July 2019

Issue Six

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+ A man

England’s Women’s World Cup squad hailed for changing how the UK views women’s football

in demand;

exploring the industry’s most desired talent scout

Lionesses

Tuesday 9th July 2019 116 Pall Mall, London (Institute of Directors)

THE PREMIER SPORTS NETWORK, over the past 4 years has established itself as the industry leader in educating elite-level sports professionals in the dedicated areas of Finance, Recruitment and Player Care through a series of exclusive and private networking conferences.

Recruitment in Sport brings together leading sports organisations from across the globe to share best practice and extensive industry expertise in the extremely focussed topic of sports recruitment across both staff and athlete recruitment in sport. Throughout the day, we will be gaining insights from industry experts from across a spectrum of sports through on-stage panel discussions and one-on-one Q&A’s, exploring themes that align with the recruitment of an organisations workforce, identification and development of professional sports stars and creating equal opportunity through diversification in the world of sport.

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Issue Six Contents 4 Recruitment In Sport Conference 5 Paul Mitchell: A Man in Demand 6 Conference Guest Speakers 7 Conference Agenda 12 Lioneeses Leading the Way 14 Mental Health in the NFL 15 Managing Travel Demands of Elite-Level Sport 16 Chelsea’s Transfer Ban 18 International Player Care Conference 20 Jofra Archer & England Cricket 22 How Should Anthony Joshua Recover From Defeat 24 Norwich City FC: A Solid Foundation for Success 25 Managing International Player Movement 26 Johanna Konta 27 Q&A With Knight Frank 28 Major League Baseball Takes London by Storm 30 Israel Folau and Social Media 32 The Rooney Rule and the EFL

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Welcome to July’s edition of On The Front Foot magazine which places focus on the recruitment strategies and philosophies implemented behind the scenes and on the field of play across the world of sport, in line with our Recruitment in Sport Conference.

English sport takes centre stage this summer, with the Lionesses competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, England challenging at the Cricket World Cup, the return of Wimbledon plus much more from worldwide sport across the globe. This edition will begin with an insight into the world of recruitment behind the scenes as we explore the journey of one of football’s most wanted recruitment experts, Paul Mitchell. We then take a look at the growth of women’s sport, as England Lionesses’ Nikita Parris and Lucy Bronze join forces in Lyon for the upcoming 2019/20 season.

Moving on from football, England cricket star Jofra Archer has made waves on entry to the England Cricket squad for this years Cricket World Cup, and we take a look at how the recruitment process works and how Archers’ selection has the potential to change the face of recruitment in the future. Finally, brining July’s edition to a close and leading us into our upcoming Recruitment in Sport Conference, we explore best practice and leading examples of how discrimination in sport can be challenged and equal opportunities promoted as the Rooney Rule is enforced across the EFL. Bringing this matter to life through discussion and debate, The FA, Rugby Football League, Kick It Out and Women in Football will join Recruitment in Sport and PSN’s invitationonly network on-stage to discuss the pressing topic of diversity in sport.

We look forward to welcoming you to Recruitment in Sport which continues to be the industry’s leading conference dedicated to building a solid team both behind the scenes and on the field.

Happy Reading Spencer Hidge Director Premier Sports Network t. 0208 4191100

Publisher Spencer Hidge Editor Jordan Rockall Writers George Clayton, Shaun Cole, Tom Langford Design ShandMedia To send feedback or articles for publication contact Premier Sports Network at: enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com To enquire about advertising contact David Watts at davidw@premiersports.agency On The Front Foot is published by the Premier Sports Network copyright ©2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission.

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RECRUITMENT IN SPORT CONFERENCE

Recruitment in Sport Conference Over 180 invitation-only guests are confirmed to join PSN’s VIP guest-speakers on Tuesday 9th July at the world’s leading conference dedicated to recruitment in sport.

A topic running at the very heart of every sports-organisation and critical to the success of any business, getting the recruitment process right can be the deciding factor between a league winning season and an head scratching restructure of the workforce. But in an industry where multi-million pound decisions are at stake, and with the individuals working behind the scenes being under increasing scrutiny and pressure, fitting the pieces of the ‘recruitment puzzle’ together couldn’t be more important.

The delegate list confirms a raft of C-Level Directors, Sporting Directors, People and HR Directors, Heads of Recruitment, Chief Scouts, Player Agents and more from across the world of sport, who will fly in to London’s Pall Mall, for the conference which provides a knowledge sharing platform for the industry’s leading sports clubs, leagues, federations and player agencies.

Our guests will be in for an incredibly

insightful day as VIP guest-speakers take to the stage to share knowledge and expertise in the extremely focussed panel discussions and one-on-one Q&A’s, as well as multiple dedicated networking sessions enabling relationships to be built and advice to be shared with counterparts from across the globe.

Keynote Q&A’s from Kevin Thelwell, Sporting Director at Wolves and Stuart Webber, Sporting Director at Norwich City FC, will demonstrate best practice following an incredibly successful few seasons which have landed both clubs in the English Premier League. Although both clubs’ success has been a result of savvy recruitment, the headline grabbing on field recruitment just one piece of the puzzle that Wolves and Norwich have executed with perfection. Recruiting the right staff behind the scenes has been a real focus for Webber since joining the club, and the internal ‘shake-up’ has played a key role in building a new club identity beyond the iconic yellow shirt, which hand in hand with on field success has led many to turn their attention to their existing workforce

and those surrounding the club and players on a day to day basis.

As simple as it seems, recruiting the right staff, at the right time, with the right dedication, values and vision to match the philosophy of a given sports organisation has proven a challenge which has never truly been tackled. Joining us on the dedicated panel session will be ‘HR Director of the Year’, Vicky Williams of the LTA to share how best to implement a recruitment process and identify the best staff for your organisation. Following this, ‘Sunday Times Top 100 Employer’, Everton FC will share the secrets behind motivating and incentivising a successful workforce through employee engagement and well-being projects, which have proven successful year on year.

Closing the event, providing the right development opportunity for youth talent across sport will be explored following the success of young aspiring talent across the industry, as we take a look at how performance development, and the recruitment process supports the next generation to achieve greatness.

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PAUL MITCHELL

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A MAN IN DEMAND; IT IS NOT ONLY PLAYERS WHO ARE RECRUITED

BY TOP SPORTS CLUBS It seems that the talent doesn’t just take place on the pitch as staff from all areas in sports are actively pursued and recruited by other sports organisations across the globe. The end product is seen by the masses as sport stars rise to fame for club and country, but identifying these talented youth players at a young age is not a task many can step up to.

One person who finds themselves in the spotlight for his work identifying youth talent, and as a result being targeted by football clubs across the world, is RB Leipzigís Head of Recruitment and Development, Paul Mitchell. Since Paul retired from his playing career, he has created a name for himself within the recruitment sector of football both nationally and internationally and is widely regarded as one of the finest talent scouts in the world.

The former midfielder started his recruiting career at MK Dons before having successful

stints at Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur under the management of Mauricio Pochettino and now heads up the recruitment structure at Bundesliga giants, RB Leipzig. During his time with Southampton FC, he unearthed the likes of Sadio Mane and Ryan Bertrand, both of whom were huge successes with the Saints, and after following Pochettino to Tottenham, Mitchell oversaw the signings of many top players, including Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli to name just a few.

His success in identifying talent and ability to negotiate great deals are just some of the reasons why top Premier League and European clubs are after his signature. As Manchester United restructure internally this summer, and with recruitment at the forefront of the club’s vision, Paul Mitchell may be the puzzle piece the club have longed for and we could see the Manchesterborn talent spotter at Old Trafford in a return to the Premier League before we know it. With his contract running out in just over a year it has been reported that RB Leipzig will offer Mitchell a lucrative long-term deal to keep him at the club, although it is yet to be seen if the draw of Manchester United may be enough for Mitchell to return to the Premier League.

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RECRUITMENT IN SPORT CONFERENCE

Speakers Amy Warburton Senior Pathway Scientist English Institute of Sport

Andy Howe Head of First Team UK Scouting AFC Bournemouth

Ben Knapper Loans Manager Arsenal FC

Charlie Mulraine Lead Personal Development Manager Professional Cricketers Association (PCA)

Claire Cooke HR Manager Munster Rugby

Dan Feist Head of Cricket Operations Essex County CC

Dave Wilks Academy Manager Leicester Tigers

David Connor People Director RFL

David Thompson Head of Player Recruitment Bath Rugby

Graeme Bowerbank Head of Rugby Operations Harlequins Rugby

Hannah Thomas Performance Analyst LTA

Hugo Esteves HR Manager FC Porto

Jane Purdon CEO Women in Football

Karen Rothery CEO Leicestershire County CC

Kevin Thelwell Sporting Director Wolves

Michele Gull Head of HR West Ham United FC

Nick Howes Director LMI-UK

Nuala Walsh Inclusion Advisory Board Member The FA

Rachael Jones Head of HR Everton FC

Richard Allen Director of Football Lougborough University

Rob Gibson Academy Manager Exeter Chiefs

Sean Galvin Director Sovereign International

Steve Grainger Rugby Development Director RFU

Stuart Webber Sporting Director Norwich City FC

Troy Townsend Head of Development Kick It Out

Vicky Williams People Director LTA

Introducing our Conference Moderator Adam Leventhal Sky Sports News

For further information go to www.premiersportsnetwork.com

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Agenda 9:30

Welcome & Networking

10:10

Building a solid foundation; strategy and recruitment behind the perfect workforce

10:40 The rise of Wolves; Recruitment strategy challenging Europe’s biggest clubs 11:00

Managing the network of player movement; the settling in process

11:30

Coffee & Networking

12:10

How to get the best from your workforce?

12:40 Getting the structure right; Recruitment from the inside out 13:00 The evolution of sports recruitment; Performance and data analysis 13:30 Lunch & Networking 14:40 Creating equal opportunites in sport 15:10

One on one with VIP guest speaker

15:30 Development and opportunity for youth; A strategy to maximise player potential 16:00 Finish / networking

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RECRUITMENT IN SPORT CONFERENCE

SESSIONS 9:30 – 10:10

WELCOME & NETWORKING

10:10 – 10:40

BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION; STRATEGY AND RECRUITMENT BEHIND THE PERFECT WORKFORCE

Speakers Michele Gull Head of HR at West Ham United FC Claire Cooke Director of HR at Munster Rugby Vicky Williams People Director at The LTA Hugo Esteves Head of HR at FC Porto

10:40 – 11:00 Kevin Thelwell Sporting Director at Wolves

11:00 – 11:30 Speakers Dave Wilks Academy Manager at Leicester Tigers Charlie Mulraine Lead Personal Development Manager at Professional Cricketers Association Ben Knapper Loans Manager at Arsenal FC

Behind every successful on-field performance is an organisation’s workforce, who operate in an incredibly cut-throat industry that demands huge sacrifices and a greater dedication than most. But how do you get the balance right when employing your workforce? We are joined by industry leaders who will share an insight into building the perfect workforce and organisational culture.

THE RISE OF WOLVES; RECRUITMENT STRATEGY CHALLENGING EUROPE’S BIGGEST CLUBS From League One to the Premier League, and achieving European football for the 2019/20 season, the journey for Wolves over the past 5 years has been incredible. We are joined by Sporting Director, Kevin Thelwell to discuss how much of the clubs success can be attributed to successful recruitment on the pitch, and what strategies have enabled the club to challenge the very best on their return to the Premier League.

MANAGING THE NETWORK OF PLAYER MOVEMENT; THE SETTLING IN PROCESS With the vast investments made into recruiting athletes across the world of sport, it is imperative to ensure a smooth transition into a new environment that allows the athlete to hit the ground running and maximise on-field performance. We explore best practice in supporting athletes away from the pitch, including; entering a professional sporting environment; the settling in process; progression through the ranks into the first team; relocating to a new club and/or country and more.

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11:30 – 12:10

COFFEE & NETWORKING

12:10 – 12:40

HOW TO GET THE BEST FROM YOUR WORKFORCE?

Speakers Rachel Jones Head of HR at Everton FC Nick Howes Director at Leadership Management UK Graeme Bowerbank Director of Rugby Operations at Harlequins Rugby

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Recruiting staff members and athletes is only one piece of the puzzle, and history will show us that simply recruiting those that we consider ‘the best’, isn’t the only step required to perform at the highest level.

Getting the best out of your workforce by motivating, rewarding and through maximising their efficiency is key; and the only way to do that is to really understand your employees and what makes them tick.

Karen Rothery CEO at Leicestershire County Cricket Club

12:40 – 13:00 Speaker Stuart Webber Sporting Director at Norwich City FC

13:00 – 13:30 Speakers Andy Howe Head of First Team UK Recruitment at AFC Bournemouth David Thompson Head of Recruitment at Bath Rugby Hannah Thomas Performance Analyst at the LTA Amy Warburton Senior Pathway Scientist at English Institute of Sport

GETTING THE STRUCTURE RIGHT; RECRUITMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT Following an incredibly successful 2018/19 season, Norwich City FC Sporting Director, Stuart Webber joins PSA to share an insight into the strategic planning and execution of a two-season turnaround which led the club to promotion to the English Premier League, which all started with a shake-up behind the scenes and savvy recruitment process.

THE EVOLUTION OF SPORTS RECRUITMENT; PERFORMANCE AND DATA ANALYSIS Clubs invest millions of pounds into building the best possible team of players, but how do clubs identify who is the best fit for the club and who best suits their style of play? We explore how data and performance analysis has evolved over the past decade and changed the recruitment process for how clubs can optimise their player recruitment using digital analysis to complement their traditional scouting methods.

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RECRUITMENT IN SPORT CONFERENCE

SESSIONS 13:30 – 14:40 14:40 – 15:10 Speakers Jane Purdon CEO at Women in Football Troy Townsend Head of Development at Kick it Out David Connor Director of People at the Rugby Football League

LUNCH & NETWORKING

CREATING EQUAL OPPORTUNITES IN SPORT A media headline in recent times, but what is the reality for minority groups finding equal opportunities in the world of sport? Joining this panel session are industry leaders who will share the real challenges faced in challenging discrimination in sport, alongside leading sports-organisations who are leading the way in implementing complete diversity in their workforce.

Nuala Walsh Inclusion Advisory Board Member at The FA

15:10 – 15:30

ONE ON ONE WITH VIP GUEST SPEAKER

15:30 – 16:00

DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH; A STRATEGY TO MAXIMISE PLAYER POTENTIAL

Speakers Richard Allen Director of Football at Loughborough University Dan Feist Head of Cricket Operations at Essex County Cricket Club Rob Gibson Academy Director at Exeter Chiefs Steve Grainger Director of Rugby Development at the RFU

In a world where jobs, reputations and million pound decisions are at stake every single day; providing opportunities for youth athletes to perform at the highest level can be difficult, so how can sports clubs maximise youth development strategies that create a pathway for young athletes to reach their full potential whilst protecting them from major setbacks and pitfalls? With so many opinions and methods, is there really a recipe for success in developing youth?

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LIONESSES

England’s Lionesses Leading The Way And Strive For Club Success In Lyon Since Nikita Parris announced she would be leaving Manchester City to join Champions League winners Lyon back in May, many have asked the question “should more English players ply their trade on foreign soil?”

Parris, 25 who won the FA Cup and League Cup this season with the Citizens has joined fellow England International and former City team-mate Lucy Bronze at Lyon and will be looking to add her first major European trophy with the French club. The WSL all-time leading scorer stated that one of the big draws to moving abroad was “playing for one of the biggest teams in the world.”, a similar comment made by team mate, Bronze, 27 identified “the opportunity I was getting at Lyon was one I couldn’t turn down.”

It is clear to see that the opportunities to play on European soil, and compete in the Champions League, is one of the main attractions. This could see more English talent moving overseas in a bid to compete with the very best, having earned their reputation in England at the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea FC. Since its inauguration back in 2002 only one English team has lifted the trophy and that was Arsenal back in 2007. Since then, English clubs have failed to make the final for the most prestigious trophy in club football, and it is clear to see with European dominance of the Champions League, this may be the start of big money moves overseas in Women’s football.

The recent success of the Lionesses reaching another knockout stage at a major trophy is likely to influence more English talents to ply their trade abroad in search for the Champions League title, and with England’s Lionesses having made the knockout stages for the fourth straight World Cup, it is English talent in the spotlight who will be under a keen eye from European clubs as they look to strengthen for the upcoming season.

Another factor that could lure British players to play abroad is the opportunity to play in front of bigger crowds. Any player, male or female, in any sport would relish at the opportunity to play in front of a maximum capacity stadium and it is the European

and American women’s football leagues that are making waves and attracting media attention. A new record attendances was achieved this year in Spain and Italy with over 60,000 people enjoying Atletico Madrid VS Barcelona and also 39,000 fans in attendance for Juventus clash against Fiorentina.

Lyon enjoyed a record-breaking crowd with over 25,000 in attendance as they beat Paris St Germain to lift the French title.

It’s clear to see Women’s football in European countries can draw big crowds compared to the WSL with the Leagues average attendance this season at 937, although the largest attendance recorded in the division was 5000 as Brighton Hove Albion faced Arsenal FC. Arguably if English female players want to win the biggest club competitions and receive the plaudits they deserve, then plying their trade abroad looks to be a fantastic opportunity. However, with the WSL becoming the first all professional Women’s League in the world and with attendances increasing year on year, we are set for an exciting future for English Players who compete at the highest level.

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NFL

A NEW AGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE NFL? The NFL has long been accused of not taking the issues of concussion and the mental state of its athletes seriously enough. In an effort to correct this the NFL has introduced new rules which directly address these issues. The league announced that they will require every team to employ a mental health professional to work in its building.

These individuals will be required to be available to players at the facility at least 8-12 hours per week and conduct mandatory educational sessions for coaches and players. The Clinician will also be required to compose a Mental Health Emergency Action Plan for the 2019 season. This will provide a safe environment for players and staff members to be able to seek help out of the spotlight.

Both the league and union will work together to address pain management for current players. The second agreement builds on the mental health care resources that are afforded to players with an emphasis on programs aiming for education, prevention and behavioural health.

The issue of mental health is one that has been deeply rooted in sports and in society with more people speaking out every day.

Recently researchers have discovered that concussions and brain trauma which are common in the game of American Football can actually lead to severe mental health issues as players age.

There have been instances of mental health problems in former football players that made headlines. Junior Seau (Pictured Below), a former player for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots to name a few, committed suicide in 2012 and his autopsy revealed a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Seau’s depression was not an isolated incident; former Philadelphia Eagles Star Andre Waters committed suicide in 2006 at the age of only 44. His autopsy revealed that his brain had so much damage it resembled an 85-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease. Waters’ head injuries throughout his career most likely contributed to his depression and severe brain damage.

It’s a small step for the NFL to introduce these measures but an extremely important one as the mental state of athletes continues to become a big priority. Just by acknowledging that more needs to be done and the need from creating a safer environment for players to talk and seek help the NFL will tackle the issue head-on.

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TRAVEL

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CTM: A Winning Mentality To Managing Travel When Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur won a place in the Champions League Final this year, the newspapers were full of stories about the tens of thousands of fans panicking to book flights to Madrid before demand outstripped supply and the prices rocketed. But spare a thought for the teams. They also needed to get over to Spain - not just the players, but the coaches, medical teams, owners, key stakeholders and kit – and one of those teams was also going to need an extra seat on the return flight home for the trophy.

Arranging travel for the sports industry is a uniquely complex and challenging one and that’s where travel management companies like Corporate Travel Management (CTM) come in. CTM has 25 years of experience managing travel and operates a specialist global service called Sport Travel Management run by passionate and knowledgeable sports travel teams.

Shelley Mathews, VP Sales and Client Services explained: “The main challenge when managing sports travel is the vastly differing needs of travellers within a sports

organisation – starting with the players, (even first team and seniors will have different requirements to those in the academy), but extending to the officials, commercial department, scouts and individuals. Some departments can have very specialist needs – the medical and player care teams, for example.

“Sponsors and commercial teams also frequently want to travel with or alongside the team to deliver value or activation during an event. Again, their needs are very different – and often entertainmentfocused – but equally important as they drive crucial revenue.

“When working with football or rugby teams, for instance, we have to react to fixtures and results quickly and this means doing our homework in advance of draws to understand the permutations of potential results to ensure we secure the team’s preferred services immediately. This bit –

believe it or - is relatively straight forward.

The real challenge is remaining flexible to last minute changes required by TV scheduling or name changes.”

The Sport Travel Management team at CTM also needs to be incredibly sensitive when it comes to player care and the transfer window: “Discretion is a must,” Shelley added, “as we’re often dealing with high-profile players and sensitive information that must not be leaked to the press. It’s essential that our clients can trust us in these circumstances, and we achieve this thanks to our incredibly strong supplier relationships.”

Of course, it’s just not football teams who travel, which is why a true sports specialist needs to understand the varying needs of multiple sports disciplines. A basketball team will need extra legroom, for example, and the volume and dimensions of some equipment may limit the options available, so good planning and preparation is key.

“And, finally, we never forget the needs of the finance and HR teams, which is why we provide an umbrella overview of all spend, ensuring travellers are compliant to policy, managing cost against departments and budgets and improving duty of care provision,” said Shelley.

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CHELSEA FC

The Impact Of A Transfer Ban On Youth Recruitment?

Chelsea FC have been sanctioned with a two-window transfer ban and a fine by FIFA, meaning they will now have to make alternative plans when it comes to their immediate recruitment approach.

The game’s world governing body announced the sanction which relates to breaches concerning the transfer of players under the age of 18 years, on February 22 and the Premier League club have been working to appeal against it, and having recently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. For now though, Chelsea must plan ahead knowing that their Academy and Loan network will play a key role in the upcoming 2019/20 season.

FIFA’s rules surrounding the signing of minors are extremely strict and clubs including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool to name a few have fallen foul in the past. According to FIFA, the ban is being imposed on Chelsea because the governing body found the club to be in breach of regulations relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18. Specifically, the Blues were found to have breached article

19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players in the case of 29 minors.

The club was also found to have breached article 18bis (which concerns third-party influence on clubs) in connection with two agreements that were reached concerning minors.

What does it mean for Chelsea?

For the next two years Chelsea will be unable to sign any players into their first team or on professional contracts. For the immediate future, the transfer of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid means that Chelsea remain in search of a replacement, although Christian Pulisic’s signing was unaffected as the deal with Borussia Dortmund was completed in January.

A chance for youth?

This season Chelsea had a grand total of 41 players out on loan which included the likes of Kurt Zouma at Everton, Tammy Abraham at Aston Villa and Reece James at Wigan.

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“Chelsea’s vast loan network has been highlighted as a key influencer in the success of Championship side, Derby County FC, led by former Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard.”

This transfer ban could be a blessing in disguise for the youth system at Chelsea FC, with youth players potentially being given a chance in the first team next season. With an ageing squad and the retirement of Gary Cahill, Chelsea will need to make additions and the only place to do that will be from within.

Chelsea’s philosophical approach has been far away from that of many English clubs who rely on youth team players to be promoted, but this has proven successful with silverware being won from 2 Premier League titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and the Europa League over the last 5 years. Whilst the first team perform on the pitch, the hard work behind the scenes to produce the next generation has come to fruition, with academy graduates such as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek making their impact in the first team, as well as Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount who have gained first team experience through loan spells away from the club.

Chelsea’s vast loan network has been highlighted as a key influencer in the success of Championship side, Derby County FC, led by former Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard. The relationship between Lampard and Chelsea is undeniable, and Derby County FC have utilised this by loaning key youth players in their push for promotion, such as the aforementioned Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount, as well as Harry Wilson from Liverpool. Collectively, these 3 players were crucial for Derby and are now pushing to get into the 1st team squad of their parent clubs, showing how the loan system can benefit all parties involved.

The next two years could be tricky for Chelsea and is a warning to all other teams from FIFA, which is clear to see. But it could be a good thing in the long run for the recruitment of young players, future investment in recruitment infrastructure and the chances of success for academy graduates getting 1st team football.

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PLAYER CARE CONFERENCE 2019

INTERNATIONAL PLAYER CARE CONFERENCE

300+ invitation-only guests from across the world of sport Monday 11th November, 30 Euston, London

To register your interest in attending the conference, please contact Premier Sp

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Premier Sports Network’s International Player Care Conference returns for its 8th Annual edition on Monday 11th November 2019 at London’s prestigious venue, 30 Euston Square.

This edition promises to be bigger and better than ever, with over 300+ invitation-only delegates securing their attendance to it’s extremely limited guest-list, to share knowledge with counterparts from some of the most reputable sports organisations across the world, relating to providing the best guidance to professional athletes behind-the-scenes.

As always, Premier Sports’ private network will bring together an exclusive audience of C-Level Directors, Sporting Directors & Technical Directors, Academy Directors & Managers, Player Liaison Managers, Player Agencies and many more across the spectrum of sport who have a direct influence on impacting the welfare of professional athletes.

With over 4 months until the conference, Premier Sports have been inundated with requests to attend November’s event, and the guest-list is quickly filling with guests confirmed from across the globe who will fly in to London for the industry’s leading conference dedicated to supporting player welfare in elite-level sport.

ports Network on 0208 419 1100 or email enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com

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JOFRA ARCHER

Changing The Rules On English Cricket Recruitment Jofra Archer makes waves on entry to the England’s World Cup squad It’s been an exciting month for cricket fans around the world as the Cricket World Cup kicked off last month with the tournament being hosted

by England and Wales.

England went into the tournament as favourites and they are currently ranked as the best oneday international side in the world hosting an array of talents such as Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler to name a few.

One bowler who wasn’t sure whether he would be allowed to represent England at all, let alone dominate the headlines during the World Cup is Jofra Archer. Previous England recruitment rules meant that Archers selection looked unlikely due to being born in Barbados. Under the previous rules, he would not have been eligible until the winter of 2022 after a seven-year residency, however the new rules are aimed at enticing promising players from other nations who qualify to play for England to do so.

The new rules mean England players will have to: • Have British citizenship • Either have been born in England/Wales or have

three years’ residence (a total of 210 days/year AprilMarch) • Not have played as a local player in professional international or domestic cricket in a full member country within the past three years However, not everyone was pleased with the rule changes and Archer’s inclusion.

England’s Chris Woakes said “If he was to come in and someone was to miss out, it would be extremely unfortunate … It probably wouldn’t be fair, morally, but at the same time it’s the nature of international sport.”

The nature of recruitment within English cricket has been changed through these rule changes but the ECB see them as necessary for England to compete for long term success.

“If he was to come in and someone was to miss out, it would be extremely unfortunate … It probably wouldn’t be fair, morally, but at the same time it’s the nature of international sport.”

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THE FUTURE OF NFL RECRUITMENT IN THE UK The NFL has recently announced the first of its kind academy to be built in the UK. The NFL Academy, which begins operations in September, will offer student-athletes aged 16-18 the opportunity to combine education with life skills and intensive training in the sport under full-time professional coaches. Supported

by Nike and based at Barnet and Southgate College, in North London, the NFL Academy will provide students with pathways into employment, further education and even the potential opportunity to play NCAA college football in the United States.

This represents a big moment for the future of American Football in the UK as the NFL looks to cement its place as a popular sport. The long term goal has been to create a permanent NFL franchise in the UK possibly playing at Wembley or at the new home of Tottenham Hotspur. Currently, there are four regular season games held in London and they have been a massive hit, drawing in packed crowds and creating a new fan base for the sport in England.

However, for the game the grow even more within the UK, the governing body has identified that it needs more overseas players with players from the UK currently hard to come by. Less than 3% of players in the 2018 season were born overseas and there are currently only two British NFL players in Menelik Watson and Jay Ajayi respectively.

Ajayi has also become an ambassador for the new academy in which he will mentor and oversee the development of the young players. Upon the announcement of the academy, Jay Ajayi said “Before this, London didn’t have a lot of resources for that local kid who loves American football – now they have a place where they can go and chase that dream. If we get even one success story it would be huge”.

It’s clear to see that the NFL is trying to take the next step to become a dominant sport within the UK with the launch of its academy. It’s also clear the process of recruitment into the NFL from the UK will be changed for the better and we should see more players from the UK playing at the very top of American Football.

HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SPONSORSHIP AND PREGNANCY It has recently been reported that global powerhouse Nike has allegedly been freezing the sponsorship pay to female athletes following the announcement of their pregnancy. British runner Jo Pavey and several US runners including Alysia Montaño, Phoebe Wright and Kara Goucher have alleged that Nike, in fact, cut their pay resulting in them accusing the brand’s sponsorship deals as discriminating against female athletes.

Pavey, a five-time Olympian, told Sky News that the company froze her payments when she revealed that she was expecting her first child Jacob, who was born in 2009.

“When I announced I was pregnant my contract was immediately paused,” Pavey, who won 10,000 metres bronze at the 2007 world championships, told Sky. “One of the main problems is the target to get the contract back and the timescale,” she said.

“It was the joy of running that kept me going because you think, What will be will be and I was focused on being a mum. But you don’t want to feel punished for being pregnant.”

Pavey’s comments come after American middle distance runner Alysia Montano made similar claims in a video on the New York Times website earlier this week.

“I was sponsored by Nike and when I told them I wanted to have a baby during my career, they said, simple, we’ll just pause your contract and stop paying you” These developments are worrying for any woman in sport who wants to start a family during their career. To be given an ultimatum on whether to be paid or have a child which is a natural right for anyone is a disastrous look any organisation, let alone globally recognised Nike.

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ANTHONY JOSHUA

“With so many brands placing Joshua as their poster boy there will be no doubt that pressure will come with the role.”

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HOW SHOULD ANTHONY JOSHUA RECOVER FROM HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEFEAT? After Anthony Joshua’s shocking first professional career defeat to somewhat unheard of Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr, many pundits and fans have questioned how the former unified world heavyweight champion will recover from his first defeat.

Joshua, 29 had not lost a fight since 2013 before his defeat to Andy Ruiz and had also won a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

However, after his defeat, many have questioned whether the former heavyweight champion can recover and reclaim all his belts. Over recent years Anthony Joshua has built up an outstanding reputation for being in stupendous physical condition going into fights and the Ruiz fight was no different.

However it is not only the physical preperation required by elite-athletes, but also mental preparation. A lot of fuss has been made over Joshua’s mental state entering the title bout, but what will Joshua need to do in order to reclaim his belts?

Joshua has faced a lot of criticised over his balance between training and sponsorships it would be no surprise to see Joshua with his team in the gym as opposed to working on sponsorship deals and his iconic brand image.

Prior to the fight Watford born AJ had 12 sponsorship deals with brands such as Under Armour, Beats by Dre and Lucazade, who all seek to maximise their investments, with manager and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn even stating that AJ had become a ‘Commercial freak.’

With so many brands placing Joshua as their poster boy there will be no doubt that pressure will come with the role. Joshua and his team will be working on finding the right balance to manage his time effectively and to also not have multiple brands placing added

pressure on his shoulders. In the build up to Joshua’s next fight, we are likely to see less focus placed on promotions, sponsorships and social media requirements as AJ sets his mind on becoming champion once again.

Following AJ’s shock defeat, criticism of his coaching team and in particular, Rob McCracken has held media headlines, and it is not uncommon for boxers to have a change of environment on the back of a defeat.

Lennox Lewis was one of the first to make comment and advise Joshua to move on from trainier McCracken, and others have followed suit. However in light of Joshua’s quick rise to the top , and with the full support of Rob McCracken and his team, it is likely Joshua will remain with his team who know him well and will work to reclaim the belt by the close of 2019.

Whatever Anthony Joshua decides to do for his preparation for the rematch vs Ruiz its clear there are options to help the 29-year-old recover all his belts.

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NORWICH CITY FC

CREATING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR ON-FIELD SUCCESS It’s been a great 12 months for Norwich City as they capped off a remarkable season with promotion from the Championship into the Premier League. The transformation from last season has been more than impressive with the Canaries finishing 14th in 2017-18 and question marks surrounding Farke’s future at the club.

The rebuilding has gradually been taking place at Carrow Road since 2017 when Norwich managed to secure the services of Stuart Webber from recently promoted Huddersfield Town FC. Webber joined as the club’s Sporting Director and instantly faced a battle to transform the club on the field when they lost James Maddison, Nelson Oliveira and Josh Murphy last summer, they needed a strategy to produce a miracle.

Two key additions to the squads have been Pukki and Buendia, who have played a vital role is driving Norwich for promotion

having scored 37 goals between them – eight more than Maddison, Oliveira and Murphy together.

Speaking to Premier Sports Network, Webber says that success has been down to savvy recruitment on the field through risk taking and trusting in youth players, after inheriting a hefty wage bill and an

identity beyond the iconic yellow shirt.

This was achieved through an internal shake-up and the recruitment of key back room staff, including a revived HR department, who were seen to be the core of brining in the right people to the club who reflected the club culture.

Bringing the recruitment process to life,

“Success has been down to savvy recruitment on the field through risk taking and trusting in youth players, after inheriting a hefty wage bill and an ageing squad” ageing squad. However it is not only the recruitment on the pitch that resulted in a successful season. Having entered a club who had lost their identity, and with no core philosophy, Webber’s first job was to rebuild internally and revive the club

and sharing an insight into a title winning season, Stuart Webber joins Premier Sports Network’s Recruitment in Sport Conference in a one-on-one Q&A on the topic of getting the recruitment structure right and implementing a club culture.

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TIMING IS KEY; AVOID SPENDING MORE THEN YOU BARGAINED FOR IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS Within the world of sport, the landscape seems to be dominated by revenues and financial gains. Within single athlete sports, the product of sponsorships from different companies is a vital revenue source that they depend on to provide for themselves and others.

Within team sports, athletes generally receive a salary from their club or organisation on top of sponsorship earnings.

Teams usually engage in transfer fees also in team sports as player’s swap teams from different parts of the world for a fee.

The use of transfer fees and sponsorship revenues can take place between different countries meaning that different currencies are implemented that need to be exchanged meaning when a transfer happens with two separate currencies at a different rate the exact amount can be hard to determine.

Sean Galvin is the director of Sovereign International, a foreign exchange specialist situated in London. They have a range of clients including companies, sporting organisations and athletes. They aim to

provide clients with the best exchange rates available and they also analyse the markets to execute deals at the best time providing the client with the best possible transfer.

Sean states “If you have no assistance from a company like ours the likelihood is that the client is going to get a bad exchange rate, therefore, pushing the fee up even more.

Companies sometimes don’t realise there are hidden costs within the exchange rate called a spread which works just like a commission for the exchanger. This is why it’s important to us to cut that commission down to a minimum to provide the client satisfaction”.

He also goes on to explain how the timing of the deal and exchange of currencies is absolutely key when conducting a big deal by saying “The market moves an average of one to two per cent per day. So if we have a client that has a month to sign a player

for a large amount of money using different currencies and they don’t have a specialist company like Sovereign International assisting them the likelihood is they will pick a day out of a hat to make the transfer and they won’t get the best rate that they could’ve chosen. With big money transfers, this difference could add extra millions onto the fee which doesn’t need to be the case”.

Recently, has it become even harder for British clubs and athletes to conduct business deals with the rest of the world due to Brexit and its effect on the pound? Sean explains “It has become increasingly difficult and costly for British clubs to conduct business post Brexit due to the devaluation of the pound. For example, the pound is at a thirty-five-year low against the US Dollar now that is very concerning for British clubs and it highlights why they should seek assistance to get the best deal possible”.

This shows how the global sports network has to adapt to current situations in order to get the best deals possible. And it’s easy to see why many are enlisting the help of specialist companies like Sovereign International.

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JOHANNA KONTA

Johanna Konta becomes postergirl for female tennis as participation rises British tennis star Johanna Konta could be the key to the participation levels within tennis sky rocketing particularly among girls. Success in Tennis for British women has been a long time coming with a British female not winning a major tournament since the 1970s. Many will be looking at Konta to provide some much needed excitement and she has become the postergirl for tennis, igniting a sudden increase in participation in women actively playing tennis.

Johanna Konta reached the third semi-final of her career after an emphatic victory over seven seed Sloane Stephens in Paris and is the highest ranked British seed with the 28-year-old currently ranked 18th in the world after her superb run at Roland Garros. Konta, who has never made a grand slam final before in her career, is in the form of her life going into Wimbledon and she is carrying the hopes of a nation at the tournament. Victory would make her the first British female to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade who won Wimbledon back in 1977.

As media attention builds on the upcoming tournament, many young aspiring athletes will be following Konta’s journey with a keen eye and emulating her performance in local courts and sports centres. Although a positive impact on participation, ensuring these young athletes engage with and participate in tennis and wider sport is key to the success of sport in the next 10 years.

The challenge faced by sports organisations across the globe, following a spike in participation is maintaining levels and securing a legacy following the event. Taking a look at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, increased viewing figures of sport and with British athletes succeeding across multiple disciplines, participation levels increased greatly, although failing to maintain figures in the years to follow.

It is exciting to see how Konta’s continued success can create a platform for aspiring talent to enter the game and create their own journey to elite-level sport.

CT2455-REVERSE-3255x2335mm-CURVE-V7.indd 1

our clients need us to be, we provide a worldwide service that’s locally expert and globally connected.

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Make the right move this season with Knight Frank Operating in locations where our clients need us to be, we provide a worldwide service that’s locally expert and globally connected.

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Q&A WITH ALEXANDER MCLEAN, HEAD OF SPORTS DESK, KNIGHT FRANK What are some of the most common challenges faced in purchasing property, and how does Knight Frank remove this challenge for buyers?

Finance is often an issue as lenders cannot provide athletes with a traditional form of mortgage due to the length of their careers. We have a team that specialises in assisting clients with bespoke mortgage facilities ensuring they get the most competitive rates.

We have an extensive research department which provides leading market knowledge and forecasts, this enables us to give clear and concise advise to a client when they are searching for a property.

Given the short time and warning sports professionals are given to relocate, how does Knight Frank overcome this to successfully assist professionals to move in a short time frame?

Due to the nature of our business we have teams that can assist with a quick turnaround whether it is management or progressing a tenancy agreement. An example of this was in the last transfer

window a player viewed a property late on Friday and moved in on the Monday. This usually takes 5 working days to ensure the property is prepared and paperwork can be completed.

Can you provide best practice advice for sports stars and professional staff who are required to up and move to a new location?

Relocation often means that Athletes need to move quickly therefore break clauses are imperative, these are often tenant only which provides them with greater security within their tenancy as well as flexibility in case they need to relocate.

Our Home Solutions team is made up of Move Consultants who work with our clients to ensure your move is as smooth and stress-free as possible. We provide a variety of services and work with you to guarantee a seamless approach, supported by our experienced service providers.

What are the USP’s of Knight Frank?

Knight Frank are the largest privately

owned property firm in the world, we have 523 offices in 60 territories and more than 18,000 people. We operate in locations where our clients need us to be, we provide a worldwide service that’s locally expert and globally informed In regards to professional athletes, we offer a single point of contact for all of their property requirements. Our property search service is entirely complimentary.

How do Knight Frank connect people to property?

We have assisted many players with relocating, an example of our allencompassing service. We were introduced to a player when they first relocated to a club, over a week period we viewed multiple properties and secured them a house to rent for a year. Once they had settled into their new environment they made the decision to buy, we supported them through every step and sourced a property for them to purchase. We have a fantastic relationship with this client and they are now searching for a family home through our International network.

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TAKES LONDON BY STORM League Rivals Boston Red Soxs and New York Yankees put on a thilling display as the MLB takes over the London Stadium Over 29th and 30th June, an American invasion of the UK occurred as the MLB’s (Major League Baseball) Boston Red Sox hosted two games against their fierce division rivals the New York Yankees at the London Stadium.

This was part of a host of US-based sports leagues, like the NBA and NFL, attempting to give opportunities for fans across Europe to watch live games and to increase awareness of the sport in new markets. Since 2007, the NFL has hosted its International Series at Wembley Stadium, as well as adding games at Twickenham and from this season beginning a 10 year partnership with Tottenham Hotspur and use of their Stadium, but how have International Series such as this aided participation, viewing numbers and have they changed the perception of general sports fans?

Since the NFL International Series began in 2007, the UK has played host for 24 regular season games. Alongside that, the NBA has hosted 9 regular season games in the UK since its inaugural game in 2011 & have now been joined by 2 MLB games. Overall 35 regular season games between the three sports where athletes such as Tom Brady, Aaron Judge and Kyrie Irving have performed in front of sold-out crowds across multiple venues in London. The attendance figures for some of the NFL’s Wembley games, according to surveys conducted by the NFL, indicated that only 3% of those attending the London games were Americans or American expatriates, while 22% were from London and 60% from elsewhere in Britain. The remaining 35% could

“The USP (Unique Selling Point) for the NFL is that American Football is a very exclusive sport, as it is only regularly played in USA and Canada, so for fans of American football the NFL is one of few leagues that they can watch.”

potentially consist of Europeans who have travelled to watch the game. These statistics suggest that the British public has taken a liking to American Football and that the NFL’s attempt to globalise the sport specifically in the UK and Western Europe has been successful.

The USP (Unique Selling Point) for the NFL is that American Football is a very exclusive sport, as it is only regularly played in USA and Canada, so for fans of American football the NFL is one of few leagues that they can watch. This differs tremendously to a sport like Football which has a large number of domestic leagues in countries all over the world as well as international competitions like the

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Champions League. This means that, in terms of viewership, leagues will compete with each other and will look to attract fans with varying USPs. For these domestic leagues to globalise, it would mean clubs would have to follow what NFL & NBA teams currently do, potentially giving up a home game to play it abroad. One league that attempted to do this recently was LaLiga Santander, Spain’s top flight division after they agreed to play one game a year in the US as part of a 15-year deal with media company Relevent. The opening game of this deal was to be between Barcelona and Girona in Miami but the Spanish FA and players’ union were against the deal that was originally made. LaLiga

were looking to advance their profile in North America & potentially Latin America, which is a carbon copy of what the NFL, NBA & MLB do in the UK and Europe. By playing one game a season in different cities across the US over the 15-year deal, LaLiga would look to increase the number of fans and viewers worldwide as well as improve the commercial and TV rights for the teams in the league and the 10% that the second-tier, Segunda B, receives.

The Premier League has also been at the forefront of globalising domestic football through TV rights and also using Pre-Season tours as a marketing tool.

With trips to the USA, South East Asia and Australia as desired destinations for

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English clubs, teams are able to use these tournaments to engage with new fans in emerging markets. The Premier League themselves host events around the world on specific matchdays to increase the engagement between fans in far fetched countries and the teams that they support.

The globalisation of sport goes hand in hand with the commercialisation of sport.

Both have been crucial in the growth from professional sports all the way down to grassroots level but an issue that has arisen as teams continue to globalise is that some local fans could potentially be priced out of the game. Sports still has many improvements

30

ISRAEL FOLAU

Israel Folau & Social Media Abuse in Sports

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Away from the pitch, athletes take to social media to use their image and influence for change, but what boundaries should be set to avoid backlash when this is not well received?

On 15th April, Rugby player Israel Folau’s International playing contract was terminated after the Australian “committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct”.

The high-level breach in question was an Instagram post on the Full-back’s account that read “Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters - Hell awaits you” and still remains on his account. Folau, who is a devoted Christian, continues to stand by post but was met with harsh criticism from many inside & outside the world of sports. Qantas Airways, the Wallabies major sponsor, stood behind Rugby Australia’s decision & condemned the comments that Folau made showing that sportspersons can be highly influential in financial & commercial decisions for domestic and even international teams in all sports.

Folau’s case is one of the most recent worldwide news stories that has been formed by Athletes through Social Media platforms like Instagram & Twitter but is only one side of abuse that occurs on these platforms involving sportspersons.

Athletes can also be on the flipside of abuse on Social Media as the anonymity it provides can lead users to abuse and discriminate Athletes from their phones, laptops & PCs. A report by Kick It Out, the organisation that looks to aid equality and inclusion in Football, found that out of the 520 total reports of discrimination that were received over the 2017/2018 season (whether it occurred in grassroots, non-league, the professional game or online), over 48% happened over Social Media. The difficulty in interpreting these statistics is that these numbers

come from the discrimination that was reported, which means the real number of acts of discrimination has the potential to rise phenomenally.

In response to this and the racial discrimination that at times can be prevalent on Social Media, the PFA launched an Anti-Racism campaign were Football players across the UK had a Social Media blackout. Danny Rose, Tottenham & England defender, who has recently brought Mental Health to the forefront with help from other figures like the Duke of Cambridge Prince William, was quoted saying that he doesn’t “want

German-born with Turkish heritage but only Tosun represents Turkey at National level, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as part of a PR move to encourage German citizens who were eligible to vote in the Turkish election to vote for him. The picture that circulated of the three players and the President was swiftly followed by the elimination of Germany from the World Cup in the group stages which led to swarms of Germans questioning Özil’s “loyalty to Germany”. According to Gündoğan, a German politician wrote on Facebook, “The German national football team: 25 Germans and two goat f*****s (aimed at both the Manchester City & Arsenal Midfielders and their Turkish Heritage).”

This abuse ultimately led to Mesut Özil retiring from National duties with ‘Die Mannschaft’.

Though the positives & negatives of Social Media are understood more as a society, Sports as a whole has indefinitely benefited as have the Athletes that partake as commercially, both athletes & teams have gained massively from the Social Media boom over the last decade.

Sadly, Social Media is also used as a weapon to attack individuals through anonymity which, only when reported, are put to justice. For sports and athletes, in

“Collectively, we are simply not willing to standby while too little is done by football authorities and social media companies to protect players from this disgusting abuse.” any future players to go through what I’ve been through in my career. Collectively, we are simply not willing to stand-by while too little is done by football authorities and social media companies to protect players from this disgusting abuse.” This showed that Athletes can have a very prominent and positive impact on Social Media when confronted by abuse.

Another poignant incident that unravelled into racist abuse of Athletes over social media involved İlkay Gündoğan and his fellow countryman Mesut Özil. After the two players & Everton’s Cenk Tosun, who are all

particular, they face abuse differently to most, as some ‘fans’ believe they have a right to speak their mind- no matter how offensive they may be. To reduce possibilities of cases like Israel Folau, governing bodies such as the FA & RFU must help educate players and staff to be aware of what they post and how it could cause offence. To reduce possibilities of cases like that of İlkay Gündoğan & Mesut Özil, awareness must be brought to reporting abuse when its seen on Social Media & to aid organisations like Kick It Out to educate both the general public & members of the team.

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#worldiscurved

TEQBALL

INTRODUCING TEQBALL The sport catching the eye of football’s best known clubs and stars across the globe Teqball is the brainchild of former professional footballer Gábor Borsányi. His idea was brought to life by fellow co-founders Viktor Huszár, a computer scientist who designed the iconic curved table the game is played on – and György Gattyán, Teqball’s business strategist. After its inception five years ago, Teqball is already being played by 3,000-4,000 people in 40 different countries. Teqball tables are available to buy for competitive, training, home or leisure use.

As well as being a fun game and football training aid, practised by some of the biggest players and teams in world football, Teqball is a sport in its own right, governed by the Fédération Internationale de Teqball (FITEQ), which was founded in 2017. Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, FITEQ’S primary mission is to introduce and develop the sport globally, establish national federations and unite the international Teqball community.

FITEQ organised the sport’s first World Cup in Hungary in 2017 and staged the second edition in Reims, France, in October 2018 with another planned for this year. Co-founders, Gábor Borsányi, György Gattyán and Viktor Huszár, serve as the FITEQ president and vicepresidents respectively. Teqball became the world’s fastest recognised sport in August 2018 when FITEQ was officially recognised by the Olympic Committee of Asia. FITEQ’s long-term goal is to see Teqball develop into an Olympic sport.

In June of this year Cameroon’s Hubert Noah Essombo and Gregory TchamiDjomaha claimed victory in the final of the first ever African Beach Teqball Cup on the island of Sal in Cape Verde as part of the first ever African Beach Games.

The tournament featured teams from 14 African nations and was a demonstration event to showcase the emerging sport of teqball following the recent announcement from ANOCA (Association

“We can see professional players from Brazil, France, UK, Spain and Portugal using teqball to become better on the field.” of National Olympic Committees of Africa) that is has collectively agreed to recognise teqball as an official sport.

The Cameroon duo beat Nigerian pair Thankgod Adindu and Emmanuel Nwabueze 20-10 in front of a packed crowd at Arena 2 in the Santa Maria Beach Park.

In between the action, Portuguese football legend and teqball ambassador Simão Sabrosa and top women’s teqball player Natalia Guitler of Brazil played in an all-star match. Juventus football star Douglas Costa later paired up with Guitler to represent the special guest nation, Brazil.

Speaking at the official press conference, Sabrosa said, “It’s great to be

here in Cape Verde, that is like a brother country to my home Portugal and to play teqball, a sport I have played for five years now. In that time I’ve seen the sport grow and the best thing for me is to see young people playing it now from an early age. We can see professional players from Brazil, France, UK, Spain and Portugal using teqball to become better on the field.”

Sabrosa said Benfica and fellow Portugal player João Félix, recently linked with a transfer to Athletico Madrid, has been known to play teqball after coming off the football pitch, playing up to 90 minutes at a time, something Sabrosa said he believes has helped him to become a better player.

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IS AT IS RULES L? ALL?

AMBASSADORS

Teqball can be played with any soccer balls used in football; however, size 5 is official and recommended. Teqball can certainly be played by rules created by the players, but the official rules of the game are very simple.

WHAT IS TEQBALL

These rules make this sport tremendously spectacular and suitable for even professional football teams for training purposes. Teqball can be played by 2 players (singles game), by 3 players (Canadian doubles), by 4 players (doubles game) or even by several more players singles game doubles game SINGLES GAME rival but DOUBLES similar to the ‘Round-the-table’ game in Ping Pong. On our Teqball Smart tables individual “Teqball is not football’s ratherGAME Teqball is a new football-based sport, which is perfectly games and training sessions can be conducted.

suitable for professional footballers sport, as wellwhich as amateur Teqball is a new football-based is perfectly enthusiasts whose ambition is to develop their technical A teqball match consists a best-of-three sets footballers as well as amateur suitableof for professional concentration and stamina. it is technical not Each set is skills, playedenthusiasts until a player/team reaches 20 points whose ambition is toHowever, develop their Every player/team has two attempts to complete a successful service only your skills you can improve on this specially-curved skills, concentration and stamina.

However, it is not The players/teams change service after each four pointsat the other end of board.

All you need is an opponent only your skills you can improve on this specially-curved It is forbidden to touch the ball with the same body part twice consecutively the Teqball table and the game can begin!

If you can Every player/teamboard. is allowed to return theisball a maximum of 3 other end of All you need anwith opponent at the juggle a ball three times, you can excel at teqball touches by any body except for the hands armscan begin!asIfwell. the part, Teqball table and theand game you can

it’s complement. Teqball enhances “Teqball is not football’s rival but rather players’ confidence, perfects their it’s complement. Teqball enhances passing techniques and develops players’ confidence, perfects their decision making skills, not to mention passing techniques and develops the so-called ‘first touch’ moves that decision making skills, not to mention are more than essential in modernthe so-called ‘first touch’ moves that day football.” are more than essential in modernIn doubles, a team has a maximum of 3 touches, however, the teammates day football.” Ronald Koeman jugglethe a once ball three times, you can excel teqball as well.

Teqball purest type of football, sinceatthere is no must pass the ball atisleast to each other

physical the of players, and therefore While playing, neithercontact the table nor the opponent can be touched Teqball is thebetween purest type football, since there is no In case of an edgeball, the rally shall be impacts repeated or rough tackling can injuries resulting from physical contact between the players, and therefore For more detailed rules visit: https://teqball.com/en/teqball/rules

neverinjuries take place in the game during practice. resulting fromorimpacts or roughMoreover, tackling can the players cannot table either,practice. according to never take placetouch in thethe game or during Moreover, the official rules, which further reduces the risk of injury. the players cannot touch the table either, according to the official rules, which further reduces the risk of injury.

AMBASSADORS AMBASSADORS

DUTCH FOOTBALL LEGEND

Ronald Koeman

FOOTBALL LEGEND Teqball isDUTCH not about luck;

the best players always win.

Teqball is not about luck; the best players always win.

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ROONEY RULE

THE ROONEY RULE

IMPLICATIONS ON THE EFL Since its introduction in the NFL (National Football League) in 2002/2003, the Rooney Rule has been a major talking point around equality in opportunities for BAME coaches in all sports.

The rule originates from Dan Rooney, former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers & Chairman of the NFL’s Diversity Committee. The rule proposes that for each Head Coach job available in the NFL at least 1 candidate must be a BAME coach but with only 3 current head coaches out of the 32 in the NFL coming from BAME backgrounds, the rule has some weaknesses.

The NFL’s players consist of approximately 70% African-American players which in comparison to the percentage of head coaches, a measly 0.09375%; suggests a potential issue in higher management of teams in the NFL in terms of attitudes to BAME coaches rather than BAME players. Only one of the 32 teams, the Miami Dolphins, has a minority GM (General Manager) in Chris Grier following the

retirement of Baltimore Raven’s General Manager at the end of the season and was replaced by his long-time assistant. This statistic shows the disparity of BAME representation not only for coaches but also in higher management in a League that now prides itself on diversity from its employees to its worldwide fanbase.

For the last 18 months, the EFL has trialled the rule with clubs voluntarily committing to implement the rule during searches for first-team coaches. In those 18 months, 3 BAME managers have been appointed by EFL clubs. These include Sol Campbell

by Macclesfield Town, Keith Curle by Northampton Town & Dino Maamria by Stevenage. These 3 managers are currently the only BAME managers in the EFL at this time, which suggests that the rule has had a positive effect on the appointment of BAME managers in the EFL. But overall this means that the overall percentage of BAME managers in the EFL is 0.0416%. A

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Main image: Sol Campbell Top: Dino Maamria Bottom: Keith Curle

statement from the EFL outlined why they were making this rule mandatory rather than voluntary, “The EFL has today made a further commitment to improving equality in first-team football by introducing a recruitment code into regulation in order to help address the under-representation of BAME managers.”.

For clubs in the EFL (Championship, League One & League Two), the mandatory recruitment code will force all teams to interview a minimum of one BAME coach when looking to appoint a new first-team coach. The obvious advantage of this is that BAME coaches will get an opportunity to interview in order to become the first-team coach of an EFL club, which is the aim stated by the EFL- to help address the underrepresentation of BAME managers. A not so obvious disadvantage with the Rooney Rule is that there is potential for positive discrimination. Positive Discrimination is unlawful in the UK under the Equality Act

2010 and involves an employer recruiting an individual because they have a relevant protected characteristic, like their ethnicity, rather than because they are the best candidate for the job. The possible knock-on effects of Positive Discrimination are that the best-suited candidates could potentially miss out on job opportunities but it could help improve the under-representation of BAME coaches.

In its current form, the Rooney Rule can be seen as a recruitment code that still has a vast amount of potential in improving equality in opportunities and improving underrepresentation of BAME over the EFL’s 3 Leagues. In order to effectively aid BAME coaches and the equality of opportunities, the EFL must continue to develop the Rooney Rule with organisations such as the LMA (League Managers Association) & Kick It Out.

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