On The Front Foot - Issue 3

PSN

ON THE FRONT FOOT Sept 2018

Issue Three

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Why so serious?

Peter Crouch looks back with a smile on twenty years as a professional footballer

Loan Ranger

Nathaniel Chalobah’s six-year journey to the Premier League

+ Developing Young Players behind PSG’s record of bringing on academy players

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ON THE FRONT FOOT

OLD COURSE HOTEL ST ANDREWS GOLF TOUR 7TH-9TH OCTOBER, 2018

Join club directors, player liaison officers and player agents at this exclusive networking and learning event in the unique surroundings of one of the world’s leading golf courses.

Complimentary places available on an invitation-only basis.

Sunday 7th Arrival Informal Dinner Monday 8th Golf on the Duke’s Private Dinner in the Road Hole restaurant Tuesday 9th Golf on New Course Prize-giving lunch in Jigger Inn Depart Note: This event is strictly invitation-only and complimentary to club Directors, Player Liaison Officers & Player Agents

Issue # 3 Contents 5 Conference preview 6 Big Interview: Peter Crouch 9 Chosing a financial adviser 10 World Cup media: what a

difference 12 years makes 12 Team Sky: Inside the Death Star 14 News in brief 16 A friend in need: online

scheme offers support

to young players 18 Breaking through from

academy to first team 20 Loan ranger: Nathaniel Chalobah 21 Auto finance 22 When the fun stops:

examining sports relationship

with gambling 24 Lorna McLelland pt2 26 Agent’s angle: Stephan

Kallass, Soccer and More 28 Losing the dressing room:

lessons from business on

dealing with a managerial

meltdown

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Welcome to the September edition of On The Front Foot, the magazine for Player Care. The World Cup, the transfer window and a number of news items over the summer have given us plenty of food for thought in this issue.

Our big interview features the great Peter Crouch whose humour-filled take on the world of top flight football is a breath of fresh air. We look back on media coverage of the World Cup in Russia and draw inspiration from another Tour de France victory for Team Sky going inside the world of care which surrounds their cyclists.

We have a section on youth academy issues asking why more young players don’t make it to the first team and looking at support for mental health.Then we have the second in our 3-part series with Lorna McLelland who, this issue, shares her tips for settling new players. We have a close look at sport’s relationship with gambling, gain the views of agent Stephan Kallass and take lessons from big business in dealing with trouble at the top of a team.

Finally, I’d like to draw your attention to the preview of our upcoming Player Care Conference.

As you read, we are hard at work preparing to make it the best yet and I hope you’ll be able to join us.

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

Publisher Spencer Hidge Editor Phil Savage Design SB Communications To send feedback or articles for publication contact Phil Savage at editor@premiersports.agency To enquire about advertising contact David Watts at davidw@premiersports.agency On The Front Foot is published by the Premier Sports Network copyright ©2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission.

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GOTHAM BOLD TITLE

INTERNATIONAL PLAYER CARE CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 12, 2018 CORINTHIA HOTEL, LONDON

T

he International Player Care Conference, which attracted a capacity audience in 2017, will focus on the many challenges facing sports people, clubs and organisations who operate in an increasingly global market.

With speakers from the Premier League, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the MLS and more, this year’s conference be more international than ever.

Delegates will benchmark against best practice in player care and gain new strategies for the dayto-day challenges of a high pressure environment.

The International Player Care Conference is an essential date in the calendar for agents, player liaison officers, coaches, medical staff, players’ union officials, targeted service suppliers and club administrators who are responsible for prioritising athlete welfare in a global sporting landscape.

0208 4191100 enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com www.premiersportsnetwork.com @SportsNetwork

This year’s topics will include: • View from the top: gaining boardroom support for player care • Picking up the team after a tragedy or crisis • Supporting players through a relentless touring and travel schedule • Identifying trustworthy financial and professional advisors and persuading a player to make good choices • The athlete’s view of what makes great player care • Managing the tensions that can arise between club and country

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International Player Care Conference

There is a packed schedule for this year’s conference which will see a packed house welcomed to the Corinthia Hotel, London.

Now in its fifth year, the International Player Care Conference is now a firm calendar fixture for clubs, agencies and governing bodies from all the major team sports.

Player Care has never been higher profile as the importance of the role is recognised by more and more clubs.

Good player care plays a vital part in recruiting talented players, helping them settle quickly, getting the most out of them on the field of play and keeping them focused, motivated and on the team for the longest time.

It is true to say that a gulf has opened up between those clubs and organisations which do it well and those which are playing catch up and that is what the International Player Care Conference is all about. Held in London for the past five years it is your opportunity to take time out, share best practice and expand your professional network.

This year’s lineup is more international than ever including: • Ed Lippie, Head of Player Strength, AS Roma • Stefan Derkum, Team Manager, SS Lazio

• Alberto Marangon, Team Manager, ACF Fiorentina • Antero Henrique, Sporting Director, Paris Saint-Germain.

• Meryl Hershfield, First Team Operations Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps, Betsy Maxfield, Director of Player Care at Sporting Kansas City FC • Tonda Eckert U19 Assistant Manager from Red Bull Leipzig Their experience is your guarantee that your time will be well spent.

All Premier Sports Network events are run on an invitation-only basis ensuring that you have access to your peers and enjoy unirvalled networking opportunities.

To register your interest and reserve a place at this year’s must attend event visit: 0208 4191100 enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com www.premiersportsnetwork.com @SportsNetwork

Speakers confirmed to date include:

...and much more. Use the contact details below to ensure your place.

Les Ferdinand, Director of football, QPR FC

Meryl Hershfield, 1st Team Ed Lippie, Head of Operations Manager Player Strength, Vancouver Whitecaps AS Roma

Tonda Eckert. U19 Assistant Manager Red Bull Leipzig

Stefan Derkum, Team Manager, SS Lazio

Alberto Marangon Team Manager, ACF Fiorentina

Betsy Maxfield, Director Antero Henrique, of Player Care, Sporting Sporting Director Kansas Paris Saint Germain

Paul Barber, CEO, Brighton & Hove Albion

Jeff Mostyn, CEO, AFC Bournemouth

Premier Sports Network Exclusive Partners:

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BIG INTERVIEW

Why so serious?

After twenty years as a professional footballer, Peter Crouch has lived through a lifetime of changes in the game. Now, he reflects on his experiences in a new book in which he aims to shed some light on what it’s like to be a player and have a laugh at those in the game who take themselves so seriously.

Instantly recognisable, Peter Crouch is one of the great characters of English football and a man with nothing left to prove. He spent much of the early part of his career silencing the doubters who could not see past his height and physique. But, with over 40 caps for England and more than 100 Premier League goals, he has reached a stage where he can look back with a smile.

Humour is one thing that has been part of Peter’s makeup since his days as a youth team player.

“People saw me on the field and I didn’t look like a footballer,” he says. “I still don’t.”

From his school days, he learnt that if he was able to laugh at himself, then he would at least beat everyone else to the punch.

“You get a bit of stick as a kid, and being able to give some back helped me,” he says. “It made me the person I am today. Made me a little more light-hearted than most people. People, especially in football, take themselves far too seriously.”

He makes light of it, but the abuse he suffered – chants of Freak!

Freak! Freak!, ‘Does the circus know you’re here’ and boos from his own fans – would have shaken the confidence of even the most selfassured player but he seems to have had the capacity to pick himself up and soldier on.

“It helps that I really love the game. I’ve been playing professional football almost every single day since I left school at 16 and I’ve loved every minute of it,” he says with laughter in his voice.

“That’s why I want to keep on doing it as long as I can.”

Crouch has said he’d like to keep playing until he’s 40, but he is typically generous about the people that have helped him along the way particularly the backroom staff at the various clubs he has played for.

“When I started, player care was almost non existent, but now it’s very different. When I was a kid playing football on a YTS scheme there was no one really there to help but nowadays the academy boys are really well looked after. Some clubs give the kids a private education and do loads of other things for them.”

Having played for many clubs including Tottenham, Aston Villa and Southampton, Crouch is able to compare player care systems up and down the country.

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BIG INTERVIEW

“All the clubs do it differently,” he says. “Some clubs have someone who’s been there a long time and got to know the players and the coaching staff. That can work really well but others bring in a company to handle things. At Stoke they used a company called Grove Life who really helped me a lot. Even as an English player you need help so for the foreign players it’s absolutely essential.”

Aside from making practical arrangements for houses and schools, Crouch has benefited from a friendly face at the training ground too.

“Having someone there day-to-day at the training ground is really helpful. For me there have been times when I’ve got a bit down on myself. I had a spell at Liverpool where I didn’t score for 19 games. That was a really dark time, and have having someone who’s like a guardian or a parent, someone on your side can really make a difference and enable you to keep focusing on your game.”

Now 37, his perspective of the football life has been turned into a book, ‘How to be a Footballer’ which takes a humorous look at the game and in particular at how seriously the its players take themselves.

“I wanted the book to be funny and different from the normal players’ autobiography. But I also wanted to give the fans a few insights into what goes on in the changing room, on the team bus and at the training ground. People see us on a Saturday, but they don’t know the day-to-day workings of a footballer. So I wanted to open people’s eyes to that.”

The book is a romp through a world of dodgy tattoos (narrowly avoided as he didn’t have limbs wide enough), terrible fashion choices (only improved under the guiding influence of wife Abbey Clancy) and totally impractical transportation (which a hard stare from Roy Keane kicked into touch).

Crouch is still willing to laugh at himself but he also pokes gentle fun at those he has played with down the years. As well as lifting the lid on the life of a footballer (and the origins of his trademark robot goal celebration) he shares a wealth of stories about players and managers he’s known all with warmth and a huge reservoir of enthusiasm for the game.

He readily admits that life for players starting out today is quite different from the late 90s when he was an emerging player.

“It is harder for the young lads,” he thinks, “especially with social media. If they make mistakes they’re very public. I made plenty of mistakes but most of them have been forgotten fortunately.”

At 37 he knows most of his playing days are behind him but, for now, he is having a ball still playing and still scoring at Stoke where he has put himself in charge of the music in the changing room. And as regards advice for younger players making their way in the game?

“I’d say, ‘don’t panic’ and ‘always believe in yourself’ but above all try not to take it too seriously.”

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Spotting the good and bad for a brighter financial future When it comes to ensuring a secure financial future it’s more about a steady 1:0 than a risky 5:4 says Peter Kelsey Chartered financial adviser at Close Brothers Asset Management.

One of the most important areas of influence you have is over a player’s financial decisions but for many it is an area where player care managers have little expertise and confidence.

You will have heard the mantra that it pays to start early and get good advice but what is the difference between good and bad and how can you spot it?

Peter Kelsey, Chartered financial adviser at Close Brothers Asset Management gives us his top-5 tips for selecting a financial adviser and the questions you should be asking on your players’ behalf: 1. Research the adviser’s firm. This sounds obvious but so many players have fallen foul of poor advice only then for the firm to ‘disappear’. Ask how long a firm has been in business. Financial planning is a long game and you want to select a well-established firm that has experience of financial planning and advice when markets are up as well as down.

2. Check out the specific adviser. So many people miss this one that it’s worth a point all of its

own. The best financial advisers are Chartered.

They tend to be the most experienced about understanding the challenges sports professionals face.

3. Ask what the fees are and if the adviser is paying any fees to any other parties, for their service to the player. Be sceptical about a recommendation from a friend, teammate or agent who is being paid by the adviser. Chartered financial planners must be completely transparent about how they are paid for their service and by whom.

4. Ask if any products being recommended are regulated by the FCA. Spanish property, Bollywood films etc are not regulated products and if things go wrong there is limited recourse on your behalf to recoup any losses.

5. There is no such thing as a “get rich quick scheme”. Remember, we want to win the long game, not score in the first minute only to lose after 90! There is no reason for well-paid sports men or women to invest in schemes which promise instant riches just because others may be doing so – ‘The herd don’t graze on the best grass, they just feel more

comfortable in a group’. It may sound boring, but a portfolio of well selected regulated products can help deliver financial security.

Look for an adviser who gives robust advice to the player, is ideally Chartered and has experience of advising professional sports people.

Finally, Peter Kelsey has some advice for those gatekeepers whose job it is to recommend advisors.

“It’s a position of influence and responsibility so it is tragic to so regularly read about sports people who’ve have lost a lot of money through bad financial advice. Don’t be the person who made that poor introduction: be the one who takes as much care over their finances and professional advisers, as every other aspect of a player’s wellbeing.’

Please remember that the value of investments can go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you originally invested.

Peter Kelsey can be contacted by email at peter.kelsey@closebrothers.com or call 020 7426 4755. Calls may be recorded and used for training purposes or to meet our regulatory requirements.

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WORLD CUP MEDIA

The way they were: Germany 2006 was the year of the WAG

What a difference 12 years makes Germany 2006 was the zenith of relations between the British media and the England camp but in Russia things couldn’t have been sweeter. So, what changed?

Now more than ever the media glare is an almost constant presence during a World Cup generating thousands of TV hours, column inches and social media posts. It is a vital part of how the tournament is consumed around the world and is therefore a fact of life for those preparing the team camp.

Nevertheless, manager and players have to be both prepared for and shielded from the worst

kind of intrusion which can play a big part in their tour.

Germany 2006 was the tournament of the WAGs, the wives and girlfriends who had travelled with the squad to Baden-Baden. Whether it was the inevitable result of a news vacuum or the fact that the press were billeted in the same hotel as the partners, all the media seemed to be able to focus on was the glamorous group of assorted pop stars and models whose antics dominated the headlines.

To be fair, they hardly kept a low profile. They

shopped like it was going out of fashion, drank the German town dry of pink Champagne and, in one case, literally danced on the table. So, when England was knocked out (on penalties) in the quarter-finals, the full wrath of the press pack came down and it was the girls that were blamed for the players’ poor performance.

Roll forward twelve years and the coverage of England’s exit from Russia (albeit one round later than in ’06) could not be more different. So, what are the lessons learned in Germany which the England setup has employed to such good effect?

Lessons learned The first thing to say, of course, is that the weight of expectation did not hang as heavily on this squad as it did for the so-called golden generation of 2006. The players were young and untested and returned as heroes despite not making it all the way. The England management downplayed the team’s prospects describing them as having ‘work to do’. Even when the Football’s Coming Home mania swept the nation it was as much about daring to dream as any sense of entitlement.

Second, the media landscape today is dramatically different from what it was in ’06.

Each of the current England team is a media celebrity in their own right with a social media following to rival that of the very newspapers that are covering them.

That makes a difference: they are media trained, media savvy and social media natives.

It brings them closer to fans and it can act as a counterweight to anything they consider to be misrepresentation keeping the press pack honest.

Finally, the team behind the England team took a very different approach to media making players and manager much more available for interviews and seeming to go out of their way to be accommodating and thereby ensuring the

sharpest media barbs were simply not fired.

There was a reminder of the uneasy relationship between management and press when a sharpshooting snapper took a distant photo of the team selection. Asked whose side they were on, the media with one voice knocked down any suggestion they felt a duty to show any partisan loyalty to the national team.

In the end both manager and players came over as positive, honest, open and giving their all for the team. And, with results largely going their way that loyalty was not put to the test.

The media were rewarded in turn as the country swung behind the team and the media outlets that were following them.

Only time will tell whether the claustrophobia of Qatar goes to otherwise cools heads in four years’ time.

Certainly the lessons of 2018 will be a blueprint and hopefully the team will be able to perform on the biggest stage.

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TEAM SKY

Team Sky’s relentless pursuit of marginal gains has brought them six Tour de France wins and top spot in the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana since 2012.

Inside the death star Team Sky’s strategy of marginal gains led them to rewrite the rules of road cycling and elevate athlete care to the heighest level.

The engineering that goes into their bikes is more reminiscent of Formula 1 and the planning and attention to detail given to riders’ training, recovery and nutrition regimes is second to none.

The comparison to F1 can be seen most clearly in the imposing black team bus nicknamed the Death Star. When Sky first brought its fully fitted luxury coach on the tour other teams mocked, but it is now the benchmark by which they all measure themselves.

In addition to the team bus, Team Sky has a fleet of branded vehicles to carry drinks, food, state-of-the-art equipment and personnel to support the riders and meet the many obligations on them. A series of trucks carry fridge-loads of food and a washing machine for each rider (to avoid transfer of any infection).

The extended team

Morton. Between them they ensure that the riders receive exactly what they need to fuel and recover from their exertions. Each rider has a tailored diet plan and food is prepared for them in a dedicated kitchen bus.

“At the end of each day the number one goal is to replenish all the carbohydrates the riders have used,” Morton explains. “Second, but by no means second in importance is protein intake after the race. During a hard stage you’re effectively in a state of protein breakdown so you need to ingest high quality protein to help the muscle recover. Then, last but not least, is rehydration. Depending on the temperature of the race you obviously lose a lot of fluid, so we need to put that back in quite quickly to make sure we’re ready to race again the next day.”

“I really respect the riders who are out there working their asses off on the road, so I try to make things as good as I can at the end of the day.”

There ratio of staff to riders is over 2:1 with 65 current members of staff listed on Team Sky’s website supporting 30 riders. In addition to race strategists, coaches and engineers, there are seven medical staff including a team psychiatrist and ten dedicated soigneurs or carers.

On the most recent Grand Tour there were 34 in the entourage to support the nine team riders. Many of these will be responsible for the wide range of commercial activities vital to the team’s finances, but that still leaves a large number dedicated to athlete support.

The nutritionist Every army marches on its stomach and Team Sky is no different taking two full-time chefs who work under the direction of head performance nutritionist, James

The soigneur

Attending to the riders’ individual needs are a team of soigneurs or carers among them Marko Dzalo from Slovenia. He was originally a water polo player then he trained as a masseur before coming into cycling.

“I had watched the Tour de France and grew to love the sport,” he says. “You have to love it to survive working long days away from home most of the year.”

“A carer does everything to make rider’s lives easier. we prepare all the food and drinks for the race, do all of their laundry and of course massage which is a big part of their recovery. I massage three or four riders every day for around an hour.”

As with all athlete care, the relationship between the support staff and the riders is an important one.

Team Sky has done everything it can to provide an environment that encourages rest and recovery before they go again the next day and Dzalo is part of that.

“I really respect the riders who are out there working their asses off on the road, so I try to make things as good as I can at the end of the day.”

Certainly, the results the team has achieved are testament to leaving nothing to chance and rider care plays a big part.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Take a break

After a good performance at the World Cup, clubs were keen to get their players back in training as early as possible.

One of this summer’s storms in a teacup was the suggestion that players who had been in Russia for the World Cup had either volunteered or been asked to report for training early. Players from both Manchester teams and Chelsea apparently cut short their holidays and at Liverpool, the manager was reported to have had to deny a request from his captain to come back early to pre-season training.

Mind of a goal scorer Michael Owen shares his way of turning a goal scoring drought into a positive to take into the next game.

Goal scoring legend and Ballon d’Or Winner, Michael Owen knows a thing or two about what it takes to keep scoring. So, in a recent interview, he had some words of advice for those players yet to get off the mark in this year’s campaign.

“I always had a strange way of looking at [a missed chance]. If I came off at the end of a game having missed five chances, the headlines would be ‘Michael Owen cost us the game’ and I’d be amazed. I was thinking ‘hang on a minute. No one would have the pace to get in that position, no one would have been able to time their run like I did. I felt I’d had a good game if I was good enough to get into those positions. So if I missed a chance I’d be happy to have got myself into the position so missing never used to get me down.

“I see some players and they have a miss and you can see their shoulders sag and they’re almost thinking ‘I don’t want another chance in this game’. It’s all about the mindset. If you can get yourself in the right positions, the goals will come.”

Owen opened up about a career which was punctuated by injuries that not only cost him his blistering pace, but brought with them a fear which changed his game.

“I could still score, I had an instinct for where the ball was going to go and I could finish. Mentally I could still do it, but physically I was terrified of suffering another injury. I admire people who can play for the love of the game, you know. Lose a yard of speed and move down a division. But, for me, it was turmoil.”

Every footballer knows their career is short but the lesson for young players from Michael Owen’s career is to take the chances when they come because you never know what’s around the corner.

Football at the top level is a tough, physical game played over a long and relentless season. So what would cause players and managers alike to want to cut short a vital recuperation period?

For some, the momentum of a good World Cup run is a motivator in itself giving them a hunger to keep playing and keep winning. At some clubs, the bench is so richly endowed that regular first team players are constantly looking over their shoulders for someone who threatens to take their place. The prospect of missing part of pre-season and maybe the first game of the new campaign is a worrying one giving a new summer signing the chance to impress.

But, rest and recuperate they must whether on the advice of the team doctor or their lawyers. The PFA was quick to point out that cutting short a holiday potentially put players in breach of their employment contracts albeit unintentionally.

Whatever the apparent furore the return to training has generated, the reality will start to bite as the season takes its toll. Only then will players know whether their decisions were the right one or whether they should have heeded to advice and taken a longer time out.

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Effective academy protection The Sheldon report on historic abuse will be delivered soon but some believe clubs should be doing more now to protect today’s young players.

Until now the of bullying of athletes by their coaches has been more closely associated with Britain’s Olympic sports who have been accused of creating a ‘win at all costs’ mentality. But recent highprofile allegations against some top football clubs show the sport is far from immune to such concerns.

Later this year, Clive Sheldon QC will deliver his long-awaited review of historic child abuse in football conducted on behalf of the FA. As it stands, he is set to report no evidence of an institutional cover up within the game. He will, though, be making a series of recommendations designed to strengthen the protections for youngsters in the game.

The review was commissioned in 2016 and,

in the interim, several leading clubs have been the subject of bullying claims leading many to believe that much more needs to be done. The pivotal importance that coaches plays in the advancement of young players means there can often be a fear of raising any concerns.

Technology may have a part to play in the answer with the launch of a new ‘duty of care listening app’ called Tootoot Sport. The app, which was first used in the education sector, allows players to raise worries they have on anything from fitness and playing schedules to more serious concerns over bullying, drug taking or abuse. Messages go direct to club officials and can be sent anonymously if they prefer, meaning many of the barriers to speaking up are removed.

Tootoot Sport was founded by Michael Brennan who says: “With over 150,000 sports clubs in the

UK there is a demonstrable lack of awareness of how kids can report concerns. We now work with the Junior Premier League, Crystal Palace and Huddersfield to name but a few.”

Since the sport app was launched earlier this year, Tootoot says more than 160 separate incidents have been recorded via its platform across 28 categories of welfare issues with 15% of them deemed “very serious/sensitive”.

Blackpool are one of Tootoot’s clients.

“Feedback from parents is very positive,” says Will Cowell, the club’s safeguarding officer.

“Some say they feel more comfortable knowing that their child can report any concerns instantly and receive feedback almost immediately.

“We have been using this since March and have a plan to roll it out across our academy, scholars and the first team.”

More taxing questions A new component has been added to the tax avoidance equation with the news that honours have been blocked for those considered to have avoided paying their fair share of tax.

The Times newspaper revealed that HM Revenue and Customs has given red and amber warnings to the committees who decide which nominees to put forward for gongs.

“The move, claims the newspaper, explains why several high-profile sporting stars including David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and even Gareth Southgate have been passed over to date. There is no suggestion that any of those named has done anything illegal but a series of financial schemes they have invested in may have led them to be bracketed among those with ‘poor tax behaviour’ by HMRC. On The Front Foot has reported

previously that tax authorities were taking a tougher line with clubs and players using aggressive arrangements to shield their earnings from tax.

Pete Fairchild, a partner with leading accounting firm Smith and Williamson, says: “Many in sport will know that various schemes have been challenged

by HMRC. What is less well known is that if a challenge is successful, they can levy interest from the time tax was first due.

That can mean that tax avoided under a scheme set up 10 or more years ago may have ballooned by over 30%.”

A big bill and the possible lack of national recognition are just two reasons why it pays a player to seek qualified tax advice.

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YOUNG MENTAL HEALTH

A friend in need

New service gives young players somewhere to turn when the pressure gets too much.

The pressures on academy players are as high today as they have ever been.

They have to please the coaches, stay injury free and live up to often unrealistic expectations from family.

And they have to do all this while keeping up their education and going through the normal physical and mental changes common to all teenagers. Many youth stars of tomorrow have to move away from home and can become isolated without anyone to turn to for support. Is it any wonder that their mental health can suffer?

Whether it is an injury, being dropped from the squad or relationship problems in a player’s personal life, there are times when it can all get too much to cope with.

Having somewhere to go for help at these moments can make all the difference and that’s where Safety Net comes in. The online online service is designed to help young players face up to the mental challenges of the game and, just as importantly, life.

The portal is the brainchild of brothers and former pro footballers Lee and Nick Richardson, who, along with the PFA, are now pushing a joint initiative to help players from 9-16 deal with the mental pressures of the game.

Safety Net offers support in a range of footballing, lifestyle and personal areas with videos, information in cartoon strip format and the opportunity to contact a personal counsellor discreetly away from their club.

Talking about the service, Lee Richardson, ex-Chesterfield boss and trained psychologist said: “We saw there was not really anything in place for the pressures that young footballers go through as they come through the system.

A lot of the time individuals in sport were very apprehensive in coming forward - especially to club staff and family members.”

Lee and his brother Nick approached the PFA who were keen to get involved.

“I came to Gordon Taylor and John Bramhall at the PFA, who loved the idea and believed it was most useful for the academy players in our system.”

The PFA are supporting the project believing it will help apprentices with any issues they may have. George Bowyer, who looks after Safety Net for the PFA said: “It seemed the right fit for academy players and parents. It’s confidential so you won’t have clubs finding out if a player has used the website.”

George believes one of the key propositions that Safety Net offers is privacy for individuals who want to keep their situations confidential.

Crucially, the service also helps individuals identify when they may need more serious help and points them to where to get it.

“If they do find they have signs of symptoms, there are further pathways where they can get the right support.”

Recently, the likes of Danny Rose and Aaron Lennon have spoken out about their mental health and juggling issues that could have affected their game. It is beneficial to have senior pros leading the way for youth players, Bowyer, who was an apprentice at Rochdale, and will likely push Safety Net forward.

If it is successful it is hoped that Safety Net will encourage players who may be uncomfortable about coming forward with their problems to address them and get support.

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ACADEMY TO FIRST TEAM

Bringing more young players through to the first team is the Holy Grail for many clubs.

Having a ready supply of new talent justifies investment in the academy and makes good business sense too as their value can rocket in the transfer market.

Breaking Through Paris Saint Germain is beating its own records for the number of academy players making it through to the first team.

Yet, history shows a huge and costly attrition at U18 and U21 levels. The result is players frustrated at the lack of opportunities and risk-averse coaches preferring to play older players or go to the transfer market .

It is notable, then, that one team, Paris Saint Germain, whose ambitions are at least the equal of Europe’s elite, is breaking records in the use of players from its own Training Centre.

Over the last three seasons the percentage of academy players breaking into the first team has doubled and the club broke its own record at the end of last season when seven of the squad which played the last match had graduated from its academy.

As well as providing talent for their own squad the Parisian academy is also exporting its players to other teams with Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Scottish Premiership proving ready buyers of its stars.

The enormously productive academy has been put down to the highly analytical EKKONO training method created by David Hernandez and Carles Romagosa with the Japanese FA. The pair, along with coach Francesc Rubio, have been applying their techniques at PSG since 2015 and the statistics bear out the value of their work.

Each player is subjected to a thorough analysis to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Based on this profile a work plan is created which

“Training centres should be assessed by the number of players becoming professionals and not by the number of championships that their teams win.”

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aims to enable the player to reach maximum potential. An individual training program is implemented which includes training seasons on the field and video analysis. It integrates technical, physical and tactical work but always with a focus on the development of football intelligence and decision making.

Yacine Adli (pictured opposite), one of the brightest future stars of French football, has been one who has benefited from the approach and now regularly appears on PSG’s first team sheet. The club’s record of developing young players was reported to be a key part in Adli’s decision to reject a possible move to Arsenal and sign a professional contract in Paris.

PSG is now one of the leaders among Europe’s elite clubs in the promotion of young talents and have set in motion a strong production line they believe will become the standard for most professional clubs.

As Francesc Rubio says: “Training centres should be assessed by the number of players becoming professionals and not by the championships that their teams win.”

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ACADEMY TO FIRST TEAM: CASE STUDY

Loan Ranger

It took Nathaniel Chalobah six periods on loan to make a permanent impression on the Premier League.

Chelsea have had eight managers since Carlo Ancelotti first mentioned he had seen a player he was sure would make it all the way from the youth ranks to the first team. That number is very close to the number of clubs the player in question, Nathaniel Chalobah, was on loan with before he signed for his current club, Watford, and he is still only 23.

The midfielder/defender was signed to Chelsea for over seven years but played only 10 games for the club in that period. In the end he decided that a return from injury in 2016 represented a good time to move on and he resisted a new contract for the promise of more games with the Hornets.

“I made the decision to leave Chelsea because I wanted to get as many games as I could,” he told the Daily Mail.

“Prior to that, I hadn’t had many injuries. It was frustrating, really but I dealt with it quite well, with a close family and friends around me. My agent, Fitz Hall, is a

former footballer and he helped me.”

Up to that point he had had high hopes of representing England in Russia having been with the setup since 2009 but it was not to be.

Looking back, Chalobah views his spells out on loan as a bit part of his development and a way to avoiding getting into a rut.

“If you start saying, ‘You know what, I’ve played Under-23 football and there’s no motivation there any more’ and you don’t get excited for games and you don’t get a buzz... that’s where you need to make a decision.

“You think, ‘I need to go on loan and learn something new’. Go abroad if you have to. Experience playing in games that matter, where the three points are important, with players fighting for their bonuses because they have to feed their kids.”

His brother Trevoh is following in his footsteps so what advice would he pass on?

“You need to put yourself in that environment and see how you cope. Get a taste of men’s football. That’s the advice I would give my brother. I’ve learned that experience is the most important thing.”

He secret to keeping his motivation through all those loans spells?

“I try to focus on myself and work as hard as I can. If you have done that and the opportunity hasn’t arisen, then you think of the next step. I have taken something from every single loan.

“I’ve never really had the opportunity to show all the improvements I’ve made by playing a full season. Maybe

this is the year.”

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Don’t let auto finance come down to penalties Bad financial advice can take the relationship with your car into extra time.

Car buyers are being warned to beware the potential pitfalls of unregulated car finance that is leaving many facing hidden exit fees costing thousands of pounds.

Anyone in Player Care will know it is frustrating to sit back and watch young athletes make costly and expensive mistakes. Rather than stand on the sidelines one company, Magnitude Finance is on a mission to help high net worth car buyers avoid the many traps they face.

Tim Marlow who is Head of Prestige says: “We know for a fact that big earners are getting into financial relationships that are not suited to their needs and we’re committed to giving them the right advice.”

That advice can end up wiping out any residual value in a vehicle. The worst case Marlow has

come across is an exit fee of close to £9,000.

“The customer wanted to end a finance deal he had entered into to buy a Lamborghini Huracan Performante costing £220,000. The deal was unregulated and he was charged an early settlement fee of £8550.

“What many people don’t realise is that some consumer protection provisions don’t apply to lending over £60,260. Most buyers of performance cars are paying more than that and they can be prey to unscrupulous lenders who load the deals with charges designed to lock customers in for as long as possible.

“CCA regulated agreements are ideally suited to those who want to change their cars regularly or end finance agreements early. They receive a statutory rebate of interest charges and normally an exit fee equivalent to around 58 days of interest.

“We have access to a wide range of lenders who don’t deal direct with the public so we can generally get them the protections they need and cut borrowing costs too.”

Magnitude counts among its clients 14 of the

current 23-man England squad and says that trust is what makes the difference.

“70% of people don’t shop around at all when it comes to car finance and yet the cost of getting it wrong can be extortionate. Our customers know that our personal service helps them get the vehicle they want at a level of repayments they can service without being stuck with a large penalty at the end.

“We know that most people we deal with are not interested in pouring over the fine print of a deal: they just need to know that it is fair. Our team are all specialists in helping high net worth clients whether that’s sports men and women or YouTubers who we’ve worked with a lot recently.

“We have long-standing relationships with most of the dealerships specialising in performance cars and have been around long enough to get the best deals from lenders too.”

When more people understand the risks they face then using a specialist broker makes sense and with no unexpected penalty fees to pay it’s a no brainer.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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When the fun stops Gambling links from junior fan pages turn heat up on social responsibility.

A BBC report revealed that 15 football clubs including one from the Premiership were carrying links to gambling companies on their junior fan pages.

The discovery brought swift criticism and demands for immediate action from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) because their rules state that online gambling adverts should not be targeted at anyone under the age of 18.

Commenting on the findings, Shabnum Mustapha from the ASA said: “Our compliance team will be writing to the Premier League, English Football League, the FA and SFA to

set out clearly our concerns in this area, to highlight the UK gambling rules and how they apply to football club websites.”

The response from the EFL was a quick one with Shaun Harvey, chief executive, telling the BBC: “We apologise to all supporters of our clubs for any concerns this may have raised.

“All clubs who have betting partners have been instructed to remove any logos from pages aimed at minors.”

By the time the BBC programme aired, the offending links had been removed but the criticism continued with many pointing out that young people were already inundated with betting adverts.

GambleAware chief executive Marc Etches said: “Gambling is an adult activity and the normalisation of that for children is particularly concerning.”

His comments came against a backdrop of data from the Gambling Commission which

reported that around 370,000 11 to 16-year-olds spend money on gambling in any week with 25,000 of those classed as problem gamblers.

Tim Miller, executive director of the Gambling Commission, said it was “not acceptable” for gambling advertising and logos to be presented on web pages of sports teams that are targeted at children.

“Sports teams should be ensuring that all content on such web pages is appropriate for children and we expect gambling companies to take responsibility for where their adverts and logos appear.”

The overall amount of betting advertising around sport and particularly football is also causing concern. Overall ad spend by the industry has risen almost 200% in the past five years. Some of the gambling companies themselves have called for more restrictions although there are suspicions that may be to prevent less established operators from

gaining a foothold.

Whether it is on the shirts, the hoardings, the TV bumpers and all the ad breaks, it is impossible to get away from gambling advertising whenever a match is shown. The ASA’s rules state that adverts for gambling cannot be shown before the 9pm watershed.

But oddly the rules do not apply to advertising around football matches which are exempt.

Nine of the 20 Premier League clubs and a remarkable 17 of 24 in the Championship will have gambling companies on their shirts this season. As other sponsorship categories have become harder to sign, gambling companies have increasingly stepped in to fill the gap.

The industry has come from nowhere to stand as the fifth largest investment category in the Premier League behind sporting goods, financial services, airlines and automotive.

Matt House, founder and chief executive of sports marketing agency Sportquake, said:

“Gambling companies like this space because it’s a very, very efficient way to reach their core audience of sports bettors. The most bet upon sports product is football and within that the most bet upon football product is the English Premier League.”

There are signs that concerns around the normalising of sports betting are being listened to in government. It was only a few years ago that tobacco sponsorship was outlawed and, if the industry doesn’t take steps to regulate itself, there is a risk gambling may go the same way.

House says: “There will be similar pressures on betting in the next five, 10, 20 years for sure.

Which is why you’re seeing all of this detail on TV adverts saying ‘bet responsibly’ and ‘when the fun stops it’s time to stop’.

“Increasingly we see that organisations are being more grown up about what they do because they want to be able to promote

themselves as freely as possible for as long as possible.”

A blanket ban would be a blow for football clubs, particularly those below the very top tier. While the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs have the clout to negotiate huge one-off deals with automotive, financial and airline firms for upwards of £20m, clubs such as Bournemouth and Watford are available to sponsor for little over £1m. Those in the Championship and below are cheaper still and have benefited from the estimated £100m currently being spent by the betting industry on football.

Gambleaware Mark Etches feels the situation is more pressing: “I think we are at a tipping point in terms of the relationship between professional sports and gambling. Football needs to recognise that it has hitched its waggon to the gambling industry and it risks being on the wrong side of history.”

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LORNA MCLELLAND

Settling in In part 2 of our series, Lorna McLelland, England’s first player liaison officer, tells Gavin Blackwell about her role in transfers and how she settled players in once they were signed.

In my experience, new arrivals at the club are excited and nervous: mainly nervous as any young man would be, when discussing a big contract.

Graham Taylor would speak with me, the physios, the doctor and other staff to explain the background of the player we hoped to sign and we were all aware of the part which we would play in the coming hours.

Once I had all the information I needed, I felt prepared to meet the player, his agent (and sometimes his wife and family too) when he reached the training ground. Sometimes negotiations and medical tests went on into the small hours, and I would always wait with them.

As a linguist, it was useful to be able to speak to them either in their mother tongue, or in another common language. I have always felt it is vital that a player be kept informed throughout the process, and that means hiring an interpreter if there is no club-based linguist. There are often questions, and if there is someone to answer them, the player feels lot more at ease.

On his first day of training, I would generally pick the player up from the hotel, I would introduce him to his teammates and the staff he hadn’t met when he signed. Then I’d take him to the kit room to meet everyone there, get his kit and run through his programme for the day.

I’d leave him with either one of the physios or another player. Don’t underestimate the role of the physio in helping with integration. The physio room is often a haven for a player, somewhere he can discuss the ‘banter’ he hears in the dressing room because he may not have fully understood what was being said to him.

In order to ease the arrival of a new player, I implemented a ‘buddy’ system, matching him up with a player of the same nationality, the same age, one who spoke the same language or had a similar family situation. The buddy was

responsible for keeping an eye on the new player and guiding him through his first days in the dressing room, the gym, the physio room and the doctor’s office. I was of course always available to support the player and would often be called upon to translate an instruction in a player’s consultation with medical staff, or to interpret during a meeting with the Manager or coaches.

I also had to explain certain expletives and which words were unacceptable – this was all part of my role as their English teacher and caused a great deal of hilarity! The player had my contact details from the outset and would come to check on anything he was unsure of or call after training if he had any concerns.

As PLO I had responsibility to get involved in all areas associated with housing, schooling, transport and driving license, mobile phones and broadband, doctors, dentists, wives, girlfriends, extended family, shopping, furnishing apartments, insurance, national insurance numbers, press conferences, interviews etc. etc. etc. – all within the first couple of weeks.

Getting acclimatised I would meet with the player and his wife or family and between us we would come up with a master plan to be rolled out as quickly as possible.

Each player is different and has different needs, but it is important to get their domestic life up and functioning as quickly as possible so he can

concentrate on playing. I would use an outside agency on occasions but the big thing is to get everything working quickly.

For a new player, the next hurdle was the first home game. The first away game was usually fairly straightforward: he was given a printed sheet giving him the time to be at the coach, and details of the kit to wear. The home game, however, is more complex especially if he has a family with him. For me, it was important that he felt confident as he arrived on that day, so I would take him to visit the stadium beforehand, familiarising him with the layout. He learned where the dressing room was, where to find the physios and doctor.

I would generally pick him and his family up on that first day, and drive them to Villa Park, introducing them to the matchday staff. I would then take his family to the Player’s Lounge and introduce them to staff and the families of other players there. The Player’s Lounge had a real family feel and the girls always appreciated that especially as they were often serparated from their own families. Many family joys and sometimes sadnesses were shared there, many ‘Wives Nights Out’ which I organised were remembered, and it was a place to which many families returned, even after they had left the club. Everyone working there played an important part, and they are remembered by the families with great fondness.

“The first home game is more complex especially if a player has family with him.

It is important that he feels confident”

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AGENT’S ANGLE

Shuttle diplomacy Splitting his time between Germany and England, Stephan Kallass, registered intermediary with Soccer and More and responsible for the UK business of other Germany agencies, is in a good position to compare Europe’s two biggest football markets.

Having started out as an intern at 1.FC Nürnberg, Stephan Kallass worked his way into the agency business. Six years on, he has carved out an interesting niche representing German footballers in England.

What does he think are the main differences between the two?

“There are big differences in the way football is played and how the business is run. Having been used to how things are done in Germany I could see the differences really quickly. I move a lot between England and Germany and my contacts are with agencies, clubs and players on both sides. Since I came here the response has been very positive. Everyone seems to prefer to have someone from Germany coming over to introduce players instead of partnering with agencies who will just email a long list of names before the transfer window.

“In England, and particularly in the Premier League, the physicality and speed of the game are very different and many new players need time to adapt. In Germany football is maybe a bit more about tactics, but here the game is played at higher pace which makes for great entertainment.

That’s one of the reasons why English football is so popular around the world.

“On the business side, English clubs tend to do their business much later leaving things almost to the end of the window. By comparison German clubs typically do things much earlier. The English Premier League is the one with the most money and the media sometimes gives the impression that they spend money recklessly, but that’s not my experience. In my view, most English clubs do business really well. They don’t waste money; if they spend money they want to spend it on the right things. Over the past few years business has improved a lot with clubs also in the Championship much more willing to consider foreign players.”

Apart from a few high-profile examples, why do you think there hasn’t historically been that many German players coming to England?

“The Bundesliga is a strong league with good infrastructure, good fans and salaries are high as well which partly explains why more German players haven’t played aboard. If you ask the majority of German players most would say if they move abroad they’d definitely prefer to move to the Premier League which is considered very attractive.

“Sometimes it is more difficult to buy German players as the clubs are financially strong and they are not under pressure to sell their players.

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Compare that to other countries where some clubs have to sell players to keep their business running. In Germany they don’t need to do that but if the time is right then business can be done.

And with things being done late in the window, clubs are already preparing for the season and really don’t want to sell and disrupt the team unless it’s a crazy offer.”

Are there particular German players that do well in England?

Aro Muric, reserve keeper with Manchester City is one of Stephan Kallass’ players.

Below: Kallass keeps a watchful eye on his players from United’s Director’s Box

“English clubs do their business much later than in Germany leaving things almost to the end of the window”

“Ultimately it always comes down to the quality of the player and the top clubs will only take a very special player. The desired attributes I hear most are pace and power; that’s what all the English clubs want so we try and supply players who can adapt to that kind of game and style of play. The great thing about England is it’s not just the top six clubs. There are a lot of attractive opportunities below that and also in the Championship offering high quality football combined with good salaries.”

Is it harder to represent players when you are not always in the same country?

“For me it’s important not to look after too many players myself. Every agent works in a different way, but I always try to stay close to my players.

The players are all different of course, but we speak often, sometimes after every game. With the younger players, it’s about being as close as possible, watching them play and seeing they are adapting well to a new country.

If things don’t go well it’s important to be there to try to help. In fact, I would say that my job is much more important if things don’t go perfectly.

“Overall I would say that my experience in England has been very positive. I have had a good reception from the clubs who are extremely professional. Public opinion of agents is quite negative but they only get to hear when negotiations are difficult. Nine times out of ten that is not the case and everyone is happy.

“I have been particularly impressed with the work being done at academy level and with English youth national teams. It’s a fantastic setup and, alongside France, probably one of the best and I think there is a really positive future for the English national team.”

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MANAGING THE MANAGER

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Losing the dressing room Business leaders provide insights into what to do when the boss goes off the rails.

Resilient, thick skinned or just bloody minded, the managers of professional sports teams have to be able to be able to soak up the pressure like almost no one else.

“With egos as big as the ones in football, you never know when things are going to get ugly. Will peace ever come to the dressing room? Probably not.”

Having their every decision poured over and questioned by media, fans and players goes with the territory. The relentless quest for success on the field of play can have huge financial as well as sporting ramifications, and they must strike just the right balance between carrot and stick to work with the fragile egos of their players.

But they are human just like the rest of us, and it is therefore inevitable that there will be times when they can’t take any more with potentially explosive consequences in the dressing room, the boardroom and beyond.

Losing the dressing room is not a new pheonomenon. As long ago as 1974, Brian Clough famously hit the Leeds United dressing room like a wrecking ball, but 44 days later he was out. Down the years there have been equally explosive meltdowns reuslting in bad blood, recriminations and a great deal of mess for player care managers to clean up.

Sport is not unique in this respect: businesses that revolve around a single leader suffer much the same impact when the boss starts to burn out.

As On The Front Foot was being written, hi-tech motor vehicle manufacturer Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk seemed to be experiencing a very public meltdown.

His outbursts have spooked analysts and investors alike and knocked as much as 30% off the company’s share price.

He is missing his goals and is going to increasingly desperate lengths to get back on track. His behaviour in front of the media has been described as erratic, and he has lashed out randomly at his team. Sound familiar?

He has also been sending impulsive and alarming tweets, sleeping in the factory as part of attempts to meet targets and was even shown on a recent business programme slugging back whisky shots while smoking marijuana.

Fortunately, that kind of behaviour is rare in the world of sport, but the same principles apply. Bosses who lose it risk much more then their dignity and the future of their own careers. Their companies (clubs) are on the line together with the future of their staff and the support of fans.

So, what can those around a boss under pressure do to alleviate the stress and, more importantly limit the fallout? James Westphal, a professor of strategy at University of Michigan’s School of Business has observed many of the characteristics that go with a struggling CEO. “Their decision-making can become more impulsive,” he says, “and they are less likely to share information or seek input from their leadership teams and boards. Often they are less supportive of subordinates and the more out of control they feel, the more autocratic they’re likely to become.

So what does he recommend?

“Get involved in a supportive way. As well as its financial duties, a board’s role is the care of the top man. Board members should develop a close relationship with the person running organisation and, when necessary, ask that he gets help.

“There should be no shame in that,” he emphasises. “It can make the difference between the company thriving and blowing up.”

His research has shown that the more managers feel supported by their board, the less likely they are to burn out.

“It helps offset the cult of personality,” Westphal says.

Whilst this goes a long way in explaining why managers of sports teams often seek board reassurance that their position is safe, it may not help where there are real concerns over coach’s ability to turn things around.

In the business world, a sabbatical or extended break from work can be the route to recovering a situation, but it is hard to see that being acceptable in our top sports clubs. The reality is that situations can become broken beyond repair and bringing them to a rapid conclusion is the only solution that avoids long-term and irreparable damage.

In that position, the only way that the support team can react is to work on the things they have control over, continue to be as professional as ever, and look forward to a point when the ship is stabilised and life can return to normal.

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