HUMILITY IS THE KEY TO THE ALL BLACK CULTURE

After a game should you have the pleasure of a comfortable, heated, hot water supplied changing room, do you leave it as tidy as you found it? Does your club have a principle that all teams, when they go away, tidy up on the side of the pitch, picking up those pesky sticky tapes, gum wrappers, water bottles and old bandages? Back in the day you might even have picked up half sucked, chewed orange peel!

Well, a good coach will insist on tidying after a game and do bit of housework before the dressing room door is closed on their way out, win or lose, hard done to, ectastic!

James Kerr has written a book called: "Legacy. What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life".  It delves deep into the reasons why New Zealand Rugby teams are so successful.
Actually a lot of their sports' teams are good! Cricket, sailing, netball.....

With a small population of about 4 million in a country with an area similar to Britain, despite lying on the other side of the world, New Zealanders prove that their sport will guarantee them a "place on the map".

Back in 2004, following a heavy defeat by the South Africans, the players got involved in drinking games and many were left in poor shape. Things had to change; "better people make better All Blacks".

The All Black players now have total "ownership" of their team, they make their own decisions on the pitch, as well as off it. Pre-match team talks before the team goes out to play are banished. Why prepare for days and reach a peak of excitement, only to have more stimulation shoved down your throat seconds before you engage?!

When players step out of line, their punishment is decided by the "leadership group" selected from the players not the management. Players are chosen on character more than talent! They are part of an extended family and they all follow the "Spearhead". Whanau means the Maori extended family.

All Blacks know the legacy set by previous New Zealand teams and accept the jersey that is handed on to them. Role models are important and players know there is an inheritance and they are role models.

When they leave their dressing room, where ever it is, the team leaves the changing room tidy, they literally "sweep the sheds".

Champions do extra. It is obvious, they do more than the optimum! Extra training, going the extra mile.

All players have a trigger mechanism that takes them from a red head (angry, out of control) to a blue head ((an optimal brain-calm, controlled). Some players stamp their feet when they feel they are going red! Others look into the distance for inspiration!

Over last season, several incidents surprised home team officials in English football. Lincoln City always left their dressing room tidy (home or away), England C do and Alan Turvey who was the Isthmian League chairman got Robert Dyas (then sponsors) to supply each club with brooms at their AGMs to stop away dressing rooms from being left "trashed". BRUSH UP ON TRUE VALUES.

Well it's a start!