Nicholas Craig column

Jul 14 2006 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

We may not have won the World Cup, or any of the five cricket matches against Sri Lanka, or a place in the Wimbledon finals but I'm feeling far from gloomy about our sporting talent or prospects.

Britain has a remarkable array of world-class sporting winners. What stands out in the lists of high achievers is that most are training and competing as individuals rather than working as part of a team. With some outstanding exceptions, our national sporting teams do not gel well, and fail to fulfil the potential of the people within them.

It all comes back to the difference a good manager can make. He or she can create or crush individual talent - in sport or in business. Sven, who always looked the perfect corporate boss, failed to construct a cup-winning side. His reign is hallmarked by a series of England teams that never got their shape or balance right.

Lack of confidence - the British weak link - haunted football, tennis, rugby and cricket this year. The World Cup penalty shoot-out against Portugal summed up our timid response to a make or break challenge. Success in penalties breeds confidence and further success.

England's consecutive penalty failures have created a negative expectation that is hard to overcome. Contrast the self-confidence of the Germans against Argentina or the Italians against France with the fear written all over the faces of the English players.

Breaking the spot-kick curse is down to repeated practice, honed technique and psyching out the opposition.

Businesses that have built winning teams share these and other common elements. They each believe in team goals, commitment, shared rewards, defined roles, success, respect for each other and good communications.

We need the single-minded focus of Britain's top business managers to prevail in our sporting managers.

Meanwhile the raft of British sporting winners continues to cheer me. Think of yachtswoman Ellen McArthur, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins, both Olympic cycling gold medallists, our coxless four team, 4x100m relay winners and the extraordinary talents of extreme sportspeople - including British mountaineers, snowboarders, wild water kayak racers and kitesurfers. They have the combination of talent, confidence and determination to win us future medals.