Playing Out Of Position - Part Two

Reading, I love it. I was sitting down the other day in one of those neat straw made deals in a conservatory in Salford and for the best part of an hour or so I was just chilling and reading the Michael Foot biography. Kenneth O. Morgan (I wonder if he get upset if we miss that crucial O.) did a fantastic job on the book in making it engrossing reading, I hope I get round to doing a review of it when I’ve finished it.

So whilst I was on the throne recently and had an opportunity to read more about Foot it reminded me of a text I’d sent to a dear friend of mine. By the way as a small diversion, isn’t it a privilege to have dear friends, you know the sort to whom there is a connection and a repartee on a given subject. I love those kind of dear friends. I haven’t always had them and I thought my brother would be the only one at one stage, but God in His kindness allowed me to link with some others, really nice of Him.

Anyway, so I text this dear friend earlier before my stint on the throne and I said to the friend that Foot was the right man at the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact what I should have said was that Foot was a good man in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is no era in the 20^th Century or any stage of the Labour movement when that brother would have been the right leader. Sure things may have been worse if Healey or Shore had taken over in 1980, but seriously what kind of message are you sending in letting a scruffy, old, rhetorician anywhere near the keys to power?

As I reigned on the throne, however, I saw that point as the ideal way to get us back on where we were and the links between part one of this two part series. Quick recap – we can play players in their best positions and hope for the best, or we can have a system for which we select certain players at certain times even if it’s not playing the brother at his best position. We linked that with the current Liverpool malaise and the less we say about that the better.

So here’s the link. As you may recall back in April I made a Statement of Intent which was basically reiterating a phrase I’d come across at the beginning of 2009 – In my element for my season. Rooted in Psalm 1:3 this was all about a renewed commitment to being planted exactly where God wants me to be physically, socially, spiritually, vocationally, relationally, etc. etc. Making the statement is one thing, living up to it is another thing. Uncovering what that costs is an even more tricky thing when we consider it in greater detail. As I have discovered and continue to discover this can be a very costly business.

It’s costly, but it is worthwhile and here’s my contention on the issue. I’m sure some people are predestined to be misfits and malcontents – their role in the larger scheme of things is to make people uncomfortable by asking awkward questions in awkward ways and appear somewhat on the fringes of the mainstream. Thankfully God gives us biblical dudes who fit that bill like Elijah and John D. Baptist (is it the only biblically acceptable denomination? You decide. OK actually God does, but you can have a good guess, as a hint it doesn’t start with ‘y’).

This calling, though, is pretty specific though and you’ve got to be very well equipped emotionally, mentally and relationally to deal with the flack, rejection and abuse that comes with it. In a very real way you have to be designed for the task. That leads neatly into another underpinning scripture behind the desire not to see people play life out of position. Ephesians is a book in the bible worth serious study – when you’ve read it once, read it again and then one more time to even begin to comprehend what on earth Paul is saying and its vast implications. One little verse in there gets to the heart of what I’m all about with the playing in position deal.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

First thing that I notice about this is that it is not an individual call – it relates to a corporate call to be about the business for which we’ve been made. Implicit within this and to further explained later on in the letter if the corporate is going to be effective in getting on with its business, the individual parts need to be in their place functioning as they need to function. Or as Paul puts it

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15, 16 emphasis added)

Now for each part to be working properly and with the recognition that we’re different parts of the growing organism there is great importance on discovering what our place is. That discovery process is not superficial but gets to the core of who we are as defined by God not by personal experience, friends, family, denomination, etc. although these can contribute to the process.

The deal then is about going back to the Coach to discover what our best position is, because He would have the best idea of where we fit in the team. Everyone wants to play up front and hog the headlines, but thankfully the Coach knows best. He plays us in different positions, sure, but He knows that you’re a right back or a left winger or a tough tackling midfielder or a commanding defender or a creative maestro just behind the front two, or the goal-poacher.

He knows and once you know He knows and He lets you know then not only do you find out but on playing in that position you feel at your best. Each position requires discipline and an understanding of what the position demands, but these demands are not imprisoning and confining, indeed these are Garden of Eden opportunities where you can eat the fruit of any tree – you get to enjoy all the garden and then discover that it contributes to others also being released to do what they’re called to do. Before you know it, everyone is in their place, everyone functions out of love and joy in Christ rather than dictation or obligation. Then you’re pinging the ball around and playing the lovely football of life enjoying sharing and serving each other, setting each other up for goal scoring opportunities whilst covering for each other to prevent break-aways.

It’s a joy. It’s a delight. It’s a pleasure. It’s an honour. It is no longer mind-less routine or ritual. It is no longer drudgery or confusing hypocrisy as you kid yourself with the fake-it-till-you-make-it psychology. It is being in your best position and enjoying Christ in it. It is then having an impact on the lives of others by doing that.

I am convinced in my brief time on planet earth that far too many people … far too many Christians … far too many eager well-meaning followers of Christ are playing out of position. Far too many accept their circumstances, background, institutional and inhibitive or deceptive doctrinal demands from work, home and church without any consideration to where God actually has placed them to be as His workmanship.

I know only too well how soul-destroying it can be. I know only too well how real it seems at the time and how it appears to be all there is your life and it’s a status quo you can live with, when in actuality it takes the love of God to break through to help you move on with your life to be rooted and grounded in Him. I know only too well how miserable and unfulfilled and unfruitful this kind of living can be. So it’s no surprise that I have a desperate desire to see people awake to who they are in Christ and then join Him in the steps towards real freedom, real service, abundant living by fruitful serving by the character of Christ being formed in us.

It’s not a utopia that gives us our selfish gratifications, but it is a real godly Kingdom in which who we really are becomes further revealed in us as we give our lives completely to Him. That won’t necessarily help Liverpool win the Premier League, but it will certainly help followers of Christ to enjoy the Kingdom that we’ve been translated into.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Playing Out Of Position

I don’t usually write about football on this blog. I know I did earlier on in the days of this blog, but since the other blog’s come along I’ve tended to share my comments about the sport to that site. Bear with me over this two-parter, if you’re not that way inclined, there is method in the madness behind bringing this subject up on this blog at this time.

I love football, I love watching the game and having conversations and reading insights and views on the game. I have read quite a number of books on the game, more on the characters of the game and some of the big clubs and important developments particularly in the English game. One aspect of it that can be over-played or under-played is the role of systems and tactics in the game. Some argue that for all the talk about formations and player positions, it is still about 11 guys on the pitch doing what comes instinct win the game. It’s about a ball and those guys trying to score as many as goals as they can whilst trying to stop the opposing side from doing the same thing.

I appreciate this simple analysis of the game and can understand that with regards to some teams they have been assembled because they are good at what they do. The coach/manager recognises that and just looks to utilise that in the game by getting the players to play as they can play and hopefully they will work as a cohesive unit to achieve the aforementioned goal.

There is, however, another perspective on the game that says that the coach/manager plays a more influential role in setting a playing culture with a system that follows based on getting players to understand their role in that system and who can play to that system. The thinking being that if all the players do what they have trained for over the week then they will be able to counter-act the opponents and express themselves in a way that allows them to achieve that goal.

For fans of Liverpool Football Club it’s pretty obvious that Rafa Benitez subscribes to the latter view of the game. This has its merits. The system can make the best of certain key pieces of the jigsaw, so the spine of the team – Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres – when playing in their favoured positions can help see the way Rafa wants to play work effectively. It’s not just a case of neutralising a player in the system, you would have to stop them all from playing.

To make the system work, the accompanying players must also be disciplined in their contribution to the team. This means that certain players who some think may deserve a run in the team don’t get it, because they don’t fit Rafa’s view of the system for the particular game. It also means that certain players may not play either in their favoured position or in their favoured style.

A typical example is Dirk Kuyt who came to the club with a prolific goalscoring record from Holland and was expected to be one of the guys up front knocking them away. As it’s turned out, Rafa has virtually converted the player into a hard working, toiling wide midfielder who comes inside from time to time and can support the attack play when called upon. Dirk has done a tremendous job in applying himself to this task. No one faults his effort and the tireless way he scampers across the park looking to break up opposing attacks and show himself available for the attacking forays of his own team. He is committed and dedicated to his task and as a result, without being as big as Gerrard or Torres, he is also a virtually automatic selection in the team. He fits the system that Rafa’s worked out.

However, as many Liverpool fans may also observe, the optimism that we had at the end of last season has somewhat been deflated like a balloon. Funnily enough it’s because there’s no evidence that we’ve improved on the performance of the latter part of last season and there’s nothing convincing about the way the team and the system operates now. So whereas we lost two games in all of last season, we’ve already doubled that before mid-November and looked nothing like convincing in a number of games. The latest draw with Birmingham virtually throwing away any chance of us winning the Premier League. As pundits often point out, you may not win the League before Christmas, but you can certainly lose it and with the current gap between Liverpool and the league leaders, Chelsea and the unconvincing performances at home and away, there is nothing to suggest that the situation is going to be overturned.

The reasons for this are numerous, including not replacing a vital part of the system – Alonso – and instead playing a rather stultifying system of two anchor midfielders too similar to each other. As well as that we’ve had the injuries to Gerrard and Torres with no ready replacements for them in either position or in alternative system. There is also continued frustration in the sense that certain players are being under-utilised and not played in their best positions. The latter point is understandable if the prevailing system is working, but as it’s patently not the plan B is notable by its absence. In the meantime a number of players of outstanding worth are being somewhat wasted whilst a number of other players are being utilised who with the best intentions in the world are not good enough even for the system, let alone the club.

Thus Liverpool fans suffer another frustrating season of seeing any promise of success drain away to be replaced by the odd resilient performance and the knowing capacity to put a good unbeaten run together only to discover once again it’s too little too late. It is not the fault of the board, as has been used before, neither is it the fault of the players, necessarily with a few exceptions. The responsibility lies at the manager’s door.

Meanwhile it is fascinating to look at the concept of players playing out of position. One who has particularly been highlighted in conversations I’ve had recently is Yossi Benayoun. For West Ham he was a mercurial creative force who would play behind the strikers and gained a reputation for being unpredictable, tricky and a flair player of great ability. His signing for Liverpool was interesting because as well as the excitement of having such a creative player in our midst, there was also a question of where would he play to get the best out of him and allow that to be to the benefit of the team.

As it turned out over the few seasons that he’s been with us he has put in the best effort he could and scored some crucial goals and especially this season has really been a key player in terms of creating things where others around him lack that capacity. In all that, though, it’s been clear that he’s not been playing in his best position. Sometimes this has meant that his contribution has been limited and somewhat frustrated, but like Kuyt he still digs in and does his best. Yet you can’t help but wonder what would happen if he played more often in a place where he could really cause damage to the opposition. So it’s not to say he’s not playing well or playing his part, but it is to say that as long as he’s playing out of position he is not being at his best for the team and the team is somewhat the weaker for it.

Yes, there is the argument of the way the system would have to be rearranged for that to take place, but doesn’t that bring it back to the whole point of a way of team-building? Rather than try and fit players not a system where their best isn’t realised, surely it’s a case of identifying players and flexible systems that allow them to express themselves in a disciplined manner that still brings out their best and bring about the results.

It seems to work for Chelsea where even Joe Cole, who is another you could argue who hasn’t always played in his best position, contributes significantly to a system of play in the Mourinho era, Hiddink season and currently with Ancelotti. You look at the Chelsea team as a whole and it doesn’t look like any of the players are playing out of position, they appear to thrive in the positions they play in and the system promotes their abilities so that they are as prepared to scrap out a result as they are to completely dominate and overpower the opposition. The players fit the system and the system works as the players still play in their favoured position.

What this has to do with anything beyond football analysis and a sense of disillusionment about the team I love will be explored in the next part of this two-parter.

In the meantime, consider the following. What the football picture brings to mind is the question of fitting in a place and system. Which is more important, the individual or the system? Can individualism be allowed to blossom without hindrance and create an effective and developing society? Can a community with a strong sense of overriding purpose truly appreciate and bring out the best in the individual? Especially in the context of being relational beings is there something in recognising who we are not just as an individual but in the larger context of family, community and society as a whole?

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

The Erik Factor: For The Unsung Heroes

Working at the YMCA in the way I do is a bit funny. In other contexts the people I serve and come alongside could be seen as customers, clients, consumers, residents, service users or other terms of reference that sets our relationship relatively securely in set parameters. That doesn’t work for me though.

The proper term of reference for the young people that we serve is customers thereby taking any sense in which they’re to be ‘done to’ and rather seen as people of value receiving a service. That can work to some to an extent, but it’s useless to me. I develop relationships with the young people and get to them as much as they wish me to know them but the ideal is to build a relationship to an extent that I can call them friend. Between that point and the opening conversation they are someone I know and care for.

For the time being Erik falls into that category. We’ve spoken a bit and I know a few things about the guy, but it’s hardly enough for me to merit the honour of being called his friend. Of what I know of the guy, though, he is one that I’d like that title to be conferred from him to me. In the short time since I’ve come across him he’s been a good laugh and eager to join in with anything that CSD is doing including the recent Restaurant event that I referred to in a previous post.

At this event I was particularly taken by his diligence in using his talents in serving in what I’m sure would be positively termed as the catering domestic engineer but was known as the dude who did the washing up. I notice that the dude that does the washing up doesn’t really get much credit but the efforts of the dude that washes up is noticeable when it’s not done. When it’s done shabby it’s also an issue, but you don’t see magazines adorning the shelves of a newsagent on Washing Up Today. It got me thinking about a larger theme from scripture.

He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:16-19)

When people name the 12 disciples I can almost guarantee most will not remember Thaddaeus. In fact dudes will only remember it because it’s a name highlighted because it is easy to forget it! Likewise in life there are always those unsung heroes whose names we never hear about whose contributions have been vital to reflecting God’s Kingdom on earth.

As God knows each bird and has numbered every hair on every head, so He knows the name of those that don’t get the attention, are not in the spotlight.

In fact, we cannot get along without the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest. We take special care to dress up some parts of our bodies. We are modest about our personal parts, but we don't have to be modest about other parts. God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honoured, the whole body will be happy. (1 Cor. 12:22-26)

Paul here then gives the big up to unsung hero, even as some parts of our body don’t necessarily get others ogling in admiration and yet we know that without them we know things would suffer. So we’re called to make a practise now of showing honour to those less popular parts of the community – the Eriks of this world. The subject is close to my heart because my dad was an Erik, the dude that would come in and set up the room for the congregational service and would sort out all the menial stuff that we used to take for granted. He was well suited to the role of deacon in our church in the sense that he had a servant’s heart while bringing no attention to himself and being one of those unsung heroes. So this is to all those who don’t get the credit afforded to the loudmouths who get the credit for their singing, talking, writing or hey even blogging. Thanks to the Eriks of this world – God has said your reward is great!

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Mavia Dyer, The Gaither Vocal Band and Team

I want to put on the record my appreciation of Mavia Dyer.

When I was growing up in my secluded place in my isolated street and isolated church and isolated town, my brother and sister were in equal parts my best friends and dreaded enemies. The manipulation and word games we played against each other sharpened us up a treat to deal with the stupid outsiders.

A positive outlet of the process was the way we worked together on projects. We did alright as the Wellingborough FYC (church youth group) getting good funds in through sponsored events and more importantly successfully winning the national quiz two times out of three attempts.

Our best work together was as singers. We all loved music and immersed ourselves in listening to it and then when we sang together we were gifted to be able to know parts and harmonise so well. The way we were it was a simple case of people knowing their parts, there were no egos or prima donnas. We were too young and in-bred to ever be competitive against each other in public. In private even that competition was reinforcing the status quo – Ruth as the oldest was in charge, David and I were on a par however much I wanted to believe otherwise. When it came to the public stuff there was a solidarity and unity bred from sticking together and only having each other for so long. We knew our parts and were able to convey them in straightforward but faithful ways.

Ruth and I in particular are not outstanding singers (David definitely is), but because we know how to play our parts we were recognised even by the National Church Choir (Merrybells) and the National Youth Camp Choir and if we wanted to go further the opportunity was always there. It was all based though on that love for singing songs together reflecting whatever diversity and harmony we could. It’s a principle we took to the choirs we served on. We just loved getting our parts right, seeing how it fitted into the larger picture of the song and being guardians of the mood and feel of the songs. Such was out knack and capacity that you could throw a song at us and we would have worked out the parts almost automatically. We were trusted to help our parts get the song as well when we sang on those choirs.

We were not being flashy or arrogant and were definitely seeking to be team players. Indeed as an expression of our natural reclusive, retiring selves if there was the opportunity to just blend into the background we would do just that. Even now I prefer being out of the limelight and being part of the backing staff and team who get the stuff done behind closed doors. As God would have it, though, one of main strengths requires coming out of the shadows and actually at times stand out and stand alone. Yet I’ll always treasure those times just being part of a team contributing to something far greater than the sum of its parts. One thing that doesn’t leave me now even as we sing in church settings is listening for the parts and seeing those harmonies and how it can enrich a song in ways that others may not consider.

So what does Mavia Dyer have to do with this? Hold that point, I’ll explain … in a moment.

You might have gathered as well that I’ve been making a big deal of the Gaither Vocal Band in a couple of the latest YouTube posts that have graced these here pages. I got into Gaither really unbeknownst to me back when I moved up to Stoke-on-Trent. Some of my times in the weekends were spent in Nottingham and we borrowed some videos which featured some of the Gaither gatherings. Their songs had a haunting, powerful effect on me that left chills in my spine with the way they lovingly rendered songs of God’s love for us. I’d never heard anything like that before.

I was into them for a while, but from 2003 onwards I never really paid too much attention. Then last year I got back into them and particularly took interest in the Vocal Band. I love the concept of a group of guys getting together and harmonising so well. I am still desperate to get their new Reunion DVD. It’s like what makes Doctor Who of such a fascination to me, the fact that you can recreate something with new characters in the main parts and how GVB having gone for so long had had various members even with a recent re-jig in membership and can still retain something faithfully rich even in a different way.

I love the whole thing. I love the constant presence of Bill Gaither. I love the long-running members and how they give way to others who stay for a period. What each individual has to offer and how they put their own mark on the whole story. I check the latest developments in the story and tell you I am desirous to be involved in something similar. Not necessarily in the singing sense, just setting up a team project that sees different parts contributing to something far greater than its individual parts but where each part is crucial to its production.

It is with these sentiments that I post the latest GVB offering which outlines what we’re on earth to do as followers of Christ – make music with our friends. That music may not be literal music, it could be working on a fashion assignment together helping with clothes and the like. It could be catering and using those culinary skills to bless others with fabulous memorable meals. It could be designing and maintaining a web-site or group blog that gives a platform for the many writing, design, editing, formatting talents of all who contribute. It could be any of these and more covering sport, arts, food, basic relationships. It just leaves such a deep impact on the heart of those as we enjoy what we have to offer and are built up by it in the love of a God who put us together.

Church gatherings can be too large and impersonal to have those kind of experiences, but there are so many chances to do it in small groups and same interest parties and the like. I can see why Jesus had 12 men around him to conjure this camaraderie and then had his close mates in Jim, Jonny and Rocky. Each contributes something unique, something priceless, something innovative, something that builds on the others and makes a glorious living monument to what love for God and each other can produce.

So where does Mavia Dyer come into it? Herein dearly beloved I now bring the strands together of another glorious gift from God.

I am not an expert on Mavia Dyer – I only really met her and began to get to know her since last August. The nature of our church life is that there’s more than enough business to go around. MD as I prefer to refer to her – cos I do most of the stuff writing so it’s about initials y’know what I’m saying – is what I call a great utility player. She’s a more than capable administrator, she is a budding photographer in her own right, she underrates herself seriously as a writer but I trust that will change in the days, weeks and months to come. She’s a willing supporter in any endeavour to which she commits herself. She brings a level of seriousness and at the same time fun and laughter when she gets involved in something and has a truly sweet personality.

She is already a crucial part of the church and many strands of the church will already testify of how much their life and projects have been greatly benefited from her input. I’m sure her friends from her time before Stoke-on-Trent would be able to give her tribute to something similar.

This is what tips it overboard to allow me to write about her at this time, was her presence at church in the praise and worship. She’s been on the P&W team since she’s been here so it wasn’t as though she did something hugely out of the ordinary. What it was that for some reason the P&W decided to camp next to me beside the screen and as we were singing MD and I naturally sang around each other in our various harmonising parts and the fun on her face enjoying my little twiddles and vocal doodles reminded me of my time with my brother and sister.

She’s one of those unassuming characters not looking to draw attention to herself and not looking make a fuss even though she has her standards and principles. These are the kind of people I’m attracted to do because those values are very much home values for me and although they may not want to have a fuss made over them I take great pleasure in turning to God and saying thank You so much for blessing me so richly and the life those who know her with your daughter MD. She just fits in so smoothly and neatly with whatever is required of her vocally and without a fuss and in doing so makes a good song that much better, that much deeper, that bit more than just a one-dimensional effort.

Where others may be more naturally talented, MD puts what she has to good use. Where others could make a bigger noise, MD just gets on with it and ensures she’s done her bit to contribute to that memorable bigger memory. That she loves Jesus and wants to serve God with her whole heart makes things so much more rewarding for those associated with her and my heart’s desire is that she may reap a huge bounty of blessings from God in every aspect of her life as she looks to find and occupy her place that God has set for her.

She reminds me in her actions that we are all a part of the same Body of Christ – each with different functions but inextricably connected to each other and thus responsible for each other and when we work together on something for His honour and glory as we do our bits in obedience to His command He commands His blessing on that expression of united strength and all of a sudden that which is good becomes great. For those who never experience such a thing in your life as the beauty of unity I really recommend you try it. You may get hints of it if you are part of a sports team or fan of something or someone, but there’s something far deeper and satisfying when that shared interest in the life and mission of Jesus Christ.

God bless team, God bless GVB, God bless MD and God bless you who read that you can join us on the most exciting, rewarding and fulfilling journey to ever embark on – the journey of life with Christ.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Time, Team and Trust

Good. Those 24 hours were necessary to get a better grip on what I was going to rant on yesterday. I love football. I’m not ashamed to say that. It has been a glorious expression of many of the better qualities of life to me and has not been so much of an escape as an affirmation of some of my better capacities. As a result sometimes football informs my faith and nowadays my faith tends to inform my football. Often I would refer to Manchester United in derogatory terms for they are the foresworn enemies of Liverpool Football Club. Now I’m a lot more comfortable having a rapport with people and using the enemy lines to affirm our shared interest in the beautiful game. Facts don’t get in the way of enjoying things and now I don’t have to get involved in bitter rivalry, rather I can have fun and actually not take things so seriously.

Usually.

On Monday, however, that fun aspect went right out of the window. Tony Adams and Felipe Scolari were summarily dismissed from their managerial positions at Portsmouth and Chelsea respectively. These were managers who were not given a full season to establish their credentials at their clubs. These are managers who have suffered because of the frightening and unrealistic demands of the clubs in question. I can tell such was my rage at such ludicrous decisions that I went on a five page bender of text spilling my guts on how it upset me.

Now 24 hours later processing this through the lens of faith, here is really my issue. To do anything right and for success in anything in life calls for three T’s – Time, Team and Trust. All three are necessary and work together to produce the goods. Without one of these ingredients the cake deflates. What is apparently the case in these situations is that the managers have been denied one or more of these assets. The most important one though is trust. You’ll notice how much easier it is to say you love someone than it is to say you trust someone.

Trust is not an empty sentiment. Trust is the intentional whole-hearted investment of something of worth into someone to produce something. I trust you, therefore I invest myself in your heart and expect you to produce confidentiality where necessary. I trust you and prove it by giving something of worth, something useful for the task at hand. Now what happens when I don’t get what is necessary, when it can be given, is that I’m disabled from the task at hand. That trust that is necessary if something is going to be productive. The time then follows because of the understanding in the relationship – what can anyone do in six months? What can anyone do in three months? In a football club where it’s taken people years to be successful. These decisions are so counter-productive and if you know your best people are against you that breaks up the whole thing about team. So you don’t trust, there’s no team and there’s little surprise that there’s no time. This however breeds a dangerous environment for anyone coming in there.

With the reports about the players not being supportive either, this is not the type of condition that you would want to expect people to thrive in. So for both Chelsea and Portsmouth the developments are retrogressive steps which they will live to regret. I feel for the fans especially of Portsmouth – the Chelsea ones have been spoilt by Mourinho and are now deluded. I especially feel it for Tony Adams who has appeared to be such a decent guy and if you really want to trust the guy you’ve got to give him time to set his business his way and if you don’t have the time – don’t hire the guy!! As for Scolari – that poor brother is just another victim in the quest of the new Jesus Gil – Roman Abramovic – to conquer all. He will learn eventually that successful teams are not made that way by which time the club will be seriously ruined. This is all because he doesn’t take time to build team based on trust.

May we learn from these experiences and thank God who trusts us with life and His Son and His Spirit to produce in due season.

(For the full splurge of writing that I had on yesterday see what I put over here.)

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd