“When critics of our game parade their theories about the attributes that life certain teams above others, I am always amused by their eagerness to concentrate almost exclusively on technical and tactical comparisons. Frequently they discuss football in abstract terms, overlooking the reality that it is played by creatures of flesh and blood and feeling. The best teams stand out because they are teams, because individual members have been so truly integrated that the team functions with a single spirit. There is a constant flow of mutual support among the players, enabling them to feed off strengths and compensate for weaknesses. They depend on one another, trust one another. A manager should engender that sense of unity. He should create a bond among his players and between him and them that raises performances to heights that were unimaginable when they started out as individuals. The Manchester United of 1999 had talent by the bundle but there was nothing about them that I admired or valued more than their team spirit.” – team manager Sir Alex Ferguson
Currently, I am reading John Silk’s new book Even the Defeats: How Sir Alex Ferguson Used Setbacks to Inspire Manchester United’s Greatest Triumphs. The reason I ordered this book was to learn lessons on how to turn personal or team failures into successes.
As I read his recap of the 1999 championship team, I gleaned 15 Characteristics Of Championship Teams from his comments above:
- Even Championship Teams Have Critics – “When critics”
- Critics Are Often Wrong About What Is Needed To Be A Championship Team – “parade their theories about the attributes that life certain teams above others, I am always amused by their eagerness to concentrate almost exclusively on technical and tactical comparisons.”
- Championship Teams Are Made Up Of Flesh And Blood Human Beings – “it is played by creatures of flesh and blood and feeling.”
- “The best teams stand out because they are teams”
- Championship Teams Have A Singular Spirit – “individual members have been so truly integrated that the team functions with a single spirit”
- Championship Teams Have Mutual Support – “mutual support among the players”
- Championship Teams Feed Of Each Other’s Strengths – “enabling them to feed off strengths”
- Championship Teams Compensate For Each Other’s Weaknesses – “compensate for weaknesses.”
- Championship Teams Depend On Each Other – “They depend on one another”
- Championship Teams Trust Each Other – “trust one another.”
- Championship Teams Are Led By Leaders Who Create Unity Among Their Players – “A manager should engender that sense of unity.”
- Championship Teams Are Led By Leaders Who Create Bonds With Their Players – “He should create a bond among his players and between him”
- Championship Teams Accomplish More Together Than They Can Do Alone – “raises performances to heights that were unimaginable when they started out as individuals.”
- Championship Teams Have Great Talent – “The Manchester United of 1999 had talent by the bundle”
- But Most Of All, Championship Teams Have Team Spirit – “there was nothing about them that I admired or valued more than their team spirit.”
What is one thing you learned from the 1999 Manchester United team which you can use to perhaps lead your own championship team? And to get Silk’s book, click HERE or on the image above.
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