Football Food For Thought / Frank Gregan / 28 February 2008 /

Legendary non-league manager Frank Gregan tells us why training ground incidents are anything but good for morale and how managers should deal with them

There was a clue to the unrest in the Chelsea camp prior to kick off on Sunday. Tottenham ran out to the Shakespearean like prose of Chas and Dave extolling the virtues of Margate, Jellied Eels and Ossie being in the cup for Tot Ting Ham. Chelsea came out to the theme tune from Rocky! Blues fans have nothing to worry about of course. Fights on the training ground are common place, at least they are according to every manager facing the press and trying to explain why his players are conducting themselves in a manner that would normally be rewarded with an ASBO.

A good old fisticuff session shows 'that people care, that they are passionate about the club and what is happening to it." That is total waste from male cattle! It shows that the personnel involved have lost control. There is nothing wrong with a verbal lashing, be it in training, on the pitch or in the dressing room at half time. There is nothing wrong in standing your corner and defending yourself when on the end of a verbal assault and making sure you get your point across. That is called an argument, swapping punches is called a fight. Think of your own experiences, how many times have you had a verbal disagreement with the Missus? How many times have you hit her? That is the line in the sand that all normal folk adhere to.

Again consider your own experiences. How many times have you had an argument with a mate and being able to put it behind you and carry on exactly as before? It happens all the time. How many times have you had a fight with a mate and being able to pick up the pieces? It seldom happens, the line in the sand has been crossed and you are unlikely to experience the same level of friendship ever again.

In the fifteen years I've been earning my living from the game I have seen loads of full scale arguments involving my players and staff. I have only ever seen one fight. It was during a home conference game and was a classic case of Young Bull versus Old Bull. The Young Bull had taken the place of the Old Bull whilst he was out injured. Both were strikers, both were goal scorers, both were adored by the supporters. In my wisdom, I decided to partner the two of them up front on the Old Bulls' return to fitness.

It was a disaster, neither would pass to the other, both of them were making the same runs, neither of them were prepared to do the 'hard yards' to create the space for his strike partner. It came to head five minutes before half time. Young Bull had the ball in the inside left channel, Old Bull has peeled off the centre back and is 'in' if he gets the ball squared to him. Not a chance, Young Bull pulls the trigger from twenty five yards and picks out a supporter three tiers from the back of the stand eating a hot dog. Old Bull goes mental, right in the other ones' face. Young Bull lands a decent left hook, followed by a knee to the groin. There is nothing valiant about grown men fighting. It is not an art, they do not look graceful.
Invariably they end up on the ground rolling around trying to inflict damage to the other wherever they can. That's what happened and I stood watching it all unfold in the technical area feeling about as embarrassed as I have ever done in my professional life.

I dragged Old Bull away instantly to show the referee that I was in control and in order to get him to keep his cards in his pocket. The moment the board went up with his number he trooped off in disgust flinging his shirt away. I substituted Old Bull because he had just come back from injury and was not as likely to score as Young Bull. Goals win matches. Even in a moment of acute embarrassment I was able to make a decision that was in my own best interests. The moral thing to do would have been to take them both off, show no favouritism, play with only the one striker from the bench and even if we lost the game, I would have stuck to my principles. They don't take principles as payment at Asda. Self preservation kicks in and the only thing that anybody ever wants from a manager is a result. It covers up all the other cracks.

That is why I am convinced that if Chelsea had have won on Sunday the story of the spat between Terry and his coach would not have surfaced. They didn't win of course and the reason being cited for their defeat in the Carling Cup was because of that training ground brawl. I beg to differ, I think they lost because Tottenham worked really hard to bridge the gap in class and there was a linesman on the far side that had eyesight like an owl with a telescope! I don't think there is a lot wrong with Chelsea, I appreciate they are not exactly footballing eye candy but I love the price of [7.6] for them to win the Champions League. I'm not sure that they will win it, but I am very confident that they will be a considerably shorter price before the seasons' end. A clever trade with a lay in the region of [4.0] should ensure a free bet.

And old bull and young bull? Both still involved in football, both still can't stand the sight of each other! This tale was true, it wasn't a load of Old Bull!

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