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Arsenal : Stressed Out Team ? 
Thursday, 24 April 2008 14:49 addthis_url = location.href;addthis_title = document.title;addthis_pub = 'komprsr';addthis_options = 'email, digg, delicious, myspace, facebook, google, live, more'
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What happened to Arsenal’s season?
Did they fail to cope with stress when it really mattered?
People say it began at Birmingham. A lot of the focus fell on Gallas, the team captain, who was slaughtered in the English press for his display of emotion at the end of the game. While all the ex-players and pundits were queuing up to voice their disapproval we heard little of the events before the game. The Arsenal full-back Sagna had been devastated by the sudden death of his brother and Gallas had spent much of the week with his team-mate and fellow-Frenchman.
And of course during the game, the bit we all know: Eduardo’s injury was shocking. He is a popular member of the squad and if some fans found the incident difficult to stomach then imagine how the players felt. They were clearly deeply affected by the sight of their friend, his leg splintered and distorted, his body motionless, being slowly removed from the pitch with an oxygen mask covering his face. Be in no doubt, the injury was appalling and without prompt treatment he could have faced amputation. Despite their professionalism, the players were visibly shaken by what they had seen. They were shocked and stressed – understandably.
We all saw Gallas sitting there at the end of the game. How do you want to call it?
Disbelief and despair that everything had gone so wrong? Rage with Clichy for his crazy lapse of concentration? Frustration with the referee for giving a soft penalty? Sheer raw pain at a week that had seen sudden death, terrible injury and failure on the field? Maybe he was just emotionally shattered by a traumatic few days – it all boiled over.
And so to the criticism in the media. Were press and ex-players simply embarrassed to see one of their own kind sitting in despair on the grass – willing to show his feelings, or maybe unable to hide them? No allowances were to be made; they went for the throat. They couldn’t see that there was more at stake than whether or not Gallas was able to do a Tony Adams style captain-marvel impersonation. ‘This wouldn’t have happened in Adams’ day’ cried the ex-pros. What they didn’t seem to remember was that Adams’ team had its own problems – drugs, gambling and alcohol. Some got away with it when the Wenger era was ushered in, others faced prison, broken marriages and very public divorce. We know the tradition that men do not show their feelings openly but express their distress though actions such as drinking, aggression, withdrawal and gambling. Let us not believe there is anything morally superior or stronger about that old macho way.
What point am I making ? One about the way that the media deals with the emotional side of sport – keeping the old macho stereotypes alive. This could all have been reported so differently. Don’t forget that it was captain marvel himself who eventually turned full-circle and founded the uniquely successful organisation Sporting Chance – somewhere that sportsmen and women could discuss problems and feelings and bring them into focus – this is vital to anyone hoping to succeed in professional sport.
So why not respect Gallas’ show of personal distress? It’s too easy to buy into the idea that it was all a failure to stay in-control, something unprofessional or unmanly. Maybe it was also a healthy willingness to show what he felt. If Arsenal’s season did go wrong, and if stress was something to do with that, well so be it – it happens and it’s human. Let’s hope that the players and the club can show more maturity than the media in their reaction to all this. Hopefully next year the team won’t be so cruelly tested – but if they are then perhaps they will be all the stronger to cope with it.
What do you think?
Thursday, 24 April 2008 14:49 addthis_url = location.href;addthis_title = document.title;addthis_pub = 'komprsr';addthis_options = 'email, digg, delicious, myspace, facebook, google, live, more' !What happened to Arsenal’s season?
Did they fail to cope with stress when it really mattered?
People say it began at Birmingham. A lot of the focus fell on Gallas, the team captain, who was slaughtered in the English press for his display of emotion at the end of the game. While all the ex-players and pundits were queuing up to voice their disapproval we heard little of the events before the game. The Arsenal full-back Sagna had been devastated by the sudden death of his brother and Gallas had spent much of the week with his team-mate and fellow-Frenchman.
And of course during the game, the bit we all know: Eduardo’s injury was shocking. He is a popular member of the squad and if some fans found the incident difficult to stomach then imagine how the players felt. They were clearly deeply affected by the sight of their friend, his leg splintered and distorted, his body motionless, being slowly removed from the pitch with an oxygen mask covering his face. Be in no doubt, the injury was appalling and without prompt treatment he could have faced amputation. Despite their professionalism, the players were visibly shaken by what they had seen. They were shocked and stressed – understandably.
We all saw Gallas sitting there at the end of the game. How do you want to call it?
Disbelief and despair that everything had gone so wrong? Rage with Clichy for his crazy lapse of concentration? Frustration with the referee for giving a soft penalty? Sheer raw pain at a week that had seen sudden death, terrible injury and failure on the field? Maybe he was just emotionally shattered by a traumatic few days – it all boiled over.
And so to the criticism in the media. Were press and ex-players simply embarrassed to see one of their own kind sitting in despair on the grass – willing to show his feelings, or maybe unable to hide them? No allowances were to be made; they went for the throat. They couldn’t see that there was more at stake than whether or not Gallas was able to do a Tony Adams style captain-marvel impersonation. ‘This wouldn’t have happened in Adams’ day’ cried the ex-pros. What they didn’t seem to remember was that Adams’ team had its own problems – drugs, gambling and alcohol. Some got away with it when the Wenger era was ushered in, others faced prison, broken marriages and very public divorce. We know the tradition that men do not show their feelings openly but express their distress though actions such as drinking, aggression, withdrawal and gambling. Let us not believe there is anything morally superior or stronger about that old macho way.
What point am I making ? One about the way that the media deals with the emotional side of sport – keeping the old macho stereotypes alive. This could all have been reported so differently. Don’t forget that it was captain marvel himself who eventually turned full-circle and founded the uniquely successful organisation Sporting Chance – somewhere that sportsmen and women could discuss problems and feelings and bring them into focus – this is vital to anyone hoping to succeed in professional sport.
So why not respect Gallas’ show of personal distress? It’s too easy to buy into the idea that it was all a failure to stay in-control, something unprofessional or unmanly. Maybe it was also a healthy willingness to show what he felt. If Arsenal’s season did go wrong, and if stress was something to do with that, well so be it – it happens and it’s human. Let’s hope that the players and the club can show more maturity than the media in their reaction to all this. Hopefully next year the team won’t be so cruelly tested – but if they are then perhaps they will be all the stronger to cope with it.
What do you think?
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