Football Integrity: Full Of It

A report was recorded in November 2006 that illustrates the upstanding nature of an England football captain and demonstrates that arrogance can be the poor partner of wealth. More concerned, it seems, with saving the captaincy than a marriage and family. The silencing costs may have partly worked, yet containing the publicity coverage backfired. The idea, it seemed, was also that the dutiful wife was to be kept unawares. And unaware of paying for the silence. It didn't work. Loss of respect is total amongst those that should matter. No surprises, really.

It happened with Tiger Woods and (allegedly) the unusual human activity called SEX. Peculiar, after all SEX is responsible for procreation and continues the growth of the human race unabated. Even accelerated. The human condition on Earth is completely out of control. Too many (old) people being kept alive 'because we can', but with a dreadful quality of life. In both the cited instances there were several casualties of both genders and all ages. Tackling, it would seem, is not confined to the playing field and using the tackle in the playing field is allegedly happening, especially when fronting (or backing) up to the wrong team.

Everything gets reduced to trust and behaviour. The arguments of privacy become distorted when directly in the public eye. One way to retain privacy when a high profile is owned is to behave in a way that illustrates probity and integrity. Newspapers survive on reporting bad news of all types and significantly includes behaviour. Good news is of little interest to the 'papers'. Show a good character and these institutions starve. To attempt strangling any reports of public interest (regardless of protecting commercial sponsorship deals) after the fact is absolutely too late. The action itself begs for attention. Gambling with the outcome will inevitably lead to losing and a great deal more misery and pain.

Inter-team relationships are hugely important for a good outcome to be possible. Bad feeling and behaviour off the field will result in probable conflict that will inevitably result in bad performance on the field. And potential failure. The inevitable action to minimise the predictable outcome is... predictable.

What a mess.