We looked previously at how the FA had revamped its approach
to public relations, but how has it held up after England’s elimination?
So, another England
adventure at a major football championship ends in penalty shootout heartbreak.
This time we faced the Italians rather than the Germans or the Portuguese, our
more recent nemeses, but the outcome was all the same. Some things never
change, eh?
Well actually, they do. In fact, England has actually scored a major
success at this tournament, a communications ‘win’ for the Football
Association. It feels like lessons have been learnt from previous failures, and
the FA’s attempts to engage our national team with fans and the media have been
felt and appreciated.
Two years ago, England
were preparing for the World Cup in South Africa. Holed up in a hotel
complex in the remote countryside, the players had no interaction with anybody;
in fact, apart from computer games and a pool, they had nothing to do. It
seemed deliberate. A misguided attempt to ‘focus the players’ and perhaps to
create a siege mentality, where the players were encouraged to foster an ‘us v
them’ mindset. This was borne out in a training session where for once, the
media were allowed to come and watch. The then manager, Fabio Capello, saw
media getting too close for his liking and launched a tirade of abuse at the
journalists in question, forcing them back and no doubt putting them off coming
anywhere near again. It was unseemly and unnecessary – and filmed by news
outlets around the world.
The whole England
setup felt distant. The team developed cabin fever and played awfully, but
equally, the performance of the FA in allowing this to happen also left a lot
to be desired.
How refreshing, then, to see a completely different approach
this time. Based in the centre of busy Krakow,
the emphasis over the last couple of weeks has been on engagement. With fans,
with locals, and with the media. The players and staff have been actively
encouraged to go out for coffee, go sightseeing, and they responded. The result
has been a real feel good factor enjoyed by all, including the media, whose mild
indifference to Roy Hodgson’s appointment not all that long ago has completely
evaporated.
Did any of this make any difference on the pitch? Arguably
so, yes. Okay, the end result is a depressingly familiar one, but the new-found
spirit of togetherness was evident in the performances of a team who performed
better than most thought they would. For the first time in a long time, England come
away from a tournament having struck up warm and genuine relationships with
those that hosted them, that came to watch them and that reported on their
progress. This was all made possible by a shift in attitude, from insular to
all-inclusive; cold and distant to warm and engaging.
Long may it continue. Next on the to-do list: penalty
shootouts…
Tom Yazdi
Consultant
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