The Cup, Capello, Aggressive Shortcomings

'The Cup', a television programme which satirises football at junior level, premiered last week on BBC2. The shows predominant theme is one the British public is familiar with. The imperious role of over zealous parents in their children's sporting activities is a narrative which resonates with people on this isle, particularly in England. The show humourously displays the antithetical effect domineering parents and manager's often have upon the children they govern and supervise. The militant approach to football management, especially with minor's as comically portrayed in the show, tends to have adverse effects on a social level as well as footballing, leaving some players too frightened to perform and no longer willing to participate. However it appears that the unneccesary weight of expectation does not only counterproductively effect players in the junior arena but also at the highest level. The deep rooted anxiety which marauds English football was illustrated expertly on BBC1 the previous evening, were England played the Czech Republic.

Over bearing parental figures exist in most social circles associated with junior sport, however it seems these deplorable characters are more commonly found in the footballing realm than in any other. Anyone who regularly attends junior matches will have encountered a 'Terry McConnell' featured in 'The Cup'; the pushy father who adamantly stresses the importance of combativeness, aggression and ultimately victory, in sport. The screaming lunatic who challenges every other decision made by the referee would be difficult not to notice.

A psychological analysis of what informs the dumfounding actions of such parents would be time consuming and wholly tedious. What is infinitely more interesting and productive to consider are the effects of such extroverted 'encouragement' upon the child competitiors. Although the BBC show co-ordinates the behaviour of its characters for comic effect, 'The Cup' genuinely reflects the acute significance some people, usually siblings, place upon children's pursuits, particularly football. Temperemental Scottish coach Tom Brackley spoke passionately but wholly uneccesarily on last week's episode of 'The Cup', as many junior managers frequently do in real life. It is not difficult to identify potentially negative side-effects of asking a team of 11 year old children to "go out and die for each other" on the football pitch. Such a statement is wrong on so many levels.

Chiefly, it must be remembered why boys and girls are initially encouraged to participate in football teams; usually for social purposes and general wellbeing. Winning should not be so imperative. Aswell as the social reasons for quashing a blinkered focus on victory, the potential damage to aspects of football play, which occurs when youngsters play under pressurised circumstances, also provides a practical incentive. Pressurised circumastances effect performance at any level in any sport, particularcly young amateurs. Excessive significance placed upon success in English Football has appropriated an aggressive and rigid footballing style were creativity and individuality is seemingly stifled. With pressure being applied to players at such a young age, British football is a breeding ground for negative tendencies and bad habits; echoes of 'clear your lines', 'dont mess around with it at the back' and 'put it down the line', still ring in my ears; and frustrate the hell out of me! Nowhere has this countries methodical and dour way of approaching the game been more evident than in the international team's of recent years, were the players once branded the 'Golden Generation' often perform like the 'Folding Generation'.

It was Brian Clough who relentlessly stressed the importance of players being relaxed on the football pitch in order for them to perform to their highest standard. Watching England scrape an uncomfortable 2-2 draw against the Czech's in front of a restless Wembley crowd, resembled a bunch of startled youngsters petrified of dissappointing their expectant fathers down the local park. The resoundingly harsh England Faithful, or atleast a large contingent of them, resembled the tyrannical father's in question, products of a systemic, generational cycle were football is an intense experience and failure is not an option. If only this approach rearguarded against failure. The ironic reality is that it does quite the opposite. On many occasion's in recent years the basic ball skills and technique of England's players has appeared inferior to those of supposedly lesser nations. Even England's most gifted and decorated players have succumb to nervousness on occasion. Respectfully, countries such as Russia and Croatia, who so convincingly dismissed England in the European qualifying campaign last season, cannot be genuinely considered inherently more gifted than us. So surely their must be an alternative explanation to why England are consistently so bad, other than lack of talent, bad management or poor tactics?

An impassioned preoccupation, bordering on obscession with with winning exists amongst the English public were the national football team is concerned, encompassing fans, players, managers, journalists and analysts. It is an engrossment which evidently affects the performance of England's international players, based upon a plethora of defeats and dissappointments. Their seems to be an established, engrained culture of expectancy within the nation, one which spills into anger and fury at the first sign of complacency. The psychological burden of playing for England seems to disable the footballing expertise of the countries players, overwhelming even the most accomplished professionals when they pull on the white shirt. More often than not the pressure seems to be too much for them, much like some of the children playing for fictional Ashburn United in the final of the North and Midlands Under 11s Cup on Thursday's episode of 'The Cup'.

Although an aspiration to succeed is a prerequisite of any professionall footballer, a determinant of footballing success is developing players who enjoy the game and the occassion, as so perfectly demonstrated by the Brazilian's, generation after generation at international level. It is difficult to pinpoint a singular reason why England has failed to win a major trophy for over 40 years, considering the vast array of talent the country has produced in that time. If it is indeed a cultural problem, Capello, or any other manager for that matter, has his work cut out in undoing a nations epigenetic work.