Watching the Open the other night and it took me back in time to when my face was TV friendly. Spartan was a young tearaway making his way in the world of football. I remembered a little parable from that time.

Back in the day in a far away place young Spartan was tearing it up, on the verge of national selection and was a bit of a media darling. Late one season a big game took place in front of a hostile away crowd. Spartan was his usual self, ducking left, right, spinning around, making runs, in fact he looked the essence of Joga Bonito. Although Spartan was was playing near 'total football' (himself) not everything went to plan. At the half Spartan had missed 3 ⎌penalties and by late in the second he had missed his sixth. How did the Spartan react to the crazy crowd, his coaches, team mates? Did he yell at the ref? the linesmen? Complain about gypsies in the crowd?

No. He did dare.

Spartan got back on the horse. Went out and missed penalty number 7. But that was not important, well it was to the Manager as Spartan spent the next 3 matches on the bench, but it was the example it sent to young players everywhere that was important and impressed so many. Spartan had presented himself a professional.

The youngungs don't realise we had social media in our time. Ours was mainly more the social part, usually at a disco after the game but there was media part as well in the papers on Monday mornings. We lived with the pressures associated with it.

Spartans wisdom is this.
Work hard, train hard, and wait to Monday mornings to read about yourself in the paper.

Humble Servant Of The Game
AEK Spartan.