DON'T LOSE THE FAITH
After England’s Lionesses beat Sweden to reach the UEFA Women’s EURO Final, I saw a few tweets and LinkedIn posts from former FA colleagues.
They all mentioned the same thing…that whilst the credit for the performances should undeniably go to the current players, coaches and support staff, there were also some women (some still at The FA) without whom, so many facets of the women’s game would be far from where it is today.
One of those, is Hope Powell. Hope was a former player. Made her England debut at 16. Became England coach aged 31. Was the first woman in England to hold the UEFA Pro Licence. She didn’t suffer fools. I doubt she does now either.
In 2000, I joined The FA. After about a year, I moved into a press/PR role, blagging a three-month trial. Saving my boss having to do interviews. Offering to do the job for £10K less than it was advertised.
Around that time, a senior colleague of mine (Bev Ward), asked if I would help her at The FA Women’s Cup Final. As it was at Selhurst Park, close to where I was living in Bromley, I agreed.
From that moment, I became Bev’s helper when she needed it, and I started to attend a few more women’s games, including England matches too. When Bev went on paternity leave, I was asked if I’d be interested to take her place for a trip. One game in the USA, and two in Canada. Yes please!
In May 2003, I travelled to Birmingham, Alabama, Montreal and Ottawa. There are six things I remember from that trip:
1. The press box had pizza delivered to it at half-time. American journalists were obsessed with stats, shouting back and forth to verify the number of throw-ins.
2. We lost the games 6-0, 4-0 and 4-0.
3. One day, I caught a player at the back of the hotel smoking, and I’m not sure who was most embarrassed. (On reflection, definitely me)
4. I got to interview April Heinrichs, who told me that despite England being battered, our players had one advantage that would help us close the gap over time: an ingrained culture of the sport, that her players didn’t have.
5. Going to a music shop in Canada with Jody Handley, who liked the same stuff as me. I bought an album by The Dears called ‘No Cities Left’ that was playing as we wandered around. It featured upbeat tracks with titles such as ‘Lost in the Plot’, ‘Don’t Lose the Faith’, ‘Pinned Together, Falling Apart’, ‘Expect the worst, Cos she’s a tourist’ and ‘Postcard from Purgatory.’ It all felt a bit premonitory.
All the players and staff, myself included, were invited for a meeting. Hope started it by thanking everyone. Then told everyone that preparation for Euro 2005, that England and The FA were hosting, started today.
On each page of the flipchart was a question. She explained that if after each question, the answer was ‘No’, it meant that it signalled the end of that player’s international career. That she would ensure we would write a very positive media release for their respective local media. But things needed to change.
For someone sat at the back, in his late-twenties, and not the most assertive of characters, the planning, delivery and calculatedness, was really something to behold. There was compassion, but certainly no over-sentimentality. It was essentially: “if you’re willing to commit, and run through walls, I’ll do everything I can, to support you.”
Over the next six years I spent working with the team, there were moments where Hope did things for players, that no-one would imagine was her style. In the build-up to Euro 2005, we eked out a small budget to create a player pool for promotional appearances. She trusted myself and my Marketing colleague Morag to organise these and pay the players. But for those who had children, came from broken homes, or literally didn’t have two pennies to rub together, she would privately insist that we organised 1-2 extra things for them. So that those players could get an extra £75 - £100 a time. Peanuts. But better than nothing.
The scope of her work included all England teams, improving the league, overseeing the opportunity for players to train (and study) at Loughborough in a new Player Development Centre, organising training facilities e.g. at Crystal Palace Sports Centre, fending off members of FA Committees, organising scouts, and much, much more. She didn’t have time for frippery. Her way, was the way.
She saw England’s men travelled in a certain class on planes. She wanted equality. England’s men got cars home after matches/trips. She wanted something similar. (Players and staff used to car-pool), She wanted more support staff. Better hotels, with better facilities.
When it came to the 2007 Women’s World Cup, all players were pre-medical tested at the British Olympic Association’s 2008 centre outside London, and had a two-week acclimatisation camp at the BOA base in Macau. Argentina in comparison, arrived 1-2 days before their opening game. They lost 11-0.
There are so many stories and memories. But there was also one big lesson she taught me.
One day, Hope had a meeting with a senior FA Executive. One that had already been put off on a number of occasions. When it finally came around, she asked me to go in with her. I didn’t ask why…just did as I was told. As we walked in, the said gentleman was laid back in his chair, with both feet on his desk. For the first few minutes, he didn’t move…until Hope asked him if he would sit up.
The meeting was short. Hope didn’t have a single scrap of paper. Yet she reeled off a series of requests and requirements, all backed up with the promised return, on what each individual, additional investment she wanted, would generate. At the end, we left without any commitment, and with a fairly strong impression, that at times, this person wasn’t really listening.
When we got back to Hope’s office, I asked why she had taken me with her. I can’t profess to remember her answer word for word, but the essence was along these lines: “If you ever get into a position of football administration power, and a woman comes to you looking for your support, never treat them like this. I wanted you to see how hard it is.” It’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten.
Postscript: Today, Hope was awarded an honourary degree by the University of Brighton for her ‘outstanding contribution to women’s football.’
