It's a miracle!

I'm interested in the football!

Well, let's not get carried away. I still don't care much about football and I'm not sure I could cope with the stress of actually watching a whole match.

But I do care a lot about this team. I think they show us so much!

1) A slogan that's not just a slogan.

Together. Stronger. Gorau chwarae cyd chwarae. Ensemble. Plus fort.

They show us that the team slogan is not just empty words. They actually mean it, and try to live it, and enjoy it, and have found it to be true, and in a funny way they have made the whole of Wales part of their team.

And there's something so attractive about that. Belgian fans last night applauded Welsh supporters!

2) There's no "I" in team.

That's what they say. Except there is in Welsh. Team is spelt tîm. "I" right at the heart of team..

I think the idea that there is no I in team is destructive. I'll tell you why.

At the beginning of the tournament people mocked the Welsh team by saying that it was a team of one player, Gareth Bale. Now it is true that Gareth Bale is at the heart of the team, and he gives 100% of himself. But so is and so do Aaron Ramsey, Joe Ledley, Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and all the rest.

A team only works if I am in it, and if I give 100%.
And when all the team is in it 100% then you have something special.
Synergy?

There is I in team, and there is U. (Yes, I know that is terribly cheesy.)

3) They enjoy being a team.

Articles have shared something of their life outside training and matches. They play quizzes. They go on outings. They kick balls around with people on the beach, They visit the war grave of Hedd Wyn. They sing. They dance. They genuinely have fun together. They will remember this tournament all their lives not just for the games they won  and lost but for the genuine friendship.

4) They accept each other.

They aren't clones. They're all different. But they belong together and together they are stronger.

5) They dare to fail.

"Don't be afraid to dream. Don"t be afraid to fail." said their manager, Chris Coleman. It's genius! When you know it's OK to fail then you try harder, and try harder things!

6) No prima donna

I mean, Chris Coleman! What a manager. He is in it 100%, but you get the sense that he is just another player in the team. And they all seem genuinely delighted with each other and with what they have achieved.

Now then. The semi-finals. Who would have dared to dream that?

Comments

Matthew Evans said…
I am astonished... never saw this coming. (Not Wales reaching the semi-final - you being at all interested.)

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