I have been thinking lately about why I write this blog. When I started producing this little corner of the internet, I wanted to improve my writing by talking about the game I love. It was really about clarifying my own thinking by committing it to print. Reviewing my posts, I can see my views crystallising but I want to take my writing to the next level. Here goes.

I love football. It’s been the one constant in my life. I love my wife, kids, family and many friends but my love of the game is different. From my earliest memory of kicking a ball, through my childhood, adolescence, early adult years up until the present, it has always been a big part of my life. The beauty of it is that 50 years down the line, I still love it. I will talk about it, watch it, debate it, listen to it. Who cares, it’s all great. I will drive my wife mad by switching it on at any opportunity. The reason being, it is not just a game. I see it as making beautiful ART. No two games can ever be the same. Think of the limitless variations in any game. Art can never be functional, it can’t be utilitarian. It needs to be challenging and create a deep feeling. Football must be ART.

I have read a lot about people making their own art. Read anything by Seth Godin and Steven Pressfield for a deeper understanding.  I want to challenge myself and make this my art.

So how can I do this through my blog? In the early days when I started blogging it was about seeing how many views I got. This was exciting with some posts generating thousands of views from all over the world. Other posts which I thought were good, didn’t generate the same volume. I am now at a place where I don’t really bother about the number of ‘hits’ as it is more for me. I write for me and maybe that one person I want to get a message to. If others get something from it – great but that is not the aim. This might sound selfish but it is actually liberating. I am not trying to impress some faceless person. I want to get my thoughts out openly, honestly and maybe taking me out of my comfort zone  and challenging my own beliefs.

I believe we can all make a difference in some way. My art is trying to make a difference in the best way I can. My aim is to use my coaching experiences to dig deeper into the beautiful game. What can I learn and how can I apply it? I want to create and make my art and use this blog as a vehicle for doing it. When I started blogging, it was scary (will people read it? will they like it?). I now realise that it doesn’t matter if people like it or not. This has been liberating and hopefully it means the blog can kick on and be even more challenging.

The blog is about my own experiences, my journey. Maybe it will leave a legacy, maybe it won’t but at least I can say I tried.. I want to put myself out there to be shot at. Head above the parapet! I now want to up my game. I want to write more. I want to write better. I want it to be my art and no-one elses. Watch this space!