During my time as Chairman of Golden City Football Club, managing crises required quick, yet thoughtful and strategic decision-making. I prioritized crises by assessing their potential impact on the club's reputation and financial health, focusing on the most urgent issues first. I also ensured we used available resources efficiently to address the situations we could handle immediately. Open communication amid crises was crucial, as keeping players, staff, fans and parents of youth academy players informed about our actions and strategic decisions helped maintain trust and productivity during a challenging period. This approach allowed us to navigate challenges effectively while protecting the club’s reputation and long-term stability.

Managing crises in sport requires organization, prioritization and empathy. The first step is to identify the seriousness of each situation, assessing its immediate and long-term impact on the team's performance, the well-being of those involved and the club's reputation. Problems that directly affect health or safety are priority, followed by issues that compromise strategic planning, such as internal conflicts or lack of resources. Delegating responsibilities is essential to ensure efficiency: well-prepared teams can deal with specific issues while the leader focuses on larger problems. Clear communication is another key factor; listening to all parties and offering transparency in decisions builds trust and reduces tensions.

I always worked on the Importance, Urgency and Growth (IUG) factors. Importance relates to the role, standards of performance and impact, Urgency assesses what time scale, even if critical, a resolution is needed by and Growth, an often forgotten factor assesses the consequences of delaying any decision and action for too long. By giving each factor a score from 1-5 priorities can be decided.

Sports, specifically High Performance Football, can be very stressful to manage, as kind of crisis situations are common almost daily. There's always something happening. It's important to take a step back, understand the crisis nature and potential effects on the team, or Club. Additionally, although you need a clear and fresh mind to decide, you are required to act fast. Don't delay important decisions, specifically those that can have an impact over time. Finally, understand the process on each crisis, as: . Description . Type . Nature . Impact . Consequences . Resources to help/solve . Who is responsible to act upon solving . When . Expected time to be solved . Process Analysis and outcome . Potential adaptations for future