It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it And that’s what gets results

This week I watched the England V Slovenia game in the pub with a couple of friends.

That’s a couple of hours I won’t get back!

Is it just me – or is it always a struggle watching England play in tournament football?

Much as the game was a dreadful bore

I did find the reaction of fans and players fascinating

Slovenia’s team were celebrating as thought they had won the tournament

And our guys slumped off the pitch like they had been beaten 4-0 and were headed back to Blighty on the next available bus

Truth is

We finished top of the group

Couldn’t have finished higher

We won

We got out of the group stage

We got a dream pass by finishing top and now the route to the final is pretty clear

So why the doom and gloom

Why the criticism

Why the negative comments and expletive laden punditry

Because we didn’t play well

We didn’t excite our fans

We didn’t finish the group in a manner anywhere near befitting a team wearing the England shirt

In short, we let the fans down

No pride

No excitement

No passion

And yet we won

Job done

I heard that Southgate was booed off the pitch and fans were throwing paper cups at him

We won….!!

Here’s the thing

If we had shown heart and passion and commitment and a desire to win

And we came second in the group

Everyone would be pleased

We’d all be celebrating

The plucky Brits giving it our best shot

Over coming the enemy and fighting with all we’ve got

Southgate is a tactician

He got us through in the best possible shape in the best possible position

Brilliant

BUT

Now the only way he wins is if we win the whole thing

Coming second or third or fourth playing like we have played so far means he will be treated like a pariah

His status as the best England manager since Sir Alf

Gone

He must win

So, what can we learn from this debacle

This

Exceeding your customers (your fans) expectations

By aiming to give them what they want and more

It garners love, appreciation, gratitude, respect

Just getting the job done

Not so much

So we learn this

To exceed their expectations, we must connect with them at an emotional level

Emotions count

Listen to our customers whenever we can

Listen to them and lean into them

If they want more speed, speed things up

If they want more communication

Talk more

If they want nice surprises

Do it

Just doing the job is not enough

Not any more

So, Gareth if your boys go out in the final and fall short at the last hurdle and they have played like they have so far

I’d hide if I were you

But if in the next three games they give it their all

The run themselves off the park – and they play flamboyant wonderful flowing football

And go out at the same stage

Hold your head up

You will have connected with your fans emotionally

The people will love you again

Probably!

As for me

I think I need to listen more, learn more

Continue to strive to exceed my customers’ expectations

So if I don’t quite get to winning, if I make a mistake – still I’ll be loved !

And then I get up and try winning again