The Dave Brailsford thing. I’m into the cycling so I’ve a bit of interest in how this is going to pan out. Even though I really really want this to be another chapter of clusterfuckery because it’s the rags, my more analytical self thinks this will be a complete clusterfuck.
The power dynamic between a cycling team DS (manager) and the riders is very different to the football. Outside a small number of star riders, most of the team are essentially disposable and will be thankful just to have a contract, even at the World Tour level. In other words, a very different situation to even an average Prem player.
SirDave has always been a master of image management with all the marginal gains guff, but the shine has definitely come off in recent years and it’s not just about the doping allegations. You’d struggle to find an ex-rider who’s had dealings with him with a decent word to say. The impression is that he’s a cold, arrogant egotist who’s used to getting his own way. He likes his favourites and anyone else is just frozen out or thrown under a bus.
He’ll go down like a Uranium dog egg in the Old Toilet dressing room. It‘s not like they‘re a functional team anyway, but having someone around with PEG-levels of toxicity and zero knowledge of football who’ll be lording it over the rest of the management team will tear them to bits. And unlike their parade of managers post-GPC, he’ll be there to stay.
Great, isn’t it?
