When a member of the Pack scores, there are only two options:
We’re either rushing or we’re pointing.
Liverpool Football Club and Manchester City F.C. were the two most successful teams in the Premier League and Europe in the 2018-19 season.
My beloved Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League Final, their second appearance in consecutive years, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 to secure the club’s sixth win in the competition. This is the most any British team has won and surpassed Bayern Munich to be the third most successful team ever.
In the Premier League, LFC pushed Man City – to whom they suffered their only league defeat – until the last day. City and Liverpool exchanged their leads 32 times over the season. The two title contenders jointly amassed a combined total of 195 points which was the highest combined total in English top flight history, with Liverpool’s 97 points being the third-highest total in the history of the English top division (behind City’s prvious two seasons’ totals) and the most points scored by a team without winning the title. The Reds remained unbeaten at home in the league for the second season in a row and matched the club record of thirty league wins in a season.
This season saw some immense individual performances. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané jointly won the Premier League Golden Boot, scoring 22 league goals each. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker kept 21 clean sheets to win the Premier League Golden Glove. Four Liverpool players were included in the PFA Team of the Year, including Mané; Virgil van Dijk, who won both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season awards; Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, the two fulback who provided a lot of the indefensible crosses that lead to Salah and Mané’s goals.
And @VirgilvDijk was also joined by his @LFC teammates Sadio Mane @andrewrobertso5 and @trentaa98 in the #PFA Premier League Team of the Year🏆👏⚽️⠀#TOTY #PFAawards pic.twitter.com/24aKfKDQK9
— PFA | Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) 28 April 2019
During this season, Manchester City completed an unprecedented domestic quadruple by winning all three of the major English football tournaments – the Premier League, FA Cup, and English Football League Cup – and the FA Community Shield, the first time any team has ever held all four of England’s primary football trophies. City were the first club in Europe’s top leagues to pass 100 goals scored on 20 January 2019 and on 24 April 2019 broke their own record for a top flight English club for goals scored in all competitions in a season, going on to amassed a total of 169 goals scored.
The joyous thing about watching these two incredible teams in full flight was that their respective managers, Jürgen Klopp (LFC) and Pep Guardiola (MCFC) had bred a real ‘team’ mentality into their sides. This is indicated in Liverpool’s case by the sharing of goal scoring duties and the number of players who made the PFA team.
You could see it when they scored. The scorer would often rush back and point at the player who provided the pass to allow them to slot home. Often times, the scorer and the whole team wold rush to the side lines or the manager would rush onto the field to celebrate with a team member.
This team work mentality of sharing the applause and plaudits and how it contributes to success is explained thoroughly in Abby Wambach’s amazing book, “Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game“. The lesson, or rule of the wolfpack, that outlines this well is Rule 5: Rush or Point.
When someone else scores a goal, rush toward her in celebration. Right now, I’m running toward Ed Sheeran to say, “Well done on the album, ‘No.6 Collaborations Project‘”. I’m running towards LFC for their 2018/2019 season and all the joy it brought to my life. I’m running towards my colleagues who organised a transfer of buildings for our own physiotherapy department into an up to date professional facility. I’m running towards Brené Brown, for her incredible work on courage, belonging and ‘daring greatly’. Brené brought this book to my attention and has a great take on this rule that she shared in a conversation with the author which was shared on Facebook,
This idea that we go through the world and celebrate other peoples’ successes – other women. If something great happens, we’re rushing toward her. If something great happens, we’re pointing to who helped us. That would solve so many problems!” YES IT WOULD!
Brene Brown
Listen: You will not always be the goal scorer. When you are not, you better be rushing toward her.
Sometimes you will be the goal scorer. Every goal we score belongs to the entire team. So when you score, you better start pointing – to the teammate who assisted; to the defender who protected; to the midfielder who ran tirelessly; to the coach who dreamed up the play; to the bench player who willed this moment into existence.
When a member of the Pack scores, there are only two options:
We’re either rushing or we’re pointing.
This goes for on the field and off. Let’s amplify each other’s voices, celebrate each other’s successes, and give credit to those who contributed to ours. And when one of us falls, let’s pick her up, and help her get back in the game.
I’m pointing at all of you that read this blog. I’m pointing to my family, friends and girlfriend who give me all the emotional support to help me deal with the stressors that life throws in my path and let’s me kick the occasional goal. And, when I get the chance, I run full speed toward them for the biggest hug possible.
I’m pointing at the hundreds of clients and patients who told me their stories. The people who have cheered me on, challenged me, made me work, asked the hard questions, and helped me build who I am today.
Who are you rushing to or pointing at?
Leave your answers in the comments box below 👇
Enjoy!
Scott