<div id="attachment_758" style="width: 228px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-758" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-758" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2010/01/Gylfi-Sigurdsson_2372258.jpg" alt="Note To Self: Bring Motivation To Every Match" width="218" height="298"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-758" class="wp-caption-text">Note To Self: Bring Motivation To Every Match</p></div>
<p>In a season where the passion and relevance of the English F.A cup have been in question, one team defies the odds and shows a true cup spirit. Of course I am referring to Reading, the team who have become all to familiar to football fans around the world after deservedly knocking out Liverpool in the 3rd round and Burnley are the latest top flight victim to the Royals. If you needed any sort of proof that the F.A cup can bring out the best in players, take into consideration that Reading haven’t won a game in their last six league outings and only won three league games in 2009 at their home ground, the Madjeski Stadium (and two of them came in January!). Their win in the 4th round once again got me thinking about how players become differently motivated when the competition changes and the mental challenges that players obviously face.</p>
<p>In the third round replay against Liverpool, at Anfield, Reading completely out played Liverpool and there were several occasions where the players were so confident that they were tricking and nut-megging their way through Carragher and Agger – two experienced decorated defenders. Yet we never see play like this from Reading in the league and they’re often guilty of dropping their heads when things don’t go their way. They’re a talented set of players, obviously the team isn’t of the same calibre as the previous season, but this team shouldn’t be in the relegation zone and that is clear when we know that they are capable of beating the likes of Liverpool and Burnley who are in the league above them.</p>
<p>So it comes down to confidence and belief, one week you’re in the league and struggling to garner belief that you can play to the best of your ability and the next week the cup comes about and you have all the confidence in the world. But why? I’m not sure even a Reading player could answer you that, it’s almost as if there are two Reading teams at the moment and although the scalps of two Premiership teams are impressive, they need to transfer this confidence they get playing in the cup over to the league otherwise Reading may not be starting next seasons cup run from the 3rd round…</p>
<p>It’s a strange phenomenon not only in football but psychology itself; the aspect of motivation is something fascinating and strange. From an outsiders view, it doesn’t make much sense how Reading can get beat by Plymouth (a team below them in the league) 4-1, then soon after outplay Liverpool – twice. Players are obviously very motivated to take on the top teams with the top players as if to prove a point to the football world, yet why do motivation and confidence levels change so dramatically because the name of the competition changes?</p>
<p>Now Reading come up against Sheffield United in the league, away; not an easy game for an team in the Championship. And I wonder if Reading will return to their poor league form or will be inspired by their cup performance. They recently played quite well against Nottingham Forrest away from home but the punters will no doubt prefer the Blades. This also raises the question of how much is ability down to confidence and motivation? Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo obviously have a lot of confidence in their play and the raw talent to match it, but could there be players that maybe could have been a lot better if they had just played with confidence and motivation. I believe that the more you think about motivation and confidence, the more it hinders your play and maybe the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo and Messi don’t even consider their motivation and instead try to focus on how their actual talent – so as if motivation takes a back seat therefore is constantly high.</p>
<p>You look at the England goalkeeper situation at the moment and people constantly mention the word ‘confidence’. David Seaman was England’s number one for years and I can’t ever remember his confidence being questioned, whereas people are worried that Robert Green is losing his concentration because of all the goals he is conceding. Seaman didn’t need confidence – he was just ability and although I’m not questioning how good Robert Green is but how good can you say England’s goalkeeper is if he loses faith in his own ability? A lack of confidence can ruin any player.</p>


Am I Reading This Right? Royals Into 5th Round &#8211; Motivation Phenomenon

Am I Reading This Right? Royals Into 5th Round - Motivation Phenomenon - World Soccer Talk

Am I Reading This Right? Royals Into 5th Round – Motivation Phenomenon

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<p>Imagine that you, as a fan, decided to drop your club an e-mail asking about potential signings. You wrote the e-mail in good faith and asked questions about the amount of money the manager had, would it be bolstered by additional monies raised by selling deadwood and the long term investment. You then copy an article from the Liverpool Echo arguing that Benitez shouldn’t have to manage the debts brought on to him.</p>
<p>Imagine your surprise to the receive a response to that e-mail from Tom Hicks Jr, who launches in to a foul mouthed tirade with the fan and invites him to <a href="http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/87419-thomas-o-hicks-junior.html" target="_blank">“Blow Me F@@@-face. I’m sick of you.” </a>The e-mail was also addressed to “Idiot”. This story broke on Saturday evening, but had been doing the rounds all day until the British media picked it up and ran with the story.</p>
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<p>Suddenly and shockingly, Liverpool fans had finally managed to pin down the arrogance that they have had to deal with over the last 34 months since Hicks and Gillett saddled the club with £350 million worth of debt. Cue all manner of critical articles began to appear and <a href="http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/Tom-Hicks-Jnr-_-Resign-Now!.html" target="_blank">the Spirit of Shankly fans group</a> rode in to quite rightly demand that Tom Hicks Jr resign with immediate effect. They correctly pointed out that Hicks Jr’s position had now become untenable.</p>
<p>So this afternoon, he finally resigned with this statement by numbers: <strong><em>“I am very sorry for my harmful words. To the fans and club, please accept my sincerest apologies,I have great respect for Liverpool Football Club, especially the club’s supporters. I do not want my actions to take away from the club’s future, therefore I am resigning from the board.”</em></strong></p>
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<p>Now this for me makes things even worse, because he’d denied it for nearly 48 hours, so can anyone actually take a word he says as honest? He abused a fan, who made a valid query and then denied it calling the fan a liar. Only when the criticism became so vocal and major newspapers began to cover it did the story change to the truth. Yes, sometimes fans can give as much abuse but the e-mail was polite and simply wanted some points answering.</p>
<p>At no point did that justify Hicks Jr’s actions, which if anything simply smack of deluded arrogance. The spoutings of someone who has spent too long living in an ivory tower with nothing but disdain for the fans of the club his father and business partner have crippled with debts.I have a lot of sympathy with the fans over the way the club has been weighed down with so much negative equity.</p>
<p>Yet this mess has now come back to haunt <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlHMyp_jIyw" target="_blank">the Spirit of Shankly group as this footage of their end of season party has now surfaced.</a>Now at some point someone, somewhere has to get a grip of this situation. The last 48 hours were bad enough for Liverpool Football Club, but this video could complete unravel all the good work that S.O.S are doing to try and fight the Hicks and Gillett regime at Anfield.</p>
<p>If anything it’s all so depressing to see the same level of vitriol celebrated over something a hell of a lot more offensive than an e-mail from a silly little man. Celebrating the deaths of anyone is beyond reproach. Now is anyone from Spirit of Shankly going to make a statement or resign over this? Can Liverpool’s name be dragged through the mud anymore?</p>

Hicks And Gillett Regime Continues To Alienate Liverpool Fans

Hicks And Gillett Regime Continues To Alienate Liverpool Fans - World Soccer Talk

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Am I Reading This Right? Royals Into 5th Round – Motivation Phenomenon

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Hicks And Gillett Regime Continues To Alienate Liverpool Fans