Not The Footy Show Ashley Morrison

In this show our special guest is author Lucas Gillard who talks about his latest book “George Best Down Under.” The book looks at the four main trips that the great Northern Ireland and Manchester United player made to Australia and how each was so very different in terms of where he was in his life and his career, and also how he was received. Copies can be purchased online here .







In the topics under discussion Ashley looks at the way talent is being identified today via trials rather than coaches actually scouting talent. To make matters worse in some sports the administrators are charging players who wish to attend trials for state representative teams, and then when selected they are again expected to pay to represent their state. Is this right? If a State cannot afford to heavily subsidise such teams surely they should not attempt to field a side in that age group? Equally worrying is hearing that three sports board members have delayed the announcement of a State team being announced because their child has not been selected. Does this who area need to be looked at and a better model put in place?







After cracking one of his best quips John turns his attention to Olympic selection and how only two are chosen when multiple athletes have achieved a qualifying time. Once again the Court of Arbitration for Sport is once again going to be busy, but should they be? Do the athletes need to understand the rules or is it the sport that needs to make the process clearer. Or are such events about having the best in the world competing or is it more important to have representatives from around the world competing even though they are not the top competitors in their sport? Does it really matter where an athlete comes from, surely they can inspire people in other nations apart from their own?







Moving on from Sandy’s interview we look at coaches and are they there for the players or themselves? Also is the current funding model the best way to decide which sports receive funding? Or is it in fact contributing to the problem? Is this the price of professional sport and has making it a full time job taken the joy out of the game for those playing. In addition how much has coaching killed the freedom afforded the players?















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Mental health has become a big issue in sport in recent years. Yet are many of the issues being branded as a mental health problem are to many not really deserving of being labelled as such.







We have been trying to find a sports psychologist willing to discuss this issue. Many declined the opportunity, but we are very pleased to say that esteemed sports Psychologist Sandy Gordon from Performance Perspectives International.







Sandy explains the difference between mental health and mental illness and warns of the perils of labelling some of the issues facing athletes today as Mental Health issues. He discusses the dangers of building a young athlete’s identity around their chosen sport and reveals that this has been identified and hence athlete’s are encouraged to also continue studying or another aspect of their lives being developed. How much is the focus on winning contributing to these mental health issues, and indirectly are our Governments to blame for creating a set up where funding is based on winning? Hopefully our discussion will lead to further discussions within sport that make it a better environment for all. (Here is a link to one of the books recommended – Good Sport)







Ashley turns his attention to the news that World Athletics is going to give financial rewards to its Olympic gold medallists in Paris. The announcement angered many other sporting federations but will it result in a change? The IOC reportedly made $7.6Bn in revenue between 2017 and 2021. They redistribute 90% of their income to National Olympic Committees and International Federations, World Athletics has opted to return that revenue to the athletes that have generated it, will others follow suit?







Moving on from Sandy’s interview we look at coaches and are they there for the players or themselves? Also is the current funding model the best way to decide which sports receive funding? Or is it in fact contributing to the problem? Is this the price of professional sport and has making it a full time job taken the joy out of the game for those playing. In addition how much has coaching killed the freedom afforded the players?















If you don’t want to miss a post or a podcast subscribe to Not The Footy Show on our home page. Almost 2000 people have. All you need do is insert your email address and then you will receive an email update whenever a new post or podcast is posted. Rest assured we will not pass on your information! Also please feel free to share your thoughts and the Podcast.







Remember you can email us with suggestions for topics to be discussed. If there is a topic or a guest that you would like us to feature, please contact us.







Find all our podcasts on iTunes







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The celebrations are over as we move onto show number 551, and as usual plenty to discuss with another special guest on a slightly longer than normal show.







Perth Glory has a new owner after over 20 years under Tony Sage. Only the diehard fans have stuck with the team through what have been some turbulent times. We catch up with Brand Consultant David Mitchell (dna-rB) to look at what the new owner Ross Pelligra is going to have to do to win the fans back and lift the club back to former levels of success. David also talks about F1, an area he knows well and looks at the damage currently being done to the Red Bull brand.







In the topics under discussion Ashley looks at Optus stadium which was Government funded and asks why is the Government putting it’s hand in its pocked to to subsidise so many events at the stadium? Surely those running the venue should be out there selling the benefits of performing at this venue rather than having to lean on Government funding when it comes to hosting events. He also questions the prudence of hosting AC Milan and AS Roma straight after the Serie A Season ends; and is a little disparaging to both teams. Will the stadium be full for this game?







John opts for a range of topics rather than just one. First up he turns his attention to the NRL who took a league game to Las Vegas. Do they have the best chance of any football code of cracking the American market? Next up is the “Pool of Death,” and once again Australia finds itself being in this dreaded group. If it is the best of the best competing surely every group is a “Pool of Death?” John then looks at how Fair Game UK – guests on Podcast #125 – has now had a small victory with the new Football Governance Bill in the UK. He then moves onto whether the Olympic Games will in fact be hosted by Brisbane in 2032.















If you don’t want to miss a post or a podcast subscribe to Not The Footy Show on our home page. Almost 2000 people have. All you need do is insert your email address and then you will receive an email update whenever a new post or podcast is posted. Rest assured we will not pass on your information! Also please feel free to share your thoughts and the Podcast.







Remember you can email us with suggestions for topics to be discussed. If there is a topic or a guest that you would like us to feature, please contact us.







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Welcome to our 550th show!!







We look back on why the show was created and celebrate a woman who has led the way in terms of coaching women’s football, Nicola Williams. Nicola was the first coach of the Perth Glory women’s team and has since coached in Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, Papua New Guniea and the United Kingdom. Showing that there is a career for women in coaching.







In the topics under discussion Ashley focuses on the Governance of sport, one of his pet issues. He looks at the A Leagues Management and asks whether their board were really keeping an eye on expenditure as they should have? Is it time that the members of the A-League clubs asked for more transparency? He also looks at Hockey Australia and asks how despite a proposed move for the administration from Melbourne to Perth when the 135million development for Hockey’s high performance centre is completed why staff are still being employed in Melbourne. Also why following the report into the Australian National Women’s High Performance three years on key recommendations have not been put in place. Are these Board members truly overseeing the running of these sports and acting in their best interests.







Meanwhile John turns his attention to the NFL and asks why the MVP award always seems to go the quarterback? He also questions whether they really are the best player, as often they can only perform when those around them are on top of their game. He then poses the question is sport the last place in society where there is a meritocracy?















If you don’t want to miss a post or a podcast subscribe to Not The Footy Show on our home page. Almost 2000 people have. All you need do is insert your email address and then you will receive an email update whenever a new post or podcast is posted. Rest assured we will not pass on your information! Also please feel free to share your thoughts and the Podcast.







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Happy New Year! . Welcome to our 549th show in our 19th year thank you to all those who have stuck with us on this journey.







If you care about football this is one interview you do not want to miss!







To start 2024 we are catching up with Niall Coupar the CEO of Fair Game in the United Kingdom who are looking to try and get football back on track. With an astounding statistic that 64 of the 92 clubs in the top four divisions have gone into administration since the Premier League was created shows that the state of the game is not in a good place. Fair Games has attracted experts in various sectors who have not only identified the problems within the game, but also unlike many who have done that have also come up with some solutions to make clubs once again sustainable. One of the key factors is the removal of rogue owners who are stripping clubs and alienating the communities that they represent. With 34 clubs committed to what Fair Game is trying to do there is a strength in numbers and as an independent body there is a real chance that change may well happen, change that could save many of the tradition community clubs. Trust us every football fan should listen to what Fair Game are doing or check out their website. (Fair Game UK) Does Australia need a similar body to help the game?







As this is the first show of 2024 there are plenty of topics to discuss. John bemoans the fact that sponsors logos have taken centre stage when it comes to cricket, while Ashley raises again the naming rights of national teams and who makes this decision and how the public feel about these companies being attached to our national teams. He also questions the hyperbole surrounding Nathan Lyon’s 500th Test wicket and David Warner’s retirement and the current commentators recency bias. Ashley asks how Football Australia’s new Socceroos brand advert shows a lack of understanding as to how DNA works.







After the interview with Niall there is a discussion as to how football has found itself in such a position. Is this why the possibility of a Super League for Europe’s big clubs stays alive? John questions whether these big clubs need their traditional fan base any more, or are they looking at the fans and money available outside the countries that they currently compete in.















If you don’t want to miss a post or a podcast subscribe to Not The Footy Show on our home page. Almost 2000 people have. All you need do is insert your email address and then you will receive an email update whenever a new post or podcast is posted. Rest assured we will not pass on your information! Also please feel free to share your thoughts and the Podcast.







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A slightly longer show than normal as plenty to discuss with two World Cups coming to an end.







Imagine training hard for an Olympic, Paralympic, or Commonwealth Games and just being pipped for a medal, that must be soul destroying. Imagine then hearing that one of those who beat you have had their medal taken off them following a failed test for illegal substance. Now you have a medal, but you have missed the chance to take your place on the podium. So how do you receive your medal? Our guest on this show is para-lifter Ben Wright and he explains what will now happen. He also discusses how he is travelling in terms of qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympics, which he felt had a hiccup in Woollongong, but in truth saw him still perform well.







John turns his attention to the recently finished Cricket and Rugby World Cups, and asks what have we learned from both? Does Rugby need to look at its rule book again, and also the role of the video referee? Certainly there needs to be a review of the way decisions have been made. As for the Cricket World Cup, some may ask why it took so long to reach its conclusion, and one that saw no real surprises come the semi-finals. How much of a part did the pitches play? How important was it to win the toss? With first nations investing millions into their programs is there ever going to be an opportunity for any other nation to crash the party?







Ashley then looks at a comment made to him by a sports administrator who was relieved that their side did not make the finals series as it would save them expenditure. He asks if teams cannot afford to travel across the country for finals should the sport revert to a league table format? Or should the fans and the players be asking why knowing the cost the administrators have not generated the revenue to cover the cost of competing in the finals? Surely success has the potential to pull in more money?







Also under discussion is the financial fair play cases going on in the United Kingdom and how far the penalties will go.















If you don’t want to miss a post or a podcast subscribe to Not The Footy Show on our home page. Almost 2000 people have. All you need do is insert your email address and then you will receive an email update whenever a new post or podcast is posted. Rest assured we will not pass on your information! Also please feel free to share your thoughts and the Podcast.







Remember you can email us with suggestions for topics to be discussed. If there is a topic or a guest that you would like us to feature, please contact us.







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