Players win games, teams win championships

As the Ryder Cup reaches its climax, one of the biggest challenges that has faced the respective leaders of each team has been moulding individuals into an effective team where unity and spirit is present in abundance.

Golf is, of course, very different to football in that it is an individual sport except for the occasional Ryder Cup-style tournament.

However, are the challenges faced by Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin so different to those that football managers encounter in fostering a positive atmosphere within the dressing room?

The first point of discussion is whether or not this responsibility lies solely with the coaching staff or whether players are responsible for creating their own togetherness.

If you take the view that the manager is the main catalyst for this, then what are their main strategies to try to achieve it?

The team spirit at Dunfermline has impressed new recruit Jack Ross. Photo: SNS

If a manager is allowed to add to his squad then he will seek to attract players who he feels have the necessary characteristics to gel with the players he already has.

In this respect, he will have a certain amount of control in the creation of team spirit.

Conversely, if he has to make do with the squad he inherits then he must attempt to do this in other ways.

A popular method, and one used in many other industries, is "team bonding" days with players going go-karting, paint-balling or golfing, with the emphasis being on spending time together in a relaxed atmosphere.

It is fair to say that if a manager has a playing squad that enjoys socialising together, then it is a positive step towards a united camp.

In my own experience, one of the most beneficial tools at a manager's disposal is pre-season training camps. Undoubtedly, the restricted budgets enforced upon many managers have limited their ability to take players away, but those who are able to do so recognise the importance of such trips.

For example, my first season at St Mirren included an eight-day training stint in Italy where we trained twice a day, ate every meal together and spent any free time together at the pool or in the hotel games room.

Consequently, a strong sense of familiarity and loyalty could begin to grow between the players.

There are of course other situations which can create enormous togetherness within a squad and which have nothing to do with the manager.

One such source of this is when a squad is faced with adversity, such as the possibility of administration, the loss of key players through injury or being written off as no-hopers.

Often in cases like these a clever manager will recognise they can turn a negative into a benefit for their team.

The master of such a technique is probably Jose Mourinho, who has created almost a siege mentality within all his teams and hence united them in a manner conducive to achieving major success.

It is evident that management play a major part in creating and sustaining excellent team spirit but I would also suggest that the players are vital in ensuring it all comes together.

The ability of a manager to choose his captain and vice captain is crucial as these dominant figures within a dressing room will have influence over other members of the squad and be key in ensuring that every individual player is focused on the same goal.

In my short time at Dunfermline I have been hugely impressed by the unity within the squad, and have no doubts the success the management team have had in achieving this will be a major asset for us as the season progresses.

Finally, the use of quotations around dressing room walls is another method aimed at inspiring team spirit. I have seen many during my career with one of the simplest but most appropriate being "players win games, teams win championships".

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