Bentley's Bull

Very soon the talking will be over, the contract negotiations complete and the new strip on show ready for battle to commence. Yes it's that time again, time to renew the membership, check the fixture list and fasten the seat belt for the NEW New Brighton season.

I have seen some Pre-season programs in my time. Some have been good, others very good and some very - very good, but what I have seen this year has been much better than that. Savi, Tony, Mike, Rick, Steve and Stuart take a pat on the back from the Fat Man.

The players that have taken part in your excellent sessions are stronger, faster, fitter and measurably smarter for the experience. Those who have started late and have missed the experience have missed out. They have just a little time to make up the ground and must certainly be putting the work in NOW !

So what has been different this year? Well, with the Lions returning to Blighty the news is filtering through about long, laborious, repetitious and somewhat pointless training sessions knackering the lads on the training pitch leaving them spent for the games. No such criticism can be levelled at New Brighton's pre-Season. The lads have worked hard, indeed they have and they continue to work very hard, but the variety, scope and ingenuity of the sessions has kept everyone fresh, interested and challenged. Well done the coaches your preparation, planning and execution is great.

Just one little story that I heard regarding the Lions. It appears that in the build up to the first Test the management team were calling extra training sessions. Apparently, on one occasion when the management team turned up on the training pitch for one extra session they found themselves alone without a single player to be seen. My information tells me that Martin Johnston, who was having nothing of the extra - extra sessions, arranged a boat trip for the players and took it on himself to absent the playing squad for the day out.

I read the siren voices on the message board moaning and whinging about the squad and our training. Well, I took the time to go to most of the sessions, merely as an observer I hasten to add, my days of burning up the training pitch have unfortunately passed, but as an observer I was full of praise for all concerned. I'm giving no secrets away when I tell you that we are all going to be getting used to `Squeeze Ball' as a route to regular fast possession that rips holes in opposition defences. The lads have been running patterns after patterns as the ball carrier, the angles, support players and the options have been rehearsed and rehearsed seeking the perfect patterns that build into winning rugby.

Before I get carried away with the poetry, it is fair to say that the guts, grind, sweat and straining sinew that distinguishes pre season training has played its part but accompanied by quite a little science. Performance records on every player have been measured and logged and improvement targets set. We should have the fittest and fastest squad in the league this year.

The precise nature of your street knowledge will communicate a meaning of the word "savi". Most people would take savi to mean `In the know' or `knowledge' as in 'to have the savi'. Well I predict that our lads will have more "savi" than those we come to play against in this years league. I've learned a lot about the game by simply watching the sessions. Those fortunate enough to have taken part will certainly have benefited greatly.

Now what is all this intense preparation about? Well, with what I understand from the situation, the club is making a very serious effort to break out of the league and start a movement that will take us to National League Division One. Sounds good so far, but talk is cheap and to put some wheels onto the plan and some handles to drive it the decision was made to invest in the backroom infrastructure. Savi was appointed as Director of Rugby and the facilities of his company and the Wirral Rugby Academy were thrown into the equation.

I took some stick on the message board when I referred to Mike Johnston as a Human Performance Specialist, but that IS what he is. Mike devises specific exercises and training programmes to improve ones human performance. By that I mean that he increases muscle power so that an athlete can accelerate quicker, move faster and sustain their output for longer. He takes into account fat percentages, diet, cardio vascular and muscle fitness and a whole lot more that I don't know about. His Plyometric sessions are something to behold especially when our big lads bounce about tensing and exploding their muscles in a quite wonderful way. I leave your imagination to fill in the detail.

With regard to patterns of play well Savi and Steve Rule have some very clear ideas. They have been running offensive patterns with the ball carrier going to ground, the space protected by the first wave of support players with a further support player launching the next wave of attack with a further group punching forward in a similar way before launching yet another group who set up for the first group to keep the motion going. Clever stuff eh!? Anyway when they come to spread the play the pace and width of the attack were hugely impressive. I can hardly wait to see it put to practice in anger against a good team.

I could go on about defensive patterns and the mysterious world of Tony O'Brien and I could dig into the wonderful world of Rick Shuttleworth's coaching psyche, but that is a bit much for a simple fat lad like me and I leave this part of the my narrative at this point.

The next job we must all apply ourselves to is the promotion of the games. We need to build our crowds and pack the fans into Reeds Lane to cheer the lads on. Start spreading the word. At Reeds Lane, we have an Wirral Academy game on Friday August 17^th against Edinburgh followed by a SUNDAY clash with Preston Grasshoppers on August 19^th. That promises to be a great weekend.

The goodies continue to flow. Just 6 days later, we take on Orrell on Saturday 25^th, again at Reeds Lane, and before you fall foul of the rumours that the bottom has fallen out of Orrell think again. They have lost a few faces in the close season BUT there starting line up is still very strong and a real test for our lads.

Just to mark your card they will be going with MOST of the key names that played in the First Division last season. Livesy, Moffatt, Cussani, Broxton, Crammant, Whelding, Kerefoot, Craig, Wood, Pearce, Duggan, Kendrick, Riley, Lloyd Millachip and Co are, from what I hear, remaining at Edge Hall Road with Paul Bamber and a host of others coming in from their development team.

I expect August 25^th to be a big test for our lads and a great opportunity for the fans to get an idea of what the pre season training has been about and to gain a preview of the way rugby will be played by the Blues this coming season.

Mouth watering stuff eh!

Now lets all get POSITIVE and start talking up:

Our Club – Our Team – Our Coaches – Our Future –

Our Plans – Our Community.

June is Busting out all over, the sun is shining, the sky is BLUE, New Brighton have a huge trophy in the bag (even Simon Tushingham is impressed).

And now we are in the middle of the annual `Silly Season'……

Heaven forbid, but even Lol Connor hangs up his boots for a week or three at this time of the year. Players, coaches and support staff are entitled to their close season rest. Can you sense it...?. There's a BUT coming and in my view it is a BIG BUT…..

At this time of the year I believe the back room boys should be working overtime scheming, planning and cementing the foundations for the continued development of our club. OK we failed to win promotion. It was a close run thing and we all know that with just that little bit of luck it would have happened for us. Now, in the words of the SAGE:

"If what you did yesterday still looks good today,
Perhaps you have NOT done so much today !!?"

Clearly the moral being `DO NOT REST ON YOUR LAURELS'

I know Savi has been having meetings with players old and potentially new and I believe finance committees have been meeting to sort out and approve budgets, but again I fear we are failing to build in the `professional' infrastructure that will move us onwards to where I think we want to be.

Already I hear my critics bemoaning me with comments such as:
"What is the `Fat Man'on about now?"

• "We've appointed a new Director of Rugby, we are talking to players."
  
• "We are readying ourselves for a CHAMPIONSHIP season at our fourth attempt to break out of this league!"

"Well the `Fat Man' would say "This is a good start BUT!"

• " What about our general promotion and marketing plan? "
• " What about the match day program?"
• "What about our sponsorship incomes? "
• "What about further ground improvements? "
• "What about the development of our Match Day Event presentation? "
• "What are we doing to further SELL our product, club and rugby in general?"
• "What about the lottery bid? "
• "What about SRB 6 and Objective One funding?"

I hear the critics retort. "Bloody hell man we are only National League third division. There is no need for all that rubbish. It is an amateur game after all, and we have come a long way in the past few years. Time to consolidate and take stock for a season!"

Again my response is to say:

"SORRY but you is wrong lads"

The tour, end of season festivities like the Chapital Beaun Blue etc have generated a HIGH and a typical New Brighton POSITIVE BUZZZ…

Good stuff and I have no argument. But this is the very time that we could and should seize the initiative and BUILD on the positive BUZZZ.

Certainly we can increase our sponsorship income generated from the team's success and the very significant media presence we have in our social and economic community. That is IF we have the WIT and WILL to seize the initiative.

Certainly we can develop our corporate hospitality facility, usage and future income.. Similarly we can be planning to upgrade and improve our Match Programme, Match Day presentation and the promotion, marketing and selling of our product. I have not changed my mind or position on this point. WE ARE SEMI PROFESSIONAL.

Our product is based on a game of rugby which we charge the public and others to become involved with either sponsors or spectators. We pay monies to those producing the product ­ players, coaches, support staff etc BUT we fail to really grasp the initiative of packaging and marketing our product.

Go with the logic for a moment and consider the commercial parallels. So we buy in our semi professional production staff, we remunerate our designers and production managers. We finance our accommodation and performance arena BUT we decide NOT to push on the sales and marketing side in the belief that customers will beat their way to our door and buy our product…..!

Interesting isn't it.

"No it's not. You've been singing from that hymn sheet for years Bentley."

Yes again my critics are right in part. I have been singing this song for several years now. In 1996, I think it was, I recruited a group of Colts into work details and arranged the painting of the Blue and white you currently see around the club. (Ably supported by Pete Torgersen and funded by Daisy Wilcox)

Similarly I arranged for the BIG sign on the wall overlooking the members car park (Again funded by Daisy) and together with Frank Duff set about upgrading the old Blue, black and white programme. The introduction of colour and the new format was a good development, but it needs upgrading further again. The blue and white painting needs a re-touch and the general appearance of our club could do with uplifting. The entrance needs rethinking with the possible addition of turnstiles and the scoreboard would do well to be `freshened up' a bit.

I could go on but I trust the above gives an indication to the way I am thinking. Our match day event needs `spicing up' just a bit, as does our Match Day promotion. I do not think I have seen posters advertising a game since we played the Irish touring team… How many seasons ago was that ?. (With all due respect to Guy I do not mean the A4 computer printouts that he does so well for posting in the club)

Regarding the sponsorship question…I hear people saying

"it ain't like it used to be, sponsorship just isn't available these days. "
Stuff and nonsense. Savi and his Academy appear to do very - very well with their match day and seasons sponsorships.

Why.. BECAUSE they work hard and sell their product. Surely there is a lesson here. If the academy can get mid week crowds and significant sponsorship packages for a floodlit glorified COLTS game we can do better for NATIONAL LEAGUE competitive rugby. Indeed the BEST level of rugby played in our community!

We are already well into June and we have not played a game of league rugby at Reeds lane for many many weeks now….Yet we continue to command regular coverage and features in the local media for our sport and our club. Merely three and a half years ago New Brighton managed a paragraph in the single column reports that covered ALL Wirral teams results during the season. Now we have a Daily Post Tuesday sports Pull out that regularly features the Boys in Blue and or Wirral News and Globe coverage comes a close second to Tranmere Rovers…

Think of it a new generation of Wirral youth are growing up reading about the BLUES as the communities leading rugby club. New Brighton IS of increasing importance to the community, in sporting, social, business and financial terms. WE should fasten on to this FACT, seize the initiative and actively promote the marketing and selling of our very good and exciting product.

I'm tired. You are probably shell shocked and bored to have read this far. So I leave you with this thought.

'IF THOSE RUNNING OUR CLUB DO NOT BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT SUGGESTS THEY BELIEVE IN THE QUALITY AND MARKETABILITY

OF OUR PRODUCT ­

HOW CAN WE EXPECT OTHERS, WHO MIGHT BUY OUR PRODUCT,

TO BELIEVE IN US?'

Best wishes to all.

Enjoy the summer and lets hope to go two better next season

BENTLEY

Bathed in glamour but shrouded in suspicion the world of the Player Agent exploded in the public domain with Tom Cruise starring as `Jerry McGuire' in the film of the same name. Was Jerry McGuire a saint or a sinner ?

Audiences were left confused by Rod Tidwell's , "Show me the money" catch phrase contrasted by McGuire's enormous behind the scenes efforts promoting his player.

Wirral's Alastair Saverimmuto would have us believe that the Player Agent is the SAVIour of sporting aspirations. Mr Saverimutto's efforts with the Wirral Rugby Academy would certainly support his claim. Local youngsters have benefited from a world class training and coaching program that developed them from young hopefuls who lost 46-5 against Leicester in December to the conquering heroes who sent the Scottish Exiles and highly rated Worcester Development squads packing, after inflicting them with surprise defeats in April.

Critics would argue that `Savi' was only motivated by the fees he will earn from the best Academy players who move on to join the professional battalions of the big clubs around the world. Mr Saverimutto would counter by saying that the youngsters he fostered through to England and North representative honours would not have made the grade were it not for the intensive work put in by the Academy coaching team. Similarly the Wirral youngsters who signed professional contracts

eg

Paul Johnstone – Worcester Anthony Birley Sale U21s via Launceston

Adam Kettle England U19 Squad Christian Jones North of England U20s

"Not bad for the first 10 months, but just think what we will do in our second and third years. It's a very exciting time for the Academy, Wirral Rugby and the development of my company"

said Mr. Saverimutto.

"The lads that have moved on have a real chance of earning their living as professional players and the lads who have not quite made it are so much better now that they will be bringing a lot to our leading local clubs."

Having been appointed as the newly defined Director of Rugby at New Brighton, Mr. Saverimutto is certain to direct some of his young hopefuls to the Reeds Lane Club but, with the announcement that Academy players will also be playing senior rugby at Birkenhead Park and Caldy next season he insists his Academy involvement is for the general good of the community. "By providing a top quality training and development program for the best of the best in the Wirral everybody gains. No one Wirral club can offer what we can but they all stand to benefit from the player improvement we can deliver"

Yet heading up the Wirral Academy and Directing the Rugby at New Brighton is only a small part of the busy world of Alastair Saverimutto who represents the new breed of Business professional who are ploughing a new furrow in the rugby world.

Forced by injury to cut short an illustrious career as a professional player with Gloucester, Mr Saverimutto started his business by helping players he knew with their contract negotiations. From those humble beginnings, Savi International was born and now represents fifty International level rugby players.

A new development for Mr. Saverimutto into the world of International Gymnastics was marked earlier this year when British Champion Olympic Gymnast, Emma Williams, was added to his ranks. Critics might say next years Commonwealth Games in Manchester make it convenient for Saverimutto to be recruiting the British Gymnastics Champion, but he would counter by saying

"It is just good business for all concerned."

Promising student golfer Jamie Donaldson is another to join the Saverimutto Stable, which suggests a further development into yet another sporting arena for `Wirral's Jerry McGuire.' For those left in any doubt that Mr. Saverimutto is a very serious player in the sporting world, a visit to www.Savi.co.uk will satisfy any lingering doubts. Still under construction, the Savi International web site went live just a few weeks ago and is already drawing praise from rugby sources all over the world.

Ex Captain of Rugby School, Matt Hodders, is the man charged with collating and developing the website "It really is a state of the art site that is only just beginning to grow. We have put a year of hard work into developing the system, links and lots of technical features that mark the coming together of cutting edge technology and the world of sport. I'm delighted to be working for Savi International, It's an exciting place to be."

Working from impressive new offices in Priory Wharf overlooking the Mersey, Saverimutto oozes pride in his achievements and communicates boundless enthusiasm for the future.

Saint or Sinner?

Only time will tell if Mr. Saverimutto is the Savi-our of our sporting ambitions. New Brighton apparently think so, Wirral Academy players know so and many ambitious sporting aspirants will doubtless be thankful that he and Savi International are here right now on the Wirral promoting their cause.

BENTLEY

There are two teams above us …JUST

And Eleven teams below us…………Some by a long way !

BUT we had set our target on promotion.

Perhaps it was in our grasp !

Perhaps the leaders were just too good for us !

So what NOW…..

Like Rugby in general I fear we are short on leadership. If not we lack direction.

Those who fund the clubs extra income.. Bless Them…have a right to say how their money is spent. Unfortunately they perhaps lack the vision and know-how to go any further in the world of Semi Professional rugby.

The game HAS changed and what we knew in the halcyon days of our youth no longer `cuts the bacon at the pointed end of Semi Pro Rugby. Our recipe for the past has been good to this level but appears lacking to go further.

If you are serious about the game on the Wirral then read on….

If not, then STOP now as I will probably offend you.

I'm really stong in the Wirral having a competitive team playing as high as National League Div One I believe the Peninsula can produce and sustain a team playing at this level…Beyond that is too far even to consider at this stage…

BUT Div 2 on to Div 1 is, in my opinion, well within our grasp…

So why are we not getting out of Div 3 ?

Lol has done a great job for the Club…

He is a one off. Strong – Charismatic - Authoritative – Motivational – Knowledgeable

Unfortunately there is a BUT.

He and the Club need to move on in their Panning - Strategy – Recruitment – Youth/Player Development and Team Preparation.

It is no longer good enough to do things well…

We have to do the RIGHT things well

Indulge me for a moment and fold your arms.

Now unfold them and fold them again

BUT the second time have the arm that was underneath on top…!

Feels strange and uncomfortable doesn't it ???

What you have just experienced is CHANGE and it is often strange and uncomfortable…That is the territory of CHANGE…

My point being that we need to move some CHANGES at New Brighton and it appears to me that we are frightened and nervous about it…So much so that we are moving to where we already are!!!

NEXT POINT

Indulge me with another Cliché'

It gets harder and we have to do SO much more IF we REALLY want to grab that extra 20% that will give us promotion.

So how do we go about moving progress /

In my opinion the first thing we need to do is to MAKE A DECISION !

We are hardly likely to move forward IF we are not convinced that FORWARDS and UPWARDS is where we want to go.

I fear it is not good enough to say we want promotion, buy in a couple of journeymen players and do what has earned us 3^rd spot for the past 3 years.

Our players NEED to be FITTER, STRONGER and have more STAMINA to be able keep up the pace of the game.

The APPLIANCE of SCIENCE has burst into the world of sport with a vengeance in recent years. It is no longer good enough to rely on the shuttle runs, sit ups, press ups and BEASTING sessions that have served so well for so long.

Next time you are in the supermarket pick up a bag of potatoes…say about 8 lbs in weight. Now put that on your shoulder and imagine carrying it around a rugby field for 80 minutes…It would slow you down …YES !

The ration of BODY FAT to muscle mass is crucial in the modern game of rugby….

The portly power players of the past have had their day in higher level competitive rugby.

NOT that BIG players are not wanted in the game…their power and weight is of major importance …BUT IT MUST BE POWER and not just mobile adipose (fat).

POWER is crucial in the modern game NOT mere weight !

Without going into a lecture our lads need to set fitness targets, be advised HOW to reach their target and how to stay there…

Well we are only New Brighton, Bentleys off his head if he thinks our lads will commit to that level !…

Consider the fact that each punters pay £5 to watch these lads and sponsors give their cash to support the game and Alacadooes give of their cash to support the programme

I think it fair that the players, who get expenses, kit, beer, food and what is it these days £75 a game PLUS the honour and pleasure in playing the highest level rugby on the Wirral, make the commitment to eat right, train right and be ready for the games.

To this end we need a fitness adviser who:

KNOWS what REAL fitness is

Knows what the athletes have to do to achieve it

Knows how to monitor and test fitness levels

Similarly we need more to our game than the forward dominated system we currently play…We nearly embraced it early season but went back into our comfort zones when DKS beat Doncaster and we went there determined NOT to let their backs destroy us…OK we won the game and looked very much in control…

BUT I fear that was the game when we moved away from the expansive tactics that destroyed Stourbridge in the first half at Reeds Lane and put 79 past Morley

I fear that was the game when we started playing of insecurity and nervousness and moved away from the CONFIDENCE that is essential to WIN leagues..

A level of detail planning, preparation and execution is required throughout the infrastructure of the club if we REALLY want to move onwards and upwards. .

Here I come up with my favourite moan…

It is a very real factor in developing and branding a club within a community.. The stuff I have written in the papers over the past three-four years is significantly better than the nondescript coverage we had pre 1995-6 BUT it is NOT enough.

We MUST address this non playing side of our strategy:-

Of course there is more, of course there is detail as well as the big picture and of course it takes time and effort. BUT I firmly believe we CAN do it and if we plan it well it will NOT cost more to do it right and win as opposed to do it NEARLY right and …well you know the rest.

Another cliché'

To FAIL to PLAN

Already I see the half measures and half actions taking place behind the scenes and already I see the COMPROMISE solutions being adopted…

OK IF that is what we want fair enough…BUT IF we REALLY – REALLY wanted to move onwards and upwards it is there in or grasp so to achieve…

Our backers have done us proud with their financial support BUT

If we spend £1000 and we should have spent £1050

If we hanker for the Corinthian Traditions of the rugby we have known and loved prior to the semi professional era…Then we can have it

BUT we will miss out on the prize that COULD be there in our community if we had the will and vision to pursue it !!

Enough for now I can already hear my critics sharpening their knives…

I've been criticised many times in the past for being RIGHT and I expect to be criticized now for being RIGHT again.!!!

Best Wishes

BENTLEY