Win First…

As brilliant as Sir Alex Ferguson is as a football coach, it is ultimately the outfield players that will decide the outcome of a match. If Ronaldo does not dribble, if Rooney fails to shoot or Ferdinand takes a nap… the best strategies in the world would not win them matches.

So I’m quite surprised when our country’s top male table-tennis player, ranked 12th in the world, could cite the absence of a coach as a reason for his loss to a lower ranked opponent. C’mon, coaches don’t play the match, players do… and if they don’t win, they can blame no one but themselves.

Yes, he can complain all day long about his “3rd class” treatment by the team… and fair enough, it is a legitimate complaint. But doesn’t he realize the best way to make himself heard is by winning instead of whining? If he had eventually won a medal, I’m sure the whole nation will do complaining for him.

But now, the enduring image of him is the picture of his teary face splashed across major newspapers. Not exactly the best way you would want to be remembered.