GAME ON

It’s GAME DAY

So my plans to increase my blog output failed to happen.  My bad.  To be honest - my double bad.  I would apologies and say things are going to improve but you have heard it all before – and as they say action is louder than words (expect perhaps if you a Lumberjack) – so watch this space.

Today – the Oman National team take on Wigan Athletic in one of the most unlikely match ups in my career to date.  London Broncos Rugby League taking part in the Dubai Union 7’s (little did I know 10 or so years ago that I would be back in the region full time.  The Broncos were my life back then – many lessons learnt since then!).

Step up to the Plate

First off - an apology / an excuse / an omission of guilt....  So - yes the new country, the flat hunting, the lack of wifi (yet), the new job, the exploration of a new culture, and my overall lack of blog-ammittment have meant I have been rather lax/tardy/shocking with keeping my blog up to date - so from the bottom of Omani sunrise (as I wait here to head into work) - I am sorry.  Hopefully (not a term you should be using in sports really - masters of our own destiny that we are you know) - hopefully I will make sure I update more regularly.  So- onward compadres.......

As someone (possibly fictional) once said - “With great power, comes great responsibility” and this can never be more true than in the business  of leading sports.  Now for sure every business leader should accept a personal responsibility - should have an inner drive that means he (other sex leaders are available) is motivated to be “the leader” of his organization and that organizations’s failure should be seen as a reflection on him/her as a leader.

A journey of Adventure

After landing in the Middle East - in the beautiful country of Oman - some might think that my stories of adventure should be over.  You know - but the mundane aspects of life sorted, find a house, get settled into the daily grind of 30 degree heat, beach, sun, sand - you know the tough stuff...

However - this week sees an exciting event in my life - with my first “guest blog”.  For someone who spent the last year blogging about our world travels, and then the past few months just writing about my interest in the sports world - this was not an aim as I set out - but over the time I have been learning about the USA - I have met some fun and interesting people online.

In honor of the fact that my blog will be appearing on someone’s else’s website - I thought I would introduce you to a few of the folk I have come across - and tell you how I managed to end up with a moment of Internet infamy!!!

It's not just the team

In my new guise as Commercial Director of the Oman Football Association, we view is undoubtedly going to be Middle Eastern, Asian primarily moving forward.  However, we focus remains world sport and with a growing interest in USA to complement my Ozzie and Brit experience - stay tuned.

Since I arrived a week ago - Oman has picked up 4 points from 2 tough FIFA world cup qualification games - and what seemed a lost cause a short time ago is now a very real prospect of progression - which would be outstanding.

The fact tat only 5,000 came out to watch Oman take on Australia (the best team in the group) at home was due to the drop off of interest after recent poor performances, and the perceived lack of quality / chance to progress.  The win there and a draw in front of 60k+ Saudis has given the team (and the sport) the shot in the arm in needed.

New Start, New Country

So - for those of you alert enough over the past few weeks, months (almost years) - you should have twigged that I am/was looking for work.  A departure from Scotland, a long way round to USA and then a concerted attempt (once the VISA issues were progressing) towards landing a job in American sport.

Be that New York, Hawaii, Alaska or Arkansas - the plan was a Yankee one (though I have learnt that means something different in the State vs UK - so I might well stop using the term).  So - how come we are moving to Oman!!

Oh man - I hear you squawk - that’s a turn up for the proverbials.