PLAN B Managing Bernard Tomic

 

 

Plan B     Bernard Tomic

Since I wrote my blog yesterday about Bernard Tomic nothing has changed in my mind about Tomic in fact if anything I am buoyed by the way he has handled his dramatic exit from the Australian Open last night.

Why ?  Because I see a positive in everything.  Yep everything.   That’s probably why I’m still alive.

As I said in my blog yesterday Tomic press conference(s) will tell me if I have something to work with if I was his Manager.

Tomic was playing the best player in the World.  He went in to the game with an injury.   Early the match looked like a ripper.   Tomic whilst limited continued to hit winners and had the crowd behind him.

On stats alone he was ahead of Nadal in most areas.

Firstly let me say this.   If this was just about any other player injured we would be praising how he fought out the first set how courageous he was. 

To hear some of Australia’s best sports people making comments via social media like “weak as piss” defies belief.  

Australia was once a country of “get up and have a go” now it’s the country of “get up and have a go at someone”   Tomic is a classic Athlete we love to hate because we feel frustrated that he is not what we want him to be.  

Gary Ablett Snr who I managed for 10 years was often the subject of similar commentary.   I was guilty myself of questioning sometimes how he went about preparation for games and sometimes his attitude in games. 

One day Gary asked me to go fishing with him.   We discussed lots of footy and personal stuff.    It was on that fishing trip that I adopted a very different approach whereby I accepted “Gary is Gary” and perhaps he just doesn’t want to be what everybody else wants him to be.   After that Gary and I formed a great partnership.  I worked with what I had and planned his life around his strengths and weaknesses.  I made sure the positives made up most of each day and that negatives were dealt as much as possible behind closed doors face to face.

Bernard Tomic can still achieve greatness.

Here is what I would do if I was managing Bernard Tomic as of tomorrow

1. I would ask him to come and see me.   Not go chase him all over the planet.  If he truly wants to be the best then he will make the effort
2. I would ask him to put the tennis racquets away for a day and come fishing
3. I would insist that he leaves the mobile phone at the hotel room
4. When we are out fishing I would ask him if he can swim.  If he says yes I would ask him how far he could swim.   If he says 1klm I would take the boat 2klm off shore.    I’d then stop the engines and ask him what he would do if I pushed him overboard ? 
5. I’m not going to exactly disclose some of my IP here that has worked when resurrecting many sporting careers over 20 years but lets just say that by the time we get back to shore I think he would understand what management is about.   And yes i have pushed some Athletes over the edge of the boat

I would ask Tomic to see me again the next day and I would explain that Management is about

1. Understanding your client
2. Challenging them
3. Having mutual respect and belief in each other
4. Kicking their bum and slapping their back when appropriate
5. Being there with a hand when they are drowning
6. Helping them to find a way to win when they are gulping for air
7. Setting goals based on their ability
8. Using their personality as a weapon
9. Setting a long term vision
10. Educating that Sport and Life is about Team.  Getting the best Team together that can assist with both strengths and weaknesses

I would then tell Tomic that the plan is simple.  

I want him to put in his diary January 30^th 2015.   

When he says why ?   I would say because that’s the day we’re going fishing again.  

The day after next years Australian Mens Open Final and I’m going to see if you can swim the 2klms to shore !!!

 

 

Ricky Nixon can be contacted via:        info@rickynixon.com.au

 

New Twitter Account:   @rickynixon19

 

Watch for:   Footybook on Facebook starting February 2014

 

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Exclusively at http://www.rickynixon.com.au

 

Managing Bernard Tomic

Managing Bernard Tomic

Young Tennis Star Bernard Tomic has been the subject of much media attention in the past week for a variety of reasons with the majority of journalists offering up the same story over and over again.   Most stories consists of what an unfilled talent he is, his indiscretions and the invariable comparisons with others.   From what I have observed, read, or heard from these journalist none offer any solutions or reasons or expertise to the story.   To the contrary they are simply boring most of us with what we already know.   The usual negative dribble that makes you turn the page, hit the dial or the remote.

So let’s be Bernard Tomic’s Agent for a few minutes what could you do to assist him to become the best he can be ?

Here are my thoughts

1.  Step one is to understand your client.

Not everyone is the same.  Sure some Media want Athletes to be perfect just like them !   Unfortunately we can’t all mature and physically develop at the same rate.   Some Athletes have natural talent some have to work bloody hard.   Bernard is a classic Adrenalin junkie that needs to learn to control his impulsiveness and risk taking.  Some of which comes with maturing.    So how do you learn to understand your client ?  Well I start by knowing their upbringing, their schooling, their childhood, what they stand for and what they want their life to be in 10 years, 20 years and 40 years etc.   Some Athletes know nothing but winning and what comes with winning.   They get to 18 and winning is just sometimes a reasonable level of performance that results in adulation when you walk down the street knowing you’re someone.   From what we know and from what I have observed Bernard’s upbringing has been somewhat of a rebellious nature (aren’t a lot of kids up to their early 20’s?).   I’ve seen signs in Bernard that perhaps others haven’t lately.   The way he now speaks is more considered and not gun ho.   He is showing more respect to opponents and the game.   He still has a bit to go.  Once you think you have an understanding of your client then it’s time to activate the plan that suits his development.   Not a plan that everyone else wants him to be.   This is a lesson that Ross Lyon (AFL Coach Fremantle) once spoke at length to me about.   His way was to assess each player then create a plan they could execute as a team better than others.  Rather than a plan that he tried to get players to execute that they weren’t capable of.

1.  The Plan

To be the best you need a plan that is modelled towards you clients persona.  It needs to have a buy in by Bernard.  He needs to want to do it.  He needs to have a “want” to be No.1.   I would set a Plan that brings together his natural ability but uses his drive and impulsiveness as a weapon in his game and in a total management plan.   That plan would include working on slowly changing his thought processes of acting before thinking.   Take a deep breath and realise that every action is for a purpose.   Every training day has a purpose.  Every social activity needs to fit the plan ie getting out and enjoying yourself is not a crime but not thinking before you go out can be.  The plan needs to challenge.  It needs reward.  Reward will come on a daily basis not from winning everyday but from enjoyment of feeling the plan is being executed properly and that achievement levels are higher.    Of course the end result comes when Bernard wins a Grand Slam.

Let’s look at some of cases of impatience with other stars of our 2 biggest sports AFL and Cricket.  Tom Hawkins was the son of a gun (his father a former Star for Geelong AFL Team).   He kicked 3 goals in his first AFL game.  I felt he wouldn’t have a significant impact for 3-4 years.  This was laughed at.  Of course history shows it took nearly 5 years before he became a proven game winner.  Why did I think it would take 3-4 years because Tom didn’t have the belief within himself early in his career, he was in a superstar Team that didn’t rely on his talent to win.  He was more worried about what everyone thought than focusing on his own development.   Something that can come with the pressure of being the son of a former star of the game (read G Ablett Junior).   To his credit he focused on sticking to a plan that effectively was to go from boy to man physically and mentally.  Have a look at Cricketer Mitchell Johnson.   Have a look and listen to what he now says in interviews compared to 3-4 years ago.  Impressive, respectful, considerate but still with a competitive edge.  Why ?  Because he got a plan that made his ability match his output on and off the field.    Michael Clarke is the captain of the all conquering Australian Cricket Team at present.  I seem to recall Media writing similar stories about Clarke as they did about Tomic.    Michael Clarke set a plan on and off the field to change.   He grew up.  Gone were the off-field dramas.  Instead of “my way” he started to listen and got reward.  He focused on a disciplined training schedule as well as off the field he matured and became settled.   He realised with a different approach he could be the best batsman in the world.

Bernard Tomic can be the best in the World with a bit of smart management, a good plan, a bit of time to “grow” and mature.    Meanwhile he might be only hours away from a win that changes his life and career.   It might also be a loss that has the same result.

I will be an interested observer of how he handles tonight’s press conference after the game.

Ricky Nixon can be contacted via:        info@rickynixon.com.au

New Twitter Account:   @rickynixon19

Watch for:   Footybook on Facebook starting February 2014

***** BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST AND BEST FANTASY GAME……….”SUPER AGENT”  (Be your own Sport Agent)

Exclusively at http://www.rickynixon.com.au