You might see this as a minor incident, it isn't

You might see this as a minor incident, it isn't

Yves Bissouma Piece

There wasn't a dissenting voice about my views on Yves 'Idiot' Bissouma, with everyone thinking he had a poor season and plenty suggesting we get rid of him.

I doubt we will, I expect he'll just get a fine, but quite frankly he should be arrested and prosecuted/

If the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are going to send people to jail for 15 months for a comment on Facebook, 20 months for selling anti-immigration stickers and give a serial rapist just 180 hours of community service, while shouting you are going to crack down on crime, then legal action should follow.

It won't though will it, as it isn't a Public Relations (PR) opportunity for Sir Keir Stamer. 

It could and should be though.

Prosecuting a footballer should be major headlines and they should all be reminded they are role models for children.

Great excuse for his personal sponsors to drop him and as a club sponsor (if I were) I'd be writing to the club to express my displeasure and that I do not wish my brand to be tarnished by such behaviour.

That theme of letting down sponsors and brand image would obviously be something the club would be making the player seriously aware of.

I doubt any reporter or the average fan looks at this is the way a coach looks at it.

My concern is on the broader issue of a player's mentality, professionalism, and commitment to their career, which are crucial factors in achieving success in elite sports.

Why Would He Take It?

Recreational drug use, including substances like nitrous oxide, often occurs as a result of several factors:

• Stress Relief: The pressures of being a professional athlete can lead some players to seek out ways to relax or escape, even if those methods aren't healthy or productive.
• Social Influence: Players, like anyone else, are influenced by their peers. If they're in environments where such behaviour is normalized, they might be more likely to engage in it.
  Doesn't this demonstrate the danger this holds for our youngsters and we have a young squad, ranging from a 16-year-old upwards.
• Lack of Awareness or Complacency: Sometimes, players may underestimate the risks or consequences, both health-related and reputational. They might not realize how their actions could impact their career, especially if they’re not fully focused on their long-term goals.
  Working with a sports psychologist keeps you focused on your long-term goals, that's exactly why you should be seeing them as a compulsory part of training. That's focus is what the club want and it should be what the player wants.

Does This Demonstrate a Lack of Winning Mentality?

While it's difficult to judge an individual's entire mentality based on a single action, incidents like this do raise serious questions about a player's focus and dedication. A strong winning mentality is associated with discipline, self-control, and a commitment to optimizing every aspect of one's life to achieve success. Engaging in activities that could harm one's health or reputation suggest to me:

• A Lack of Focus: Winning at the highest levels requires a relentless focus on maintaining peak physical and mental condition. Behaviours that jeopardize this indicate a concerning lapse in priorities.
• Complacency: If a player is not fully invested in their career, they are more prone to engage in risky behaviours, underestimating their potential impact. It is a complacent attitude to inhale nitrous oxide.
• Inconsistent Professionalism: The best athletes often go to great lengths to ensure that their lifestyle supports their performance. Straying from this path signals a lack of consistency in their approach to their career.

The Role of Sports Psychology

Sports psychology plays a significant role in helping athletes develop the mental toughness, focus, and discipline required to excel in their careers. If Bissouma, or any player, were working regularly with a sports psychologist, it would help in several ways:

• Stress Management: A sports psychologist could help players develop healthier coping mechanisms for the stresses and pressures of professional football.
• Mental Focus: Regular sessions could reinforce the importance of maintaining a high level of professionalism in all aspects of life, helping players resist distractions and temptations. It simply isn't efficient, in my view, to leave this to chance and 'hope' the player has the right mentality. Prevention is better than cure.
• Behavioral Awareness: Athletes might become more aware of the long-term consequences of their actions, leading to better decision-making. 
  
  Part of the problem for me is the acceptance of drug use. In sport you get a pathetic 2-year ban, when I feel you should be banned for life, simple as that. Drugs are used in football in Spain I believe and they are lax on it in sport in general. Top level cycling is rife with it and recent exploits at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France simply should drug use and or mechanical doping. The UCI make s token show of checking for it because it keeps interest and brings in the money.

Should Sports Psychology Be Compulsory?

Given the immense pressures athletes face, making sports psychology a compulsory part of training would, in my view, be beneficial. It could ensure that players:

• Maintain a Winning Mentality: Regular mental conditioning can help sustain the drive and focus needed for success.
• Make Better Life Choices: By addressing underlying issues that might lead to poor decisions, sports psychologists can guide players toward healthier behaviours.
• Enhance Team Cohesion: A collective commitment to mental as well as physical preparation could strengthen team unity and shared goals.

I continue to maintain that if you are paying tens of millions for an asset and the main asset of that asset is mentality, then why on earth would you not develop it or at least maintain it. Why leave it to stagnate? It doesn't make any sense.

Bissouma’s actions are a sign of a lapse in focus and commitment, which are crucial aspects of a winning mentality. It's very frustrating.

Posting such a video on social media adds a layer of complexity to the situation and amplifies the potential consequences, both for Yves Bissouma as an individual and for Tottenham Hotspur as a club. Here’s an exploration of why he might have posted it, why this is so problematic, and the broader implications given Tottenham’s young squad.

Why Would Bissouma Post It on Social Media?

There are several possible reasons why Bissouma might have posted this video on social media:

• Seeking Validation or Attention: Social media often encourages a culture where individuals seek validation through likes, comments, and shares. Bissouma has posted this for his ego, in my view, but isn't he seeking the validation of the wrong element of society?
• Lack of Judgment: In the moment, he might not have fully considered the potential backlash or understood how such content could be interpreted. The immediacy of social media sometimes leads to impulsive decisions without adequate thought.
• Perceived Normalcy: If Bissouma is in an environment where this kind of behaviour is normalized or seen as harmless fun, he might not have viewed the video as problematic, leading to the decision to share it publicly. If so, then he doesn't take his job very seriously.
• Misguided Attempt to Relate: As a public figure, he might have thought that showing a more "relatable" or "down-to-earth" side would resonate with fans, forgetting that certain behaviors are inappropriate for someone in his position.

Why This Is So Wrong

Posting a video of himself inhaling nitrous oxide on social media is problematic for several reasons:

• Setting a Poor Example: As a professional athlete, Bissouma is a role model, especially to young fans and aspiring footballers. By sharing this video, he is inadvertently promoting and normalizing the use of dangerous substances, which could influence others negatively. And it's a CRIME.
• Damaging the Club’s Image: Players represent their clubs, and their actions reflect on the organization as a whole. Such behaviour can tarnish Tottenham’s reputation, making it appear that the club lacks discipline or that it condones irresponsible behaviour. It also demonstrates a potential lack of winning mentality within the club, if this isn't stamped heavily upon and, quite frankly, publicly.
• Distracting from Football: This type of incident can create unnecessary distractions for the team, shifting focus away from football and towards off-field issues. It can lead to negative media coverage, internal tensions, and a shift in public perception. This is why fans should have a positive outlook, to create a positive media image, if they actually want success, instead of the lip service they pay while slagging off the club on social media all week.
• Questioning Professionalism: Posting such a video raises questions about Bissouma’s professionalism and commitment to his career. It suggests a lack of awareness about the standards expected of a top-level athlete. It suggests he feels he has made it and doesn't need to improve, he has got the money he wants so clearly isn't motivated enough professionally.

Implications for Tottenham’s Young Squad

Tottenham Hotspur currently has a very young squad, with players like Mikey Moore, who just signed his first professional contract at 17, and several other teenagers and Academy players looking up to senior team members. 

The actions of older, more experienced players like Bissouma can have a significant impact on these younger players. This incident is particularly concerning because:

• Role Model Responsibility: With only four players over the age of 27 in the squad (the others aren't expected to be here at the end of the window), the older players are expected to set the tone and model professionalism for the younger ones. Bissouma’s actions send the wrong message, potentially undermining the standards that the club is trying to instil in its young talent.
• Impact on Team Culture: Young squads are impressionable and can be heavily influenced by the behaviour of senior players. If Bissouma’s actions are seen as acceptable, it could erode the culture of discipline, focus, and professionalism that Tottenham needs to cultivate to achieve long-term success.
• Risk to Developing Players: Young players like Mikey Moore are at a crucial stage in their development, both as athletes and individuals. Seeing a senior player engage in and publicly share such behaviour could lead to confusion about what is acceptable, potentially jeopardizing their own careers.

Posting a video of inhaling nitrous oxide on social media is not only a lapse in judgment but also a serious mistake that can have far-reaching consequences. 

For Bissouma, it calls into question his professionalism and commitment to his career. 

For Tottenham, it creates a negative image and poses a risk to the development of their young squad.

In a team environment where young players are looking up to their older peers for guidance, actions like this can be particularly damaging. 

It underscores the need for strong leadership within the squad and perhaps even more robust support systems, like sports psychology, to ensure that all players understand the impact of their actions both on and off the pitch.

Sports psychology helps playerss train with more focus, play with more confidence and reflect upon personal and team performance more effectively after a match. This helps a player maintain their motivation, resilience, emotional control and overall well-being.