James Barraclough’s Post

Why did England fail to win the Euros and what can we learn from this?   We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Focusing on your strengths and improving your weaknesses is the only way grow to the next level.   From a football perspective, I think Gareth Southgate and his overly cautious approach and more defensive style of play, was what limited England to being runners up twice.   To win a tournament, especially a final, you have to dominate your opposition and impose your style of play on them. With only 34% possession it was hard for England to get a foothold in the game, and they were reliant on just “nicking it” in the final minutes of the game, which was the negative way they had played throughout the whole tournament. It felt like the Managers’ weakness of being cautious, reflected in the way England played.   Being seen in the public domain, has always been my own fear and weakness. It might be hard to believe, but I am actually a very introverted and private person! To the point, where a couple of years ago, I even had to be convinced by colleagues to put my profile photo on Linkedin, never mind posting on here!   However, I knew I had to get away from this self-imposed limitation and accept that if Baked Earth is to become a household name, which has always been my aspiration, then I have to take centre stage and be more public. The next stage in the journey is for me to post a recorded video of me talking, which actually terrifies me! Yes, talking on camera is actually one of my major phobias!   In life, business and football, we have to confront our fears. Overcome our weaknesses. Take on our inner demons.   Or else, live with the regret, of what could have been.   The choice is yours. And yours alone.

Many athletes view warming up as going through the motions. Stretching… mobility… get the heart rate up… All for the purpose of injury prevention and fitness. However, it’s so much more than that… Watch Jannik here in his warm-up before the Australian Open final… After his mobility and other components, he prepares one more thing. His mind. Not in terms of nerves or stress but in terms of processing the ball. Ball - Eye. A huge fundemental cognitive process we need for racket sports. Without this we would be useless on the court. Yet many of us visually process our first ball of the day once the match is underway on court and the match warm-up has started. This doesn’t allow for manipulated practice or to slow things down. The ball is live, and the clock is ticking. Adding this style of preparation to a warm-up allows players to go out onto the court feeling sharper and faster while focusing their on-court warm-up on what matters most. #concentration #cognition #warmup

In 2010 The SPL Trust joined forces with The Football Pools and The Scottish Government to announce an exciting partnership that would see top flight football clubs tackle a number of serious men’s health issues. Football Fans in Training was developed by club coaches in conjunction with top medical and sports science professionals in Scotland, as well as the Scottish Government Public Health Directorate. The programme has had a long term impact on the lives of over 13,000 people, helping them to become fitter, happier and healthier.

Heading the ball and the precautionary principle. There is more and more evidence that regular heading of a football can cause dementia. According to the article professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to get dementia than other people. If the precautionary principle were applied by the game’s administrators they’d now temporarily ban all heading in football while research was continued until it was proven that it’s actually safe or a protocol was invented where individual players might choose voluntarily but knowingly to take the risks of heading or a safe level of heading was developed. Lots of possibilities. Not applying the precautionary principle means you just carry on allowing heading until a movement against heading builds up enough steam to force action from the game’s administrators. If you asked a senior FA or Premier League official, face to face, as an individual, what’s more important, the wellbeing of players or avoiding the risks of impairing the business of football, they’d surely say player wellbeing is much more important. But somehow the institutions are happy to allow the practice to continue. This thing about institutions being toxic even while the individuals working there are mainly decent people (Post Office Horizon scandal) - I can’t my head around it. How does it happen? https://lnkd.in/dFdq_i-v #football #heading #precautionaryprinciple #mentalhealth

📣 INCREASE THE EXTERNAL NOISE & decrease the internal performance! Watching the Euros has been fascinating for me & I have been able to relate it to grassroots football. As the negativity around England (external noise!) the harder England have found it to perform to the level they know they can. The same in youth football, the shouty instructional and/or negative adults create an environment where children are shells of themselves on the pitch & struggle to perform the way we know they can. Simply put, FEAR, I know a word we don’t like to talk about, but the thing behind all of it! Fear saps energy Reduces our ability to make decisions Our emotions take over Our body tenses up, making simple tasks much harder Puts us at into fight, flight or freeze modes which stresses our bodies, especially if we continually repeat. So the next match you go to to watch a child play, if your negative or instructional you are forcing your fear onto the children! Think about that for a second, your FEAR increasing a child’s FEAR! Don’t believe me, try this next time you are shouting instructions or negativity ask your self why, if you see & hear it ask yourself why are they shouting, what is it they are fearful of? Come on England!

Recently it was announced that I suffered a season ending injury away at Leeds where I suffered a broken radius of the right arm. This was the topping of what was already a frustrating season, After picking up an injury in late April, I struggled to get myself up to anywhere near 100% performance. Having a lot of time to myself over the last 5 weeks it has given me time to reflect on actions and decisions I made. Of course there are things I would do differently, but as proud professionals in this sport we all have one thing in common, and that’s that we always do what we think is the right thing to do at that present time, and only in hindsight we know whether the decision was correct or not. Although there is alot of frustration, there are many positives about still being in a great environment around players, coaches, staff, and a club thriving at there highest in this period, where I can still spend time learning and developing. This frustration has left me with lots of energy and desire to get myself right and channel it into what comes next. Along with physios, staff and close ones a plan as been put in place to follow to give myself the best possible chance of moving forward which has already started and the progression is going as planned and on track to being fully healthy. - Step by step plan for the recovery of injuries. - Organisation of life away from rugby. - Maintain a Clean space. Being able to dig deep and branch out of these points are the reason I have decided they are priority. Excited for the ride of what’s next.

As Christmas Day fades into Boxing Day, I’ve been reflecting on what this season is really about—what home truly means. It’s a word we use so often, yet it carries so much weight. For most, home is a refuge, a place of warmth, laughter, and belonging. But for many, it’s not quite that simple. This past year has been a reminder of the complexities around housing and the challenges so many face. The conversations about damp and mould, safety, energy efficiency, and affordability aren’t just headlines—they’re real issues affecting real people. UK legislation has been tightening in response, and rightly so. Everyone deserves a home that is safe, warm, and fit for purpose. But laws and policies can only go so far. What really makes a difference is the human effort behind them—the everyday work of those who assess, repair, and advocate for better standards. It’s the surveyors who go the extra mile to investigate, the builders who prioritise quality over speed, and the people in offices working hard to ensure budgets stretch just a little further. The challenges this year have been immense—rising costs, material shortages, and growing expectations. But alongside the difficulties, I’ve seen a sector coming together to adapt and improve, finding innovative ways to tackle the issues that matter most. At its core, this isn’t just about housing, construction, or legislation. It’s about people. Families who need stability. Communities that thrive when homes are cared for. And the collective responsibility we all share to make that happen. As we move into the New Year, I’m hopeful... Hopeful that we’ll continue to raise standards, advocate for those who need it most, and build on the progress we’ve made. But for now, I’m taking a moment to appreciate the simple things—a warm home, time with loved ones, and the hope that next year will bring even better outcomes for everyone. Here’s to a season of reflection, and a year of action. Wishing you all peace, warmth, and joy.

This beautiful story underpins one of my key driving factors to be involved in the sport industry: The power of connection and the impact Sport; organisations, teams and individuals can have on society.

In this Business Break, Hughston Athletic Trainer Kerri Reeves emphasizes the critical role of emergency action plans in sports (and work) settings. These plans ensure that everyone knows their responsibilities during a crisis, allowing for quick and effective responses to emergencies. By being prepared, we can safeguard athletes' health and well-being when it matters most. To learn more about Athletic Training or the Hughston Foundation, visit our website - https://lnkd.in/gmDbiPzZ #atc #sports #hughston

🧠🏒 Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser Sidelined by Concussion During last night’s game against the L.A. Kings, our own Brock Boeser took a dangerous hit to the head 🧠 and did not return to the ice. No matter the sport, recognizing visible signs of concussion is critical for player safety. Here are the mandatory signs that require immediate evaluation after a head or body impact that affects the head: 1️⃣ Lying Motionless on the Ice – When a player falls without attempting to protect themselves 🤕 2️⃣ Motor Incoordination/Balance Issues – Struggling to stand or skate 🥴 3️⃣ Blank or Vacant Look – A dazed or empty stare 😶 4️⃣ Slow to Get Up – Especially after high-impact hits to the head or torso 💥 🚨 If any of these signs are observed, the player must be removed from the game for an acute evaluation in a distraction-free environment. Player safety must come first. As sports medicine professionals, it’s our duty to stay vigilant and enforce these protocols to ensure the health of every athlete 📋. Let’s continue advocating for high standards in concussion management! 💪 #ConcussionAwareness #SportsMedicine #PlayerSafety #NHL #VancouverCanucks #BrockBoeser #HockeySafety #SportsPhysio #ProtectThePlayers #physiotherapy #sportsphysio