Matt Furness

I dislike how we use the word ‘talent’. A quick google of the word ‘talent’ provides the following definition: natural aptitude or skill. Despite this rather narrow definition, I feel ‘talent’ is too often given as the independent reason and cause to explain how people reach elite performance in sport....

Roy Hodgson’s squad for the forthcoming World Cup remains England’s second youngest squad ever taken to the major tournament, to some extent reflecting the desire for sport in England to work towards the future. What is more, such an occasion can create bursts of participation within younger individuals, who long...

Recently, I read a chapter of Anderson and Sally’s (2013) ‘The Numbers Game’ which revolutionised my outlook on the 2014 World Cup and indeed football in general. The intention of Anderson and Sally’s book is to question common understandings revolving around football, and I feel there is no greater time...

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan In sport, the requirement to bounce back from adversity is key to long-term success. Research across a range of sports strongly suggests that those who demonstrate resilience to adversity are more...