Catching the end of the Watford v Liverpool game earlier today, I watched mindlessly for a while before my eye was drawn to the score at the top of the screen. Watford were trailing 3-0, a score unsurprising in itself, yet one that did not seem in keeping with the game in front of me. Here was a side in Watford, 10 points adrift of safety with one win all season, facing another heavy defeat at home. By right they should have been a rabble, yet they continued to pour forward with verve and passion long after the game was lost. Liverpool- clearly superior in every department, would every so often slice through the opposition rearguard at will, but Watford, unfazed, came straight back at them, refusing to admit defeat. Here is a team with solid leadership- Adie Boothroyd is a strong, shrewd character who has no pretensions of where his team stands in the world order. Their pool of talent is lower than any other team in the Premiership yet they continue to perform above themselves, and hold their heads high. He has instilled in them a sense of pride in performance and a commitment that should embarrass many teams above them, and if they are relegated this season will no doubt return soon.
Among those who should take note are England's cricketers. The talent at their disposal is in a different league to Watford's, yet they have been reduced to a running joke before our eyes, precisely because they lacked what Watford have in abundance - strong leadership and a clear sense of direction. When a team lacks this, the wheels come off very quickly, as we have seen in Australia, as panic sets in and quickly becomes contagious. Strong leadership in itself is not a guarantee of success, but certainly a step in the right direction. What Boothroyd would make of Steve Harmison's antics one can only imagine. Michael Vaughan's strength of character has been emphasised by his absence, and his return has come not a moment to soon.
