This week, Gareth Southgate along with football managers across Europe - had to tell some members of his initial 33-man squad that they wouldn't be on the 'plane to Germany as members of the final 26-man squad.
Whilst there's no shortage of armchair experts who think they'd be great managers, surely no-one envies this particular aspect of the job. How do you initiate this excruciatingly difficult conversation? It certainly helps if you have some frameworks and principles to guide you.
Here's how I might do it on paper, though in reality the actual words would necessarily be adapted according to my relationship with the individual player, how much of a shock the news was likely to be to him etc. (Please comment on what you think of this as an opening):
“I love my job as England coach...but there are times when it requires me to make extremely difficult and uncomfortable decisions about players I deeply respect and admire. Today’s one of those days – but I owe it to you to be absolutely direct with you.
“After very careful and agonising consideration, I’ve decided that you won’t be in the final squad coming with us to Germany. I’m ready obviously to share with you in detail the reasons behind that decision. More importantly, I want to lay out for you what the route back into the squad looks like for you, even though I obviously can’t make any promises. I’m ready to answer any questions you have on any aspect of the decision…
“…and I’d like us to finish up this conversation with you reassuring me that you’ll remain proud of your accomplishments in an England shirt, that you’ll be giving your full support to your team-mates during the tournament; and that you’ll be doing everything within your power in the coming season to prove to me that I’ve made the wrong decision, and to get back into the squad as quickly as possible.
“How do you react to all that?”
Important questions being asked by the National Care Association, discussing the challenges of social care and how it affects those in later life.