Table Of ContentGoal: The ball doesn't 90 in by chance
Goal: The ball doesn't
go in by chance
Management ideas from the
world of football
Ferran Soriano
palgrave
macmillan
* © Ferran Soriano 2012
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 2012 978-0-230-35515-6
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First published 2009 in Spain by El Lector Universal, s.l. as La pelota no entrap or azar
This edition published 2012 by
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ISBN 978-1-349-59519-8 ISBN 978-0-230-35611-5 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-0-230-35611-5
ISBN 978-0-230-39503-9 paperback
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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s
List olligures and tables V1l1
Acknowledgements IX
Chapter 1 It isn't luck 1
Luck in Moscow, 2008 1
Luck in Barcelona, 2003 2
Visible and hidden logic 3
Reinterpreting logic for leadership 5
This book 6
Chapter 2 The playing field: what business are you in? 7
The industry: choose a jungle 7
What product are you selling? 9
The size and shape of the cake 11
The value chain, or who gets the money 15
The competition 16
Dangerous disruptions 19
The three sources of revenue 24
Costs and the magic ratio 28
The regulator that competes 30
The American model: competitive balance theory 32
Football is different 33
Chapter 3 Strategies: how do we play? 37
Do Asterix and Obelix play football? 37
Club strategies from Manchester to Soria 38
The virtuous circle: a strategy for FC Barcelona 42
Finding competitive advantages 51
Globalizing essences 56
Positioning: theaters, galactics, and more than clubs 64
The execution: from local associations to multinationals 69
v
vi Contents
Chapter 4 The winning team 73
The winning formula 73
The archetypes of a winning team 81
Training and developing a team 86
Chapter 5 Leadership: Dr House, Frank Rijkaard, Pep
Guardiola, and Jose Mourinho 94
Leadership and charisma 94
Forming the team 95
Choosing the leadership style that the team needs 103
Types of leader 108
Shared leadership 112
Chapter 6 Human resources: criteria, training,
and hygiene 116
The HR manager's nightmare 116
Good recruitment criteria 119
Criteria and sources of information 122
Recruiting aleader 126
Nurturing talent 132
Hygienic remuneration 138
Chapter 7 Reason and emotion at the negotiating table 148
Getting ready to negotiate 149
The negotiation 159
Emotions at the negotiating table 164
Cultures and communication 166
Chapter 8 Innovation: science and art 172
Innovation in the 15th century 172
Innovation in the 21st century 175
Let's define innovation 176
To innovate or to copy? 178
Surprise without asking 179
Movement against judgment 181
Simplicity: Ockham's innovative razor 183
Limit the risks 185
Marketing or art? 186
Contents vii
Chapter 9 Back to the future 189
Common sense makes a lot of sense 191
Change now or never 191
It's the product stupid! 192
Stay ahead of the curve and forget the last dollar 194
Vanity is my favorite sin 196
About intention, commitment, and positive attitude 198
Bibliography 200
Index 201
LIST OF FIGURES A 0 TABLES
Figures
2.1 Revenues from European leagues 12
2.2 The value chain in football 16
2.3 Revenue: Manchester United and Tottenham
Hotspur (1992-2003) 17
2.4 Revenue: Manchester United and FC Barcelona
(1995-2003) 18
2.5 Revenue: Manchester United and FC Barcelona
(1995-2010) 19
2.6 Revenue: Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Real
Madrid, and Chelsea (1997-2010) 20
2.7 Inflation in the football circuit 22
2.8 Source of revenue of the clubs 25
3.1 FC Barcelona revenues 47
3.2 Operating results at Fe Barcelona 52
3.3 Comparison of latest two five-year periods at FC
Barcelona 52
3.4 Champions League audience 57
3.5 Access to FC Barcelona website by languages 57
3.6 More than a club 68
5.1 Four possible typologies for defining teams 104
5.2 Leadership style according to team typologies 104
5.3 Four types of leader 109
8.1 Innovation 177
9.1 Types of manager according to the curve
ofthe cycle 195
Tables
6.1 Salary guidelines 142
6.2 Fixed and variable compensation 143
viii
s
I would like this book to serve in some sm all way as an acknowl
edgement of all those who, during this period in the history of
Barcelona FC, have devoted some of the best years of their lives
to the club they love.
To all my colleagues on the Board of Directors who believed
that the ball didn't go in by chance and who have invested their
time, efforts, talent, and a lot of emotion. To the employees of
the club and its collaborators - the authentie "dream team" -
who set an example of how a public entity can be managed as
efficiently as a private business. To all the athletes, players, and
trainers who have worn the Barcelona shirt with pride and
passion over the years.
And to all the other fans who make FC Barcelona more than
a club.
FERRAN SORIANO
ix
It isn't Iu ck
Luck in Moscow, 2008
It was exactly 11 p.m. on 21 May 2008. Manchester United and
Chelsea were playing in the final of the Champions League at
the Luzhiniki stadium in Moscow. John Terry, the Chelsea cap
tain, was poised to take the fifth and final penalty of the shoot
out that would decide the match. After the regular 90 minutes
the teams were locked in a one-all draw. After 30 minutes of
extra time, the scoreboard had still not changed. The final would
have to be decided by penalties. When John Terry made his way
from the centre of the pitch to the penalty spot, nine other play
ers had already been there before hirn. This last shot was down
to hirn. Manchester United had already taken all five of their
penalties. They had scored four, but Cristiano Ronaldo had
missed. So far Chelsea had beaten the goalkeeper in all four of
their attempts. The title of the Champions League all came
down to what Terry did with his feet.
This was an incredibly important penalty for Chelsea. It was the
first time in their his tory they had ever reached the final of the
Champions League. It had been a few years now since Russian
billionaire Roman Abramovich had bought the London club
and invested heavily in players, buying up the world's best at the
highest prices to achieve what was now just a few seconds away.
Chelsea had already won the Premier League in 2005, 50 years
after its last victory in the competition, and had taken the title
again the following season, confirming the team's return to the
elite of English football. Now it wanted European glory.
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