Playing the long game: fascinating insight into how a methodical management system for growing world class football talent led Germany to crush Brazil 7-1 in the semifinals for the World Cup 2014,  before going on to win the cup, the first as a unified nation. It was a bumper harvest of goals last night against a world class team that just fell apart under the precision of the German side.  As has been tweeted repeatedly since last night, where Brazil have Neyman, Argentina Messi, and Portugal Ronaldo, Germany has a team.

This a key story in the lore of kaizen applied to sports. The roots of that triumph in 2014 started in 2002 with a methodical management system for growing world class football talent that started working on 6 & 8 year olds and growing them over 12 years into 20 & 22 year old power-houses on the German squad.  And the 2002 starting point was born in 1998 with a four-year push to convince the powers of German football to change their failing ways.

A testament to what can be achieved when focus is combined with the willingness to invest patiently for a decade.  It's incredible what a long term, systematic commitment to excellence is able to deliver.  From a little acorn comes the mighty oak.

 #talentmanagement   #focus #thelonggame