Money cannot buy a strong work ethic, team spirit or
positive mindset. Leicester City and Exeter Chiefs would be rich beyond their
wildest dreams if they could bottle up and sell the magic formula that has
helped both clubs succeed this season. They have proven that success is not always
related to the size of one’s chequebook.
I am sure the celebrations will continue on until the start
of next season for Premier League winners Leicester City. As a Brit I am always
a fan of the underdog story; odds of 5000-1 to win the title certainly labelled
the East Midlands club as just that. Having only narrowly survived relegation
last season the bookies and even the fans could not have envisaged such an
incredible outcome. Statistics such as Leicester spending less than one seventh
of the cost per league point compared to the extravagant bottom placed Chelsea
are near impossible to comprehend. This is such a refreshing example, proving
that the odds can be defied and hard work can result in near miracles.
Having wonderful facilities and coaches on high salaries is
not the be all and end all as I discovered during my own sporting career. On
paper the national training centre for Modern Pentathlon had the perfect recipe
for success. I learnt the hard way that having a supportive team around you and
a strong work ethic can play a far more significant part in an athletes career.
