The English professional football club, Chelsea F.C. is making headlines after they hired the All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka, know his age, wife and family
For those who aren’t sure, let us tell you, Enoka is famous for introducing what he called “no dickheads policy” in the New Zealand set-up.
As per the reports, the team revealed in a statement on Tuesday that they hired the mental skill coach on a short term consultancy basis.
Who is Gilbert Enoka Chelsea mental skills coach, his age, wife and family
🗣️| “We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly. Our motto is if you can’t change the people, change the people. The management might not spot these counterproductive behaviors.” #CFC
-Chelsea’s new mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka pic.twitter.com/EpoekBsI3B
— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) February 7, 2023
Words from Chelsea's new mental skills coach, Gilbert Enoka.pic.twitter.com/JPV4wg43hG
— Chelsea Dodgers 🧢 (@TheBlueDodger) February 6, 2023
If you’re not familiar, let us tell you, Enoka has previously worked with the All Blacks since 2000 for various roles. He spent almost 7 years as the leadership manager prior to being their mental skills coach.
It’s going to be his first job in the field of football but he is widely known as an important part of the All Blacks’ and their success over the last 20 years.
All Blacks mental skills specialist Gilbert Enoka was brought up from the age of 18 months to 12, in a Marton orphanage. Enoka didn’t have the brightest of beginnings and at the age 16, he went down to Canterbury and went to university. While his DOB isn’t known, he is believed to be between 55-65 years.
Spending 12 years in an orphanage with his five brothers and navigating his teenage years with an alcoholic step-father formed a complicated view of where he would fit into the world. He lives in his Christchurch home which shares with his wife whose name is not known.
Central to Enoka’s coaching philosophy is that you can’t be a good team-mate without being a good person off the field and having also worked with the New Zealand cricket team and Silver Ferns netball team, his first foray into football will be helping a struggling Chelsea side who remain ninth in the Premier League table.
The former PE teacher will complement Blues boss Graham Potter, who has a Masters degree in leadership and emotional intelligence from Leeds Beckett University and is trying to change the culture around his team.
During his time at the national rugby team, the mental skill coach has developed a culture which taught the team members to take responsibility for their own actions.
The squad members would have to sweep their changing rooms after games and if one caused delays to the other player, they even had to explain it to them instead of their coaches.
This policy of his was known as “no dic*heads policy.” In an earlier conversation, he revealed about the policy as he stated “A d—head makes everything about them.
“Often teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly.”
He further added, “Our motto is, if you can’t change the people, change the people.”
In other news, Chelsea are currently talking with several companies over their lucrative new front of shirt sponsor to replace Three. Let us remind you, Three was signed on a $40 million contract for a year deal.
As per reports, a number of firms have expressed their desires to appear on the front of the shirt for the upcoming season.
If Chelsea is going ahead with their plans, this move will certainly delight their supporters who were angered by the telecommunications giant’s reaction to the sanctions that was imposed on the club in 2022.
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