Dear all
The world does not have much time left
Mauritius does not have much time left
The state of Mauritius has no time left.
The Mauritian administration pushes for more grey than green. Everyone is looking at inflation whilst ignoring depreciation. Exports are not growing. Policy is built on optics and not consultation. There is intimidation, and crime pays and pays well.
Changing the game
I have been vice president of US Trou aux Biches, a local sports club for the last year. I have followed football in the UK supporting Tooting and Mitcham FC and Crystal Palace. When I made the move to Mauritius my friends identified US Trou Aux Biches as my team to support, being very local and not one for glory hunters.
UK
The most enjoyable part of supporting a team in the UK can be the wallowing in bad results, the near wins, mistakes, and talking it over a pint at halftime or after the match. Matches and away games are journeys across the country and can be like a road trip with friends.
Mauritius
In Mauritius we struggle with low attendance, games now being in the centre and not being accessible for those on public transport (2 buses and over an hour). Having spoken to potential sponsors it is clear they don't want to be involved in the game's current state. The MFA ran some seminars on making the already struggling clubs self sufficient and removing MFA money which they said was for the development of football.
Be like Villareal
This was the advice given to us was to be like Villareal, some facts about Villareal
billionaire owner
stadium and revenue streams
training complex with nine pitches
Fernando Roig was that billionaire and he transformed the team.
Reality
We don't have a billionaire owner, don't own a stadium, share a training ground. There are no income streams from TV and companies don't want to get involved with the MFA after scandals and a lack of visibility. After the worldcup nothing was made of the local game.
What we are doing
We are building our club to be something different, and returning the club to the community and seeing the club as an engine for change. We are
enabling our players with soft skills needed in employment
organising community events
looking at commercial operations not only to generate revenue but to provide experience for players and locals
I contacted university departments to see if they were interested in marketing the club with a budget (provided by me) as coursework for students to provide real life experience. No one responded.
What would help
MBC should televise games (women and men) and celebrate players
MFA needs a change in leadership as they have failed players and fans and have no idea of commercial realities.
Inter school competitions also to played on TV
Turning matches into events
Club M merch to be sold in sports shops.
People watching matches live
How do fish survive in the deep ocean?
Police: Mauritius vs the UK
I have mentioned before the Peel principles.
The Met police went through a reflective period where they underwent a review.
Mauritius should do the same
The Baroness Casey review and report into misconduct
Lyric quote
I saw radiohead in Milton Keynes bowl, not really a bowl but a clever grass amphitheatre
They had amazing videos, the lyrics may be beyond me.
Wayne Shorter
Earlier this month Wayne Shorter passed away and this was one of my favourite songs
About me
This is where I put annoying descriptors, but simply I like looking at problems, fixing them, and asking questions. Outside of this I love film, music and books. I can be found on twitter and instagram and linkedin.
I also give away books which I might have bought twice.