Will top psychologist spare us from more penalty heartbreak?
AFTER years of hurt, England hope to better cope with a dreaded penalty shootout – with the help of a top psychologist.
Pippa Grange, 47, has been credited with strengthening England’s mental resolve after being hired by the FA in November to change the squad’s ‘culture and mindset’.
She has become a key ally of manager Gareth Southgate and is in Russia with the team.
She is said to have boosted the players’ ‘psychological resilience’ to the pressure of winning big matches. The national side have crashed out of big tournaments when key players cracked at crucial moments.
Dr Grange, who is head of people and team development at the FA, believes that the solution lies in getting players to admit to vulnerabilities in team meetings.
She says this creates trust on and off the pitch and leads to better performances.
An insider told a newspaper: ‘Pippa has a way of getting everyone to open up.’
She chats to players individually or in groups and believes in the ‘unity of body and mind’.
Dr Grange, who evangelises ‘the transformative power of yoga’, has also prepared the players for any racial abuse they might face in Russia. Born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Dr Grange went to Loughborough University before spending more than 20 years in Australia, where she worked in the macho world of Australian rules football.
It comes after decades of torment for England at the penalty spot. In 1990 England lost in the semi-final of the World Cup to West Germany after Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed their spot-kicks.
Then in 1996 current manager Southgate’s penalty was saved, sending England home.
They also got knocked out on penalties at France 1998, after Paul Ince and David Batty missed from the penalty spot. At Euro 2004, Darius Vassell’s penalty was saved, sending England home and they were out again in 2006, after Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher all missed their penalties.