Deserve Victory

Australia’s head coach Barry Dancer will be in charge as the Olympic champions head for the Commonwealth Games as overwhelming favourites to retain their title. Below, Dancer provides some insight into his life as a high profile coach.

Barry Dancer, 53, played 48 internationals for Australia, winning a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and bronze medal at the 1978 World Cup. A former mathematics and science teacher, he coached the Australian U21 team to World Cup gold in 1997 and after a spell in charge of the Great Britain men, he returned to Australia to steer them to Commonwealth gold in 2002 and their first Olympic crown in 2004.

He is married with two children and lives in Perth.

My greatest fear…
That I don’t make the commitment necessary to have considered in the end that I gave of my best.

The person I most admire…
My wife Donna

I learnt from my father…
My father was a carpenter by trade and in that area of his life he was a perfectionist. His most memorable saying was “It is just not right” and this philosophy of not accepting compromise was a strong message he left with me.

I handle disappointment…
Disappointment regularly comes to my job because our team and individuals are being measured continuously. It’s often a matter of keeping disappointments in perspective and also recognising and using the opportunities that these disappointments provide for growth.

I regret…
Not being able to maintain a better balance in my life so that I better combine the responsibilities of family, friends and my career.

The one piece of advice…
This is too difficult a question to answer because I find advice is so specific to the individual you’re giving it to and the circumstance they’re in. The one adage that sticks with me that I think is one of the philosophies that underpins my approach to my coaching is “Deserve Victory”. This is simply saying that we all need to pay the price for success no matter how talented we are. That price can include hard work and personal sacrifice.

The best player I've ever coached…
This is too awkward a question for me to answer as it’s like playing favourites with your children which is a very unwise thing to do. What I would say is that working with the players provides the adrenalin for my job. There are significant periods when my job involves significantly more off-field management than player development on the pitch. When I can return to on-field development it is quite often the players that provide the inspiration with their determination and commitment and this provides an injection of the adrenalin that I need from time to time.

The player who has had most influence on the game…
I couldn’t pick a player that has changed the game significantly or influenced the game so significantly that he/she stands out for that reason. The pleasing thing to see is that there has been such a variety of players from so many parts of the world that at various times have provided joy to supporters who follow our game. The other pleasing observation to me is that the game itself has never been better as a spectacle. The general attacking mentality and the skill level across the players in the top teams that we regularly play has never been better and as a spectacle matches at the major tournaments provide very good entertainment.

If I could change one rule…
I would just reduce the number of players to 10 per team at international level as an experiment at this point in time. There is a strong argument that we need to open up the field for more attacking play when fitness levels and the use of interchange have reduced the amount of space available for teams to attack compared to 20 years ago, even though the no-offside rule has assisted the situation somewhat.

How would your friends describe you?
I’d have to leave that to them.

What would you still like to achieve in the game?
Primarily an Australian team that is considered to be the best team in the world over the next three years.

What quality do you most admire in another person?
Commitment and integrity (sorry that’s two, but I couldn’t distinguish)

When I put my feet up…
I’m happy to enjoy a round of golf and some quiet time with my wife. If I had enough time I’d like to actually read the books that I’ve bought over the last few years that sit on a shelf in my study still waiting to be opened.

Can you retain your Commonwealth Games title?
Yes, provided we remain focused and fresh and free of injury or illness.