Being a staunch Arsenal supporter, I always look forward to the big local derby against Tottenham Hotspur with that added little bit of excitement. So last weekend that moment had arrived and our rivalry was once again rekindled, and our teams met at the Emirates Stadium.
I’m not going to give any form of commentary, or gloat about our 5-2 victory because that’s not the point of this blog post. Did I mention that we won 5-2?
What was unique about this occasion was that as the staunch Englishman that I am (admittedly with some welsh blood running through my veins) was the fact that I jumped into the air when two German International Footballers scored. Of course both were playing for my beloved Arsenal, so they were been given dispensation.
But isn’t it ridiculous really. Here am I a staunch supporter of Arsenal and England. Yet I can cheer and celebrate two German players scoring because now they wear the shirt of my team. Poldoski one of the German players I have no doubts is going to become one of our top players, I already think he looks great. So now I will love him while he wears an Arsenal shirt, but I don’t see myself cheering him when playing for Germany. It’s certainly not that I’m anti Germany, rather that I’m a loyal patriotic Englishman.
Mind you I definitely stretched my allegiances to Great Britain during the London Olympics. I now find myself wanting to see all British teams to do well. This makes my Dad a happy man because his home country is Wales, but alas my support for them hasn’t seemed to help in either football or rugby. But my second football team Cardiff City are top of the Championship. Come on you Bluebirds!
Anyway where am I going with this. Am I now turning my blog into that of a sporting fanatic. Tempting as that may be, that’s not the case. In fact going back to the vein in which I started today’s post, remember Arsenal beating Tottenham Hotspur I want to start a series of posts paying homage to those men and women that truly make us proud to be British. So I am beginning with the brilliant Sir Alan Sugar, the former chairman of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Many people today will recognise him as the business magnet/mentor at the helm of the Apprentice Television program on BBC.
To me he was the genius behind Amstrad. The man that made modern technology affordable to the masses. One of the true rags to riches stories. Someone that showed the entrepreneurial spirit combined with a lot of hard work can bring you success.
From his humble origins in the East End of London, it is written that he has built an estimated fortune of £770m (US$1.14 billion) and was ranked 89th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2011
I have recently had the pleasure of reading his book What You See Is What You Get: My Autobiography
I just couldn’t put the book down. Sugar is incredibly frank in the story he tells.
The meteoric rise and the business issues that he dealt with is an inspiring read for any budding entrepreneur. If you want to succeed in business, this autobiography will give you some serious insight into how to handle much of what you are going to be confronted with. You will benefit tremendously from his experience.
Fortunately, the book is easy to sing the praises of. Detailed, at times controversial, and even humorous, What You See Is What You Get: My Autobiography
What more do I need to say about the man that began from relatively humble beginnings through his wheeler-dealer early days to his building of the electronics company Amstrad, to owner of the football club Tottenham Hotspur, his emergence as a television personality thanks to the huge success of BBC television show “The Apprentice” and his peerage in 2009.
A truly British success story, that should make us all proud to be british.
Which business role model inspires you?
