Colin Sheridan: 'No Dickheads Policy' usually points to presence of a few
Manchester United’s recent declaration of non-dickheadedness is just another volley of point-proving shots fired in the Post Ronaldo era.
Last week, in a move marinated in rich irony, Manchester United let it be known they have formally adopted a “No Dickheads Policy”. On the face of it, this should spell trouble for any dickheads on the payroll at Old Trafford, and for any dickheads hoping to join them. But, I’m not so sure. If history is anything to go by, promoting - or rather, self promoting - a No Dickheads Policy, usually means there’s a few dickheads behind the strategy. Maybe dickheads in suits instead of shorts and studs, but dickheads nonetheless. A dickhead by any other name, as the fella says, is still a dickhead.
The NDH Policy was first popularised by the All Blacks around 2014, who, under team-building guru Gilbert Enoka, made famous performative acts of humility such as star players sweeping the sheds after victory, and skipper Richie McCaw eschewing help from hotel porters so he could carry his own bags from lobby to bus. Forget generational talent and genetic superiority, no, it was the lack of egos that made them great. That, and their code of conduct, a set of 15 guiding principles, commandments really, that are to young All Blacks what the sobriety prayer is to addicts. “Follow the whanau…” they were told, and the rest would take care of itself.
