Saturday, January 30, 2010

Fear of Failure Drives Evans


Most athletes and coaches are driven to success by the idea of winning a championship, while others are led by the fear of failure. The idea of agonizing defeat haunts some competitors into driving forward.

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans talks about how the fear of failure drives Manchester United towards continued success.

The Manchester United defender Jonny Evans says fear of failure will drive the team to greater success. As Sir Alex Ferguson's side prepare for the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final with Manchester City, where they are 2-1 down from the first game at Eastlands, the Northern Ireland international said: "A big thing at this club is the fear of not winning anything and not finishing at the top.

"The players want to be winners and there is something at the back of your mind that says you don't want to be part of a side that doesn't win anything. I am a young player who has come into the team over the last couple of seasons. I don't want to be remembered by the fans as someone who was part of a team that loses. You don't want to be known as a failure."

Ferguson has always maintained it is the agonising defeats that drive him on, rather than the nights of glory. It is an attitude shared by the likes of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes and one that has been absorbed by Evans, who is set to partner Rio Ferdinand at the heart of United's defence at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

"All the great players have said it is the defeats that drive you on rather than the victories," said the 22-year-old. "It is the ones that have got away. The things you win get put to the back of your mind until your career has finished, then you can look back. When opportunities have slipped it is different. You don't want to lose things."

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