Three-time Superbowl winner Matt Gentle can be a visitor of East Kilbride FC this afternoon as they host Lowland League rivals Caledonian Braves within the Scottish Cup second spherical.
The New England Patriots legend is a pal of director James Kean, and is over for a go to, which noticed him take a tour across the Raer Scotch Whisky distillery, earlier than heading to Okay-Park this afternoon.
Gentle, 44, from Greenville, Ohio, says team-work is vital to success, having gone to Patriots as a rookie and ended up with a glittering profession.
He informed East Kilbride's web site: "[Team-work] is large. Staff-work as we speak is quite a bit totally different to what it was after I acquired within the league 20 years in the past. I spent 11 seasons enjoying for a coach who was very demanding, and he put us able the place we needed to all band collectively.
"When coaches are robust on you and so they drive a really disciplined method to doing enterprise, it forces you as a participant to say that is how we've to do our job, these are the issues which are required for us to achieve success.
"A lot of that's all the way down to the relationships that you simply kind in a locker room, throughout practices, and in the course of the examine and as you are doing all of your craft, however the way you deliver the fellows in round you."
Gentle added: "Right now it is a lot harder, as a result of you've gotten social media platforms and everyone's making an attempt to handle their picture or their model. What I might at all times stress to younger individuals or anyone who's within the sports activities realm is that is all nice, and you are able to do these issues, however what's most necessary is that you simply belief the man subsequent to you.
"That team-work, that camaraderie, and doing issues off the sphere as a lot as you do them on the sphere creates a bond.
"I've seen that play out efficiently in so many organisations. We gained championship after championship as a result of we gained issues as a workforce, not simply on the sphere.
"We fought. It wasn't at all times pleasant. Our practices have been robust, however we at all times got here again collectively, and I feel that is a Hallmark Signature factor that occurs with all good groups."
Gentle was drafted by Patriots in 2001 and spent his whole 11-year NFL profession at Patriots, saying he realized quite a bit in that point.
He mentioned: "In 2001 I used to be a rookie; as my coach would say, I did not know if the ball was pumped or stuffed, I had no concept what I used to be doing, and we had by no means gained a championship in New England.
"Quick ahead to the top of that season there have been a complete bunch of misfits that got here collectively, however we got here collectively due to the expertise of a few of the veterans, the fellows who had been there and executed it.
"Not essentially successful championships, however they understood what it took to carry out at a really excessive degree, and so they held everyone round them accountable. I feel that is what nice leaders do.
"Individuals who have been there, they've had the success, they've gained, and so they know what it takes. It isn't simply sufficient for them to do this, they've to have the ability to persuade the individuals round them that if we need to maintain this, that is what it takes.
"Then there's doing it back-to-back, and the way tough it's. You win one 12 months, it does not occur fairly often that you simply win it the subsequent 12 months, and there is a motive for that.
"All of us get complacent however what nice leaders and guys who're selfless of their method, you are able to do that to a terrific diploma.
"Having management is a large element, however the buy-in, and that camaraderie and that team-work is the final word a part of the equation that basically sends you over the sting."
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