Obviously, Carlos Tevez needs a bath after he fell into the muddy waters of Manchester City. The Argentine football star needs to clean up his image. And I think it is a smart thing to do, because you can’t go on fighting for the rest of your life. Especially, when you’re fighting a battle you know you cannot win - a battle that is denting your image and destroying your career. Perhaps, you want to prove a point and the fact is, you may be right. You want to tell the true story, the motive behind your actions or the running battle you have had with Roberto Mancini, the manager of Manchester City football club; but who want to hear you out? Who want to listen to your side of the story – nobody! But, you have been branded “L'Enfant terrible.”
It does happen. Crisis may arise anytime in your football career, especially if you’re a celebrity, it could be blown out of proportion and soon you could find yourself in a terrible mess. Your private life brought to bear, your dirty linen spread in the public for all to see. The media can really color you bad in way that people will begin to distance themselves from you.
I am not saying that the media is that malicious. You may be guilty of the offense like the sex scandal of John Terry, the captain of Chelsea football club or that of Wayne Rooney and Tiger Wood. The media may force you to correct your unacceptable and immoral behaviors.
What matters is how people perceive you in their mind during and after the crisis. As you know, your personal brand image is important for you to continue to enjoy positive response from fans and consequently, endorsements from advertisers. The truth is your image may be soiled or even battered after a major crisis. Then, you should dust yourself quickly and make some conscious effort to re-build your image. There are four steps you can take to get the public to begin to route for you again.
- Change Your Personal Grooming: Go low profile lifestyle. Remove anything that gives you a wild or sexy looks. Cut your weird hairstyle, remove ear rings, tattoos and don’t wear tight fitted cloths. Stop making confrontational statements that could further annoy the public. You cannot afford to show off in time of crisis. It aggravates anger in the heart of the public.
Going low profile depicts some form of repentance, which is acceptable to the public. Fans are more likely to forgive you and give you a second chance if they see such repentance in you.
- Call a Press Conference: The media can also help you clean up your soiled image. It is called “Media Image Laundry.” Get a media relations expert to help you liaise with the media and tell you exactly what to do.
Apologize publicly, if you’re guilty of the offense. Other wise, re-state your allegiance to your fans and other stakeholders in the matter. Let them know how they misunderstood your actions and apologize if what you did hurt them in any way.
- Be In Your Best Form: Most players’ loose form during crisis. They stop to train and stop to play matches. May be, due to suspension or some form of personal withdrawal. But if you’re a football player, you even need to train harder during crisis period, so you can produce some stunning performance anytime you are called upon to play again. Such stunning performance can quickly endear you back to the fans.
On the other hand, if you’re a coach or a manager that is affected, you could go for a course to further upgrade your coaching and managerial skills.
- Start a Community Project: Getting involved in a community project can really color you good. People will begin to see the better side of you immediately. You can get involved in public health project; Charity to the less privileged or displaced people; Children and youth development projects…
Children and youth development project usually get quick attention. You can be involved in educational projects, recreational projects such a building park, organizing football clinics etc.
