Nelson Mandela is respected in the world today not because he fought Apartheid rule in South Africa, but that he decided to work with those who imprisoned him. He was able to rise above what the normal human being would have loved to do.
I love the game of football with such passion that I would want to talk about a human being who has decided not to behave like a normal one.
His name is JUPP HEYNCKES. He is the coach of Bayern Munich FC.
Heynckes was appointed the coach of Bayern Munich for the second time in July 2011. His first season back at the club saw Bayern fall second to Dortmund in both the league and cup. Last May he was within a couple of minutes of becoming the only fourth man -after Ernst Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jose Mourinho- to win the European Cup with two different clubs before Didier Drogha's header hauled Chelsea level in the 88th minute of the final in Bayern's own Allianz Arena, then going on to triumph on penalties. So close and yet so far. He ended the season the season trophyless.
Bayern has put their disappointments behind them and have used them as a motivational tool which has made them close to perfection in this campaign. I would like to credit Heynckes for that, even if he is not soley responsible.
During this campaign (2012-2013), the top management have appointed former FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to take over from Heynckes whose contract is due to run out in summer 2013. Privately, the German has disclose his discontent at both the timing and way in which the appointment has been handled by club. Many people believe that the offense he committed was that he was 67 years old and would like to retire and the end of the season. But the management got it all wrong. He said he would like to continue his career after this season.
Heynckes leads a rampant squad into the final knowing that even winning the continent's premier club competition will not be enough to keep him in his post. If you were this coach, would you do the normal thing?. The normal thing Heynckes should have done is to try as much as possible to leave the Bayern in a bad shape before he leaves because he is bitter.Doing the normal thing is very easy and everyone can do it. Those who have left footprints on this earth have often gone against what was normal in their days. I have a strong believe that JUPP HEYNCKES will be able to lift three trophies(one of which he has already won) this season and he would go down in history as one of the few men who has behaved abonormally in the face of a great opposition. Just wondering what would have happened to him if decided to behave normally.
As human beings we always want to be loved and to belong. We want to be accepted and therefore do what is normal, given the circumstance. But if we want to be remembered after we have gone then we should behave "abnormal".
To borrow from the teaching of Jesus; if you want to become first, you would have to be the last; if you want to live, you will have to die; if you want to be a master, you have to be a servant; if you want to get, you will have to give.This world would be a better place if we all behaved abnormal.
This is the lesson I have learnt in this years Champions League.
