The Power of Reputation

Cast your eye over the sports pages in the paper this morning and amongst all the stories regarding football's transfer deadline day, Andy Murray's new found resilience and Capello's left-field (though thoroughly deserved) choice of Jimmy Bullard in his squad, one story really stood out for me - the rebirth of England's modern day lionheart, Freddie.

No-one can deny that Mr Flintoff has grasped the current one day series between England and South Africa firmly by the privates and given them a good shake. But what is astounding is that here is a man who has had four operations on a still suspect ankle, has barely played consecutive matches for 18 months, and who has failed to score any kind of meaningful runs in first class cricket during that time.

So how has he resurrected himself from this mire of misfortune during the past fortnight? Certainly the fact that he's now fully fit and functioning has made a huge difference, as has the restoration of his mate Steve Harmison by his side in the clubhouse, and Kevin Pieterson's impact as new Captain shouldn't be underestimated either - despite what his doubters say.

But the real difference comes from within the minds of two people and two people only - Freddie, and the man facing him 22 yards away at the other end of the wicket. Freddie is a rare and lucky beast because of the mindset of these two men. Firstly, his own mind, which is driven by such a ferocious and fervent belief in his own ability that he simply can't comprehend himself as anything other than a supreme being on the field of play. This isn't to say he's vain, (far from it in fact) rather Freddie recognises that he has something special, that he is blessed with both an extraordinary physique, and a gifted mind able to maximise that physique.

But most important of all is what Freddie does with that belief - he channels it. Onto himself, onto his teammates, onto the crowd, and most important of all into the mind of his opponent. This is his most supreme gift, his and that of a rare clutch of sportsmen; the power of reputation and the ability to channel that power into the psyche of an opponent. No-one doubted that Shane Warne was a lesser bowler during 2005 than he had been in 1995, a bowler who no longer ripped the ball out of the rough, who no longer could "spin it on glass".

And yet, like Freddie, Warne almost single-handedly won that series for Australia through his willpower, his belief, and most importantly, his reputation and its effects on his terrified opponents. The spell he cast over a young Ian Bell was particularly acute and mesmerising to watch - a batsman totally, utterly in thrall to the legend that had been accumulated during the many years of Warne's career, and unable to comprehend that the great man's best days were behind him, and that Bell was the luckiest English batsman of the last 10 years to be facing him at the end, rather than at any time previously.

There are other examples of this: Courtney Walsh during his later years, Jonny Wilkinson in 2003 and Roger Federer for the past 18 months, until finally, fittingly, a man with perhaps an even greater aura recognised the truth and broke the last of Federer's reputation as 'the man who could not lose' on the lush grass of SW19. That it took 5 hours, 5 sets and two tie-breaks to achieve it is all the more testament, both to Federer's awesome ability and inner belief, and also to his effect, even on Nadal.

But surely the most stunning example of the supreme power of reputation in recent times was Ronaldhinho at his majestic peak in 2006. Yes he was a wonderfully gifted player; an artist, a majician, a ballet dancer even, when in full flow. But his reputation, built upon the damage he had wrought in defenders psyches for two years previous, gave him an almost insurmountable advantage during that year - opponents were already beaten before he'd flicked the ball past them.

The Proof? Witness his second goal against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou during that year.

Helguera never had a prayer. And what's more, both of them knew it.