Bear with me, I know this is a column about football and Stoke City, but I’ll start it out in the countryside over on the beautiful Staffordshire border. I had the honour this week of being a guest at Ilam for the annual Dovedale Sheep Dog trials. It’s a fantastic event – and it left me asking why isn’t sheepdog trials in the Olympic Games? When you look at the different sports that are in there, we marvel about a human brain and rider working with a horse in equestrian and dressage.
But what’s the difference between a shepherd and shepherdess working with sheep? This is total control with a whistle and shout, human and animals working together. The training they go through with the young dogs is phenomenal. I couldn’t help standing there thinking it’s like football but the opposition are eight sheep.
It’s trying to control them and make them do what you want them to do. It’s so delicate. If there’s one awkward sheep then it’s game over.
READ MORE: New boy and 'brilliant' teammate he is relieved to be lining up alongside READ MORE: Radical Stoke change has knock-on effects you probably hadn't considered It’s brilliant to watch, whether you’ve got a love for farming and the moors like me, or whether you just thrill at the great skill, incredible togetherness and the need for such discipline and accuracy. Get it at LA 2028 and it’d be a hit on television. It said on the programme for the event: “There is no good flock without a good shepherd and no.