In today’s Star it says ‘within hours of taking charge, and unwilling or unable to wait for handymen to act, Sheffield United’s newly appointed manager was spotted prowling behind the scenes with a screwdriver in hand. Wilder’s mission, other than re*****ising a club which had slipped into a stupor, was to remove the placards bearing motivational messages which had sprung up throughout the ground during his predecessor’s reign. The message was clear: Players should not require pearls of Native American wisdom to persuade them to give their all. From now on that would be a prerequisite.’

Judging by Wilder’s performance compared to that of Adkins it would seem he was correct but is there any place for such messages in sport?

My personal favourite was the one that Sergio Garcia’s wife to be gave him before the final round of the US Masters. It read ‘Remember, nothing is impossible. Even the very word spells I’m possible’.

Have you ever used such phrases and do you have a personal favourite?