WHEN Paul Goodison discovered that Kevin Blackwell, the manager of his favourite football team, Sheffield United, would be among his 16 crew members here yesterday, he could never have imagined the effect it would have.

But a morning at the Round the Island Race with one of Britain’s leading hopes for Olympic gold this summer - a dramatic one at that as their Team Volvo For Life TP52 yacht needed the immense toughness of those on board to avoid capsizing - became a voyage of discovery for a man normally used to dealing with the wage demands of the highly-paid footballer.

So taken in was Blackwell by the team ethic that he might be tempted to use sailing as part of his preseason training; if nothing else, he does not wish to hear players moaning.

At one stage, their boat spun through 90 degrees and hung up on its side. Blackwell, in his first serious time on the water where his role was as grinder of the sail, said: “When the scary moments arrived, to see how people reacted, collectively and as one, to save what could have been a naughty situation, it makes you believe about how important teamwork is.”

He may now arrange for his players to share the experience. “We do a lot of team building, but I thought it would be terrific to put together six or eight lads on each boat and say now you have to work together,” added Blackwell.

“Sometimes you look at the vast amount of money which is in football and you have to wonder, given some of the skill here, why it could not be handed around a little bit better. I know the lads struggle to get funding for the Olympics and it is physically and mentally demanding and tactical.

“Some players could feel embarrassed by coming to see these people work and see how much effort and commitment they give to their trade. Having gone there today and gone with the rugby league lads, I don’t ever want people around me, in terms of football, moaning about playing a game of football. To be an Olympian, you have to sacrifice... and sometimes as footballers, we have lost that, we have lost sight of maybe putting that extra hard work in.”

In Athens four years ago, Goodison, whose boat finished fifth yesterday, missed out on a medal by one place. He said: “To come back from that was quite a struggle for the first six months, but I am on top of my game. I feel I am probably the favourite to win in China. I just have to deliver.”

And of Blackwell? “He was great,” said Goodison. “He had his sleeves rolled-up, he was there on the grinder and I even saw a bit of sweat on his forehead at times. He was loving it.”

Goodison knows the light winds at the Olympics mean a change of style for himself. “It is all about making sure things are in the right place for August 12,” he said. “The lighter the winds are, the lighter you are and the faster the boats go. I have taken since February to lose just over 10k but I have retained a lot of my strength and I feel really good.”

The key to his weight loss has been cycling, one of his real passions, but it has not been just a case of him jumping on his bike for fun before stepping on the scales. “It has been more about set heart-rates,” said Goodison. “I have had to exercise for two hours in the morning before I am allowed to eat, just to try and increase my resting heart-rate and metabolic rate.”

The Games are so close, with the opening ceremony five weeks away on Friday. Goodison added: “On Wednesday we pick up our team kit - and that is reality.”

Race organisers yesterday reported 31 incidents during the race, with one including a person overboard who had to be helped back on to his boat by the assistance of a helicopter rescue team.