MARO Itoje has named England fly-half George Ford as the greatest teammate of his career, praising his professionalism, consistency and selfless attitude.
The England, Saracens and British & Irish Lions captain selected Ford when appearing alongside Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in Complex UK’s GOAT Talk series, powered by Under Armour.
Itoje, who has shared the international stage with Ford for more than a decade, believes the Sale Sharks playmaker’s character and commitment to the team set him apart.
“I think my GOAT teammate is my England colleague George Ford,” Itoje said. “George is one of these guys who is super professional. He’s just a quality teammate regardless of whatever else is happening in life.
Ford a class above
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“So whether we’re winning, whether we’re losing, whether he’s playing, whether he’s not playing, he’s always consistent.
“You can always rely on him and I’ve never been in an environment with him where he doesn’t put the team first. He’s a good guy as well.”
Arteta and Itoje’s conversation covered topics ranging from leadership and accountability to handling pressure.
Football and rugby crossover
Comparing their leadership styles, the pair explored where their approaches are similar, and how they differ.
Itoje said: “I’m a big believer that nothing great is achieved by one person alone. Whilst I am the leader of the team, there’s a group of senior leaders who are making decisions.
“Then there’s a group of senior leaders who are supporting and who I can lean on or ask for help in the heat of the battle.
Shared leadership
“People see the performance on matchday, but real growth comes from training, discipline and commitment that happens when no one is watching.
“Leaders take responsibility in game to make the decisions which influence the outcome but that’s built with hours on the training pitch.
“The best leaders elevate the people around them, not only in pressure moments, but through every action, every day.”
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