You will all no doubt be delighted to learn of my safe arrival in Brighton. The various flights were long and pleasant, although I shall admit to being less than sociable to the folk around me at times. I have reasons, the second of which being tired on the second leg of the journey so I didn't chat with the charming Scottish couple who'd lived in Perth for 38 years and not lost a trace of their Dundee accents.
The first reason was the worlds-colliding moment when noticing what the gentleman next to me on the first leg of the journey was reading. Ostensibly he was off to Penang to watch the horses (no horse-fancier, me, so it meant little) so quite why he was reading a book on female sexual biology with explicit diagrams and instructions on various positions was something that quite defeated my imagination when looking to initiate conversation. Headphones on, volume up, pretend I never saw a thing.
I received updates on the Phoenix' glorious victory over Juninho's Sydney (thank you, Lunk). Clearly the albatross has left the neck (or the country) and the juggernaut will roll through to the play-offs now.
Watching the rugby through a sleep-deprived haze last night was amusing and disappointing. I have been labeled a traitor before now for my lack of support of the England rugby team (I didn't follow rugby with any notable interest before I went to NZ so it would actually have been fairly hypocritical of me to revel in the World Cup last time around), but I did want them to do well last night. Just to worry the South Africans. But, 'twas not to be. A gulf in class previously only seen in top 4 v bottom 8 in the Premier League. Oh well.
15 September, 2007
11 September, 2007
Busy Day
That is what you call busy. As a procrastinator of old it is a fine thing to be extremely busy: meeting people, doing necessary things and generally delivering.
I am also under strict instructions to continue my exercise regime to facilitate the recovery of my seemingly-doomed thigh. Now, I am all in favour of repairing my limbs when they are less than fully operational - especially after the season I've had - but the tool for rehabilitation is one that I can see causing some interesting questions to be asked at border control. It is a 6ft length of rubber tubing. I know that sounds like fun for some of you, but this is for external use only: I loop it over and tie it to something heavy and pull and relax with my injured leg, strengthening the tendon. But as I have hinted, its uses would appear to tend more towards the nefarious. I shall be wary. Especially since this same physio advised me that woollen underpants could be worn without issue for months at a time. Not from personal experience, obviously, but she has a friend who once.... You get the picture. Clearly, I will be reporting back from the depths of Kazakhstan on the validity of the claim, by which time surely any question as to the use of the tubing will be moot.
Thank goodness for loud music.
I am also under strict instructions to continue my exercise regime to facilitate the recovery of my seemingly-doomed thigh. Now, I am all in favour of repairing my limbs when they are less than fully operational - especially after the season I've had - but the tool for rehabilitation is one that I can see causing some interesting questions to be asked at border control. It is a 6ft length of rubber tubing. I know that sounds like fun for some of you, but this is for external use only: I loop it over and tie it to something heavy and pull and relax with my injured leg, strengthening the tendon. But as I have hinted, its uses would appear to tend more towards the nefarious. I shall be wary. Especially since this same physio advised me that woollen underpants could be worn without issue for months at a time. Not from personal experience, obviously, but she has a friend who once.... You get the picture. Clearly, I will be reporting back from the depths of Kazakhstan on the validity of the claim, by which time surely any question as to the use of the tubing will be moot.
Thank goodness for loud music.
09 September, 2007
Phoenix 0 Newcastle 1
A game of 2 halves was this one. The cliché is painful and trite but sometimes apt.
A reshuffle (which sounds forced by injury rather than tactical thinking) put Jeremy Christie over to right back (a Good Thing despite having a turning circle an articulated lorry would be embarrassed by) and O'Dor at centre back. This was nearly a Good Thing, but wasn't, although I'm not sure why. He seemed good but there were errors and communication was suspect. Karl Dodd still plays like the most put-upon man in the world, as if all the troubles of the team were laid at his door. Lochhead on the left looks like a proper footballer. Right down to the Tony Woodcock 70s bubble perm. Moss in goal looked his normal self - good on stopping, not good on handling. Mind you, I didn't actually recognise him... sorry.
The midfield had the same mushroom shape as last time, with Aloisi the anchor (in so many ways), Ferrante kind of to the right, Daniel kind of to the left and Johnson through the middle. Smeltz and Felipe were up front with Felipe playing a much more withdrawn role. Johnson didn't look fit. He played some fantastic stuff early on and then appeared simply to fade. Towards the end of the match he looked like he didn't really want the ball any more, releasing earlier and earlier and not stepping up. Daniel had a night to forget, despite some beautiful touches: the ball never seemed to beat the first man and he couldn't produce much of meaning. Smeltz, to paraphrase an observation about Inzaghi, appears to have been born offside.
That leaves Felipe and Ferrante. Little Phil looks a gem. He is tigerish and just a little cynical. His touch is excellent, and occasionally outrageous - one time the ball comes to him from behind, at an angle and in the air and then he controls it on the top of his foot and continues running. I rarely get that right (by rarely, I mean as rare as a tyrannosaurus rex). But when he fades he vanishes. I believe he took a knock, but I think he was already ineffectual by then. Ferrante, however, was the most palpable representation of the game. In the first half I was choking back my mocking words of the previous weeks and was admiring the fact that his perennial endeavour was actually matched by delivery. In the second half he was back to his old self, getting the ball and delivering it neatly to the opposition. He missed one of the few chances that our excellent possession deserved, slamming a decent opportunity way over the bar.
Coveny and Brownlie came off the bench and were ineffectual and willingly ineffective respectively. Brownlie can run and run (which is more than Dodd and Smeltz could do by the end), but kicking is not exactly his strength.
The ref was okay. Nothing spectacularly bad. His linesmen were not good: even though it is a reasonable assumption that Smeltz is offside, you really should check. And when the ref looks to you for a throw in decision, it really isn't enough to wait for him to tell you what you should have done.
The opposition was ordinary: I didn't really pick out anyone as a real threat. Their defence was solid and committed, with one particular sliding tackle to block a shot being a remarkable effort (I can't remember who missed it, but while it should have been a goal really, the defender deserves enormous credit).
The goal was frustrating. The free kick didn't look like it should have been one, the wall was massively oversized considering how far out it was (5 man wall from there!?! Who is it? Roberto Carlos?), it was probably the only free kick in the game where the ref enforced the 10 yards rule and the finish looked more like a deflection than a shot. But it counts and I'd be happy if I was them. But the Phoenix should have been 2 goals up after the dominance of the first half.
If the halves had been the other way around, the crowd (11,400 or so) would have left happy, even with the result. Instead it is disappointing. And it is, of course, my last game before going. Hopefully Forest will make up for this. Oh, who do I think I'm kidding?
A reshuffle (which sounds forced by injury rather than tactical thinking) put Jeremy Christie over to right back (a Good Thing despite having a turning circle an articulated lorry would be embarrassed by) and O'Dor at centre back. This was nearly a Good Thing, but wasn't, although I'm not sure why. He seemed good but there were errors and communication was suspect. Karl Dodd still plays like the most put-upon man in the world, as if all the troubles of the team were laid at his door. Lochhead on the left looks like a proper footballer. Right down to the Tony Woodcock 70s bubble perm. Moss in goal looked his normal self - good on stopping, not good on handling. Mind you, I didn't actually recognise him... sorry.
The midfield had the same mushroom shape as last time, with Aloisi the anchor (in so many ways), Ferrante kind of to the right, Daniel kind of to the left and Johnson through the middle. Smeltz and Felipe were up front with Felipe playing a much more withdrawn role. Johnson didn't look fit. He played some fantastic stuff early on and then appeared simply to fade. Towards the end of the match he looked like he didn't really want the ball any more, releasing earlier and earlier and not stepping up. Daniel had a night to forget, despite some beautiful touches: the ball never seemed to beat the first man and he couldn't produce much of meaning. Smeltz, to paraphrase an observation about Inzaghi, appears to have been born offside.
That leaves Felipe and Ferrante. Little Phil looks a gem. He is tigerish and just a little cynical. His touch is excellent, and occasionally outrageous - one time the ball comes to him from behind, at an angle and in the air and then he controls it on the top of his foot and continues running. I rarely get that right (by rarely, I mean as rare as a tyrannosaurus rex). But when he fades he vanishes. I believe he took a knock, but I think he was already ineffectual by then. Ferrante, however, was the most palpable representation of the game. In the first half I was choking back my mocking words of the previous weeks and was admiring the fact that his perennial endeavour was actually matched by delivery. In the second half he was back to his old self, getting the ball and delivering it neatly to the opposition. He missed one of the few chances that our excellent possession deserved, slamming a decent opportunity way over the bar.
Coveny and Brownlie came off the bench and were ineffectual and willingly ineffective respectively. Brownlie can run and run (which is more than Dodd and Smeltz could do by the end), but kicking is not exactly his strength.
The ref was okay. Nothing spectacularly bad. His linesmen were not good: even though it is a reasonable assumption that Smeltz is offside, you really should check. And when the ref looks to you for a throw in decision, it really isn't enough to wait for him to tell you what you should have done.
The opposition was ordinary: I didn't really pick out anyone as a real threat. Their defence was solid and committed, with one particular sliding tackle to block a shot being a remarkable effort (I can't remember who missed it, but while it should have been a goal really, the defender deserves enormous credit).
The goal was frustrating. The free kick didn't look like it should have been one, the wall was massively oversized considering how far out it was (5 man wall from there!?! Who is it? Roberto Carlos?), it was probably the only free kick in the game where the ref enforced the 10 yards rule and the finish looked more like a deflection than a shot. But it counts and I'd be happy if I was them. But the Phoenix should have been 2 goals up after the dominance of the first half.
If the halves had been the other way around, the crowd (11,400 or so) would have left happy, even with the result. Instead it is disappointing. And it is, of course, my last game before going. Hopefully Forest will make up for this. Oh, who do I think I'm kidding?
The Prologue
And so it begins.
Well, not yet, technically since I am still in mighty Karori. Nonetheless, many of the more effective obstacles have been overcome:
Additionally we have the Phoenix, Wellington's professional "Soccer" team. I don't really mind the term 'soccer', even though I prefer 'football'. When in Rome... etc. Anyway the Phoenix are going to be just fine this season and I'm proud to have been to their very first game. Ricki Herbert is a fine coach and some of the players very exciting. I'll not say anything too much more for fear of Michael Ferrante's lawyers.
Presumably one never uses real names of associates on here. I shall attempt to adhere to this. Obviously, you will know who you are. Heh.
However, it is 9am, I'm not especially hungover (after a stunning dinner from the landlady with assorted unnamed friends) and I have a mountain of work to get through for people that I really don't want to let down. It would be good to put a review of the Phoenix game here later, unless the Ferrante family gets wind of this.
(Actually it is nothing personal about Ferrante, just that in the first game he gave possession away too easily for my liking, although at least he went looking for it unlike Mr Christie. Great. Now that's two sets of lawyers after me. Just wait until I get started on Kleberson)
Jim
Answers to questions:
1. 'Would'? You mean 'have'?
2. "Why you of course , my dear"
3. "Duh. It's a girl and I'm talking to her. Why else would one talk to a girl?" This is said ironically, fem-fans.
Well, not yet, technically since I am still in mighty Karori. Nonetheless, many of the more effective obstacles have been overcome:
- (Main) job is complete, and I have answered the difficult questions that come at so many end-of-employ periods: Who in the office would you turn gay for? Who's the best looker in the office? That girl you talk to - do you fancy her? Answers below...
- One of the other jobs is in hiatus.
- The last will occupy much time over the next few days. Much time.
- Most tickets and visas are in my possession.
Additionally we have the Phoenix, Wellington's professional "Soccer" team. I don't really mind the term 'soccer', even though I prefer 'football'. When in Rome... etc. Anyway the Phoenix are going to be just fine this season and I'm proud to have been to their very first game. Ricki Herbert is a fine coach and some of the players very exciting. I'll not say anything too much more for fear of Michael Ferrante's lawyers.
Presumably one never uses real names of associates on here. I shall attempt to adhere to this. Obviously, you will know who you are. Heh.
However, it is 9am, I'm not especially hungover (after a stunning dinner from the landlady with assorted unnamed friends) and I have a mountain of work to get through for people that I really don't want to let down. It would be good to put a review of the Phoenix game here later, unless the Ferrante family gets wind of this.
(Actually it is nothing personal about Ferrante, just that in the first game he gave possession away too easily for my liking, although at least he went looking for it unlike Mr Christie. Great. Now that's two sets of lawyers after me. Just wait until I get started on Kleberson)
Jim
Answers to questions:
1. 'Would'? You mean 'have'?
2. "Why you of course , my dear"
3. "Duh. It's a girl and I'm talking to her. Why else would one talk to a girl?" This is said ironically, fem-fans.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
