Red Card's, The Dyke and a Buffet......

Hello Everyone....I'll be short so as to allow for everyone to enjoy summer the day or two that it is actually here.

The World Cup has finally begun to entertain as promised with big headlines, an upset or two and no shortage of drama. One can not help but notice that immediately following a Nation's exit from the tournament the team manager (coach) is either sacked or resigns prior to being sacked! The lone exception of course is England manager Fabio Capello whom has been backed for a longer tenure by the FA. How is it that the manager of perhaps the biggest bust highlighted by commonly agreed horrid team selection can neither resign or be removed?

I have to say that although the game itself wasn't magic by any sense of imagination that the Ghana - Uruguay match has to be a highlight in reference to drama! The game featured more action in the final minutes of overtime than Lowther at an all you can eat buffet. Seconds remaining - hand ball clearance off the line, red card, Ghana with a penal to win and.....miss. Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding......apple pie.

Still pulling for Spain to win it all to garner what little respectability my WC pool has remaining and to silence the TWO dutch fans within this club. Spain will beat Germany and sadly the Dutch will put a finger in yet another dyke and leak/squeak to a final only to lose to Spain. There you have it - the WC decided in print.

Still on the WC - if you are interested I cam across a great website via my good friend Mike Shearon Associate Coach at TWU. The site is www.zonalmarking.net a great find which reviews, previews and offers insight to the tactics employed by each squad at the tournament. No English component as they forgot their tactics at Heathrow.

A special shoot out to all of our U10 players, coaches, managers and parents here at NSDSC for a remarkable season. Success from A to C Developmental on the boys side with league championships, strong play off showings, development and a wee collection of U8 players whom finished the season with a medal at U10! On our girls side we saw a brilliant season come to a championship ending with our U10B Jade and a fantastic season from our U10C Cosmos and coach Ray Smith whom were coached by three of our very own U18 players....Jennifer B, Jaydene R and Jocelyn B under the tutelage of Terry Myles. The young U10C Nova battled to the end and were the recipients of some great coaching under Stefan Dei Cont.
I will leave you with a little piece shared with us from Bolton's David Bailey - a poem written by a young boy U12 entitled "Let Children Play":

They Stand On The Field With Their Hearts Beating Fast
The Whistle Has Blown, The Die Has Cast
Mum And Dad CANNOT Help, They Stand All Alone
A Goal At This Moment Would Send The Team Home
The Ball Near Their Feet, They Kick And It Misses
There's A Moan From The Crowd, Some Boo's And Some Hisses
A Thoughtless Voice Cries "Take Off The Bum"
Tears Fill Their Eyes, It's No Longer Fun
If You're Ever Tempted To Shout Or To Groan
Remember It's A Child, Who Stands All Alone
So Open Your Heart, Give Them A Break
It's Moments Like This, A Player You Make
Keep This In Mind, Please Don't Forget
They're Only Children, Not Adults Yet!

Something to remember.......

Take Care