RAIN UNITED
FOOTBALL CLUB
[ Rain Stays In The Plain ]
So much has been written on my focus to proceed with legal justifications but I will keep myself posted on the blog once the action takes place. Now back for more football action..............
Our healthy football activities continues and I am positive the breeze will get stronger. Apart from Nigel's "crushed" shin pads occurred during the soccer 7's which his bone is still intact, it was an agonising moment for me. I was glad Nigel injected the protection gear on himself. Unlike playing good clean football among ourselves, minus the attitude players' or planning future friendly matches with proper team organisation, I will not want to put any members at risk. That's the reason why I emphasized on safety first. Soccer is a game that requires lots of discipline. Bad tackle leading to fights and pushing happens if it is not manage well. It will be totally uncall for. We must play the game for the love of it.
On the contrary, when I decided to resume with our football again, there were worries on some faces......... not enough players, confusions, unfamiliar faces, how? "Kudos" to those who have continued to come by. You are doing well for yourself. The training discipline continues, the requirements remain. I have always said, if you are not clear, seek and you will find. Don't be led to do silly things. I am a strong believer of second chance, human makes mistakes. I am glad for some.
I have invited parents from the SAF Warriors to join us with their kids when they are available. I have invited the company teams that were meant to play in the supposedly mini tournament to come by. They have been very supportively. They are even willing to play friendly matches once I am able to integrate the players together again. They have urged me to go on. The parents have thrown in their supportive idea too. Even the SAF Warriors coaches have rendered their morale support. I am also glad that Tony has taken my advised to invite friends to come by too. Both nice and respectable professional people. Two of the friends have branded themselves old and we had had a good laugh. However, Tony has been given another agenda during our football. Anyone found not wearing proper gears during training will be subjected to him getting a "kick" on his butt from me. Till date, he owes me about 10, maybe more........but I am still counting.
During our training, I have noted a few of the players are getting better. I am amazed with Max's overall ball play. Max has been sharper with his ball controls and awareness of distance. His intelligence and fitness level supports his ability to create attack and support play. However, Max tends to over dribble in the "danger zone" at times which he has to work on.
Jia He is another joy to watch. Over the past few months, I have taken close noticed on Jia He's football play whenever I played alongside him during match training. Jia He is a good learner with strong discipline. Jia He used to utilize his strong intelligence to overcome his football skills. I am really very supportive of him. Jia He has progressed well using both his intelligence play and football skills and is seen to be kicking the ball better and better. A non-selfish player with good fitness, Jia He is seen as a contributor where he assist goals and at the same time, not afraid to shoot at goal anymore. He has positioned himself well as a better midfield player and makes himself an even better team player when time to come. Jia He's weakness lies in his inability to hold on to the ball close to him. He tends to let his speed overrules his ball controls. We laughed at it last week. I know Jia He will work on it.
Tony has improved on his shooting abilities. He has received so much criticism from me since day one. He understands where his mistakes lies. His "on the ball running" with angles covering the runs while pushing the ball to inching the angles for shooting has made him sharper with "on goal" target. Tony is also on target with his better ball controls through practising with some of the malay and neighbourhood friends I have encouraged him to work on. However, I am also looking forward to "pin" Tony down when he takes the ball pass me so that I can teased him on his "wayang".
I must not forget my good friend Randy. Can read the game, can play the game, but still "heavy lah". Randy will enjoy the game better if he works harder on his fitness level. Randy has improved on his temperament though and is not sluggish to lift up his legs. Through training, I know Randy is putting effort in working on his technical abilities judging on his seriousness to do it well. He is never afraid of failure. That's his strength. Must use the cane, like what he tells me about Uncle "Choo Seng Quee".
Move over to our training match. I divided our play against Tony's team, comprising a balance of young and old who were far superior in terms of built and strength. The focused was to enable our team to overcome our smaller frame to play football with a game plan...... spread play, passing accuracies, shooting efficiencies.......team play. Tony's team fully understood the reason why they lost in the end. 3 goals to 2. Lacked of cohesion. Some were playing with us for the first time. I made the mistakes in letting in the 2 goals that we conceded. At the end of the game, there were no blaming, only joy. I told Tony that we will definitely improve ourselves if we (the old ones) keeps working on our fitness. Also, we will improve if the friends plays regularly together. Every body needs to start somewhere. Uncle Jack (52 United) came by to join us and I have invited him to come by again.
Kenny threw his mobile on the rubbish bag while Jia He treated his wallet to a drink when we adjourned to our coffee talk. It was nice to see Wee Kiong and Tim Loong while on the way back. An enjoyable evening indeed!