Dear Parent – The SAGA continues (Pains of football coaching)

Continuation from my last moan!

Dear Parent,

So once again you have another moan at me for substituting your son, who again had a nightmare game yesterday.  He played 23 out of the 40 minutes but you felt that this was a “token gesture”.

I am not best pleased with your attitude and total disregard of the team with you solely focusing on your child and whether he get’s to play the whole game or not.

Well to let you know, I have just printed out a letter which I have constructed and will be posting it through your letter box this evening.  In it, it states reasons and justifications for my actions and my job as coach to protect the interests of the team, not individuals.  So, as you will read near the bottom of the letter, I will continue to make changes where I see fit during the game. If you find this too unreasonable, then I am happy to hand you back your son’s registration form and wish him the best of luck in the future.

Signed: stressed coach!

A Son’s First Football Experience at Anfield, Liverpool

Just this weekend we took my son to watch Liverpool FC  play their opening match against Sunderland FC.  If he was already in shock when we walked around the stadium, then he got one major surprise when he walked through the turnstile and onto the ground. My son is not one to keep quiet, but for at least 15 minutes he was shell-shocked, 40,000 fans singing and shouting. 

What was more pleasing was the sight of his favourite players warming up on the pitch.  As the game wore on, he became fully climatised and was spotted displaying a “Loser” sign to the opposing fans, that’s my boy.  Some pics/video’s from the day…..

My son Rajan with his cousin Kabir – these boys never rest

Walking Alongside the Stadium with Uncle Ricky

Rajan with Dad and Uncle Ricky – still shell shocked I think

Liverpool Squad Shaking Hands before the match

Posing with the One Shankly

Were you this Passionate about something as a kid?

A few nights ago, as I was sitting upstairs listening to some music, suddenly there’s this ruffle sound coming from the hallway downstairs.  It would then stop, then start up again, it was as if something was being arranged, re-arranged.  I turned down the music and made my way downstairs, no sound now, no trace of anyone/anything.  I dismissed it!

The next morning, I open the shoe cupboard in the hallway, the top drawer where my shoes are kept only to find this…