Just like in 2008, Amsterdam is the first stop on our 2009 European tour. The memory from last year is not so good. We defeated Maastricht, drew with Den Hague, fell narrowly at the hands of the hosts and were on the end of a rout against Luxembourg in the group stage. This placed us against Amsterdam in the 3rd/4th place playoff. We regrouped and won but I remember going home very disappointed with how we performed. Maybe expectations were too high. We were the new kids on the block and it was a good eye-opener. The Luxembourg defeat rankled the most as they hit us for four goals and basically steam rolled us. They took their opportunity to rub it in too. After a misplaced kick during the game, one of their players wasn't shy in asking what the Belgians would know about football anyway. We went home very disappointed but in reality we had done quite well for our first outing. Den Hague won the tournament outright but in the group game they only salvaged a draw against us with a goal in the last second, 1-3 to 0-6. In the 3rd/4th playoff, we extracted some revenge against the 'Dam to claim victory.
This weekends tournament was originally scheduled for March 28th but the change was announced a couple of weeks ago. Something like this causes alot more hassle here than at home. People always have weekend plans here, travelling home or to other places. The impact for us is significant. Ciaran, Bobby, Rochey, Eoghan, Emmett, Enda, Keary, Hough, Gearoid are all out. It may benefit Eoin and myself as it gives our injuries a week longer to heal. Eoin is more likely to make it than me, but we'll wait and see. Tom remains on the injured list.
Even without the absentees, we were still able to debate whether to bring a second team. In the end, we travel with 17 players but could easily have got up to 20. At a push we would have made it to 25, the minimum to get through the day with two teams. However, given most of the lads are some of our top players, we would have had to field a very inexperienced second team and the the negatives may have outwayed the positives. I'd be fairly positive of having two teams available when we travel to Den Hague.
Our objective this weekend is definitly to win. I'm reading a book about Bobby Knight at the moment. He coached College basketball in the States for years, most notably at Indiana University. He was renowned for getting his teams to box successfully above their weight. Often the slower, smaller, less gifted Hoosiers (as they are known) overcame their more heralded opponents. His prepartion and ability to get his teams to play to his plan were instrumental. His players offered themselves selflessly. Maybe at times they played out of fear, he was reknowned for his temper, regularily throwing chairs, abusing players, refs and anyone within ear shot.
Selflessness, its a drum I continually like to beat. I foraged around the full-back line in Kinsale for years, denying my man possession, picking up breaks and moving the ball up to the half back line and onwards. Some of my buddies used to goad me about not being able to kick the ball, so seldom it was that the ball dropped as far as my foot. I knew my role in the team though and was happy to make my contribution. Of course, it would be nice to be out around the half back line playing a bit more ball but in a team, if its to be successful, everyone needs to know their role and perform it without ego or uproar. They need to be selfless in their approach to the team.
When you look at less successful teams or go down the playing levels, it tends to become more difficult to extract this trait from people's character. You tend to see a more individual approach to the game, a lack of cohesion amongst players and frustration being vented regularily because the players are not working in tandum. They are pursueing their own objectives and most likely to the detriment of the team.
On Saturday, we will be a bit like Bobby Knight's Hoosiers and will be perceived as underdogs with little chance of success due to our depleted resources. I beg to differ and hope that i am proved right. However, we are playing at one of the lower levels. This means the risk of not getting players to buy into a style of play and their role within it, is higher. For me its simple, the fluidity which we would normally like to achieve, keeping the ball moving and using our energy to support the man in possession, will be disrupted because many of the players will not have played together before and some lads have very little recent playing experience. Those who have been around the block once or twice, need to step up. They'll need to carry the ball a bit more and take greater ownership, always looking to get on the ball or support a teammate. Those new faces on the team need to get the basics right, over and over again. Move towards the ball, gather possession, look up and deliver to one of the 'go-to' men. Their anxious tendency may be to kick when they should handpass or to have a pop for a score when their body isn't lined up. They need to focus, know their role and appreciate its value towards achieving the goal.
On Saturday those more experienced lads need to be ready to up their game to another level whilst the new faces need to understand that value they will add if they nail the basics. Its a great challenge to start the year. Winning against the odds is the most satisfying way to do. If we can do so in Amsterdam it will give us fantastic confidence to take forward. The Hoosiers were masters at it, now its the Belgians turn!
No comments:
Post a Comment