Big Show Beckons

The first round of the Pan-Euro Championship & Shield is nearly upon us. This year we will host a round for the first time. It’s a massive job for the committee as there will be over twenty teams participating across three competitions; Pan-Euro Ladies Gaelic Football, Men’s Football Championship and Shield.

Our girls have already wrapped up this year’s title but the lad’s competitions are starting from scratch. The shadow boxing of the regional’s are over and every team will likely arrive at or close to full strength.

The Championship will be contested by Guernsey, Den Hague, Luxembourg, ourselves, Stockholm and newcomers Jersey. It’s a small but competitive field. Stockholm made their debut last year and whilst we never got to play them, they looked a balanced and committed side. They also have that advantage that comes with the continued breaking of new ground; enthusiasm and hunger.

Guernsey gave as good as they got last year and we’d expect the same again. For me though, the favourites come from closer to home. Luxembourg showed enough in the regional’s to justify being high up the list. The Hague still top it though and backed up their intent with victory in the last regional and then the 7’s. They are shooting for three in a row and have set the benchmark in recent years.

Two disappointing omissions are Paris and Amsterdam. For Paris it’s been a case of so near yet so far in the last three years as they just missed out on overall victory in the Championship. We’ve had some great high scoring battles with them and I’ll miss our duels. It seems they have just lost one too many players and need to opt for the Shield.

That’s where Amsterdam place themselves also. Their club is really beginning to take off and most of us expected to see them in the Championship. One of the things a club needs when it’s building is success and they’ve been unfortunate because they are in what is probably the most competitive region; Benelux. In the four rounds this year, three different teams won. Amsterdam themselves got to a final. The lack of a breakthrough seems to have dented their confidence and they have entered The Shied and will surely take the favourites tag.

Quite where we are at, I don’t know. If we had time to be in transition, then we would be deep in it after losing so many players. We’ve built up deep reserves of players but the pit is far from bottomless. Still, we have two packed panels this weekend and may even have to leave one or two out as we can’t quite muster enough for three teams.

I make for bad company these days. The frustration of not repeating the 2008 success is alive and kicking inside of me and starts to boil over around this time of year. I put a lot of value on a football Championship medal because they are so hard earned. The competition is ultra competitive and the effort required in terms of training and travel makes for a very satisfying result if you achieve your goal.

For those who weren’t there in ‘08, it is difficult to really make them understand what a feeling of achievement it gives you. It’s also difficult to get guys to understand why it is such a step up from the regionals. In the Championship every game is competitive and that drains the energy more. There won’t be any easy match where you can drop into cruise control. There will be no weak links in the oppositions armour. It’s intense from the off. Some guys did well in Benelux but that is not where the final judgement will be cast on any of us.

I’ve no problem replicating the required intensity for myself in the build-up. The only concern you’d have is that you’d burn yourself out thinking about it. Getting the balance is important. The clock is ticking though and each passing year is a passing chance that needs grasping. You must take every possible opportunity to compete and to win.

There are two sessions left before the first ball will be kicked in anger. We’ve a good three weeks work done and if we can top it off with two purposeful sessions this week then both of our teams will be in good shape.