It all happened in one match: Pokemon players becoming FDs fans, Rookie Brazilian playing barefoot and another staying nameless while Orange, led by Gregorio, win in style
Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park were today invaded by an army of Pokemon GO players. It is in fact a high density location of Gyms and PokeStops. But when asked why they stopped to watch the game, the newly acquired fans said in a low voice: ‘I couldn’t care less about Pokemon but when I heard the search was taking place in Kensington Gardens, home to the unreal FDs, me and my mates, who have tried to get tickets since September 2004 (date of birth of FDs), we did whatever it was required to become Pokemon players: this was a unique opportunity to disguise ourselves and watch the match for free, which is what everyone else is doing. This version of the facts was in a way confirmed by a Pokemon press release following the event which read: ‘ While our Pokemon event in Kensington Gardens was greeted by a huge crowd, somehow all the items to be hunted were all found in their original disguised places, as if no one made any effort to search for them. We accept responsibility for not checking that our event was concomitant with a FDs match which would naturally outshine any other manifestation. As a precautionary measure any future Pokemon event will take place outside England’.
They came for Pokemon but settled for better: the magnetic appeal of Football Dads!
As for today’s formation it was a nice 10 a side judicially assembled with a fairly balanced representation of Dads and Kids, something that has not happened for a while. As writer was not present in most parts of the game there is a fair chance that the events described are not a strictly loyal representation of reality: perhaps this where the expression ‘Fantasy Football’ originates from…
Colours hit the ground running and took an early lead with goals from Al and Johannes but there was too much strength and talent in the Orange squad to expect a one-direction match. Besides Orange spent big on the day to fly in across the pond the star player Tarek who made his presence felt with a goal and took full advantage of a somehow loose marking to be a constant thorn in the Colours’ defence.
With also Oscar and Jonathan contributing to the scoreline Orange were able to turn the game and go 4-3 ahead to the golden goal. The game was sealed by the Orange young talisman Gregorio to settle the result at 5-3 for the Orange.
The game was graced by the default presence of a couple of Rookies: one of them, the young Brazilian Renan was so keen to join that, in absence of proper shoes, started playing barefoot until someone found a spare of old shoes to spare. Socks were never contemplated. Last week we had a young Sino-Italian Fabio who joined the game cancelling his trip to Brighton. FDs pitch is increasingly looking like a court of miracles where amazing scenes happen on a weekly basis to the delight of the ever eager spectators.
Rookie Renan from Brazil gave a proper display of barefoot football before being persuaded to wear shoes
There was also a second Rookie who was able to escape any attempt to be named. here we publish his picture in case someone can put a name to his face and the Nation he represents.
Rookie: who are you? Colours deployed a mysterious player who stayed anonymous.
As for The MAN of the MATCH the unsung hero Kaan deserves a mention as being a default reliable player always available to fight in the back allowing teammates to shine. But today there was only player who would make every single one agree on the nomination: Gregorio scored yet again the golden goal and yet again was the lynchpin on the pitch as he is a round player: can pass, can tackle, can score, can lead, can defend, can attack and whatever else is required. Besides, Gregorio can make his team mates accountable without shouting or jeopardizing the team spirit: this is the mark of a true leader. They would follow him anywhere: If he was to ask them to cross the round pond, well they would do it there and then, especially in a hot summer day. As for the Serpentine well, that perhaps is a challenge that would thin the ranks…but this takes nothing away from Gregorio’s leadership traits which are set in stone and at such a young age!
ORANGE-COLOURS 5-3
GOALS
COLOURS: Al, Ross, Johannes
ORANGE: Tarek, Oscar(2) , Jonathan, Gregorio (gg)
TEAMS
COLOURS : Alessandro, Massimo, Al, Federico, Julien, Renan, Rookie, Kaan, Francesco, Ross
ORANGE : Paride, Andre’, Hossam, Bijan, Andrea, Gregorio, Alister, Oscar, Tarek, Jonathan