Master Game 8 is Dads’ darkest hour as Kids shoot the lights out
IF you can keep your head when all the Kids around you are scoring loads and taking the piss.
IF you can trust yourself when both your mates and opponents are telling you are crap.
IF you can dream of the final whistle as a liberation but soon after hope another will start revenge.
Then YOU are a FOOTBALL DAD and all the future Master Games are yours and what is more you’ll never win again, my Son!
FDs at their darkest hour could only find consolation in poetry.
It did start with some other fine verses which Dads told each other just before kick off: ’For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother’. The sense of brotherhood and camaraderie has and will never desert FDs.
The problem though is that sport, and football indeed, is complicated by the presence of opponents.
Kids in fact were coming from two glorious MGs victories and had confidence written all over them with bookmakers luring their clients with fancy odds.
Dads were still coming to terms with the loss of their jack of all trades Yassin, unable to play for another month due to injury. Also few minutes before the match Federico F, in supreme form so far, was caught by Covid and Dads had to re-design defence. Andre’ and Thomas were also unavailable. Not to mention Hannes missing his first MG ever on business. Will fans ever forgive him Hectic negotiations to drag also Julian other than Khaled into the Dads side failed at the last minute.
The vast land of Woodworm Scrub was one of the few settings that police accepted to prevent safety issues with the overflowing crowd which in fact turned out to be very noisy but respectful of procedures.
It all fell in place with the kickoff with the two teams studying each other for the first few minutes: the Kids forward line with the Trident Giacomo-Giuseppe- Marco constantly fed by Julian and Johannes, flanked by the Ragni Bros, Andrea and Alessandro
could have done any damage to any defence at any time. Alessandro’s saves and Dads’ good defending though just postponed the inevitable as Giuseppe first and Marco with the last touch made the most from a gifted back pass.
Like a boxer sensing blood the Kids went for the one-two with Giuseppe and it was only then that Dads’ could threaten the Kids’ goal but found Tony L ever alert. The Kids would not give up any inch of land and Ludo curled in a winner only to have it disallowed for an incorrect goal kick.
At half time the Dads’ at 2-0 down with signs of awakening retired to the war room and drew plans about a sudden remuntada. Napoleon at Waterloo would have done a better job. 5’ after the start Kids scored three lightning goals to bring the score to an unthinkable 5-0 with Giacomo punishing the Dads at every opportunity and Johannes dominating midfield moto perpetuo. At which point Dads’ pride left room to realism and some rebalancing was welcome by both sides with Julian joining Dads while Kids had a long bench to rely upon.
The Kids defence proved amazingly resilient: Zac had an excellent game stopping and countering at ease, Luca and Gabriele were a towering presence, Louis produced a very mature display for his age while Sara and Daniel meant business on the flanks. In such an environment little Arman thrived with his accurate passing. Even strikers as Tony and Francesco found it hard to find any space in such a well timed and coordinated team display.
With Kids dominant in each part of the field and with plenty of energy in storage they just could not get enough. Adding another three goals was just a walk in the park despite some heroics by Massimo and Alessandro. 8-0 is a heavy burden to carry and there was not even the golden goal to thank the fans for their incessant support, louder after every goal conceded and quite moving to hear.
When it came to awards, Roberto snatched yet again the Best Ref trophy. His second best achievement this year will be to ref the World Cup final as Italy ?? is not in Qatar. A blessing in disguise.
Every Kid today could have won the Man of the Match award as they had collectively peaked for the MG8. Giacomo by virtue of an hat trick capitalising on his killer instinct and set of skills took the trophy home along with the brand new ball.
It was Dads’ darkest hour and the moment Kids’ stars were at their brightest. It was pleasing for Dads to see their sons playing the way they did but excruciating to experience it.
The press will have a field day about MG8. Just be prepared for headlines like:’ SuperDads or GrandDads’? Dads is, among others, looking forward: they told each other this will never happen again.
Already in the pub after the match they signed what will go down in history as the ‘ Princess Victoria Pact’ . It is bound to secrecy
but the Sun is already on it: ‘Tony S to provide unlimited Collagen directly at FDs home tabs’ is just one of the quotes you can read online and tells you already the extent Dads are ready to push themselves ahead of MG9. FDs might not sleep tonight but they will be ready at dawn.
MASTER GAME 8
Kids-Dads 8-0
GOALS
KIDS: Giacomo (3), Giuseppe (2), Marco (2), Gabriele
TEAMS
KIDS: Tony L, Daniel, Arman, Luca, Gabriele, Zac, Louis, Sara, Johannes, Julian, Marco, Giuseppe, Giacomo, Alessandro R, Andrea, Leo D, Ludo
DADS: Alessandro C, Hossam, Massimo, Christian, Diego, Giuseppe, Ben, Khaled, Giancarlo, Jeremy T, Francesco, Nizard, Tony S.
