Tranquility is the new name of the game
First it was the organisation then the tranquility.
A couple of years ago police came on a Saturday morning when we were officiating our weekly rites and told us that we could not play any longer. In fact, they said, it is possible to play ball games in Kensington Gardens but only in a casual manner, definitely not in the organised fashion displayed by Football Dads.
Luckily that match was packed with Italians and we simply explained that a game cannot be ‘organised’ with so many Italians in it… You surely remember than in the definition of hell the organiser is Italian! Who else? Ultimately the police surrendered to the compelling logic of our argument, backed off and wished us a good game. Did they just wanted to watch our match for free? We’ll never know but the suspicions remains legitimate.
Last Saturday it was different. Two policemen were dispatched for the task, probably chosen among thousands and subjected to a ‘mission-impossible’ regime to be able to comply with the task of forcing FDs to stop playing football.
The argument this time was more sophisticated and subtle: while Hyde Park is about playing sport, Kensington Garden is about tranquility and sport should only be contemplated if such tranquility is not put at risk. Asking the 60,000 fans who paid a very expensive season ticket to be on the stands and exude tranquility while hell is breaking loose on the pitch is like asking Roy Keane to refrain from any sort of tackle as it could cause distress to opponents.
The two policemen unfortunately did not seem to realise the enormity of their request and left without an agreement being found: on our front the matter is now in the capable hands of Hossam who has been given the mandate by the CLUB to drag IT up to the High Court and beyond should it not end in a total, uncompromising FDs’ victory. Luckily is an election year and no sane Government would dare annoying, let alone stop, FDs which are unanimously regarded as a national treasure: you piss them off, the Nation is pissed off!
As for the game, selection was at best questionable as it became apparent throughout the match and despite some balancing act like Nizard swapping side from Orange to Colours to try and revive the latters’ fortunes.
The Colours’ defence right from the start functioned like a well oiled war machine and a rubber wall against which balls and opponents serially bounced back. The back four also had licence to offend: Hannes scored the opener and both Thomas and Massimo provided precious assists.
What is truly remarkable is that Colours scored a dozen goals without a role strikers, apart from Nizard in the first part. The lion’s share went to Johannes with five: with the absence of the likes of Yassin and Adam he had a free rein in midfield and wherever he elected to venture. As for Julien the analysts who track FDs’ every move on the pitch noticed that he advanced his position by a yard and now is scoring a hat trick a game: Alllons enfant! Giancarlo instead, despite resting his educated right foot, scored a hat trick with two headers and a left foot conversion from a pinpointed assist from Thomas.
As for opposition silence would probably be the best form of respect. Surely the lack of role keepers was a factor in the final score but too much was the gap both in terms of stamina and organisation.
There were though important comebacks like Andre’, Matej and Christian with the latter debuting in the American League in Boston. Needless to say with the FDs pedigree Christian hit the ground running and is now the subject of intense lobbying to get an American passport in time to be fielded by the star and stripes team the next World Cup in the USA.
There also two Indian Rookies, unrelated. Sid, a friend of Andre’, Christian and Branko. Unfortunately after a promising start he had to quit due to an injury, hopefully mild. The second one Achuta behaved like a proper Rookie scoring on debut one of the only three goals, along with Nizard and Francesco, by the Orange.
As it often happens when so much class is on display the Man of the Match selection was a crowded space. Julian will soon accept to do an ad for machine guns given his firing form. Giancarlo, the oldest serving FD, is probably the most prolific defensive midfielder out there. Any of the Colours’ back four fetched a meaningful amount of votes for combining impeccable defending and sublime passing skills upfront when required.
In the past many times Johannes was denied the accolade on adverse Antitrust ruling, namely abuse of dominant position but this time somehow they decided to accept reality.
COLOURS-ORANGE 12-3
GOALS
COLOURS: Hannes, Johnannes (5), Giancarlo (3), Julien (3)
ORANGE: Nizard, Achuta, Francesco
TEAMS
COLOURS: Hannes, Massimo, Thomas, Hossam,, Johannes, Julien, Giancarlo, Sara
ORANGE: Christian, Al, Andre’, Matej, Andrea M, Achuta, Sid, Nizard