Do I spot a bee in the FLT bonnet? If so it's the same bugger that buzzes around mine. I used to coach kids a few (many) years back and the attitude of parents and other coaches sickened me. When I took over I discovered that the club used a strict entrance criterion for the team - the boy (and sadly it was only boys then) had to have a pulse. In one of my first games we were losing heavily to another team stuffed with kids many of whom went on to play professionally, and two even played internationally. Their coach had a group of skinny kids with glasses stood on the sideline desperately wanting a game. At the end I asked the guy why at, say 8-0, he'd not fetched off a couple of his stars and given his kids some match experience. "What? Oh no, I think your lot may have got a goal or two back if I'd done that and the team would not have been happy". The final score was 19-0 so I can understand his point. My kids learned nothing, as they hardly touched the ball, while his kids learned nothing as they were never challenged. When I started coaching a few skills (here is a ball, you may have never seen one before) things did improve a bit, but then I had to manage the parents who'd encourage a long useless hoof down the field, while chastising a defender who played a good ball to the feet of the winger (risky!). The results culture was too apparent.
Oh Channon it's a big bee! Reading your post, things have not changed at all. We had our summer tournament on Sunday and our first experience if 11 a side and on a bigger pitch with bigger goals. OMG! Each team we played banged it high over the top to chase on to it. One team scored against us when their player "shot" from the halfway line with a big hoof. Our keeper did really well to stop it bouncing over his head but unfortunately he parried it and their striker followed up to score. Their coach said to the player who first "shot", "Great shot!" I just looked at him and shook my head. In the tournament we lost one nil to the two teams who played the final. In both games, the opposition had one shot in one game and two shots in the second following big hoofs. My boys were excellent, passing it from the back. The day was a classic example of the English disease.
Not sure Hoddle understands the word luxury. There needs to be a benefit involved in the luxury. What he seems to be describing is a **** player.
It's called a bad example. I should know. I make them all the time. I generally agree with the gist though. I think everyone but Pulis, Allardyce and Woy has said it by now as well.
I always feel you hitting the keyboard really hard when you type. I understand it perfectly. Ask yourself one question: do you really think Glen Hoddle, a luxury player, doesn't understand what most English people understand a luxury player to be? .... No, I am wrong. I apologies and I give up.
