Dave Nicholls
I've recently been appointed as the 4th team player-manager
for my Saturday team. We play in the 4th division (of 4) in Bristol and this
will be my weekly (maybe fortnightly) blog to let you see what its like to be a
Saturday team football manager. I will state one thing though, this blog will
not be talking about my players in a sense of who was good/rubbish.
Ok, so we are 3 games into the season, and so far my record
is Played 3, won 1, lost 2, scored 1, conceded 6. So, it hasn't been the best of starts, and did
I mention that the win was because the opposition couldn't get a team together,
meaning we got a 0-0 win (figure that out). I put this down to numerous
reasons. 1) Not having a settled side. 2) Not really knowing anyone. 3) Not
being sure of who plays best in what position.
A little note: There will be more structure and managerial
insight in my future blogs, I just felt
that I had to fit both previous games into this first post to give you an
insight into my team.
The first week I think I'll remember for a while, and I know
I'll use it as a motivational team talk in the future. After the selection
meeting on Monday, I had a team lined up, there were 11 players (a good start)
and no subs. By the time it got to Thursday, I was down to 9 players and was
texting everyone I knew that could kick a ball relatively well. By game time on
Saturday I had 12 confirmed players, with a goalkeeper saying his was available
that morning.
Come game time and I had 10 players kitted and ready to go.
We trundled over to the pitch and I got one of my more senior players to put
the others through, what actually seemed like, a vigorous warm up whilst I
frantically tried to phone any stragglers. After none of them picking up their
phones, I joined in the warm up and got the lads doing the classic amateur
football team warm up of piggy in the middle.
The ref called me into the centre circle for the coin toss
and I won..... a good start to my managerial career I thought. just before
kick-off an injured spectator (who played for the team last year) said he would
be happy to stand up front and be a man for them to mark. Bonus, that gives me
11 (10.5) players, he quickly got changed and stood (literally, as he had an
ankle injury) on the edge of the opposition area.
The game started well, we kept the ball and cleared it when necessary,
created a few chances and pretty much stopped them from attacking. We went in
at half time 1-1 with our injured 11th man scoring a tap in from a few yards. I
was delighted and told the guys that if we can keep going, we can win this
game. We had the better players.
The 2nd half was a mixed bag. The players put all their
effort into the game, but with my injured team-mate going off and then my left
winger pulling his hamstring 5 mins after the 2nd half start, it was always
going to be tough. Down to 9, we battled on and defended solidly. A very dodgy
linesman decision put the opposition striker through 1 on 1. He was fouled by
the keeper and tucked away the resulting penalty. We lost the game 2-1, but I
was very pleased with my team, especially as we ended with 9 men and hit
the bar in the last few minutes.
After the first game, I thought I was in for a torrid time
selection wise and although I was happy with how the team did, I knew that
those players who had played well for me were probably going up to the 3rd
team for next week game.
The mid-week game on Thursday was called off, and we secured
an infamous 0-0 win, and gained 3 vital points.
I went to the selection meeting preparing for the worst. And
low and behold, for the game on the next Saturday, I lost my attacking creative
midfielder (called to 3rd team), both full backs (called to 3rd team), my
goalkeeper (back to uni), my right and left winger (called to 3rd team and
injured respectively) and my centre forwards (Injury and holiday).
Still, I left the selection meeting on Monday with 11
players in a standard "keep it simple" 4-4-2 formation. I was happy. Come Saturday, I wasn't. I
was on my 5th centre back pairing since Monday and had lost another winger to a
higher team.
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| "Lets keep it simple" - Your bog standard 4-4-2 |
However, with other players returning from holiday and
what-not, I was able to put out a full 11 and even have 2 subs (both players
new to the club). My problem this time was I had no strikers. Meaning that I
had to play myself, a centre back by trade, up front as an emergency centre
forward, being supported by a guy that normally plays left back or left
midfield.
We started poorly and went down 1-0 straight away to a very
flukey freekick goal. No one was to blame. It stayed this way to half-time
after I had squandered a few chances with my shovel of a right foot. During the break I said how well we were
doing and we just needed to keep going. I mentioned things that, looking back,
I probably picked up from football manager, like "hit the channels a bit
more" and "lets try and play the ball into the space". I felt
like I was getting through to the players.
After another freak wonder goal for the opposition, a
blistering shoot from just inside out half, I switched formation to 3-5-2. We
were dominating them and creating plenty of chances. However, we were very vulnerable on the counter and got beaten by 2 long balls. We ended up losing
4-0, which was a very flattering scoreline for the opposition.
I gathered the lads in after the game and said the scoreline
was unfair and undeserved. I was proud of all of them and we were the only team
trying to get it down and play football. Our keeper got MoM on his debut after
he had kept us in the game at 2-0 down when were hit on the counter a couple of
times.
I knew that it would be tough when I agreed to take the role
as player-manager of the 4th team, I mean after all, my job is to get new
players playing for the club and get them moving up the teams if they are good
enough. Or, if they aren't destined to go up the teams, then keep them in the
4ths and get them enjoying their run out. Hopefully picking up some wins on the
way.
At least, after the selection meeting this Monday, I had a
set 13 players for Saturday's game. It is now Wednesday and I have 14 confirmed
players. Here is hoping they all show up and I get my first legitimate win as a
football manager!
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