A big slap in the face.

p1040629.jpgThat was my feeling when we ended the game against Haseko on a severe defeat 0-43. What I do not like is that we forgot about two main things during this game: aggressivity and teamwork. Aggressivity because we didn’t tackle hard and let them run through our lines on number of occasions. Teamwork because everyone had their eyes fixed on the ball while Haseko was reforming their attack line on the other end. We were not playing as a team when Haseko were packed together everytime. Of course, Haseko was a better team, and eventually we would have been beaten. But not like this. Not 43 to none…

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Now, I have the feeling that what we achieved in the last Shuto League, the improvement we noticed last year has vanished. Here is what I propose to forget about this painful episode:

  1. Believe me, it’s hard to compose a team 20 minutes before the kick-off, especially when you have to experience a new combination 9/10 every week. I would like to keep those positions steady for the whole season, but I have to compose with everyone’s availability. So I’d like to call for some commitment from the experienced guys, please make the effort to come to structure the team.
  2. Following that, can somebody explain me why we have 100 persons enlisted on the mailing list, and struggle on Fridays, not knowing if we’ll get a full team on Sundays ? Especially when schedule is published two to three months in advance. If we need some more people, try to recruit around you. Games are our core activity, I think we can’t enjoy our social parties whithout good results to be proud of.
  3. Grounds are far but be on time on meetings, because every late guy is to be managed after: “I’m at the train station, how can I go the ground?”, and me or somebody else will have to take on his warm-up time to explain the way.
  4. Trainings resumed, try to come, even if you are late, Zenkai are putting some nice pass and placement exercices.

Sorry for the edgy tone, but if I thought we couldn’t do a thing, I wouldn’t write this report.p1040617.jpg

If you think about something else, douzo, this new website is a blog platform, so let’s exchange ideas.

Special thanks to the Navy guys who came from Yokosuka up to Saitama to give us a hand. Hope to see you again, this game was just not All France.

Matt R

(photos: Valerie Lefebvre)

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