The Footie Fool

Okay, Saturday night is behind me. Time to regroup and prepare for Wednesday. For inspiration, I went back to something I wrote shortly after the Brazil tilt in Seattle.

But the most important take away from this game for me was that we came back. Not once, but  twice. Besides showing some real flair on the ball, we showed grit and resilience in the face of adversity. It would have been easy to roll over when Brazil got on the board 3 minutes in. But we didn’t. We marched down the field and got one back – a beauty, too, with Klukowski setting up Rob Friend’s header.

I go back to that game a lot. I know that team exists. I know they can dig deep and find it. I know they can play devastatingly good ball. I know they can elevate their game and will not roll over. I believe they can win in Mexico. And I still believe that the dream for SA is alive.

I know nothing of tactics. Like everyone else, I have opinions and ideas of thing I would like to see, but at the end of the day I don’t have the slightest clue what it will take for this team to beat Mexico. But I know they can do it.

Call me masochistic, but I ain’t ready to let the dream die after 2 games.

Looking back at our first two games actually gives me some hope. We had Jamaica on the run – let’s face it, we created a lot of chances in that game and save some heroic keeping and, um, horrendous keeping should have won that game 3-0. And, for the first 20 minutes Saturday night had Honduras wrapped around our finger. If we play like that…

Okay, that said, onto some spouting on things I know nothing about.

Dale Mitchell
I’m not hoping on the “dump Mitchell” campaign bus just yet (but Unto The Dogs makes a pretty compelling argument). I’ve always said that he should have a full cycle to give it a go. I’m still of that opinion. Talk to me about this at Christmas. My opinion may have changed.

4-5-1
Again, I am not jumping off this ship as well. I would like to see a bit more flexibility in how the 5 across the middle work together, but I think against Mexico we are going to have to shut down the midfield, and we are going to need bodies there. Besides, I think a 4-5-1 has worked for us over the past year. The players are used to it and the last thing we need is to add in the extra dimension of playing with a new system in a crucial game. Stick with the plan that you have been working on for the past year.

Of course, with Radz and Issey out, who will occupy the wings is going to be the challenge.

Gerba v Friend
I think Gerba is like Iain Hume – a great sub. His power is like Hume’s tenacity and speed – it can cause problems for tired defenders. But for the first 60 minutes, Friend is the guy. He’s already scored twice in the Bundesliga this season (one against current Stutagar/former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehman) and he showed great skill in bringing down Klukowski’s cross and scoring against Brazil. He is playing at a higher tempo week in and week out and he is due for something spectacular.

Montreal
So disappointing. From the state of the pitch to the state of the ticket sales. A pro Honduras crowd that “ole’d” us in OUR HOUSE? Violence? What the hell happened?

“It was like being at home,” said Honduras coach Reynaldo Rueda. Bloody hell.

Toronto is being floated as the permanent home of the MNT. If they get the natural turf then that’s a good choice. But what about going further. Why don’t we start sticking these games in friggin Newfoundland and Halifax? East coast means less travel time for European based players and, especially in Newfoundland (site of our greatest ever soccer achievement) a tough slog up north for the millions of Central American immigrants living just across the border.  And those that would brave the trek would be forced to eat pickled cod and freeze their asses off.

TV Coverage
I know a lot of you check this blog for TV news, so nice to have good news. Sportsnet is carrying Wednesday’s game live from Chiapas across Canada – barring any horrific satellite jamming weather, which may be a real possibility right now. Forecast as I type calling for thunderstorms in Tuxtla Gutierrez on Wednesday. Game time is 6:00 PST.

Adopt-a-Player
Okay, I had been meaning to do this. A few weeks back at Out Of Touch (who, after reading this post, I am feeling a deep kindred with. I love you, man. Really. And it’s not just the Sleeman’s talking.)

Anyway, J started an adopt the player mem. Pick a player for whatever reason. OOT picked Mike Klukowski for a number of reasons – but the reason that topped it was Mr. K’s fine euro mullet (which, I believe, is pronounced moo-lay across the pond).

So, I’ll hop on. I’m adopting Issey Nakajima-Farran, currently of Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland. Why Issey? Nothing to do with the round ball. The guy has some serious coffee jazz style and is a kick ass artist. I’m sure the cafe chicks dig him.

That’s it for now. I’m off to listen to The Score’s take on the game on their Footy Show podcast while purging the kitchen of any leftover guacomole and Corona. I hated that beer anyway.