Monday, June 04, 2007
Nice going... CARD!
Real Osaka, avec poncy new Valencia rip-off kits from Thailand, took a trip up to Nagano at the weekend for the Eastern Japan ALT football tournament. I drank half a bottle of whisky in the car on the way up, which took some of the sting out of the seven-hour journey from Osaka, via Nagoya (twice).
Due to drop outs and injury, we were reduced to 11 players, but were still able to make the semi-finals, where we lost 1-0. We played seven games over the weekend and were fairly well knackered after the tournament.
Highlights of the tournament:
1. My customary janken (paper-scissors-stone for those of you who've not played Alex Kidd in Miracle World) mastery. I warned the British Embassy captain that I was a master of janken, instructed him to look me in the eye, beat him with a well-selected scissors, then announced that we would take kick off over my shoulder as I strode contemptuously away. Wonderful theatre.
2. My second-ever yellow card, awarded for a clumsy challenge from behind in the 2nd round. This happened early in the game, so I should have been on my best behaviour after that. On the contrary, I went in for an almost identical challenge right before half time. To my horror, the referee had his whistle halfway to his mouth, but I made contact with the ball this time and avoided a red.
3. Spectacular injuries! I had so much blood trapped under one of my toenails that it fairly squirted out when I went to work with the nail clippers this morning.
And it just happens that we have another tournament next weekend in Awaji, so I'd best recuperate pretty fast.
Due to drop outs and injury, we were reduced to 11 players, but were still able to make the semi-finals, where we lost 1-0. We played seven games over the weekend and were fairly well knackered after the tournament.
Highlights of the tournament:
1. My customary janken (paper-scissors-stone for those of you who've not played Alex Kidd in Miracle World) mastery. I warned the British Embassy captain that I was a master of janken, instructed him to look me in the eye, beat him with a well-selected scissors, then announced that we would take kick off over my shoulder as I strode contemptuously away. Wonderful theatre.
2. My second-ever yellow card, awarded for a clumsy challenge from behind in the 2nd round. This happened early in the game, so I should have been on my best behaviour after that. On the contrary, I went in for an almost identical challenge right before half time. To my horror, the referee had his whistle halfway to his mouth, but I made contact with the ball this time and avoided a red.
3. Spectacular injuries! I had so much blood trapped under one of my toenails that it fairly squirted out when I went to work with the nail clippers this morning.
And it just happens that we have another tournament next weekend in Awaji, so I'd best recuperate pretty fast.
Labels: MISDEEDS, THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
