The Alfa Romeo Metaphor

have you thought about making this an actual book... it would be very interesting and you seem like you have what it takes to be a writer
 
sambolol said:
have you thought about making this an actual book... it would be very interesting and you seem like you have what it takes to be a writer
Click to expand...

Now I'm blushing. Thank you very much; quite a compliment.

For the last 8 years I've blogged about politics. I had a considerable impact, but it was a side gig from my real job. I've quit blogging and decided to focus on writing fiction instead.

The Alfa Romeo Metaphor is my dirty little secret that I do for fun. It combines my lifelong obsession with soccer (as we call it in the US) and my desire to become a better writer. I intend to use this project as a means to get into the habit of writing fiction daily.

At some point, I'll cut back on writing this as frequently, but for now ... I'm having TOO much fun doing this.
 
View attachment 416726Thursday, 28 August 2014

"Welcome to Kingsmeadow," Erik Samuelson said to Jack Redshaw as he climbed out of his car and they shook hands.

"Yeah, welcome," I added as I shook his hand.

"Pleasure to be here," he replied.

"How are the knees?" I asked.

"Good, good," he replied. "Just got to get my strength and wind back."

"I've got you booked at a nearby hotel," Erik said as we walked into Wimbledon's business office. "And if you want an agent to help find you a flat, we have several supporters willing to help."

"That would be fab," Jack replied. "I'd just like to say again, that I really appreciate the opportunity."
 
Friday, 29 August 2014

"Matteo, when does your wife and kid arrive?" I asked in Italian as we walked toward the buildings at New Malden.

"Sunday," he replied.

"What does she think of the apartment?"

"She gave final approval and there's a park one block away," Matteo said.

View attachment 416699"Go out to dinner Sunday night? Officially welcome you and the family to London?"

"Yeah, that seems like a good idea."

I saw Charlie emerge from the New Malden, cell phone to his ear, waving to me.

"Excuse me, I need to speak to Charlie."

"I've got Erik on the phone," Charlie said. "He's coming over, I'm going to agree to go out on loan to Aldershot, we have some paperwork to fill out."

"Cool," I replied.
 
League Two: AFC Wimbledon v. Rotherham United FC

Rotherham got relegated to League Two. They lost a lot of games last season probably for good reasons. When Bologna got relegated when I was there, the start to that season was horrid. It's extremely difficult to bounce straight back to whatever division you just left.

Lil's analysis was their defense was slow. Their left-sided center back is a mere 5'11" so Smith at 6'4" would have fun against him. Nole should terrorize their right back and I expected Francomb to run wild.

The risk was playing two teenagers in the middle. But Gregory didn't cut it last week so in goes Tomlinson. Roll the dice and be brave.

Also, Thacks pairs with Andy in the middle and I'm going all in with my youth movement by giving Cam a start at right back.

GK: Chris Dunn
D: Cameron Dummigan, Kris Thackray, Andy Frampton, James Fenlon
M: George Francomb, Mark Tomlinson, Daniel Barlaser, Matteo Nole
F: James Loveridge, Michael Smith

Subs: Daniel Lincoln (GK), Pat Baldwin (D), Ben Harrison (D), Steven Gregory (M), Adam Pepper (M), Simon Johnson (M), Jack Redshaw (F)

Redshow hadn't been able to train until fairly recently, so he would only be able to give a fifteen minutes or so if needed.

"I talked last Saturday our response to the loss was what was most important," I said to start my team talk. "We've tweaked our system as a result of what the coaches and I identified. You worked out the kinks in our updated system Wednesday. Now comes the test of our mental strength, our ability to concentrate."

"Go out there and impress me," I continued. "I have faith in you guys that we won't make mistakes in defense. I have faith you guys that we'll control the midfield. I have faith that George and Matteo will terrorize their defense from the flanks. I have faith that James and Mike will be unstoppable."

Then in Italian said: "Go out and terrorize them, Matteo."

Matteo promptly did.

In the 4th minute, he got a pass from Danny Boy and ran straight infield toward the goal. Nobody could handle the acceleration and his top end speed. As the Rotherham defense pulled inside and dropped back, he flicked a pass out to Fenlon who was overlapping.

I'll give Fen that it wasn't the best of angles, but he did just hit his shot straight into the keepers stomach.

In the 12th minute, Smith dribbled into the box and Pierce Sweeney, their height-challenged central defender, dove in with a desperate tackle. Smith went sprawling and the ball continued rolling in the same direction.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?! I yelled at the ref as their other center back chopped it out to safety.

"C'mon, seriously? Nothing?" I pleaded with the fourth official as Tomlinson raced over and got to the clearance first. he passed across to Danny Boy who cleared the ball to safety. Danny looked at the turf as if to accuse it of making him fluff the shot. Sure, Danny, sure.

Neither the ref or fourth official were interested in talking to me about the foul on Smith.

In the 17th minute, the Millers mounted their first real attack on our goal. From 35 yards out, their striker Jason Scotland played a ball out to the right flank. Gwen Edwards raced down the line with the ball, Fenlon right there with him. Fens fell for his feint and Edwards sent a cross in towards their other striker, Aaron McLean.

Dummigan stepped in front of McLean and headed clear. Well played, kid.

Matteo grabbed the clearance and ran the full length of the pitch, some 70 yards. It wasn't that he beat anyone on the dribble, it's more that he altered his flight path so as to avoid anyone. I could see he was tiring as he approached the box. And with Loveridge to his left and Smith to his right as options, he pretty much just ran up to Sweeney and gave him the ball. Then he fell over, exhausted.

The crowd groaned. They'd seen the inevitable conclusion coming, too. Smith facepalmed. Loveridge yelled at him as they jogged back. Not that he'd understand the words, but he'd get the meaning.

At the 25 minute mark, Fenlon won a header from a goal kick. His header turned out to be perfectly placed into the channel between the right back and right-sided central defender. Neither of them were as fast as Loveridge who pounced. He twisted their center back, Mike Edwards this way and that before slithering between him and the right back.

The keeper got a hand to his shot, but not enough to keep it out.

1-0

How would we defend? One of our vulnerabilities is right after we scored. I paced my technical area nervously as the players re-assembled for the restart.

The Millers passed the ball around a bit then eventually brought the ball into our half. Scotland and Edwards worked their way down the right flank (our left) and eventually Scotland crossed in towards McLean. Like the previous attack, McLean was the only one in the box. I didn't catch who headed it clear, but Tomlinson hoofed it forward to where he guessed Smith would be.

He guessed correctly. Smith won the header and flicked into space where Loveridge could run onto it. Short, and also slow-footed, Sweeney ran over to cover. I'm not sure why Loverboy didn't just blast past him, but he let Sweeney sheperd him out to the right. Eventually, once everybody else had gotten upfield, he passed back to Cam.

Cam saw Danny Boy free across the top of the box and whistled a pass over. Danny dribbled around an advancing defender but shot directly at the goalkeeper from 22 or so yards out.

In the 31st minute I was screaming at the ref and berating the fourth official. Smith had turned Sweeney, was about to shoot when Sweeney took out his planting foot. He fell over backwards.

I'm noticing a trend in English football. The ref doesn't see much and the fourth official couldn't care less about the rules of the game aside from those dealing with the technical areas from which the managers are not supposed to stray.

In the 37th minute, Nole had the ball out near the corner flag. He feinted one way then another waiting for the defender to bit on feint. He didn't. So he poked it into the path of Fenlon. Fens stormed into the penalty box and drew to defenders. Somehow he managed to slip a little 5 yard pass to Danny Boy who blasted a shot past the keeper.

2-0

This is exactly what I wanted to see. We looked dangerous every time we attacked and were playing mistake free football at the back.

But not for long.

The Millers brought the ball into our half from the restart. Scotland was the creator again. He slid a pass into space behind Fenlon. Fens was ball-watching and Edwards was in on goal. Dunn came charging out and tipped the shot outside the post and into the side netting.

Our first mistake of the match and, thankfully, Dunn had bailed Fens out.

I'm not sure who won the corner, but Nole was first to the clearance with acres of space ahead of him. Rather than run the full 70 yards again, he took a couple of touches and passed up to Loveridge. Loverboy held up the play and fed a pass out to the left flank where Fenlon was streaking upfield. Fens played a pass back into Loverboy's path.

Loveridge then tried a ball over the top for Smith to run onto. Yep. That's right another Hollywood pass. Straight to the goalie. Sweeney may be slow, but Smith isn't all that quick. We're working on his first step, but it's not quicker, yet.

I went over to the ref after he blew halftime whistle.

"I just want to say I'm not happy that Smith got fouled twice in the box but you didn't call either," I said calmly.

"I saw both tackles," Referee Kevin Stroud said. "Sweeney got the ball both times."

"But Smith fell over backwards on that second one," I said. "And the ball didn't change direction or speed up either time."

"You're up two-nil," the fourth official replied. "Quit whingeing."

What the **** does whinge mean? Complain?

I told the players that I was pleased with how they were playing then sent them back out.

When Mark Tomlinson has the ball and gets nervous, he hoofs it forward to a safe spot. For the most part, he'd made the simple pass in the first half which is exactly what I want him to do. But a couple minutes into the second he felt pressured and hoofed a ball for the right corner flag. I guess this is better than giving it away in our half.

Smith lumbered after it. He beat the Rotherham defenders to it (which isn't saying much), saved the ball from going out, ran back onto the pitch and crossed for Loveridge. The ball sliced and looked like it might be going in. Instead it hit the crossbar and bounced out for a throw on the far side.

Not long after that, Tomlinson played a ball up to Loverboy. Edwards came with him as he ran diagonally across the pitch toward the right corner. Smith was moving into the gap Edwards left and Francomb was lurking in the left back's blind spot. When the left back glanced to see where Francomb was, Loveridge played the pass into the space behind him right as he started turning his head back. Francomb was also watching the left back and pounced at that same instant.

He shot low far side. The keeper did a great job getting down to get a hand to the shot, but George had hit it with enough power that he only managed to deflect it into the middle of the net.

3-0

Not the best goalkeeping, I must say.

49 minutes into the match and the Millers were toast. They went through the motions, but we the match was over.

Dummigan collided with McLean in the 55th minute and was trying to run it off. I decided he'd had enough. I sent on Pat Baldwin who needed some minutes anyway.

"Great job out there," I said to him as he came off.

"Thanks, boss," he said.

Several players were looking tired as we passed 65 minutes, so I had Gregory, Pepper, Johnson and Redshaw all start warming up. Now I just needed a stoppage.

I got one in the 68th minute. The best kind, too.

Captain Andy won a header and straight to Danny. Danny spun and passed up to Loveridge. Smith was lurking on the outside shoulder of Sweeney so Loveridge had Edwards at his mercy. He turned him one way then another and raced past him.

He curled his shot past the hapless goalkeeper from 15 yards.

View attachment 4166354-0

I decided that Danny Boy and Nole looked the worst for wear. Smith was obviously tired, but he's a bit of a warhorse and Tomlinson was still bossing the midfield despite looking tired. Also, I needed Pepper and Johnson to get some minutes. Redshaw would have to wait for his debut.

They got a consolation goal when we let down our guard and Loverboy whistled a shot past the left post in the 92nd minute. He was literally inches away from a well-deserved hat trick.

"Well done, guys, well done," I said once we'd made our way back into our room. "We looked dangerous every time we went into their half. It could have been worse for them if the ref had called those two penalties when Smith got chopped down. Furthermore, our mistakes were minimal. I'm very pleased with how you played. You implemented all the things we coaches asked."

"I'll see you all tomorrow at 3PM for a light jog and to work on a few tactical things," I continued. "Whitney will be in early for anyone who needs a massage. Once again, great response to last week's loss."
 
View attachment 416634View attachment 416633Not a bad start to the season, if I say so myself.

I'll take 2 points off the top after 5 matches.

My players have already shown some resilience after getting destroyed by Scunthorpe.

We play Torquay who are above us in the table on goal difference.

The two after that are Barnet then Northampton. They aren't playing well right now.

The Alfa Romeo is purring through the streets of southwest London.
 
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Nice story, man! ^_^

Btw, I'm curious, how do you get the text next to the image? I've been trying to do that, but not exactly successful..


NVM, figured it out, but anyhow;; Nice story, man xD I like the slightly laid back, and sorta cynical way in which it is told;;
 
WOMBLEblog.co.uk
That's more like it

Duff
30 August 2014 18:14

What a response! The lads responded to last week's thrashing at Scunthorpe United by doing the same thing to Rotherham United. 4-1 flattered the Millers. Manager Pucci made several changes to the side after last week's horror show. Hazell was suspended and Steven Gregory was banished to the bench.

I was shocked to read in the match programme that teenager Mark Tomlinson would partner teenager Daniel Barlaser. But all credit to Pucci for giving the lad's a chance. They completely controlled the middle all match long.

And it was glorious to see our newest Italian running rampant down the left flank. Rotherham had no answer. Pucci's Italian connections have really delivered a gem to Kingsmeadow. No team in this division will be able to cope with his deadly mix of pace and skill.

While some (I'm looking at you, Thrash) might chide me for not mentioning James Loveridge until the 4th paragraph, he did what was expected of him as the point of the sword. He benefited from hideous defending that provided him with his first chance, but he did well to bury it.

Suddenly, our defense looks solid. Another teenager, Cameron Dummigan, made several important contributions.

There are two more I must mention.

Michael Smith should have won two penalties. How the ref didn't call them we'll never know. In addition, he won headers, held up the ball well and threw his weight around all afternoon. No, he didn't get on the scoresheet, but we didn't need him to.

And Chris Dunn stood tall the few times he was called on in the first half before we'd put the match to bed.

Whatever Pucci did between last week and this was magic as the team we saw today resembled the team from last week not one jot.
 
Sherkey said:
Nice story, man! ^_^

Btw, I'm curious, how do you get the text next to the image? I've been trying to do that, but not exactly successful..


NVM, figured it out, but anyhow;; Nice story, man xD I like the slightly laid back, and sorta cynical way in which it is told;;
Click to expand...

Thanks very much. Glad you like the characters.
 
"Alright, tomorrow is September 1st and it's the transfer deadline," I said to the players in the locker room at New Malden after training. "Now last February 1st, John our comm guy had some fun with the team's twitter account. Gained the club some nice press."

"First off, I don't have any business to do tomorrow," I added. "Loaning Charlie and signing Jack was my last bit of business."

"What I'm proposing is to have some fun with the media tomorrow," I continued. "They're all desperately looking for any signs of clubs doing business so they can be the ones who break the news. Let's turn Deadline Day into our own little version of April Fool's."
 
View attachment 416299Enrico Pucci @enricopucci - 1 Sep
Ouch RT @AndyFrampton Overpaying RT @GeorgeFrancomb ManCity told me they were
going to buy me for 5M. #Wimbledon #DD14 #4realz
 
View attachment 416286Andy Frampton @andyframpton - 1 Sep
It's ur Mum RT @reubenhazell I see a car approaching New Malden. New
signing? #Wimbledon #DD14
 
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View attachment 416283Michael Smith @michaelsmith11 - 1 Sep
#facepalm neighbor lady back from shops RT @reubenhazell I see a car
approaching New Malden. New signing? #Wimbledon #DD14
 
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