Calling up players
As the organizer who informs you each week about the next match, I only expect basic regard and consideration for me in return. Thereafter, think of what your reply would mean for the team - preferably 'yes' or 'no' reply, or even better, a voluntary early update if you do not wish to play or cannot play in an upcoming game.
I have no problems with genuine reasons, even if it is on match-days if you really cannot make it. If you have no valid reasons though, I am not one to judge, but I feel for the team, especially if you happen to be the 11th man in the team.
I remember one game in KFC's early history when I organized a friendly match and managed to get a solid core of 12 or so players about a day or two before the game. We eventually played the match with 8 men; 7 men started and the score was about 4 or 5 goals against us when the 8th man arrived. As for the absentees, they neglected to inform me they were not coming. In fact, they did not inform any of us. Playing GK, I kept looking back behind my goal in the first half to see if anymore would turn up but none did. They gave no reason thereafter nor did they apologize. We lost 0-8 but the scoreline did not disappoint as much as how the match was already lost even before we played the game.
A long time ago but I learnt a bitter lesson and, especially for our league matches, I have been sending reminders a day, sometimes two days, before the game. The thing is, I feel I do not even have to send a reminder because I trust you to update me if there are changes in your replies. But I do so anyway because sometimes I still dare not take the risk of fickle replies or non-replies. Other times, I do so because that is when you can eventually commit. A few other times, I do so because that is when you changed your mind and decide you cannot play. Some annoying, frustrating times, I have to message the same player thrice before I finally get a reply.
Even worse, you may not reply at all. I have been hoodwinked before when a player did not reply and turn up anyway. Think about it. You run the risk of not being allowed to play, I use the word 'allowed' very loosely here, because it is simply not fair to those players I have asked to play and they replied while you choose to play chance by not replying and then turning up and expecting to play. Where does that leave me as the organizer then? A kick in my face, that is what I think of it.
I would tell you beforehand if we are not playing. Otherwise, I trust by now, all the players know how I operate when I call you up for a match. The blog would hopefully be updated with the match fixtures on Tuesday. I will then inform you of the game on Wednesday or Thursday. A reminder is then sent to the players who confirmed their attendance and to those who had yet to get back to me, which I feel I should not but for one reason or another, I have to confirm anyway. One thing is constant; we always play on Sundays. That means you yourself would know how best you can commit to the team. Needless to say, other commitments can be planned beforehand, right? For example, Rahman is working part-time but he is working Saturdays regularly just so he will be on off on Sundays to make it for our games.
Punctuality
Lack of punctuality is starting to creep into the team too. I have no idea what is the mentality behind such a habit, really. It does not matter the social activities or events. It is just human nature, some might say. I prefer to think of it in some of the following ways:
a. I am a huge fan but I do not play soccer that often. Sundays are usually the only time I can play.
b. I have people waiting for me before they can start the game (carrying the jerseys to the game should be an added motivation but I would have done no different in spite of that reason anyway).
c. I just want to play soccer and it would help if my team-mates can be there with me too because I cannot play against a team of 11 men all by myself.
d. I do not have a social life. My work days are my life and my time after work is my rest time. So socializing is usually out of the picture.
e. I come from far sometimes, stretching the word 'far' as best as I can, to play a match and yet, especially in matches like yesterday, it feels like a longer journey back home.
Field discipline
We have to focus on the game and leave the chatter for half-time or at end of game. A goal has yet to come that way, as far as I can recall, but there is far too much jokes on the field while a game is in progress. I am not trained like a few of you. I only represented secondary school and even then under a happy-go-lucky coach. But I feel that the right mentality has to be adopted during the course of the match. I hope we can cut this out.
Come on, guys. Some help here. Do your part. I do not need to nag at you. One reason is that it is not in me. A more sensible reason is because I treat you like a fellow adult who can think for himself. I look around the team and I can re-lived their disappointment if we were to lose a game just because we did not have 11 men on the pitch. I have gone through it before, with both KFC and my Saturday team.
Rahman and myself, the two chief perpetrators of this team, intended for this team to be a social team, first. We see the same players over again because we have gone this far together, all of us have gone on to forge friendships, in one degree or another, and to leave out any of you is already difficult enough for me. Shahid, Shahril, Firdaus, Karim, Joharie, Syafiq, these are just some players I am unable to tie down in my main list of players to play for the team.
Yet who likes losing all the time right? In what has been a much higher level of football in this season's league, we have gone through a real bad patch at times, and there was a similar period in the lower division last season. But I honestly feel, being a social soccer team or not, we have managed to compete with our opponents. The Macheda game yesterday, for example, what a second half. Shame we did not have that in the first.
We can always go back to friendly matches. But I can tell you that it would be difficult to get regular unfamiliar opponents from organizers, especially given the standard of our team, which can be as highly promising as it can be equally awful.
To summarise, firstly, I am having a difficult time to confirm the number of players for each game. I know you might want to leave it very late but understand that another may be thinking like you and if it all adds up, I may risk both of you not playing and then I have to look for urgent replacements. It is advisable that you commit as early as you can, because you already know our games are on Sundays.
Secondly, I am hoping that you guys can take the game and our team-mates seriously by turning up early. This is basic courtesy in an environment requiring teamwork. Punctuality has never been a problem before but I am starting to see this taking place recently. I have done my part by negotiating with the league management to organize our games on a pitch to cater to all as best as I can knowing where you guys live. Looking at the venues we have played so far, I feel there is a even distribution, so please bear if a certain pitch is out of your way because you will get it back in other games. I did not care to voice this reason as I figured you guys would have thought of the rationale yourself but now, I state it for the record.
Thirdly, cut out those jokes during the game. If you are off the field, by all means laugh till dawn. But focus when you are on it. The time has not come that a goal is scored while you were caught off-guard with non-game matters. Replace yourself when that happens.
I am only one part of the team. I am depending on each and everyone of you to complete the other parts. We have gone through this before, I have co-managed this team for 3 years now, we will rebuild again if we have to, as tiresome an issue as it is. I have said my piece. It is now over to you to play your part.
ps: Footballopod and D2D management, leave this post out of your articles as this is an internal team matter. Thank you.
Akim
As the organizer who informs you each week about the next match, I only expect basic regard and consideration for me in return. Thereafter, think of what your reply would mean for the team - preferably 'yes' or 'no' reply, or even better, a voluntary early update if you do not wish to play or cannot play in an upcoming game.
I have no problems with genuine reasons, even if it is on match-days if you really cannot make it. If you have no valid reasons though, I am not one to judge, but I feel for the team, especially if you happen to be the 11th man in the team.
I remember one game in KFC's early history when I organized a friendly match and managed to get a solid core of 12 or so players about a day or two before the game. We eventually played the match with 8 men; 7 men started and the score was about 4 or 5 goals against us when the 8th man arrived. As for the absentees, they neglected to inform me they were not coming. In fact, they did not inform any of us. Playing GK, I kept looking back behind my goal in the first half to see if anymore would turn up but none did. They gave no reason thereafter nor did they apologize. We lost 0-8 but the scoreline did not disappoint as much as how the match was already lost even before we played the game.
A long time ago but I learnt a bitter lesson and, especially for our league matches, I have been sending reminders a day, sometimes two days, before the game. The thing is, I feel I do not even have to send a reminder because I trust you to update me if there are changes in your replies. But I do so anyway because sometimes I still dare not take the risk of fickle replies or non-replies. Other times, I do so because that is when you can eventually commit. A few other times, I do so because that is when you changed your mind and decide you cannot play. Some annoying, frustrating times, I have to message the same player thrice before I finally get a reply.
Even worse, you may not reply at all. I have been hoodwinked before when a player did not reply and turn up anyway. Think about it. You run the risk of not being allowed to play, I use the word 'allowed' very loosely here, because it is simply not fair to those players I have asked to play and they replied while you choose to play chance by not replying and then turning up and expecting to play. Where does that leave me as the organizer then? A kick in my face, that is what I think of it.
I would tell you beforehand if we are not playing. Otherwise, I trust by now, all the players know how I operate when I call you up for a match. The blog would hopefully be updated with the match fixtures on Tuesday. I will then inform you of the game on Wednesday or Thursday. A reminder is then sent to the players who confirmed their attendance and to those who had yet to get back to me, which I feel I should not but for one reason or another, I have to confirm anyway. One thing is constant; we always play on Sundays. That means you yourself would know how best you can commit to the team. Needless to say, other commitments can be planned beforehand, right? For example, Rahman is working part-time but he is working Saturdays regularly just so he will be on off on Sundays to make it for our games.
Punctuality
Lack of punctuality is starting to creep into the team too. I have no idea what is the mentality behind such a habit, really. It does not matter the social activities or events. It is just human nature, some might say. I prefer to think of it in some of the following ways:
a. I am a huge fan but I do not play soccer that often. Sundays are usually the only time I can play.
b. I have people waiting for me before they can start the game (carrying the jerseys to the game should be an added motivation but I would have done no different in spite of that reason anyway).
c. I just want to play soccer and it would help if my team-mates can be there with me too because I cannot play against a team of 11 men all by myself.
d. I do not have a social life. My work days are my life and my time after work is my rest time. So socializing is usually out of the picture.
e. I come from far sometimes, stretching the word 'far' as best as I can, to play a match and yet, especially in matches like yesterday, it feels like a longer journey back home.
Field discipline
We have to focus on the game and leave the chatter for half-time or at end of game. A goal has yet to come that way, as far as I can recall, but there is far too much jokes on the field while a game is in progress. I am not trained like a few of you. I only represented secondary school and even then under a happy-go-lucky coach. But I feel that the right mentality has to be adopted during the course of the match. I hope we can cut this out.
Come on, guys. Some help here. Do your part. I do not need to nag at you. One reason is that it is not in me. A more sensible reason is because I treat you like a fellow adult who can think for himself. I look around the team and I can re-lived their disappointment if we were to lose a game just because we did not have 11 men on the pitch. I have gone through it before, with both KFC and my Saturday team.
Rahman and myself, the two chief perpetrators of this team, intended for this team to be a social team, first. We see the same players over again because we have gone this far together, all of us have gone on to forge friendships, in one degree or another, and to leave out any of you is already difficult enough for me. Shahid, Shahril, Firdaus, Karim, Joharie, Syafiq, these are just some players I am unable to tie down in my main list of players to play for the team.
Yet who likes losing all the time right? In what has been a much higher level of football in this season's league, we have gone through a real bad patch at times, and there was a similar period in the lower division last season. But I honestly feel, being a social soccer team or not, we have managed to compete with our opponents. The Macheda game yesterday, for example, what a second half. Shame we did not have that in the first.
We can always go back to friendly matches. But I can tell you that it would be difficult to get regular unfamiliar opponents from organizers, especially given the standard of our team, which can be as highly promising as it can be equally awful.
To summarise, firstly, I am having a difficult time to confirm the number of players for each game. I know you might want to leave it very late but understand that another may be thinking like you and if it all adds up, I may risk both of you not playing and then I have to look for urgent replacements. It is advisable that you commit as early as you can, because you already know our games are on Sundays.
Secondly, I am hoping that you guys can take the game and our team-mates seriously by turning up early. This is basic courtesy in an environment requiring teamwork. Punctuality has never been a problem before but I am starting to see this taking place recently. I have done my part by negotiating with the league management to organize our games on a pitch to cater to all as best as I can knowing where you guys live. Looking at the venues we have played so far, I feel there is a even distribution, so please bear if a certain pitch is out of your way because you will get it back in other games. I did not care to voice this reason as I figured you guys would have thought of the rationale yourself but now, I state it for the record.
Thirdly, cut out those jokes during the game. If you are off the field, by all means laugh till dawn. But focus when you are on it. The time has not come that a goal is scored while you were caught off-guard with non-game matters. Replace yourself when that happens.
I am only one part of the team. I am depending on each and everyone of you to complete the other parts. We have gone through this before, I have co-managed this team for 3 years now, we will rebuild again if we have to, as tiresome an issue as it is. I have said my piece. It is now over to you to play your part.
ps: Footballopod and D2D management, leave this post out of your articles as this is an internal team matter. Thank you.
Akim