POP along to St Andrew’s to see the fastest forward line in local football and you can feel the new-found enthusiasm at Guernsey’s oldest football club.
For the big news is that after years of struggle the red-and-blacks possess a half-decent first-team, a big new sponsorship deal, serious objectives for a brighter future on and off the park and a front three really worth watching.
And, even better news, if Dale Garland (pictured) is really serious about getting his football boots dirty once again, the fleet threesome could soon be another fab four.
The co-run side of Shaun Lihou and Paul Ockleford would, I suggest, be best served to go out all guns blazing, because it is their strongest suit by a long way.
And while Ockleford does not rule out going for the big one – the Senior County Division One title, but still Priaulx League to most of us – I will. As a defensive unit, they are some way off being a team capable of becoming our Upton Park Cup representatives.
But that said, they should be a whole lot of fun watching this season and as regular readers will know, miserable-old-me doesn’t often say that about first-team football.
Meanwhile, confirmation has finally come through that Martyn de Garis is the new island under-21 coach.
I wish the man luck, but whether he is ready to take on the top job I very much doubt.
He is, in some ways, too nice to be the senior island coach and lacking in experience.
I still like the idea of Chris Hamon testing himself by taking the top job and the thought of him naming his Muratti team a week before the big game is very appealing to us frustrated football writers who yearn for a return to the days when coaches were not so afraid of revealing their hand.
‘Hammy’ could never be accused of that.
As Vale boss, he invariably knew his team days before a game and was happy to share knowledge of it, his psychology I guess being that it makes not the slightest bit of difference at this level of the game.
But if it’s not going to be big ‘Hammy’, then perhaps we can look forward to a return to another biggie of the past, ‘Big Fal’.
Bringing him in for the Muratti and an Island Games venture, all neatly packed in a short-sharp spell, has a certain appeal to me.
SO AFTER all the fuss about Cobo being far too good for the island’s good, they stay true to their habit of blowing a big match per season.
What the result of last week’s all-Sarnian Natwest Channel Islands Club final showed was not that Cobo need their wings clipped but that Wanderers proved that with dogged determination, real commitment and a couple of outstanding performers, anything is possible.
Wanderers committed to the campaign and for that reason I’m pleased for them.
As for Cobo, it’s back to the Rockmount drawing board and a conniving plan to sign the two Bens, Driver and Taylor, for a full set of island players.
Rangers get a new lease of life
For the big news is that after years of struggle the red-and-blacks possess a half-decent first-team, a big new sponsorship deal, serious objectives for a brighter future on and off the park and a front three really worth watching.
And, even better news, if Dale Garland (pictured) is really serious about getting his football boots dirty once again, the fleet threesome could soon be another fab four.
The co-run side of Shaun Lihou and Paul Ockleford would, I suggest, be best served to go out all guns blazing, because it is their strongest suit by a long way.
And while Ockleford does not rule out going for the big one – the Senior County Division One title, but still Priaulx League to most of us – I will. As a defensive unit, they are some way off being a team capable of becoming our Upton Park Cup representatives.
But that said, they should be a whole lot of fun watching this season and as regular readers will know, miserable-old-me doesn’t often say that about first-team football.
Meanwhile, confirmation has finally come through that Martyn de Garis is the new island under-21 coach.
I wish the man luck, but whether he is ready to take on the top job I very much doubt.
He is, in some ways, too nice to be the senior island coach and lacking in experience.
I still like the idea of Chris Hamon testing himself by taking the top job and the thought of him naming his Muratti team a week before the big game is very appealing to us frustrated football writers who yearn for a return to the days when coaches were not so afraid of revealing their hand.
‘Hammy’ could never be accused of that.
As Vale boss, he invariably knew his team days before a game and was happy to share knowledge of it, his psychology I guess being that it makes not the slightest bit of difference at this level of the game.
But if it’s not going to be big ‘Hammy’, then perhaps we can look forward to a return to another biggie of the past, ‘Big Fal’.
Bringing him in for the Muratti and an Island Games venture, all neatly packed in a short-sharp spell, has a certain appeal to me.
SO AFTER all the fuss about Cobo being far too good for the island’s good, they stay true to their habit of blowing a big match per season.
What the result of last week’s all-Sarnian Natwest Channel Islands Club final showed was not that Cobo need their wings clipped but that Wanderers proved that with dogged determination, real commitment and a couple of outstanding performers, anything is possible.
Wanderers committed to the campaign and for that reason I’m pleased for them.
As for Cobo, it’s back to the Rockmount drawing board and a conniving plan to sign the two Bens, Driver and Taylor, for a full set of island players.
Only joking.
Article posted on 27th September, 2008 - 9.28am