Jersey come up smelling of roses
Monday 4th May 2009, 2:30PM BST.
Mid-air collision: Ross Allen and Dave Brodie challenge for the ball. (0766405)
Guernsey 0, Jersey 1
JERSEY copped the pre-match stink bomb, but the worst smell at the Track hung over the Guernsey performance as another Muratti final ended with the red-and-whites lifting the old Vase.
Stuart Andre’s eighth-minute goal propelled Jersey to their fourth straight success and despite a late rally by a desperate home side, the visitors deservedly hung on for victory.
The better, more balanced and cohesive team won, pumped up by the indignation of having to flee their dressing room for the pre-match team talk after some not-so-clever so-and-so had let off a stink bomb in there minutes before kick-off.
‘I don’t think it helped Guernsey’s case,’ said Andre, who not only had the delight of receiving the trophy from Guernsey’s Lt-Governor Sir Fabian Malbon but also collected the Ossie Eloury Trophy as man-of-the-match and a heap of plaudits.
And for the second year running Guernsey could not point to Jersey needing to win with imports, as Dave Brodie was the only non-islander in their line-up.
Guernsey twinkled for the first five minutes and forced some pressure late on, but in between the home side failed to gel and were comfortably second best for much of the match.
Tony Vance, desperately disappointed as he was, offered no lame excuses.
‘It just didn’t happen today,’ said Vance after his first final in charge, 17 years after hitting the winner at Springfield.
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I thought this article didnt show the true reflection of the game. You commented alot on the guernsey attacking players which in my opinion let us down on the day. What about the defence that all worked very hard all the way through. Your scores for the players were wrong and I was very dissapointed with the article.
You seem to put a lot of players down and its very upsetting for the families that have to read these articles.
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What a terrible weekend for Guernsey Football
I am sure that all of the men and ladies who represented Guernsey this weekend are totally gutted and gave their all but it does raise a few questions.
Scott Bradford must be wondering what he has to do to get a starting place in the Island squad. He has had an outstanding season and Tony Vance should have been strong, realised this and picked him instead of Matt Warren. I admire what Warren has acheived over the years but I cannot help thinking that his time has come to an end – I think that he confirmed this on Sunday. I thought Vance’s team lacked width and the fall backs allowed Jersey behind them on too many occasions. Changes should have been made earlier to stop this happening and maybe give Jersey something to think about. Let’s be honest it was the same old dross that we have experienced in recent years.
God knows what happened to the Ladies! They looked nothing like the fighters that went down to Springfield in 2008 to collect the trophy back. I gather Lisa Sylvester was injured, and no doubt they missed her, but there seemed to be so many of last years winners missing. The truth is the Ladies Muratti was a stroll in the park for Jersey as our midfield was so outnumbered and our front line looked so clueless. It was so clear to everyone standing near me that Jersey had 5 in the midfield and were dominating so why didnt the coach make changes to react to their shape? Bring on another midfielder or drop one of the forwards into a deeper role.
Both games may have ended 1-0 and Guernsey did have a couple of chances in each game but on the whole it was all very disappointing and our Coaches were just too slow to react.
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What has happened to the ethos of ‘It’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that matters’ ?
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Merlin
Wouldn’t have gone down well in 1939 – 45
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Merlin – you really don’t get it do you
You can keep your ethos – Guernsey beating Jersey at anything (obviously within the rules of the game)is more important than anything
Tell the actual players who lost that it is not the winning – tell them that taking part is more important and see what kind of reply you get
All of the legends who have represented Guernsey in years gone by do not go around telling people how many Muratti’s they lost, it is only the wins that are relished and remembered – I suggest that most want to forget the losses because they hurt too much
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Gerald
You seem to have a very strong opinion on
Guernsey Football. R u one for moaning and not
supporting our Guernsey Players?? I hope the
family and relatives of the people you are
mentioning by name are not reading.
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George
My opinion is strong because it means so much to me
Your mission to save the players and their families from peoples opinions is ridiculous. The players and families enjoy and feel great when Guernsey win, as does the whole of the football community. Everyone knows that when individuals represent Guernsey as a coach or player that they have to accept a certain level pressure and responsibility
Any way if you read my entries above I fully support the players and their efforts it is the coaching reaction and selections that I question
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Gerald,
Well hopefully next time we will see you as the coach and see lots of improvement. My mission
to save the players and families from opinions
is not ridiculous, I respect your comments and that is what this page is for (opinions)!!! I dont think you are being fair by naming people like you are.
My partner has a full time and part time job and did the Island training. He worked extremely hard for the training and in the game and people like you just kick them when they are down. Like you say you fully support the players, your quote ‘The truth is the Ladies Muratti was a stroll in the park for Jersey as our midfield was so outnumbered and our front line looked so clueless’
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George
I am not qualified to coach but as a paying customer I am qualified to give my opinion.
As I stated before players and coaches have to accept peoples opinions when they accept the responsibility of being involved with representative sport and in my opinion others should have played and on the day changes should have been made.
I am not kicking anyone when they are down – I have just stated what I believe to be the total truth.
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Merlin
It’s not the winning etc etc is a phrase that is often repeated by losers.
Any true Guernseyman who has played in inter-insulars (as I have in numerous sports) will tell you that beating Jersey is everything (and if they don’t think that then they shouldn’t be wearing the shirt).
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for the first timein over 40yrs i was unable to attend the muratti, so i cannot comment on the performance, what i can say is that from the youngest age group upwards it has been e sad year for gsy football, except the victory at under 21 level.we must look very closely at the whole coaching setup,we cant blame players and or bad luck year after year, if a coach is not up to the job, replace, regardless of his paper qualifications, so on that basis, digger is in the job for another year, and its tonys first year, so give him time to put together a successful team, i am told that he made mistakes, but who doesnt, and he will learn from them. he will also rely on players coming through, and that is where it is vital gsy have the right people in place. and finally why was ian champion not coach of the ladies after the great display last year ? !!!
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