Interview with the manager:
Player DEvelopment
So far, we've all enjoyed the season and I want to make sure this continues. Whilst it's fun when you're winning and disappointing when you're losing, it's important that everyone is developing their ability (starting with me!) and progressing. U7 and U8 football is non competitive so we won't win any trophies for winning or losing any games at this point.
So to focus on the positive points so far, I wanted to share my 'snippets' with you on the good bits I've seen so to date. Starting in reverse squad number order:
26 - Joe Ruffle - Seems like he's been in the team for ages as he's made friends really quickly. Football wise, 3 things come to my mind: the excellent defensive header against Westwood from their corner, the superb control and lay off from a goal kick in the same game and the volley from the goal kick in the 5-5 U7 Lions/Tigers thriller.
23 - Adam - Just joined and only attended 1 training session and 1 match. So far, he has shown no fear in the tackle, can strike the ball with both feet naturally and has saved 4 penalties in the Tigers/Lions match pre Xmas.
22 - Jack - Talented left footer gaining in confidence every game. Key highlights for me are the goal kicks when in goal against Whiteknights as he could reach the half way line and the breakaway goal against Finchampstead La Coruna, his first of many I'm sure!
21 - Joe Burroughs - Another left footer. Probably the most enthusiastic player in the set up, always smiling. Discovered that he is a talented keeper with a very big kick against Kestrels and full of energy as the Benny Hill type chase in that game showed. (Whilst in goal, he went up for a corner which the opposition cleared and he made a mad dash back to his goal, in turn saving a certain goal!)
19 - Joseph (Digger) - A player who wants to be involved in everything. If he could take a throw in or corner and pass to himself in the box, he would. Great enthusiasm and a plus for the side. I clearly remember the time in goal against Pinewood when he saved the side from conceding a hat full and the big grin on his face every time!
17 - Toby - The Gerrard of the Lions. Great energy and a box to box player. His decisive breaks against Whiteknights and Pinewood gave the Lions a real threat up front but equally, his last ditch tackles kept his team in the game. More than held his own against Westwood when playing for the Tigers and looked very comfortable.
16 - James - The Vinnie Jones or David Batty of the side. Not scared of a crunching tackle, his performance against Pinewood was a good display of combative midfield play in breaking up the oppositions attacks and launching counter attacks himself.
15 - Dylan - Mr Solid at the back for the Lions. Another who can kick with both feet, Dylan is also gaining confidence every game. In particular, his performance against Kestrels when he gave their two tricky players a tough match come to mind. Dylan is one of the best at striking a moving ball and getting better as he gets to know the players more.
14 - Taylor - Started as a keeper but now an outfield player/emergency keeper. Thrown into the deep end in our first match, Taylor made a brilliant save at the attackers feet and proved this was no fluke doing the same the following week against Spencers Wood. Probably the luckiest player in the team scoring against Kestrels when the ball hit him on the knee and flew in.
12 - Sam Street - Mr Composed. Since scoring against Burghfield Blues, Sam has got better every week. His eye for a pass, his ability to shoot from anywhere (the lob against Westwood) and his heading, particularly against Hammers, show that Sam is enjoying his football.
11 - Sam Sawyers - The chatty one who always asks me how long to go when I'm refereeing. Sam is better than he believes and has good pace when he uses it. He won the first sponsored keeper award with some brave and agile saves and his kicking is improving every week.
10 - Jake - My boy so I'll try not to be biased! Jake scored the first goal for Tigers in the league, is one of the first (if not the first) to congratulate his teammates when they score and is amongst the best in the side at finding space in a game.
9 - Callum - The fastest talker in Woodley! Callum's strengths are his pace when he uses it and his ability to hold up the ball bringing others into play. 3 things come to mind with Callum: the dodgy step overs in the tournament, the strange diving goal celebration and more importantly, trying and succeeding to score using his weaker right foot as Westwood found out when he scored the winner!
8 - Reiss - The smallest and yet probably one of the toughest in the setup. Reiss has a brilliant long throw in, tackles anybody and runs for ever. Key highlights for me was the game against Purley when their player pushed Reiss over and Reiss chased him round the pitch. (I had to sub him!) And secondly, his mum asking me to tell him that midfielders are allowed to score so he did two weeks later and looked completely stunned!
7 - Cameron - Tigers captain and top goalscorer so far. A good team player for the side who is willing to try and learn any new trick and use it in the game. Top moments for me are his goal, taken first time on the run, against Purley, his calmness with his penalty against Magpies and his football brain when he looks up to cross the ball to his teammates.
5 - Josh - One of the best strikers of a dead ball in the set up, Josh hits a ball very cleanly and is a certainty to score his penalties. Josh is improving his tackling and positional play every week and has recently started to show a knack of running with the ball added to a trick or two.
4 - Mitch - Set back after his broken arm in September, Mitch is showing his combative tackling again in recent weeks. As each game goes by, Mitch becomes more familiar with game situations and is the quiet man of the Tigers side breaking down the opposition attacks. Mitch is another who plays with a smile on his face all the time, well unless the opposition need sorting! :)
3 - Max - Probably the fastest in the set up and one of the hardest kicks. Key moments are his spectacular winner against Spencers Wood from a corner, watching the Hammers striker burst through on Thomas in goal only to see Max appear with a last ditch tackle and his looping goal against Purley that only just crossed the line.
2 - Oliver - One of the most quiet in the team, Ollie is another gaining confidence every week. In May, Ollie struggled to strike the ball cleanly. Against Finchampstead, Ollie smashed a superb half volley goalwards and struck a really hard/accurate penalty in the bottom left hand corner to show great progress.
1 & 6 - Thomas - We could always rely on Thomas to score the important equaliser or make the goal line clearance. An energetic outfield player to a demon keeper receiving plaudits from the opposition for his efforts. Key points were his full length dive against Westwood to see a ball round the post and his brave double save at the feet of a Meadway striker in the Xmas tournament.
I'm sure there are many more highlights I've missed but my fingers are now aching from the typing. What I wanted to say is that the kids are coming on great and whilst it's easy to see areas for improvement, it's the positive points that give them confidence and make them better players at this age.
Thanks for all your support in 2007 and roll on 2008.
cheers
Lee