Football season is over

Last Sunday was the last game of the season. We drew 1-1. This was a terrible season, in fact, I think it is the worst ever the club has experienced in its history. Kirkop FC is a Third Division team (the lowest division in Malta). Ever since I have been playing for the senior squad, we have always challenged for promotion ending in the top places of the division. However, this was not the case this year.

A new coach was brought in, and as usual tens of new players turned up during the pre-season. As is the norm, most of these left after a few weeks and we ended up with a rather good team, maybe not as good as in previous years, but we good still challenge. Unfortunately I got injured in my first game and spent from September till December nursing my injury (apart from getting fat and lazy). The team went from bad to worse. Most of the 'new' players left, for diverse resions, but mostly I guess was for disagreement with the coach.

As with all coaches when moving to new teams, they tend to bring with them some players from other teams they coached. However, this coach was too attached to these new players and made them play even if they did not play right. A particular person in fact was seen by most players as his favourite. He never ever passed the ball, though technically he was good. You could safely tell that whenever the ball was in his feet, he would loose it, due to his neverending insistence of trying to dribble.

Another problem was the lack of team spirit. We were never a team, and different players got offended easily. I think we were too tense. In my opinion training was a real bore. We always did the same routine, mainly running a lot (too much) and then tactics / mini-game. We never did any ball technique, we never did any shooting practices, we hardly ever did set-pieces....and then during the match, you would here the coach grumbling if you did not pass the ball well.

Yes, as you would have imagined, I was not quite happy with our coach, but that is in everything in life. In the end I just went to football training to keep myself fit and avoid becoming a couch potato