Just a reminder that we will be training this Sunday.Meeting time is between 10.30 - 11.00 at the Ladysmith Rd entrance at Enfield playing field.It would be good to see if we can get a reasonable turnout !! See you Sunday
I'd just like to add that so far, the only players who have said they are NOT coming are Tony Speller (Social Commitments) and Simon Jackson (On holiday in Portugal), although Peter Murphy didn't seem to be saying that HE was when he left a message the other day to say that he could play in the Tournament ?
(Once again, I would advise all Reserve Team players and/or triallists that they will only get picked to play in the Tournament if they turn up to this training session or have been playing 7-a-side. It's unfair on those who have been turning up regularly otherwise).
We will therefore be expecting to see everyone else in attendance who wants to play for the club this season...unless they leave a message here or e-mail me to say otherwise.
Paul Ellerker said he is coming down all the way from Hitchin and he also said that even Marco is coming over, so if they can make that sort of commitment then so can everybody else.
The weather forecast for Sunday morning is only 18 degrees celcius so it is NOT going to be too hot. It's unfortunate that the forecast is also for 'rain, persistent and heavy at times with a risk of thunder', but there's no reason why players can't bring a change of clothes with them and change in their cars afterwards !?
If we get thunder and lightning and have to abandon the session, then so be it.
We will then definitely arrange another training session the following Sunday morning instead if that happens.
Kev Dedman will not be at training either because he has now left the club and joined our Division One rivals The Wheatsheaf.
His reason for leaving is the same as most of the others who left during the course of last season (and a few more who are still with us...just about !).
Although he accepts we are the best run club in the League in terms of organisation and administration, he is leaving because we no longer have any teamwork on the pitch as a result of having three sets of different players (i.e. 'know, think they know, don't know' what they are doing) and he is too impatient to wait until it all clicks together and we start winning matches again.
Regarding training, I know our players do have a lot of family & social priorities during the Summer, but it looks to me as if too many are still in the frame of mind where they would rather do other things (including playing or training with 5-a-side teams or other 11-a-side clubs in preference to doing likewise with us) because we lose every week and they can't get motivated to treat us as a priority until we start winning matches.
I'm not necessarily talking about the four players who have replied to this thread here so far, but probably half the club !
I think some of them might need to take a look at themselves and make a decision NOW as to whether they want to play regularly for us next season, and by that I mean at least 3 or 4 matches a month.
If everybody made more of an effort we would be alright, but we have an 'If he's not going I won't either then' attitude at the moment.
I have just been speaking to another club who have dropped out of the League and offered their Manager a place on the Committee, while four or five of their players may join and some of them are definite First Team material. They will make a decision over the weekend and turn up to training on Sunday if they are interested.
It's a bit of a long shot and it will be a real bonus if they join, but if they don't, we will continue to find new players to replace any of our current players who can't be arsed any more, and if they are crap and more good players leave because of that, we will advertise for more and the cycle will continue until we get it right....and believe me, we WILL get it right !!!
According to Paul, Marco is just coming to get fit as he hasn't done anything for ages...but you never know !?
By the way...some good news !
I have just seen another weather forecast for Sunday morning which now says it is not going to rain until late afternoon, it will be cool (20 degrees 'ish) and cloudy with only a light breeze. This is absolutely perfect weather for Pre-Season Training, so let's see more players making a bit of an effort.
Disappointing to hear that another player has left because of our lack of success.
His outstanding subs are £10 to be paid before he can play for The Wheatsheaf.
Just to let everyone know who couldn't be arsed to turn up (including Trev !?) that we had a really good training session this morning and it was well worthwhile.
We had exactly 14, so it was ideal as a practice for new players for the 7-a-side League games.
Chris Morrish brought three of his mates along, and Eric brought one. Eric's mate and one of Chris's mates had clearly played a good standard before and look to be good enough for the First Team, while the other two were better than half the players we had playing for the Reserves last season.
The others in attendance were myself, Russell, Colin, Ritchie, Steve Cokell, Paul Ellerker, Terry Moore & Peter White, although Terry & Peter were both suffering from injuries towards the end and had to drop out.
We will therefore now have another training session next Sunday (10th July) at the same place/same time as all those in attendance were keen to do so.
If we can get some more making an effort this time, then it will be even better.
I will also be placing an advert on the League website tomorrow, specifically for goalkeepers for both teams and a left-back and more quality players for the First Team.
Terry Moore has confirmed that he will play for us next season, but I really need the ex-Everest players we have been using for 7-a-side to start making a decision as soon as possible whether they want to play 11-a-side for us and whether they can bring any more players along.
If we don't sort things out NOW, we may end up being too late as players will sign other clubs' League Multi-Registration forms instead before the 16th July deadline.