THE EDMONTON ROVERS FORUM
We finally have a Home match this Sunday for the first time in seven weeks when we take on Continental at Hazelwood. Full details will be on the Forthcoming Fixtures page later today.
Obviously we only had 10 men yesterday and only a bare eleven the week before.
It appears to me that we only really have 9 players at the moment who are still happy to turn up every week despite our run of 10 defeats in our last 11 matches, but one of them (Barney) is now out injured for the forseeable future and another (Scouller) will be suspended for three matches after this Sunday's game after getting himself sent off yesterday. The other one of our players who played yesterday in our 'bare ten' nearly walked off the pitch in his frustration yesterday, and he told me last night that he might have to take a couple of weeks off to calm himself down...which to be honest might not be a bad idea. In my opinion we should forget about trying to coach our players how to play 11-a-side properly during the actual game and just let them 'do their own thing' and enjoy themselves from now on. 
As for training this coming Wednesday night, Trevor will not be there as he is watching Dortmund v. Arsenal on TV and Barney will probably not be there either. There is no point when he is injured and cannot organise the warm-ups. Garry & Cascoe have organised some drills when they have been there this season, but at the moment I am not sure if either of them will be in attendance. As far as I know, Riaz's mate Calvin (the EUFA 'B' coach) will be there to 'observe', but as he was moaning last time he was there that pretty much all of our players (and potential players who come training) are all 'uncoachable', I'm not sure if he will actually be willing to actually take the session himself. I don't have his number, so I can't find out beforehand.
I will be there though, and I can organise some drills if I have time to plan them in advance. If I am filming a match tomorrow (Tuesday) night though (and I don't know yet), then I won't have time to do that and training will just have to be an 8-a-side kickabout for an hour.
We are clearly going to need Riaz & Jack's mates to all sign up to play for us on Sundays though (after the Continental match as they won't be registered in time for that). I will just have to hope they remember to bring photos to training on Wednesday night. The weather forecast for Wednesday evening is of course...rain. 
Basically, if any registered players attend training this Wednesday and assure me they are committed to playing on Sundays and are not 'pissed off' like other players obviously are by our recent results, then they should be put in the squad for the Continental match in my opinion, even if it means leaving out obviously better players who cried off for the Cheshunt Town match yesterday. If we still only have a squad of about 11 or 12, then players who are not at training and did not play against Cheshunt Town will have to be phoned and persuaded to play if necessary. That most definitely includes Jack Tompkins as we MUST have a goalkeeper.
The following players will definitely be in the squad for this Sunday as they all made an effort to play yesterday (and didn't throw a wobbly !):
Terry Moore
Lexton Harrison
George Stahlmann
Krishan Singh
Martin Cruickshank
John Scouller
Jack Bangs
Leon McKenzie-McKay
Now we have a big problem. The head gasket has just blown on my car, which means I will not be able to get to training on Wednesday night or to our match on Sunday. The repair is a seven day job. 
Trevor, Barney & Terry are not going training, so they can't take the balls & bibs, etc. either.
On Sunday, somebody will have to give me a lift and bring the nets & corner flags in addition to the kit & balls...and get there early to help me open the changing rooms up and put the nets up. Obviously I won't be able to bring the ladder platform to film this game from. I will probably end up playing anyway the way things are going !?
Jack has just informed me that him, Riaz and their mates will be there for training tonight and they will bring a ball, so if anybody else can make it please do so. A 7-a-side in the wind and rain will be better than just sitting at home watching Arsenal...for sure. 
I still have no lift, so at the moment I won't be there.
Trevor has named a squad of 16 as follows, although at the moment we have no idea if half of these are available, so I will be texting and phoning everybody shortly to find out (unless they confirm on here or use Teamer to do so):
Adam Griffin (GK)
Terry Moore
Lexton Harrison
George Stahlmann
Adam Krstic
Ali 'TJ' Sowe
Martin Cruickshank
Krishan Singh
Danny Hagan
Daniel Cascoe
Ryan Foreman
Leon McKenzie-McKay
John Scouller
Jack Bangs
Lee King
Rafiel Johnson
Frankie Karemo and Junior Brown (in that order) are on standby at the moment to come into the squad if anybody cannot play.
Adam Krstic and Raf have been put in the squad because we have been told they actually attended training last night, whereas nobody else did (apart from Jack) because they knew it was just going to be a kickabout with Riaz and his mates. I have no idea if they were able to have a decent session or not. 
Trevor also had a difficult choice to make in who to put in the squad out of the numerous players who were in the squad last Sunday but cried off at the last minute. At the moment Frankie is the odd one left out, but I will be amazed if all 16 players named above are actually available, so I'm sure he will end up in the squad anyway.
The biggest problem we have for this match is that Jack Tompkins, Garry Cover and Alan Barnard are all unavailable, so the only other registered player we have who is a capable enough goalkeeper is Adam Griffin. However, Griff wants to play as an outfield player. Needless to say, if he is unavailable this Sunday or refuses to go in goal, then we are going to be in serious sh!t as it will almost certainly result in half the squad dropping out in case they end up 'between the sticks'. The only way we will then be able to avoid a non-fulfilment is for an outfield player in the squad to volunteer and confirm that on here before Sunday morning so that everybody knows in advance...or Barney plays in goal again...torn thigh muscle or not !
One consolation is that Continental are apparently having exactly the same problem...or so they claim !
As for lifts to the venue, Martin and Lee will have to walk there...which I think they have done before at Hazelwood ? Terry is going to give me a lift and help me open up/put the nets up if I still don't have my car back. Trev will pick up Jack as normal. Griff and Adam live within walking distance of Hazelwood, albeit a 20-30 minute walk, so hopefully that will encourage them to play. I believe George gets a train or bus to Hazelwood from Finsbury Park ?
Daniel Daley is now apparently out 'injured ?' for a month, but he is apparently going to be 'Assistant Manager' (and dressing room DJ ? ) for this match instead. Unlike one of our players who won't be there for this match (unless he helps us out by going in goal), I think Daley actually agrees with our Manager's tactics !? 
We have 12 players who have confirmed their availability so far, and they are:
Terry Moore
Lexton Harrison
George Stahlmann
Adam Krstic
Ali 'TJ' Sowe
Krishan Singh
Danny Hagan
Daniel Cascoe
Ryan Foreman
Leon McKenzie-McKay
John Scouller
Jack Bangs
Perhaps not surprisingly, Adam Griffin (GK) has conveniently disappeared.
We therefore might have to hope that the latest weather forecast for 10.00.a.m. - 2.00.p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) is correct and that the game gets called off waterlogged pitch !
Griff is playing. 
Just waiting to hear from Martin, Lee and Raf now.
Leon normally uses Teamer but hasn't yet. He didn't say last Sunday that he wasn't playing, so I am only guessing that he is.
I have clicked 'Yes' on Teamer for those who have told me they are available but have lost their passwords.
