jfgaille Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Introduction As a kid, I grew up playing football as soon as I was introduced to it by my dad. He’d let me watch the games on TV, when Cambridge was playing. They weren’t exactly a powerhouse but nevertheless I liked the game of football. I was, however, at my greatest regret, not very talented when it came to play. I was mostly warming the bench, even if the league I played in wasn’t competitive. But like I said, I liked the game of football and despite my lack of talent I knew I couldn’t get away from the game. So I started to take coaching lessons at 16 and soon was able to get hired by the city’s FA to coach kids from the amateur leagues. It was fun and I was seeing myself in most of them. As the years went on I found a job after finishing school and still kept coaching the weekends. I was also taking further courses 2 days a week in the evening. At 27, I was registered and accredited with England’s FA Coach Program. At that point, I wasn’t coaching the amateur Cambridge kids anymore as I felt it was time to give someone else the chance. A guy I had met at the Program’s class sessions was a coach with a competitive U-12 team at Bedford and asked me if I wanted to come over sometimes and see how they were working with the kids. I agreed to come and help out 5-6 days a month. It really was a different atmosphere. You could tell the kids had skills. They had the passion too but unlike the kids at amateur level, they could actually play football. They worked hard, both here and in school. I was really enjoying it. Soon I was going to their games and also helping out there. As I was looking on to the pitch, I just knew this was what I wanted to do, this was my passion. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but I was ready to make all the sacrifices needed to become a manager. I was able to get hired and paid as a part-time coach for that U-12 team. A couple months later, the U-16 team had 2 coaches leaving and both my newly found friend and I were asked to take the duties. Higher talent, higher stakes and higher competition meant also a little pay raise and although that £60 per week the team was giving me wasn’t going to make me a rich man, it was a nice sideline. Frank (the coach I met at the English FA Coach Program) and I were spending most evenings at the Millyard Café, devising drills and compiling reports on training and stuff. On Fridays, we had meetings with the rest of the coaching staff at the local pub and usually ended up a happy drunk bunch. The manager was a nice chap. You could tell he knew is stuff. The season went on and I hit 28 years old. The Manager told us he was not coming back next season as he had been appointed at a higher job and we were sad to see him go. The team wanted someone from within and so when it looked like Frank and I were going to “fight” for the job, I decided I wanted to keep my friendship and told him he was the one who had brought me in and I would be happy to be a coach for him. Turned out Frank was able to get the bosses to open a new job at this club and I became Frank’s assistant. The season would turn out to be learning one. I could tell Frank was nervous, even if most of the kids didn’t see it. He wasn’t the same guy. The drinking Fridays disappeared, the coaches weren’t always agreeing with Frank’s decisions. Some days, it was almost painful to go to the field. I knew Frank was a nice guy and deep down I was starting to believe maybe this was just too much for him. Moreover, I was also wearing myself out trying to do more than usual to help him out. The season ended and quite frankly, I was relieved and happy it was over. Not that we didn’t do well… A week after the season, I went back to Cambridge and decided to start a “Football Clinic” for amateur kids. They would be able to come for a week, all day long, and I would teach them for about £30 each. All in all, it was a success and I decided I would do it every year. About a week before the start of the new season, Frank called me and said he wasn’t going to be back as the manager. He told me he didn’t want to go through another season like last year and wanted to switch jobs with me. We met the boss and he was fine with it, he couldn’t be arsed about it quite frankly. A third into the season I realized Frank was really at his place in the assistant role and I was enjoying being the manager. It was like 2 years ago and fun was back at the training grounds and it was showing. Apart from a few disputes with players I felt weren’t giving it their all, things went smoothly. During the season, I was contacted by non-league side Chesham and they said they weren’t going to offer their manager a contract next season and planned on giving me the job if I wanted it, along with a £100 p/w salary. I accepted and told myself I would give up my day job next summer before the season starts. I told Frank and asked him if he wanted to join and become my assistant manager there but he said he wasn’t sure yet. He didn’t want to move out of town and was happy here at Bedford. And so at the end of the season, I went on alone, Frank deciding to stay put, at least for now. I found myself a small and cheap apartment in Chesham and awaited the start of the season. As soon as it started, I noticed the jump. The pressure was much more intense, the expectations were a bit too optimistic and I couldn’t read the papers anymore. Not much was written when we won but when we lost, it was a parade of second-guessing and ranting. After losses, I started to avoid pubs and cafés. I was calling Frank regularly and things were going smoothly in Bedford. As the season ended, I was worn out and wanted out. I resigned and left city. I arrived back at Cambridge, with no more day job and not much money. My parents were nice enough to let me stay at the house for a couple weeks and my father kept reminding me each day that I should have stayed at Chesham and that no one in his family should resign. The yearly clinic started and money was welcome. About 300 kids signed up during the 6 weeks and the £9000 total I received was already spent on renting the field for most part. I ended up with about £1500 in my pockets. Frank called me and said “Have you applied yet?” I had no idea what he was talking about but finally learned that Cambridge City’s manager had been sacked a couple days ago and the job was vacant. Turns out Frank saw my name among the potential candidates and I have no idea how it got there since my Chesham stint was brief and not very successful. A week later, I was called in for an interview at the City Ground and thought it went well, nothing more. So when they called me back 3 days later and offered me the job, I was very surprised. I accepted right away and my old man was proud. He congratulated me then told me I had a couple days to find another place to live… Well thank you dad. The deal was 2 years and £180 p/w (approx. £9500 per annum). After a brief meeting with the board, I was told I had £4100 to spare per week for wage and no transfer money. We’d be expected to achieve a top-half finish this season and next season. I called Frank and offered him the assistant job if he felt up to it and he was more than happy. The City Ground wasn’t exactly a huge stadium. Its small size made it a likeable place and it felt like home. There were about 500 seats. I felt somehow, upon entering it for the first time, that there would be someday great things here. You always want to do well and repay the faith of your employer when you get your first crack at something new. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 July 2007 The season is about to start and I’m not totally confident in this team yet. I don’t expect to have great players but I do expect them to all fully understand what football is and quite frankly, I think some of them are short on that but since we’re also short on players, they’ll stay on for now. Our only foreign player (from Malta) suffered from food poisoning after we all went to a local restaurant and I think he will struggle to adapt here if he can’t even eat our food. Preseason went well, we won 3 out of 4, including one against Blue Square Premier side Stevenage and we drew the last game in a Cambridge Derby. I didn’t miss the opportunity to call my dad and tell him his team was going to struggle if they couldn’t even beat our inferior division side. He didn’t take it too well and hung up… He still won’t talk to me and it’s been a week. We’re also in the process of hiring staff but things are not going as I would like. Trying to find a scout is hard and without one, for now, we’re pretty much stuck with what we have. Frank works a lot and we’re sharing a small apartment so it’s pretty much always football talk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 August 2007 Life isn’t always easy and my life certainly isn’t at the moment. The club as started the season in an awful manner. Of the 5 games we played so far in August, we’ve only got one point (a tie at home on a fan day) and have basically been outclassed on every game. We’re dead last in the standings. Things will surely improve with time I guess but for now, this is not good enough. The Maltese mate is already on the injury list and already on getting on my nerves. We’ve also had 2 players thrown out of games in the first few minutes of play and that has drawn a couple of outburst from me already. Nothing is going our way so far it seems and the best thing I’ve tasted all month long is beer. Frank has been showing signs of nervousness and I can’t stand him on the bench anymore. I like the guy but for god’s sake he can’t keep his nerves and he makes me and the whole team even more nervous. I’ve been raiding the bars and pubs in search of someone to calm me down at night but no such luck so far. However, we do now have a “complete” staff. We’ve also lost our best midfielder for a very long period of time due to a stupid injury. We were having a little party for our captain who had just set a new record for most appearances in the team’s history. The guys were totally drunk and playing a mock game when one of those idiots tackled him. He fell awkwardly and was holding his hip. I was totally incensed and stormed out of the party. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 September 2007 September was a little bit of a relief. We won 2 games and drew one in 6 games. Although we are still in the relegation zone, I can say there is hope. Our duo of strikers is really good now and they are both near the top of the goal scorers list. Everyone seems to have settled down now. I sold my first player for £26K to Bromley and bought a young midfielder from Fisher for free. Last week I was totally drunk again and woke up in some girl’s apartment. I left before she woke up and was wondering if anything had happened. Frank told me he was worried upon my arrival at the apartment and said he lost me last night in the crowd. I told him everything was fine… I think. I told myself I would try not to get drunk again so I wouldn’t get into trouble. We got our first taste of FA Cup and earned a replay against Cheshunt in the 2nd qualifying round. The game will be played next month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 October 2007 We exited the FA Cup and the chairman isn’t too happy about it. We had an easy draw for this round and the next one which would have led to a 4th qualifying round (as the chairman wanted) and a chance to get into the 1st round proper. We are through to the 2nd round of the Setanta Shield but the chairman wants us to reach the 3rd round so there is work left to do here. The Blue Square South was also a concern for the chairman as he deemed “terrible” our showing before October started. The signing of a Fisher Irish young midfielder drew excitement from the fans, the chairman and the pundits. I had to give credit to my scouts. They were working hard to find decent players and I wouldn’t do what they do… at least not for what we pay them at the moment. We signed two more players who our scouts think could do well for us and our league form as picked up a bit. We are now in 18th place and improving. The month of October saw us win 2 and draw 2 so we didn’t lose a league game. On our home games, I could see the girl I had probably slept with but wasn’t able to talk to her. Something was telling me I had to find out what was up and I would do it as soon as I could. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 This is a good story. It reads nicely. KUTGW =] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 6, 2008 Author Share Posted September 6, 2008 Thanks Gavrenwick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 November 2007 This month, we really played well. Our league form as picked up and the team is now sitting in 9th place. We were blessed that our scouts found another young kid. In the 2 games he has played, he scored three goals. Okay, they were all penalties but he played well from the wing and I think he will fit in nicely. We exited the Setanta Shield in the 2nd round losing to Fisher but we are through to the 1st Round of the FAT and facing a non league team once again so things are looking up. Finally, my dad talks to me again. Cambridge was playing Luton in the FA Cup and he wanted me to come over to watch the game with him so I did. Cambridge got hammered 0-3 but it was nice to get in touch again and he told me he had been following our progress and that we should be able to challenge for a playoff spot before too long. Cambridge sits 8th in the BSP so it looks like they are having quite a season too. On another note, I got fed up with our Maltese player always whining about everything so he was given his marching orders. I also had a bizarre dream, playing in the backyard of a house with a little boy. I was able to talk to the girl at one of our home games. Well, talking is a big word. She gave me her number and told me we had to talk. So I called her the next day and we went to a park. She told me her name: Leanna. It was weird to learn such basic things about her having already met her. I was pretty sure she had already said all these things but like I told her, I didn’t remember much of what happened the first time we met. Turns out she is also a fan of football. Leanna saw my face on the Cambridge Daily and that’s why she was able to find me. Then she got serious and asked if there was someone in my life. The question came as a surprise and since I didn’t know what had happened THAT night, she told me we had sex that night and that she would understand if since then I’d been dating someone. With my luck, there was no chance no one else would ever want of me. Then came the news that would change my life: she was pregnant. She didn’t even have to say who the father was. At that point, it was obvious. Now that dream made sense and I told her about it. “Do you want to be the father?” was what she asked me and there was no doubt I wanted to. It was a weird feeling. We barely knew each other but we now had a child on the way and it was now time to learn about each other. I told her I would do all I could to be there even with the job and that if we could live together, I’d be happy. And so, it was decided that I’d move to her place, a small apartment in Cambridge. I told Frank about it and he had mixed feelings. He was happy that I had found someone and that I’d be a father soon, but he was also sad because it meant he’d be living alone now. Frank’s a good friend I have to give him that. He’s been there for me and I promised him I’d be there for him whatever happens. By the way, the child is due somewhere in June and we’ve decided not to identify his gender before his birth since we already know (remember, the dream). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Author's note: Is anyone reading this? December 2007 Well, December was a tough month. We exited our last cup, the FAT, on an embarrassing performance and our league form stalled a bit. We did get an inspiring win against leaders Eastbourne Boro in the closing days of year 2008 but we’re now sitting 10th, still only 4 points off a playoff spot. The players are nice guys for most and I like them a lot. I wish they would all be or become star players but I know that for most of them, this is the highest they will get. Christmas was a nice moment. Leanna and I went to her family’s party then to mine. I wish we could have had more time since we had a game on the 26th, we couldn’t really go away for a couple days. New Year’s Eve will be much of the same since we have another game on the 1st of January. We’re living along nicely and though the apartment is small, it feels like home and I wouldn’t ask for more. Frank comes over about 2 times a week to talk football and to help me out building things for the kid. We’re almost done with his small bed. I’m very happy at the life I’m living at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goofus Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Reading it doesn't mean that we have to post comments. Just keep posting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgaille Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 I know goof, but if no one reads it, I won't keep posting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goofus Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Well, keep posting and people will read it! Lol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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