Anyone for tennis?

Posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Late. Anyone for tennis? I love the sport but Wimbledon lasts for two weeks so unless bandy Andy is on I’ll give it a miss for the present.

Back to the real sport and I’m glad to see most of the football fraternity agree with me in condemning the World Champions for such a negative display last night. Robbo on the BBC Blog didn’t mince his words “What a tight-fisted, mean-spirited, uninspiring, desperate and downright miserable way to approach a game of football.” He’s not called the Tees mouth for nothing. Mind it’s easy hiding behind a nom de plume as I’d never get away with saying something like that.

Anyway one of the best things I’ve done in the last six months was buying my sons a couple of Torres tops. Murray has just turned 5 and he’s finally got the football bug. Well maybe not quite the bug but he’s definitely showing an interest.

He was out the back playing with his younger brother when I got home tonight and was all excited when he saw me. “Dad, I’ve been practicing running with the ball like you said.” I was really pleased as all he’s been doing is kicking the ball with his toe as hard as he can. I stupidly taught him to hold the ball out in front of himself then drop it and kick it on the volley. He now sprays it over our 16 foot lilandias into the neighbours gardens. I’ve tried to get him to run with the ball and even dribble round cones but the geography of our garden doesn’t suit. I was very pleased he’s been trying to run with the ball close to his feet and told him so.

“Dad, I was running past Robert very fast”.

“Good Murray, how fast?” I asked

The question mark appeared on top of his head as he formulated an answer.

As fast…..as fast as a…….steamroller”

Well that it then. I’ve got a son who’s going to turn into a young Bob Dryburgh.

I popped into Leslies yesterday afternoon for a pint and there was racing on the Tele. This close season is hard work indeed. Tonight for the first time since the Euros started there isn’t a game on the box. I was hoping there would be a South American World Cup qualifier or a re-run of China beating Australia (I caught a couple of minutes of what must have been a re-run on Sky last night when the Italians were really getting to me) or anything with men running after a ball – round of course.

The big thing the Euros have done for me is take my mind off the SFL place up for grabs. It’s been all quiet on the Eastern, Southern and Highland front for the last few days but watching the cream of Europe playing puts July 3rd on the back burner. Worrying about how long it will take in the game before Luis Aragones substitutes Fernando holds different pressures to shaping a team to take on Clyde in the Challenge Cup at Broadwood in a few weeks time.

The bottom line is someone’s going to have to do it.