Management view on the Rose game.

Posted on Sunday, January 17th, 2010

Mike says –

“First of all the result was unimportant. Both teams used every player available as the lack of recent football necessitated everybody getting  a run out at some stage. Both Bonnyrigg and ourselves were more interested in giving everyone a game than trying to win it. The game itself was played at a pace which pleased Sam, Windy and myself and although as Sam keeps saying “playing on field turf is not REAL football” it’s the next best thing. We go up against a very good Lothian side next Saturday in what is a pivotal game for them in their attempts to win the title and I can’t think of a better way to prepare than 90 minutes against a top Junior side.

As expected Stewart Fowlie and Danny O’Donnell weren’t fit enough to take part although Danny managed to train with the Third team. Sam and I left Donal and Cloudie on the side for the first thirty minutes as we wanted to give all the first team regulars at least a hour but wanted to remain competitive throughout. As I said at the top the result was unimportant but the confidence of the team is paramount. After a run of nearly a dozen straight wins the defeats against Forfar and the Vale (although we played well in both games) may have dented the teams belief in itself and beating the Rose won’t have done them any harm.  

Like every other team when the visit they Academy for the first time the opposition yesterday started better than the home side. It took us twenty minutes to settle down and as we approached half-time we started to play as Sam and I would have wanted. Alex King looked to have taken a bad knock to his ankle but he shrugged it off, scored and overall had a very good game. We got more solid at the back as the game went on and Omar showed flashes of the player he should be during his second spell on the park.

I see Jorge got Craig’s “man of the match” award and I must admit he is pleasing on the eye. He shows flashes of real “Spanish” class at training and once he becomes a bit more aware of the physical nature of the Scottish game he should prove to be an asset. That’s for the future though and we have to turn our attention to Lothian Thistle, the East of Scotland Premier league and trying to retain our title starting next Saturday.”

Mike