Sad reflections on yesterday’s defeat.

Posted on Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Mike says

“The way yesterday’s game was going to pan out was there for all to see from the first blow of Mark Doyle’s whistle, quicker that Usain Bolt can run 100 metres in fact. I don’t know who won the toss but we took the centre. Tynecastle had two players ready to attack the lay back yet despite being aware of that we couldn’t get the ball into our opponents half.

Tynecastle scored in eight minutes but the writing was on the wall for the kick off. We hardly got over the halfway line in that period and the tone for the game was set. I was impressed by Tynecastle yesterday as I’m sure all those watching were. They deserved to win the game and win it they did.

For our part Sam and I continually pick the wrong team, pick the wrong formation, tinker with the team too often, don’t sign the right players and so on and so on. We get constructive criticism from some people when we win so we know we will take a bit of stick when we lose.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and if they have an avenue to express that opinion I’m happy for them to use it.  As at every club the management need to know what the fans are thinking.

Sam and I failed yesterday but not in the team selected, nor in the formation we set out or in the players we have signed and were available. We’d pick the same team and formation against Tynecastle tomorrow if we were given the opportunity.

Where Sam and I failed was in not getting over to the players how hard they would have to work to get the opportunity to play the football they can play.  After five minutes it was there for all to see that one team was really up for the game and the other team was us. We became introverted, lost our collective confidence and never recovered.

I don’t know about Sam but it took me about four days to recover from the Whitehill game. Last night was different. As Craig said “it was a bad day at the office” but Sam and I believe in this squad of players. We don’t wear the mantle of favourites too well and we hit the top of the league way too soon. This is going to be a hard league to win but write us off at your peril.

Friday and Edinburgh City can’t come quickly enough.”