Football in the Bulgarian community

Match Day 5

Home v Elhovo

To start this weeks report I feel it is only right to describe the task we faced. Elhovo is a town with over 11,000 residents; they have a big stadium and financial clout to match. Krumovo has approx 685 residents and all but 2 of the squad live in Krumovo, this is a fact I am proud of as we started the team for the village and my aim has always been to keep it that way.
So remembering the last match against this team ended with us losing 15-0 so today I was looking for the team to work hard and try to limit the chances that Elhovo would create, they are a young side, fit and everyone knows their position well.
After last weeks match we needed to defend well again and try when possible to break forward.
The game started well and we kept things tight not allowing spaces for the strikers to hurt us. Unfortunately it was an own goal by Kuncho, in the 15th minute, that gave the visitors the lead when he inadvertently headed into his own net from a long throw.
However we did not let this affect our game and continued to defend well, up front we also created chances.
Just before the break Elhovo did get a second when the striker span off the defender and slotted past the oncoming keeper.
At the interval I reiterated our need to keep our positions and felt the next goal would be important, if we could score Elhovo may have started to argue and maybe we could get something from the game but if Elhovo scored it would almost impossible for us to fight our way back, the key thing was to not concede early in the second half.
About 2 minutes of the second half had been played when a Elhovo player volleyed from about 35yards out beating the keeper and making the score 3-0.  
On the 64th minute Elhovo scored a 4th but 1 minute later Avram calmly slid the ball past the keeper into the far corner and the score was now 4-1.
At this point we were still trying to keep things tight and if we had put away some our chances we really should have been giving Elhovo a closer game, but in a crazy moment of madness the game was effectively put beyond us by our own goalkeeper.
He had been getting a lot of abuse from some of the supporters and suddenly without warning took off his shirt and gloves and stormed off the pitch, this happened at the same time as one of our players had been badly fouled and a small commotion had ensued. When the game resumed we had to put Trancho in goal were told that Ivan was to be red carded and we could not bring on another player.
I asked Dencho to get a substitute ready as I felt we needed some fresh legs. We still had to play 15 minutes and almost immediately Elhovo crossed in a ball and the striker jumped well in front of the new keeper and made it 5-1.
Still no sign of my substitute, but we continued to battle and I thought we did extremely well to not concede again. The match finished 5-1.

At the end of the game I have to admit to being a little bit peeved to say the least and ushered the whole team into the caravan (changing room) and gave them both barrels, I wanted to know why Ivan had decided that we no longer needed a goalkeeper and that it was ok to let down the rest of the team, and why were none of substitutes kitted up and ready to come on when I needed them.
I ranted for a little while and told them they need to get themselves sorted and decide whether or not they want a team in the league.
Later, after I had calmed down, the players apologised and said they do want to carry on.
I knew they wanted to continue before I asked the question; the problem was that when I got ?mad? I couldn?t express myself fluently enough in Bulgarian.
The thing that really disappointed me is that I feel had we been playing any other team in the league we could have won.
For the second week in a row the players had worked their socks off, the positioning was far better and they helped each other, talking and battling back, when you see your striker track a players run and make an important tackle you know things are finally sinking in. Every game this season we have improved from the week before.
Next week we have no game so will concentrate on training and building our understanding.
We have the ability to win our last 3 games but we must convert more of the chances we are making, defensively we are miles better but our speed in attack and the spaces they are making needs to be utilised. We are currently 5th in the league and this is the lowest position I feel we should be at the end of the season  
Onwards and upwards.

Darren

My thoughts
Well I think Darren has said it all but of course I do want to add my bit!
Before the match began, the BFC league official presented the Mayor of Krumovo a lovely trophy and Darren and Dencho a certificate basically for the services to getting Krumovo a team in the league after 35 years.  That was very unexpected and nice.

The support as usual was great from Krumovo, and the 400 year celebrations had been taking place all weekend so were a little more feisty than is normal (if that?s possible) a fan took on one of the 3 policemen who attended and that did distract the players, and then another fan started up and had to be ushered away by his daughter, only to come back for more, to say he was bladdered is an understatement!

Back to the team, and the lads were fantastic!
They were, 2 weeks in a row now and they have managed to play 2 full halves both matches, and today was no exception.
It?s very sad that Ivan (the goalie) decided to be very stupid and let his emotions get the best of him, show himself up and let his team down!  The stupid thing is he is a good goalie and we tell him this week in week out.
He has passion and courage, something a lot of the others have lacked.

As per usual we had lots of missed chances, but so did Elhovo, and to be perfectly honest, we didn?t look any worse than they did all the way throughout the match.
Well?what can I say about Darren?s temper tantrum, it has been coming, but what a shame it had to happen today, and purely only because of Ivan.
The team were too good today, to be shouted at and thankfully Darren did direct a lot of his frustration (and anger) at Ivan.
But he does regret this morning (Monday) going off on one.
I heard him shout at one point he can?t think of it in Bulgarian so a few choice swear words in good old English poisoned the air in the caravan.
A few girlfriends of the lads and some of the kids from training were outside and listened with horror on their faces as Darren shouted and hurled abuse, he eventually stormed out of the changing room pulled off his shirt chucked it on the ground, as he strutted off shouting more obscenities, as he went to help Dencho take down the nets.

Dencho told the team there and then, that he did not want to continue, to be honest this has been coming, as he is finding it difficult with being a new dad.  However the team have stated that they want Darren AND Dencho in the team, so after a good chat this morning (Monday) he has agreed to continue for this season at least.

Well that?s another match done and dusted, next weekend we have a rest, though the team are going to be training and then the following week (01.11.09) we are home (Krumovo) to Kukorevo at the earlier start of 10.30am

Now to the table week 5, interestingly though we lost we have moved up a place ??

How cool is that!!! woohooo!!!

Thanks Jeanette and Keith again, and to Velichka for washing the kit this week, despite having tons of baby clothes to wash!!

See you next time

Nikki

Gagarin FC is sponsored by:
KitAid
A Devilishly Handsome Man
A couple who want to remain anonymous

This was a report sent to us from Jeanette who also watched the game and i thought worthy of adding to this blog

Hi Guys,

Just thought i'd add a little thing here as well, we are seeing these lads week in and week out and since we started watching them last season the improvements have been fantastic, Yes we still have problems but nothing that can't be sorted.

Sunday's game was always going to be hard we knew that,Our lad's started with sheer determination and did actually in my eyes play very well until into the second half where they were still fighting and when Avrams goal slipped nicely into the net they seemed to get a second boost, By this time Elhovo were getting a bit dirty on the tackles just like school kids not getting there own way there was a few temper tantrums and bad tackles all of which shouldve been jumped on harder than they were.

The crowd distractions didn't help matters and who knows perhaps the ref shouldve stopped the match if the police were struggling to get it under control and waited till it was sorted out but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Ivan well what can anyone say, this guy is a really good goalie and has made some superb saves for FC Gagarin but like nearly all of the lads they lack the self confidence to believe they are any good.

Darren and Dencho have taken a group of lads formed a team and has with their sheer hard work and deetermination turned them into a football team which is playing in the league now thats an acheivement.

Now I don't know maybe I'm just biased about FC Gagarin but I think these lads can go far but only if they work at it.

They proved over the last couple of games that they are capable but need to control self discipline and start working together again.

I thought that the score wouldve been a lot more for Elhovo as the last time it 15-0 but I think they were just a little shocked at the improvements in FC Gagarin as they weren't able to get the freedom with the ball they wanted, there was times in the game that it was FC Gagrin that controlled what was happening and this annoyed Elhovo greatly.

I would love to make a prediction for the next game but don't want to tempt fate.

jeanette