“How cool, we are eleven men!”
Are we enough Are they going to be eleven at all? In the district league and in senior football, the elementary questions are asked before kick-off
Source: picture alliance / augenklick / fi; Montage: Infographic WORLD
I play football. I have been fighting in Berlin’s squares for over 35 years. It’s getting harder to set up a team. A Portuguese first division team also had to experience this. He probably learned from the amateurs and used a district league classic shortly after the break.
Dhe referee counted again shortly before kick-off. Eleven players on one side and nine on the other – that fit, so Manuel Mota whistled for the game in Portugal’s first division between Benfica Lisbon and Belenenses SAD. Due to various corona cases, Belenenses was only able to compete with one rump troop on his team, but also decided not to postpone the game.
What caused an outcry around the world is the order of the day on the amateur pitches of this country. And not just since the outbreak of the pandemic. The most important question on Sunday morning is often not whether the opponent is playing with a dropping nine, the top striker is fit again or the grass pitch is closed, but rather: Will we and the opponent get eleven men together?
A look at the Whatsapp group always brings certainty. It is astonishing how often football players attack illnesses on Saturday night, which then disappear again on Sunday as if by a miracle cure.
Migraine attacks, fever flare-ups, inexplicable gastrointestinal complaints fortunately, this is usually overcome after a long nap, two aspirins and four liters of water.
We warm up, the other half of the square is orphaned
But the eight “I’ll be a little later, my car didn’t start, there is a nasty traffic jam and the rail replacement service is bothering me” messages bring certainty – we will be at least eleven friends again and thus completely playable.
As is so often the case, we are complete, but the enemy is not. An hour before the game at the meeting point, there is still no player from the other team in sight. The trainer and a supervisor are desperately chopping on their cell phones and trying to mobilize all their strength. Little by little the opponents come shuffling at. While we warm up in our half, the other side of the square is still empty.
The cabin wing spits out an opponent every five minutes. Much more important than run-ups, stretching and shots on goal is now counting. How many opponents are there? Do they even show up or did I peel myself out of bed completely for nothing on a rainy Sunday morning in November?
Ambition of a 16 year old student intern
There are nine people warming up and spraying the ambition of a pubescent 16-year-old during a mandatory internship in a hardware store. Our trainer tries to keep the tension up before kick-off with phrases from the 1983 manual for trainers: “Guys, it’s always damn difficult against nine men. Much trickier than showing up here with a full band. Everyone at us thinks they don’t have to walk anymore, the teammate will do that. They are still a powerful group for whom anything is possible. “At least until the 0: 3 after 14 minutes ..
The change options in amateur football are often limited
Source: pa / Pressebildage / ulmer
When I asked why we never actually use tactical means and compete with two fewer men, when it is much more difficult for the opponent, I get a shake of the head that tells me which position I will play next week : Right wing, on the bench. Games against decimated troops are actually always the same. There is always someone stupid who believes the coach and loudly admonishes us that it is really damn hard against nine men. At least until 3-0 after 14 minutes …
Mysterious injuries shortly after the break
In the initial phase, the rump squad still believes in saving the 0-0 over time. But after just ten minutes, it hurts to run afterwards. A game that neither side enjoys. It falls gate by gate and with every hit the cheering becomes harder.
Very often mysterious injuries occur shortly after the restart
Source: pa / augenklick / firo Sportphoto / Jürgen Fromme
In order to avoid stress with the association, the brave fighters have to be on the field for at least one half. Strangely enough, the muscular injuries increased around the break whistle. Starting at nine, the team only comes out of the cabin with seven men. As cold as the muscles get in the quarter of an hour, it’s no wonder that the first sprint in the 46th minute always leads to another very bad injury. Finally there are only six players left – abandonment, 0-2 score, loser beer.
It was exactly the same in Portugal. How nice when the professionals can learn something from the depths of amateur football.
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