Author Topic: I Am On The Gold Coast Again  (Read 1745 times)

Malc

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I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« on: October 02, 2009, 03:02:47 PM »
It's that time of year, football carnival being held on Queensland's holiday beaches down at the Gold Coast Youth Championships.
My Under 14s team had to play up a year in the Under 15s because of a competition rule pertaining to borrowing players from outside your own club,, but the boys played out of their skins. We lost 4 out of 5 matches, and won 1, but all our scores were competitive, some very close. The lads certainly will have developed as a result of being here this week, and after 5 games in 5 days they deserve a rest.

Offline Roger Kettle

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2009, 08:13:53 PM »
How many teams are you coaching now, Malc? Have you dumped the ladies?

Malc

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2009, 03:07:38 AM »
*phew* Back home again, I typed the last message from my hotel (the Xanadu) on the Gold Coast.
Good to be back, but had a great time in the blistering heat. Two games had to be played in "thirds", i.e. two breaks for water instead of one half time.
Roger, my ladies team broke up this season as no coach came to look after them (I had reverted to coaching youths again). They were based at the Mount Gravatt club anyway, but next year I'm bringing many of them over to my club (Capalaba Bulldogs) to establish a womens football program there, something Capalaba has not had for many years.
We have a number of girls teams with nowhere for those girls to go after they hit fourteen or so (that's when girls are legally allowed to play for the womens teams) so in the past they've had to jump to other clubs.

On a related note, I brought in a couple of lads from another club to help us out at the tournament, one of whom stayed afterwards for the post tournament dinner. I got talking to his mum who has Scots ancestry. Her father is an ex Dundee Utd player called Chic Robertson. She also has another son, and the two are very handy players, so the Dundee Utd legacy is strong here in Queensland.

Malc

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2009, 02:45:42 AM »
Another boring football photograph, sorry. My kid Aidan is standing next to Keith, the Asst Coach.


Offline Roger Kettle

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2009, 06:52:51 PM »
How come Keith doesn't get to wear a name tag round his neck like you and the lady coach?

Vulture

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2009, 08:47:25 PM »
How come Keith doesn't get to wear a name tag round his neck like you and the lady coach?

Possibly because Keith and the lady coach can remember their names.......................!

Malc

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2009, 12:53:09 PM »
Keith forgot his. He's not as bright as he looks in that photo.

The lady coach is the manager.

Offline The Peepmaster

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2009, 03:33:38 PM »
They have tagging in this country too, Roger. I'm sure there are people in Dundee who have to wear them - it's not just Australia.
Nostalgia is not what it used to be. 😟

Offline Roger Kettle

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2009, 06:13:42 PM »
 ;D

Malc

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2009, 03:42:01 PM »
Roger, the mum who told me about Chic Robertson has corrected herself. She apparently double checked the story, and Chic was asked to trial, was picked for Dundee Utd but got the letter whilst he was on the boat to Panama during national service.

I've got few stories like that too. I trialled for Bournemouth around 1974, but didn't get a contract or anything. The bloke just kept asking me to come back. I thought I was playing trial games but I was playing pre season friendlies, still with no offer. Eventually I stopped going. We didn't have a phone, but the street phone box was outside our living room window. I got a letter a couple of weeks later asking me where I was? By that time I had a job in a warehouse and was earning good money, and playing for the local team. I coulda been a contender.

The name of the field I had to report to was the Gasworks Ground. Real Alf Tupper stuff.

Offline Roger Kettle

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2009, 06:18:38 PM »
What could have been, eh? Bournemouth in 1974 must have been around the time that the legendary Ted McDougall was playing. McDougall and McGookin----now there's a striking partnership to terrify defenders.

Malc

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2009, 02:42:50 PM »
He would have been at Norwich in 1974, Roger. I wasn't aware of any big names at Bournemouth at that time.

Interesting story about McDougall. He sent off letter after letter asking clubs for a trial, I believe more than fourteen said "no" or didn't reply until Liverpool came to see him and gave him a go.
I always use Ted's story as an example of persistence being as big a factor as talent.

Joan

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Re: I Am On The Gold Coast Again
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2009, 02:17:23 AM »
Good on you, boys! And lady manager - a job in my resume as well, albeit in the distant past.