Good times and Bad times

One thing is certain in football, it can never be good 100% of the time. Every player will have their ups and downs throughout their career, but hopefully by the end of it you will have had enough highs to feel like it has been a success. At 26 I look back on my career so far as somewhat of a success, but also a feeling of underachieving.
I have always been my worst critic, which can be a good thing as it drives me on to try and improve. But what I have found over my career is that the best players I have played with all have so much confidence in their ability and always trust what they are trying to do. For me self belief has always been an issue and it can affect performance dramatically. When my confidence is high I know I can beat most defenders I come up against for pace and can create chances and score goals for my team. But when confidence is low it can feel like you can't beat a player, and end up doing the simple thing and just passing backwards. For a winger, consistency has always been something that is difficult. Even at the highest level the wingers struggle to play consistently week in week out(Nani, Walcott, Pedro are 3 top level examples), but when they are on their game they can cause so much trouble with direct running and pace. As I have gotten older my consistency has improved but it is still difficult to be dangerous every week, which I know frustrates fans, but I guess it is the enigma of a winger.

I was sent a link to this interesting article (article on Stuart) about ex Queen's Park teammate Stuart Kettlewell(Ketts) earlier today, and it made me think about the good times had at QPFC. Ketts is one example of what was a great QP team back in 2006/07, that won promotion from division 3, who went on to better things. We had an extremely young team and played football the right way for the full season that included beating Aberdeen in the League Cup and winning all 4 games in the divisional playoffs to win promotion. The 4-2 win against East Fife in the first leg of the playoff final was a great night for us, and will always be remembered for 'the picture'(below) that shows how much it meant to us all. Steven Canning had just scored an unbelievable chip from the edge of the area, and it set us on our way to promotion.

from left to right: Paul Ronald, Steven Canning, Alan Trouten, Paul Cairney, David Weatherston, Mark Ferry, Paul Paton

Of that team in 06/07 their has been plenty of players moving on to better things, and it shows how good the team was when you look at the level the players have played at or now play:
Premier League
Stuart Kettlewell (Ross County, 1st division champion with Ross County)
Paul Paton (Dundee United,, 1st division champion with Partick Thistle)
Paul Cairney(Hibs)
First Division
Mark Ferry(ex Raith)
Alan Trouten(ex Ayr, Clyde, Airdrie)
David Weatherston(ex St Johnstone, QOS, Falkirk)
Mick Dunlop(ex Ayr)
David Crawford(ex Ayr)

Most other players went on to other clubs playing second division football, the majority being successful.

Personally I feel like I haven't fulfilled my potential from helping QP to promotion, but looking back so far, I have had decent success in my career. One promotion with QP has been added to with 2 Challenge Cups, 2 Hampden semi finals, and three 3rd place finishes in the 1st division. It isn't great, but it is something I can look back on when I am older. Perhaps I made the wrong choice or choices after leaving QP, but we live and die by our decisions, and I can't change them now. I have certainly had a lot of fun, and made some great friends along the way. Now it is on to the next chapter, wherever that may be, and hopefully I can have more success doing it. I always look back at my time fondly at QP, and I know the rest of the players do as well, because every time we meet up it is always talked about, the great nights at Firhill, Paton's 30 yarder at East Fife and the good times we had a training. It will never be forgotten.



Sooo, enough about me, lets talk about some other sports. Athletics is the big headline grabber this week with all the reports about failed drugs tests by Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay and Sherone Simpson(bbc article).
With the failed tests of another 2 of the fastest sprinters in history, Usain Bolts closest rivals, it again leaves everyone wondering if the best athletes are clean. Ben Johnson, Marion Jones, Carl Lewis, Linford Christie, Veronica Campbell, Justin Gatlin, Dwain Chambers, Butch Reynolds, to name a few, are all top Olympic performers from the last 20 years who have tested positive for some sort of banned substance. It means that Usain Bolt, who is at least 1/10th of a second faster than any of them, is either much better than them all, a complete freak of nature, or something isn't right. We all hope that he is a freak of nature, because it is special watching him running at full speed, and for athletics sake he needs to be clean. If it turns out the poster boy of athletics is another one to turn to drugs for that extra boost, then the reputation of sprinting and athletics in general could be completely lost and the public could lose interest.
 

Keeping Motivated and Entertained

Sorry for the delay on blogging, but I thought I would wait on a few major sporting events finishing before I wrote about them in this edition.

The hardest part of being out of a club is keeping motivated and having the self discipline to keep yourself fit and live your life the right way. For me one of the most important factor in this is getting out of bed in the morning at a proper time. I have been going to the gym most mornings around 8.45am and doing my running and weights early so I am awake and ready for the day. Also this keeps my body used to getting up at a normal time and stops me from becoming lazy. Since KA gets up before 7 for work it is easier for me to stay awake from then and eat breakfast so I am prepared for the gym. The work at the gym is never easy on your own when you feel like you are getting nowhere with your career. But I know myself that it will pay off eventually, when I am signed and ready to play football again.
Eating correctly and drinking the right fluids is so important as well when you have no game on a Saturday. One good thing about having no income is at least i don't have the money to buy sweets and crisps as much, so I have definitely been eating healthier the last 2 months.

The offers of part time football have been keeping my mind busy for the last few weeks. As time goes by it seems more and more likely I will have to decide which part time club best suits me and would hopefully help me get back to playing the way I know I can. Another option which I have been seriously considering is going to Denmark, Norway or Sweden. I could go over and trial with teams from the 2nd leagues, but it is a difficult decision financially, and also personally. Leaving everything behind potentially could be a hard decision, but it could also be great for my career, personal development and could positively influence my football with a different culture being trained into me. It is something over the next week I will have to weigh up, and decide if it is worth pursuing.

Froome wins yellow on the 100th edition of the Tour de France

Chris Froome (left) won the 100th edition of the tour de France yesterday, rolling over the line at the Champs Elysees with his teammates and the rest of the peleton after a gruelling 3 weeks. His winning margin of 4minutes 20seconds was a huge margin from his nearest rivals, and underlined what was a dominant performance from him throughout the tour. Comparisons with Lance Armstrong have been made such was the sheer dominance in the mountains, but in my mind their is no doubt that Froome is completely clean. Cycling has suffered a lot because of the Lance Armstrong saga, but it has moved on, and the riders are standing up against doping and helping the sport get its image back. When Lance was dominant, he was the best rider in a peleton full of people doping. Landis, Ullrich, Heras, Hamilton, and many others have all since been caught or admitted to doping and they were all his main rivals. Nowadays, Froome is the best rider in a clean peleton, in my opinion, and he deserves all the credit he will receive. The fitness of all the riders is incredible, they are an example of supreme sportsmen with their recovery and energy they have every day. Only extreme dedication to the sport is possible as a cyclist to even finish a 21 stage race, and that is something I admire and have admired since I started watching it as a boy.

Mickelson lifts the Claret Jug at Muirfield

Phil Mickelson won The Open yesterday with an unbelievable 66 in the final round to win by 3 shots from Henrik Stenson. I was at Muirfield on Friday and Sunday watching my cousin(Martin Laird) playing and unfortunately for him he had a bad day on Saturday that ruined his chances. But on Sunday with the weather slightly cooler and the breeze up I sat and watched the field come through the par 3 16th. The drama was unfolding out on the course as several players took the lead. But I had money on Henrik Stenson so I was hoping he would come good for me. Unfortunately Neil and I sat at the wrong hole as we didn't see a birdie for 4 hours, but we did see a lot of good golf shots and some great scrambling. I know everyone loves big Phil, but I really don't, and I am sure he just puts on a nice face for the cameras. Fair play to him though, he played some great golf and deserved to win.



And in other news... Kate Middleton is about to have a baby! But who really cares about that...

The hardest part of football

Apologies to those dedicated readers for the delay in this edition,


Summer time for a football player can either be the best time of year, or the worst time of year. If you have a contract and know that you are getting paid whilst on holiday, plus you also know you will go back to pre season with your club then you can have a good holiday and relax whilst you recharge the batteries. On the other hand, if you have been released at the end of the season it is a time to worry about your bank balance and fitness while you try and sort out a new club for the new season.
Last time i was out of contract I had 3 weeks of doing nothing in July except golf, sunbathing(yes it was sunny) and keeping fit before my agent got me into training at Falkirk for a trial. This year however i found out from the manager back in May so I have had time to think about everything in my life. Self doubt is a major problem that I'm sure a lot of players suffer with at this time of year. I like to think I have had an 'ok' career so far, and that teams will be interested, but when days go by without the phone ringing it can be hard. There is always a relief when a manager phones you, no matter what level it is at, and tells you he is interested. It makes you feel better, and you know that you can start getting on with your own fitness and mentally preparing for a new season wherever you decide to go.
It is never easy being out of any job, but in Scottish football at the moment it is very difficult to get a contract anywhere, unless you are willing to take a pay cut. All clubs in Scotland know the players that are out of contract, it is just a matter of waiting to see if any of them want to contact you, or you can get an agent to contact the clubs directly to see if they are interested. Clubs who are interested in signing you will generally offer you a place to train while you make your mind up.

I decided to go in and train at Stirling just to kick a ball again, but also it was good to see some old friends. It is much easier training somewhere when you know some of the other players, and in Stirling there is DC, Fez, Junior, Joe and big Jordan(all footballers have some sort of nickname). Football is strange in that you see your teammates every day, become very close friends with them then suddenly you leave, and most of them never see you again. Only 1 or 2 in each dressing room will really remain friends after, which i always find strange, but I guess you can't be friends with everyone. As my old manager KB used to say, "There is no fu*****friends in this fu***** game, just acquaintances.", he liked to swear a lot.



As a massive sport fan I have to admit to being pretty emotional last week when Andy Murray won Wimbledon. He is so dedicated to being the best at what he does that he is an inspiration to everyone. He works as hard as any sportsmen out there and deserves every credit and trophy that he gets. On top of that he is a proper Scotsman in that he hates England and loves supporting everyone else. I know he is slightly hated by some for his 'boring' personality, but he is a tennis player, who entertains us on the court with some unbelievable play and he doesn't need to humour us off it.

 Ok, so I am aware the most Scottish people find cricket extremely boring, especially the long form of the game, but I love watching the Ashes and hoping that England will lose. Unfortunately nowadays the Aussies aren't quite what they used to be so England will win it this year, and what a fantastic trophy it is to win. I only really learned about 10 years ago that it was the ashes of some old stumps from back in the day. I always presumed it was some old player who had their ashes up for grabs every 2/3 years. I know my big mate Matt will be a keen viewer and I thank him for igniting my interest in the game of cricket. Plus i get to watch him down Poloc cricket club whilst sitting in the sun enjoying a bbq and a game of donkey with my old mates. You can't beat it!

Young v Old and a Katt in puberty

A decent response yesterday meant I had to follow it up and answer some of the questions posed and please the fans. Apparently according to my good mate Neil I always split opinions with the fans anywhere I go, some people are never happy.

Old Doddsy

I never thought I would say it, but I actually miss pre season just now. I realise I don't miss the running, because it is bloody hard work, but I love getting fit, and there is a great team spirit during pre season where everyone comes together to get each other through the double and sometimes triple sessions. It is the first time since 2006 that I haven't been involved in a full time pre season and I have to say I am getting bored of big Darren Dodds banter at the gym and round the park. The big man is the nicest guy in the world, but his love for football is too much as he constantly talks about it. Usually moaning about what I said yesterday and adding that "the young boys get it easy these days".
I have to agree with him in that they do get it much easier than when he was 16/17. The jobs that used to be expected of apprentices don't get done anymore at most clubs. No cleaning boots, no cleaning kit, not a lot to be honest is done. Whether this is the reason that young players lack respect for old players these days is an entirely different question, but you can make your own mind up on that.
The biggest reason for so many young players in contracts is money. Football has no money in Scotland, especially down the leagues, and with ticket prices so high that fans refuse to come through the turnstiles it isn't a surprise really. Older players who were earning a lot more money 6 or 7 years ago are being let go because the club can't afford to offer them anything like what they need to pay their mortgages and bills. You can have 4 or 5 young players on a wage the equivalent to 1 senior player, and for the board that is a no brainer. Even though they might make no impact at all on the squad they are kept to boost numbers.

Katt's Wanket

Here is the main man himself with his new "burd". He has been strangely subdued today almost like he knows his antics have been let out to the nation(100 people) and he is embarrassed. No doubt when I go out later he will be at it. He drags it around the house and looks really stupid as he does it, trying to get his legs out the way while running away from me trying to cut his grass and steal his girlfriend. KA ordered this personalised wanket online, it is surely the best buy we have had since moving in to the flat last year.









Wimbledon semi finals today, Djokovic will cruise through I reckon, but Murray as usual will make it hard for himself. I saw Janowicz in round 2 and said to Neil (the only mate I have) that he is the big danger to Murray this year. So now they meet as i predicted it won't be easy for Murray, but he will dig deep and come through in 4!

Come on Muzza!

Keeping busy as an unemployed footballer

Football in Scotland

It has been 2 months now since the football season finished and I am still no closer to knowing where I will play next season. Professional football in Scotland is a dying game at the moment, lots of good players not in jobs, and lots of average young players being paid low wages to play full time at a good level.
When i look around teams in the first division they are full of players who have hardly played any first team games but will need to step up this year and try and make an impact. The problem is that fans still expect the same level of quality, but it isn't going to happen.

Part time football seems like an option that more and more good players are taking up, which means that the 2nd division is closing the gap slightly on the 1st because players are making as much money part time as they do full time. With a job on top of football they can make much more money, and when you play lower league in Scotland, money is the most important factor to support your families and to live comfortably, especially when you start getting towards and beyond 30.

Personally it has never been about money for me, I work as hard as i can every day at training to improve as a player, so i want to play as high a level as I can so I can keep enjoying my football. So with the help of the PFA and some calls myself hopefully I can get myself a club and have a successful season.

Keeping Busy

So i have basically become a house husband without a wife or child these days. Cooking and cleaning plus all the other boring stuff around the flat have to get done, and since my girlfriend is at work it means I'm in charge. I get to look after the cat, aptly named Katt Monsen, not by me, as he continues to try and hump everything around the flat. We got him his own 'wanket'(wank blanket) which he seems to have become fond of, so that might save the rest of the flat from his affection. He basically sleeps and humps, then occasionally stands out the window and enjoys the breeze, it isn't so difficult looking after him.


Also joined the gym so i can work on my fitness and strength while I have no club. The pure gym is extremely boring with the same songs on every day not a lot happening. So I do my work and get out before I get too annoyed by the 'gym wanks' that decide they need to let everyone know they are doing some weights by groaning and walking around like they just lifted the heaviest weight ever.

The summer is always good for sport, and much to the annoyance of my girlfriend I pretty much love watching every sport going. So I watch the Tour de France in between Wimbledon and also there is the under 20 World Cup on just now which is good for seeing the talent in other countries, and also because England failed miserably there too.

When it is difficult finding a club here it is times like this I consider moving away, and with a Norwegian girlfriend(KA), Norway seems like not such a bad option. The cost of living is high but the wages are great and it is a beautiful place to be. Would have to convince myself and KA that it would the best option for us though, so that might not be easy!

Well, first blog ever, pretty boring but it is down. Can start trying to be more fun when i get used to typing again and learn how to put videos and photos and stuff in.

Cheers