Welcome to my second blog post. Hope you are returning after finding my first piece interesting.
I write this after beating Dunfermline away at the weekend in what was a massive win for us, especially after the humiliating result we suffered there previously. It was a slightly unorthodox footballing style from us. We showed we can mix it up and defend when called upon, with our backs against the wall. We didn't allow them to break us down and kept a tight compact shape across the back and defended expertly from the strikers all the way back. Yes, it wasn't pretty, yes we didn't pass the ball around much second half but we did play better football against Morton the previous week and lost!
We now face a difficult task away to Dumbarton, who have been in the best form of any team in the country of late, if not Britain! We know how tough a game it will be and hopefully we can come away with a pleasing result and performance to match.
A big factor in our build up to our games is routine and superstition. Nowadays, we have pre-match pasta at Tony Macaronis every week at around 11:30. Its certainly an upgrade in standard from pre-match meals of the past, albeit extremely garlic-y - something some of the players should maybe take into consideration when talking to each other afterwards! After our pre-match we go sit down at the same seats and have a little tea and coffee club. Last week (before the Morton game) we didn't get our regular seats and we lost! So the boys were adamant to get our regular seats this time round which we did and it seemed to work! (see photo)
A lot of the time players get asked what we will do once our football careers finish. Now, were not naive in thinking football lasts forever. We are all realistic and as much as we love what we do, and would love to do it all our life, it's extremely unlikely. For the majority of us anyway.
Some of us have already taken precautions. For example, Liam Fox owns a hairdressers in Edinburgh (Sphere) in which his wife runs and manages! Surprising with his current haircut, I know. He's kinda like the club's own version of the Zohan!
Keaghan and Kyle Jacobs have a budding supplement business in the form of being Herbalife representatives. They supply the team with all their vitamins and shakes, protein goods, and also weight loss programmes and supplements for anyone who needs it... like club physio Andy McKenzie! Keags and Kyle make a small profit in selling the products onto us. They planned on using the profits to contribute towards their flights back home to South Africa in the summer. What we didn't know is, they're now flying first class there and back! Small profit boys?!?
Kevin McCann and Iain Russell both attend college courses on our Wednesday day off. Both are taking their first steps into becoming PE teachers. Kev is also starring in a new TV drama called "The Following" (he is Kevin Bacon's twin).
Ross Docherty sells Arbonne products in his spare time. This consists of skin products, beauty and cosmetic products etc. He could be on to a winner with some of the vain boys in our dressing room. Andy McNeil co-owns a goalkeeping school called Goalkeeping Development Coaching and looks to be going down the coaching route.
What about myself? I'm qualified as a web designer after taking a two year course several years ago, in which I've put together several websites for friends, friends of friends etc. I'm also currently taking a personal training course. The more options you have the better I'd say, then you can make a choice which path you want to go down.
As you can see there is a lot of variety between boys looking to stay within sport or football and others maybe trying something different. It's amazing what some football players are qualified in, or have done as jobs previously, without anyone even knowing about it!
Hope you have enjoyed reading about what we have planned after our football careers. Whether it be four months time, twelve months or six years time, I think its important to have a rough indication of what path you will go down. More so for the older ones in the team, but it's also beneficial even for the younger generation - to keep their feet on the ground and lay foundations for future careers whenever the time comes!
Until next time...
Mango Barr
#livingwithmango
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