Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning

Week 27







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An enraged Rocky Race sprinted onto the pitch as the referee blew the final whistle signalling defeat
for his Baltimore Bullets side. The rookie coach was incensed at a number of controversial refereeing
decisions that had cost his side any chance of victory against Pittsburgh Powermen. Star midfielder
and captain, Carlos Figueroa had been sent-off for dissent, following a hotly disputed penalty
awarded to the Powermen, that also saw the Bullets goalkeeper dismissed for serious foul play.
Race screamed at the officials, Unbelievable! I cant get a break with you guys! You are determined
to screw me! Rocky had lived in the states too long, he was even beginning to sound like a Yank.
Rockys assistant coach, was now holding him back, ushering him to the locker rooms. Rocky was still
focussed on the referee, spitting insults and curse words like a drunk Duncan McKay. Rocky, ease
off, man! Youll be fined and suspended already, dont make it worse, dude! But Rocky still had that
fiery temper, the same flaw that saw him shown the red card over twenty years ago on just his
second senior Melchester Rovers appearance.
While soccer was still a minority sport in the United States of America, the MLS did receive
comprehensive television coverage. Every second of his outburst from the moment he reacted to
the penalty call, by abusing the fourth official to the punch that caved in a locker in the away
changing room, was captured and beamed live across the country. Few would have been watching in
the U.S. but there were plenty of interested viewers in England. But right now a sense of injustice
prevailed, he did not seem aware that this episode would soon be picked up by Sky Sports News and
broadcast to millions of football fans, club chairmen and officials and of course his father. If Rocky
Race wanted to make it big as a football manager, he had to curb that temper. No-one in England
would touch him right now. Roy Race had been watching the game live, having stayed up late
especially to support his sons team. He was ashamed, again, of his boys behaviour. He would have
to ring him, but not right now, he knew Rocky too well. There was no way the latest Race manager
would listen to advice until he had cooled down.
Instead Roy used his digital television remote control to rewind the Powermen versus Bullets match,
he would watch again adding to his notes. Sooner or later Rocky would ask his advice, he was sure of
that and he wanted to be prepared. The MLS was a weak league, far below any level Roy had ever
played, but it was ultra competitive, every side relatively equal. That meant success could be
achieved, but a side like the Bullets were just as likely to fail.
Roys notes on the match did not focus on Pittsburgh, he wanted to analyse Baltimore. Rocky had
only been in the job for two months and clearly did not know the strengths or weaknesses of his
squad. From the first minute he was up on the edge of his technical area shouting instructions. He
was pointing and yelling, forcing players to stick to their assigned positions. It was not working, his
team were unfamiliar with the system. It was the Roy Race system, 4-3-3, the Melchester Way, as it
had become known, but the Bullets could not or would not play it. The captain, Figueroa, who
should have been the young coachs voice on the field was most guilty. He was dropping very deep,
between his centre-backs, receiving short passes from the defenders and goalkeeper. It was
undermining all the training and tactical drills Roy knew his son had worked at on the training field.
The Melchester Way needed speed and power, the Bullets had power and they were obviously very
fit and some genuinely quick, but without quick passing it just could not work. Figueroa was slowing
down play so much, playing at such a leisurely pace, that any movement ahead of him was wasted.
The wide men were running tirelessly but never received decent service, in fact they were working
themselves into the ground for nothing. Rocky had a real problem, he had to change systems, he
could not change players. He had to build his side around Figueroa, the Honduran was good enough
to win matches at this level on his own. Rocky had to abandon his football philosophy just like Roy
himself had done in the early nineties. In football everyone must be willing to adapt.

Melchester Rovers missed the chance to go level on points with fourth-
placed Everpool as they played out a grim goalless stalemate with
Deans Park at Mel Park.

Rovers were attempting to recover from the frustrating 2-1 defeat at Redstoke, while Park
were desperate to bounce back from the 2-2 draw at home to bottom club Castlemere. And it
showed in a game that was desperately disappointing in between a flurry of chances in the
opening and closing minutes, ending in a result that did not serve the purposes of
Melchester Rovers manager Vernon Eliot
or Deans Park counterpart Jack Cassidy,
other than in avoiding defeat.

Former Rovers defender Jeff Espirit came
closest for the visitors but his early effort
was saved by Nathan Daniels, who also
turned the American's late header onto the
bar. Declan McKaffree missed Melchester's
best opportunity although Jake Cheetham
brought two fine late saves out of Park
keeper Daniel Dear and Danny Jones
header was cleared off the line by Thomas
Adoube.

For too long, however, this was a poor game between two sides who seemed intent on
avoiding defeat as their first priority - and a shadow of previous games between these two
clubs in recent years. Cassidy is still waiting for his first win at Mel Park in his managerial
career, while the home side could not land a morale-boosting blow in their pursuit of the
Champions League place as they remained three points adrift of fourth-placed Everpool.

Deans Park, meanwhile, are still fifteenth, now 9 points ahead of the relegation places.The
excitement of the opening moments and an exchange of chances proved to be a false dawn
ahead of a turgid first half. Full-back Espirit should have punished his former club when he
robbed Tommy Tonks 25 yards out to advance on Daniels but his shot lacked power and the
keeper was able to save low down. McKaffree then wasted an equally good opportunity
when he muscled his way ahead of Darren Pyre only to head Drew Powell's corner wide.

Dear then needed to make a diving stop as the returning Jake Cheetham's shot deflected off
Pyre - but otherwise this was stale fare from two teams who have produced so much better.
Cassidy made an enforced change at the start of the second half as he sent on Kenny
Simpson for Peter Kipling, who had taken a blow to the head in an aerial challenge with
McKaffree. But it was Melchester who came closest again just after the hour when Jones
rose to meet another Powell corner only to see his header swept off the line by Adoube.

As the game entered its final 20 minutes both Eliot and Cassidy attempted to give their sides
fresh impetus as Richie Lyons replaced Tonks and Lars Pederson replaced the subdued
Chris Wallace.

There had been little sign of any partnership between Cheetham and Powell but the pair
linked superbly as Rovers almost went ahead with 11 minutes left. Powell's cross found
Cheetham at the far post but Dear reacted superbly to push his header safely wide. Deans
Park responded as the game finally showed signs of life, Daniels doing well to save from
Park skipper Dan Walsh on two separate occasions in the closing minutes, but there was no
breakthrough.







* * *
Jake Cheetham, the captain of Melchester Rovers, sat in obvious discomfort on the physiotherapists
table, his right knee clearly swollen. A heavy challenge from Deans Parks powerful skipper Dan
Walsh towards the end of the disappointing nil-nil draw at Mel Park forced Cheetham to receive
lengthy treatment and now he was a doubt for the vital match away at second placed Danefield
United. Johnny Dexters side were physical, yet also boasted some of the most exciting attacking
talent in the Premier League. What are my chances Deb? Jake asked Rovers long serving club
doctor Debbie Foster, You can play, but youll need a painkilling injection once the swelling has
eased, so you can train and another again on Sunday morning before the match. Its up to you Jake,
playing through the pain can make ligament strains like this far worse. You suffer pain for reason, its
your body telling you that its broken or breaking. Personally, I think you should rest. But as I said,
its up to you skipper.
The physio slid an ice compress up Cheethams right leg and secured it in place over the suspect
knee. There was no way Jake, the captain and leader of Melchester Rovers could not play in such an
important match. Rovers were still chasing that fourth place, they sat in sixth just three points
behind Everpool, who were fourth and one point behind fifth placed Portdean. Tynecaster United, in
seventh were joint on points with Rovers, and were desperate to match last seasons fourth place
having been shocked in the qualifying round in August by minnows Dinamo Vlaznia of Albania. Every
minute of every remaining match was crucial to Rovers season, if they could snatch the final
Champions League place, it would signal a return to the big time for the biggest club in England and
probably secure Jake Cheethams place in the England World Cup squad for Brazil.
I leave this compress on until this evening, right? Then you can give me the first jab? Debbie
nodded, I have to play. I want to play. I am the captain. I let the club and the boss down with that
agro with the Melboro players, now I can make up for that by leading Rovers to a win at Danefield!
Vernon Eliot, was passing the open door, Thats the spirit skipper! Lets show Johnny Dexter and
United we can play it tough too! The manager shouted as he entered the room, slapping his captain
on the back. We need you Jake. Youve got to press on Shaun Royce, hes the man that makes them
tick. You know that, but since hes dropped into that defensive midfield position he is pinging it
about all over the park, man. Youve got to sit on him, make him run backwards, hes not as mobile
as he once was. Really make him move about the park. Im gonna make Drew press him too, me and
Gerry reckon, if you two push up we can stop the Danefield machine. They are on fire, man, but we
can match them.
The physio handed Jake a set of crutches as Vernon helped him down from the table, Ive had a
message from Ritchie Gunn too. He will be at Danefield on Sunday. Royce obviously is England
captain and a certain pick, the only person he will be judging is you, man. If you can dominate the
England captain then he will have to pick you. If you show him that youre back to your pre-
Christmas form then he says you wont just be in the squad, youll be in the first team for the match
against Italy. Its not just Melchester who needs you Jake, England do too.

Storky Knight
NEXT Danefield United versus Melchester Rovers