18 March 2008

Half time

On a rainy monday morning I stepped onto this pitch called Rotterdam and soon later I got to know my teammates for this game. We're not la squadra azurra or les onzes de france, no we're more like a club team, without any contingent for international players, which makes our team a tight group of the best players each country has to offer. We have the observers in our team which don't talk too much although they're around and they take their job seriously - they're perfect for goalkeeper position. Then we have those you don't see too much, are diving into their work and stick to their position - perfect for the defense. Then a big group of us is mostly around, keeping the pace up but knows how to vary the speed of the game - our midfield. Another group is travelling all the time, eager to see everything, literally running all the time all over Europe - a perfect match for the wing positions. And then of course we have the ones who try to score on every arising opportunity - our strikers.
After a short training camp we headed off together to our first 45 minutes, which contained back-breaking work as well as artistic masterpieces. It was such an intense game, that the first half flew by at the speed of sound and now they're already over. Tomorrow, is already additional time where we have to put all effort in it one last time before the first half is over. Then, afterwards everyone heads for the locker room to refresh, get the act together, get some time to relax. To drink a cup of tea and exchange the dirty shirt with a clean one. Everyone has his own locker room though. Some have it Italy, in Czech Republic and others in France. Me, I'll have it in Amsterdam where I'll be drinkin my tea with my parents.
The nature of the game implicates as well that there are usually some changes the longer the game lasts. We are having our substitutions already at half time. Some people have finished their work, are heading for there locker room but won't come back for the second half. Others who were on the bench for the first 45 minutes are going to substitute those who're leaving. It's gonna be exciting to see if and how we can keep up the pace. And especially who will be able to do that. And last but not least: how are the substitutes going integrate themselves into the remaining team...

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