TTFE

It’s been a while but Greg managed to take third place over Rolan in the Team Picker Cup 2014 after a dramatic penalty shootout.

After a tight encounter with the scores tied after 10.30 we had to have a winner – so a penalty shootout was the only option for a victor to be found.

It looked like Rolan had it in the bag going ahead to make it 2-1 with only three penalties each to take, but a dramatic save from Tom forced the game into sudden death. Then Tom turned on the keeping supershow with a great save to win the game for the Merthyr Magician.

Greg has offered to write up his own version of events as this reporter wasn’t present until the end, so we will wait and see what helped him secure this important victory!

Winner: Rolan Hazuki

Summary in a Sentence: A second half demolition job neutralising a timid Team Callum capped off a superb, all-rounded performance from Team Rolan.

It was a whisker away from not even being a Team Picker Cup game, but in the end with a bulky fixture list looking to be played out by January – something even optimists are finding hard to see happening –  decisive action was needed to force the tie to go ahead. Good thing it did too – as this was perhaps the best TPC match we’ve had in a long while. Whilst the scoreline suggests it was one-sided the game had just about the right mix of passion, vigour, tactical theorising and technical execution. I’d even put my head on the block to say that this was my favourite TPC game of all time.

The stage was set for a classic tussle between the hardened TPC veteran Callum Gigg against the young upstart Rolan Hazuki, who has been present as a player in all TPC tournaments but now has decided to play master rather than puppet. The strings would need to be handled well however as Callum is certainly no Punch or Judy – his impressive debut finishing in third place back in 2012 an indication of his ability to get the results when needed, with even the current champ Gareth O’Neill a notch on his TPC bedpost.

Team Callum – Joe, Mike, Chris, Callum, Tom, Greg, Pugh

Team Rolan – Gareth, Dan, Dave, Calum, Rolan, Billy, Paul

The first pick was out of the ordinary as not one of the recognised goalkeepers was picked; a growing trend in TPC that attack is becoming the best line of defence. When completed, one would say that on paper that Team Rolan looked the stronger but both teams had the right blend of all the positions to make the game competitive.

“Play for the Welsh armband” the patriotic Callum cried with a resounding, but a familiar controlled, Celtic hwyl. However if Team Callum were being driven by a warm nationalistic fervour, Team Rolan appeared to operate through a colder form of logic. So much so, that I have to admit that Team Rolan were arguably the most functional team I have ever seen in a TPC game; demonstrating an efficiency in all areas of the pitch including flexibility and rigidity when necessary, ruthlessness when in attack and patience when under the cosh.

Billy wasn’t too busy throughout but he showed his metal when he needed to, especially when his one handed stretch save stopped an almost certain goal.  In defence, El Capitan Rolan formed a strong partnership with Paul which proved to cause Team Callum a world of problems when the danger loomed. The freedom shown to the forward four was just what they needed to form a burgeoning attack, which gorged on the empty space left by the hesitant Team Callum midfield and defence.  Dave Germon was enjoying a central role injecting extra invention into the attack when it looked like it’s going stale, meanwhile Gareth and Calum (Sayer) worked the flanks like the wingers of the old – menacing, fast, terrifying. Then completing this destructive diamond was Dead-eyed Dan, who not only carried the ball from midfield to attack with relative ease but was also finding the bottom corner with precision and pose. I always say in 5-a-side it’s not always about finding the best players, but more about finding the right players for the right positions and for me Team Rolan have Achievement Unlocked: Most Functional Team Ever.

On the other side, Team Callum were not the toothless beast I’ve painted them to be. They too had a bite which came from exploiting the back line and a game plan. When Callum and Greg were running the back and feeling pressured, they employed Tom to sit in between them in the middle – an area of the pitch where he naturally naturally thrives when pushing up. With the defence bolstered this inadvertently invited unwanted pressure, although it did force the back line up which was a gift for Chris and Pugh to exploit. Mike provided backup by opening up space and allowing the others to make inviting runs. Chris, ruthless and tenacious as ever, played to his moniker of ‘Mr Rebound’ as he chased every parried shot and scored from a loose ball. He also scored a wonderful headed goal from a corner which was to be important to bring the scores closer at half time to 5-3.

Team Callum also showed an element of defiance to their opponents who could be accused of being a bit heavy handed in their challenges. When Chris shouted “I’m going in with my shoulders!” in the game’s final third it was a retaliation to what had been a rough ride from a set of arguably bully-boy tactics. Greg was the personification of this strength over adversity as his nasty collision with Calum left him with a large bump on his forehead but he continued as if he’d been hit by a feather. His first and only thought was to give the ball back to me as the keeper – Vinny Jones eat your heart out.

The game was effectively over as the second half began to unfold. Team Callum got off to a terrible start conceding two further goals – one of which a Gareth one-on-one keeper nutmeg he’ll be most proud of – and as the game plan switched to a more attacking formation, the ball supply to the attack was tapering off, with Chris becoming more frustrated with little to do. Team Rolan, knowing the game was won, continued to feed their hunger for goals and finished the game with a cushion of six goals.

The Welsh armband inspired a spirited charge, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the might of Rolan’s well-oiled unit. In the next round Rolan will struggle to find a better team than he did this time – especially when the goal machine who helped him fire will be his opponent in the Quarter Finals. Dan will also be out to avenge his early exit from last year’s TPC, so expect sparks to fly for this intriguing match-up.

James Pugh V Chris Phillips

Winner: James Pugh

Summary in a Sentence: A replay in challenging weather conditions favours a clinical Team Pugh for him to his first ever TPC victory over a spirited but nervy Team Chris.

As the dust settles on what was an extraordinary saga in the Team Picker Cup we need to look back to fully process what has happened. Two weeks ago the tie was unfortunately abandoned due to the injury of Pishtewan, who is scheduled to play to winner of this qualifying match. Both captains agreed to replay the fixture on the following week and play the reminder of the game in the regular TTFE format. It was also ultimately decided that the game would start off afresh with Team Pugh’s 4-2 advantage wiped to zero – a decision which could have come back to haunt TTFE’s Mr Nice Guy.

Heal up soon Pishty!

As the sides were assembled, Chris decided to shake things up from the last game by picking Joe first – not his keeper of choice from the last fixture – whilst Pugh opted for Billy and Dan on his first pick.  The sides looked very balanced with each one looking strong in defence, having plenty of pace and good attacking options. Plus with no Pishty and Big G, whose consistent winning records almost make them factors themselves in picking a successful team, it really felt like an even playing field.

Team Chris – Joe, Paul, Dave, Rolan, Chris P, Calum, Chris S

Team Pugh – Mike, Callum, Billy, Dan, Pugh, Tom, Greg

As always a particular factor at the Team Picker Cup is the exposure to the elements and how each team prepares for them. Once the rain became unexpectedly heavy five minutes after kick off game plans were effectively thrown out of the window (thanks Met Office!). Pesky puddles which appeared across the pitch made the passing game difficult, whilst the bounce and run of the ball dictated long balls would need pinpoint precision. Options were limited as became a game for the runners, rather than the passers.  Play was even abandoned at one point due to a particularly bad shower and the keepers – Billy and Joe – shown on a number of occasions why this weather is hell for those in gloves, with a number of slips and misjudgements of the ball.

Team Pugh took an early lead as the rain lashed down but Team Chris did enough to keep up with his competitor, keeping the game competitive until half time when only a single goal kept Pugh in front. After half time Team Chris started brightly but the pressure of always being behind perhaps created an imbalance between attack and defence, with extra initiative to push forward meaning the back was left exposed; particularly on the counter attack. Team Pugh on the other hand looked more balanced by soaking up the pressure when necessary and attacking fiercely when Team Chris looked vulnerable in defence. Each player played a key role in their dominance; Mike always loves this weather for his meandering runs, Dan was reliable in getting the ball forward, Tom provided aerial coverage.  Greg and Callum happily got involved at times whilst Pugh surveyed behind his attack and chipped in – again, when necessary.

Two key observations of Team Chris which led to their downfall was perhaps the lack of clinical finishing up front and the losing of the ball when in midfield. Whilst Team Pugh thrived running up the field, Team Chris often found it hard to get the ball to the attack and were often caught napping in the middle of the pitch, cheaply giving away possession to their opponents. When Team Pugh started to pull away with a three goal cushion, bravado said ‘never die’ whilst reason said ‘Houston, we have a problem’. Chris – TTFE’s Mister Bravado – now was listening to his head rather than his heart.

The game finished with a bitter end as Chris vented his frustration at how things were going and towards the final whistle, which was blown by the game’s referee, Karl Manley. This was the first ever TPC game to be officiated and Karl endured a long evening of rain, ranting and possibly regret as players cried foul and handball throughout. He had a good game overall and I hope that after his decision not to officiate next week, the experience wasn’t too traumatic!

Karl provides his thoughts on being the referee and criticism of not wearing distinctive clothing.

So well done to James Pugh – finally a winner at the TPC on the third time of asking. After such a tricky tie, can he go all the way? Pishty now awaits in the quarter finals. Meanwhile a crushing defeat for Chris means he will not be able to better last year’s performance in the semi finals and will have to accept an early exit. Will we have any peace and quiet from him while the tournament moves on – unlikely!

TPC Referee Karl Manley and Chris Phillips look on as James Pugh arrives late

The toss!

Winner: Greg Davies

Summary in a Sentence: William’s strong defence and pilfering of both keepers was not enough to withstand the attack presented by a well-drilled, determined Team Greg.

Is it that time already? As the leaves begin to fall and a new autumn season is upon us, it fits right that we return to the newly renovated Sophia Gardens outdoor pitch after a summer in the sweatbox AND too right that the Team Picker Cup tournament will crown a new champion by Xmas (or so we hope). Back in Spring Gareth O’Neill defeated Greg Davies to become our second winner of the tournament, building on his impressive semi final performance the year before. Greg’s return to TPC action was to be immediate as the draw paired him with the dangerous Billy Collins, who made the final back in 2012 and lost to our first ever champion, Jon Ridout. One favourite therefore is facing an early exit in what is arguably the tie of the qualifying round  – and one hell of a prospective opening game.

From the pick it was clear that Billy wanted to build from the back – securing a sturdy defence, obtaining Joe as a backup keeper and also acquiring Mike who could carry the ball forward. Meanwhile Greg used his first pick to take Pishty and looked to form a stronger attack to compensate for the defensive options which were swallowed up by William. Both captains went in goal for the kick off.

Team Billy – Luco, Joe, Mike, Pugh, Callum, Tom, Billy

Team Greg – Pishty, Rolan, Chris P, Greg, Gareth, Karl M, Chris S

The game started in good spirits and was similar to previous opening Team Picker Cup fixtures; full of vigour and enthusiasm with everyone eager to get off to a good start for themselves and their captains. It wasn’t long though until the atmosphere became increasingly sour, with tempers becoming shorter than usual. One particular incident which happened early on in the game which exacerbated this was when Team Billy lost the ball and Mike went to retrieve it, during which Team Billy conceded 2-3 goals. A misunderstanding between the teams then ensued over stopping the game when the ball couldn’t be found, leading to a confused handball situation and subsequent free kick for Team Billy. Although the pink-turning-red mist had soon lifted, a slight aura of irritability remained between both sides throughout the match adding competitive bite, but also unwarranted heavy handed challenges.

So as Team Greg raced to a 4-1 lead Team Billy finally started to come into the game, taking a few goals as the leaders went to sleep. As they started to panic they managed to stop the derailing and pushed into a 6-4 lead for half time. By now the earlier misunderstanding had fully been addressed.

The second half started more brightly for Team Billy with more confidence going forward as Billy came out adding some vitality to his side, but they seemed to be blunt in front of goal. At one instance Team Greg survived a three shot salvo as Team William put the pressure on but couldn’t find the net.  Meanwhile the partnership between the two Chris’, and Pishty was causing Team Billy’s defence all kinds of headaches. Team Billy were also hindered by an jarring to the knee of Mike which further affected the attack.  For the final 15 minutes or so it felt like there were no more than four goals between the sides but as Team Billy pegged one back it was instantly wiped out. There was a spirited effort by Team Billy at the end to get back into the game but by now Greg knew that he could start planning his assault to reach the semi finals against Karl Manley – the same opponent he met at this stage last year.

It was a tough defeat for Billy who was visibly dejected after such a brutal effort. After the game he admitted that Greg deserved to win the game and players certainly felt that the game was lost in the pick, with TPC titans Pishty and Big G being on the winning side once again. As for Greg is there an omen for the title this year? Jon and Gareth went onto to win the last two cups respectively after winning the opening fixture of the TPC. No pressure Greg!

What were your thoughts of the game? Post them below or on Facebook!

What. A. Game.  The month is May and we’ve already crept well into 2014 for what was a 2013 competition but boy, it was worth the wait. This was the final we’ve been waiting for – passion, drive and determination evident in every kick, every run and every battle cry. If the overall plan was to get each player fighting vigorously for their respective captain then it was fulfilled ten times over. This was a stage show as much as a competitive final, with the main components of the evening’s proceedings coming together perfectly.

The main actors within this gripping finale played their parts brilliantly. Enter Gareth O’Neill; the self-styled ferocious firebrand that demands 110% and commands respect who fell famously at the semi final stage last year. His trademark of ‘extreme vocal’ has been one of the main reasons why he is a favourite for this competition.

On the other side Greg Davies, the canny, but coy operator who has been fairly quiet in his début season in the TPC – but let it be known he too can also dish out a bowl of harsh discipline to his troops when required and his pragmatic picking ability has arguably won him his seat at this final.

The stage – or the pitch – was itself damp and slightly greasy after a day’s rain but at kick off the precipitation was easing off. Lastly the players – who all clearly were fired up for such a big game as the Top 14 attendees all took part; a rare occurrence at TTFE.

So the teams were:

Team Gareth – Gaji, Rolan, Dan, Gareth, Karl P, Joe, Tom

Team Greg, Greg, Pugh, Callum, Billy, Mike, Chris, Pishty

Team Gareth had the fire power of Karl Powell, who has dazzled the competition with his own brand of stylish football, as well as Dan, who has struggled in the TPC but certainly has the ability to be a game changer. This mutual respect as the TTFE’s trusted goal machines usually keeps them apart during the team picking as this was to be only the second time in the TPC they have played along side each other – interestingly the last time was also under Team Gareth in the semi final (and that ended with a resounding victory which gifted Gareth his place in the final). Meanwhile on Team Greg, you cannot overlook the raw power of Pishty, who has been setting TTFE alight with his fancy footwork and deadly accuracy when shooting. Together with Mike, who always thrives in the wet conditions and can partner Pishty well in attack, not forgetting influential Chris and pacey Pugh, this ensured that goals were on the menu.

It was Dan who wetted his hungry appetite first as he grabbed an early hat-trick to make the game 3-1 to Team Gareth. During this goal blitz Dan also executed a fine flick to pull away from the defender and place the ball in to the net on Billy’s far side. The game plan was to smother Team Greg forcing them to error and this was effective in keeping Team Greg quiet in attack. Team Gareth started to pull away to six goals, but sloppy errors meant Team Greg crept back into it making it 6-4 at half time. Nerves jangled on both sides and as Team Gareth looked to be in a commanding position to win the game, it was still a contest.

It was in the second half where this game really started to move into third, fourth and fifth gear. The rain returned making the pitch even greasier and instantly injecting additional speed into what was already a fast and frantic game. This was also fuel for the fire that burns within Michael Pinto-Castro, who was certainly rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect.

At first, despite the optimism that came with a change in the weather Team Gareth just seemed to consolidate their position by two further goals. It was then that the game flipped as Team Greg began to take the game to their opponents and force them to make the same errors which allowed them breathing space in the first half. Now Pishty started to turn the pressure on – taking what space he could to allow him to wind up for the all important at goal. Team Greg tied the game at 8-8 and now the winds of change were in favour of the Merthyr Magician. Could they go to take the lead for the first time? Sadly for them it was not to be. Team Gareth got back on track as they stole the run of play, perhaps taking advantage of a foul call which boiled over – showing frustration from both sides.

The vocal heard across the pitch was like nothing we’ve seen in a long time at TTFE. Shouts of encouragement were echoed by sighs of disappointment, over a lost ball or a wrong decision when bearing down on goal. Gareth was characteristically barking orders from midfield, while Callum’s trademark ‘keep him on his’ call was working in overdrive, as he commanded his defence with Billy providing authoritative guidance in goal. This was also a night for the goalkeepers who did the right things at the right times; Billy making some outstanding stretched arm saves and Joe foiling a few one-on-one situations with his feet.

The game then reverted to true cat-and-mouse style with Team Gareth pulling away then being pegged back soon after. Now the mistakes mattered as either side needed a hero or simply an opponent who would throw the game away.

At 10-10 and the clock running down, Team Gareth had just about enough in the tank to take the lead for the last time and finally start to pull away. It was well past 10.30pm by now and we were expecting the lights to go out at any moment. Any grace given by the Sport Wales in leaving the lights on would have been vital minutes for Team Greg to mount a final charge but the swift hand of the receptionist cruelly ended Greg’s dream of lifting the TPC mug and shirt. Gareth had done enough to win with a comfortable three goal cushion and take the TPC title.

What were your thoughts on this year’s final? Was the game on the team picking or was it the determination of Team Gareth that won them the game? Who was the best player this tournament? Maybe I’ll set up a poll to see who you think and the winner will get a free drink from the kitty? 

See what our captains thought below – and as always we would love to hear your thoughts!