retired_edmari1

Thanks Chesterfan.

I actually used that line once on a girl 4 years ago.

I'm still with her now. And we love eachother more than anything

retired_milla0225

Well if it works, I ain't going to knock it !

So how does you girlfriend appreciate you sitting up all night playing FM, cos assuming you're still in Oz, that's exactly what you must be doing !

My missus certainly doesn't appreciate me staying up all hours. Nevermind, eh.

retired_edmari1

Saturday 6th August 2005
As the match came to an end, over the loud speaker, the news was heard.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been drawn, Sydney FC will be battling Melbourne Victory in the semi final of the A-League Cup on Tuesday 9th August here at the Sydney Football Stadium. We hope to see you all here."

It was settled. We would play Melbourne on Tuesday. and it would be a tough match.

retired_edmari1

shes ok with it

she will get the shits probably in about 15 minutes so i'll probably be off pretty soon.

But she knows how much i love playing fm so she's ok with it

retired_edmari1

Tuesday 9th August 2005

For the match against Melbourne i only made one changed for the match suad, seeing as Ceccoli and Yorke were still out. I swapped Bingley for Brett Studman, who didn't have the best of games against Queensland. My line up was as follows:

(GK)Clint Bolton
(DR)Mark Milligan
(DL)Adam van Dommele
(DC)Jacob Timpano
(DC)Matthew Bingley
(MR)David Carney
(ML)Andrew Packer
(MC)Steve Corica (c)
(MC)Anthony Danze
(ST)Franco Parisi
(ST)Sasho Petrovski

(SUB1)Diego Barcena
(SUB2)Brett Studman
(SUB3)Ufuk Talay
(SUB4)Alejandro Salazar

The match started off very even. boh sides were puting up a big fight. It was Petrovski who broke the deadline in the 24th minute, courtesy of a Eugene Gelakovic mistake. From there things continued to get better. In the 39th minute, Parisi put in a corner and found the head of Steve Corica, who put the ball past the Melbourne keeper to make it 2-0 and give him his first goal of the season, and a deserved goal it was. Each game, so far, Corica had played marvelously, unlucky to get a goal on several occassions. Now he had it, and at an important time too. Before the half time whistle blew though, Parisi had to put his two cents worth in, when he struck home from outside the 18 yard box, off a Corica through ball, in the 2 minute of injury time, to make it 3-0 at half time. The second half began strongly for us agian. Parisi got his 2nd goal in the 63rd minute, when Gelakovic made another silly mistake, and the game was well and trully won. The score stayed at 4-0 for the rest of the match, and we had a well deserved win, and a well deserved spot in the final.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Press conference after the match

"Well, the boys really deserved the win. They have been playing their hearts out every game. I am particulary pleased with Parisi, and Corica today, for their contributions to the goals, but particularly with Corica, who for the last two matches in Yorkes absence ha taken over the captains role, and done it so brilliantly. He is one of the most experienced players in the squad and all the youngsters look up to him. He really deserved that Man of the Match award he received. Well done to all the lads and thank you to the Melbourne Victory. They put up a great fight, and i'm sure we will have plenty of tough matches between us during the league competition. Thank you."

retired_edmari1

Wednesday 10th August 2005

I picked up Dimi, and we went up to the Central Coast to watch the other semi final. On the way we spoke about who we would like to play and who we thought would win. I was hoping for Central Coast to win, while as much as Dimi said she wanted the same, she still thought we would be facing Queensland.

The match was a very tight contest with only 2 goals in it in the end, and Dimi was right, Queensland did win. 2-0. And we were facing queensland again. This time the match would mean something. Last time we met, we had both already progressed to the semi finals.

retired_edmari1

Friday 12th August 2005

"Boss I have a problem"

Jacob Timpano came into my office holding his wrist, with Alex Webb by his side. This didn't look good. Jacob had been playing so well throughout the competition.

"What is it Jacob?"

"I strained my wrist during weight training coach. Alex here tells me I'll be out for 2 weeks."

"Ok..Look we could give you an injection to keep you for this game but i'd rather leave it to Alex to fix it for you from now."

"I want to play coach. Its the final."

"I know but if we let you play this final, we risk losing you for a month rather than 2 weeks. I'd rather have you for the league. That's more important."

I knew he was disappointed, but it was the best way.

retired_edmari1

Tuesday 16th August 2005

The good news for today's match was that both Yorke and Ceccoli were fit again, but having had only a minimal amount of training this week, i kept them both on the bench, to play them later in the match. The only change to the starting line up from the previous match that i made was bringing on Studman for the injured Timpano.

(GK)Clint Bolton
(DR)Mark Milligan
(DL)Adam van Dommele
(DC)Brett Studman
(DC)Matthew Bingley
(MR)David Carney
(ML)Andrew Packer
(MC)Steve Corica (c)
(MC)Anthony Danze
(ST)Franco Parisi
(ST)Sasho Petrovski

(SUB1)Diego Barcena
(SUB2)Alvin Ceccoli
(SUB3)Ufuk Talay
(SUB4)Dwight Yorke

In the first half, Queensland were all over us. In fact, we only had 2 shots on goal, the whole first half. We went in at half time and told the boys how dissapointed I was. We were falling appart out there. We were crumbling to pieces. I decided to make a change. I needed Yorke's presence, so i put him on and took off my former Olympic youth team team mate Franco Parisi. Immediately Yorkes presence was felt, as our game lifted, and we began to control most of the possession. The end of the 90 minutes of normal play time came, and we were still locked at 0-0. Extra time would be played. One advantage i had at this point, was that while Queensland had used all three of their substitutions, i had only used 2 and had one left n the bag. I had Barcena and Talay still on the bench, with more of a chance of playing Talay than Barcena, as Bolton was having a scorcher of a game. midfielder Anthony Danze, however, was beginning to limp around. I decided I would give him, 10 minutes to see how he was. If he didn't look any better after that i would replace him with Talay. In the 98th minute, the breakthrough came. Yorke played a wonderful ball through for petrovski who slotted it home. Danze was still limping around though so i decided to make the change. The change payed off as in the 104th minute, Talay forced a foul out of Dislevski in the Queensland penalty area, giving us the penalty, and Dislevski the red card. Milligan slotted it home this time, making it 2-0 in our favour. Half time in extra time came and it was still 2-0. In the second half of exra time, nothing special happened except for spectacular save after spectacular save from Bolton. The game stayed at 2-0 and we had won the A-League Cup.

retired_edmari1

Tuesday 16th August 2005

After the match, for a celebration, I asked Jamie to organise a party for the lads. I felt that my place, being a nice 3 story house with a pool out back, leading into a part of the house, where there was a bar, room to dance and then a hallway leading into the tv room, where i had a playstation 2, a computer and an xbox set up, the playstation 2 and xbox on separate tvs ofcourse, would be perfect. So i told Jamie to let the guys know that they can bring their wives or girlfriends and bring their swimmers too.

The lads would have training off on tomorrow, but would be expected back on Thursday no excuses.

Every single one of the lads turned up with their partners, most deciding to spend their time around the pool area, or even in the pool. Taking a walk around the house, i noticed some of the younger players, on the playstation and xbox, playing the latest fifa game, Fifa 2006. Mark Milligan seemed to be beating anyone who challenged him on the playstation. The lads had figured out a system. Winner stays, while others challenge. (Later i would find out no one could beat Milligan, as two hours later i came back in and he was still there, and one of the other players mentioned to me that no one even came close to beating him). As I walked into the next room, the computer room, i found Steve Corica in there all alone on the computer.

"What are you doing Steve?"

"Just treating myself to a game on Football Manager 2006. Is that ok with you boss? I can get off if you want."

"No that's ok Steve. I love the game. You played it before?"

"Oh yeah. Love it too. I even got my sons hooked on it."

"Yeah. I noticed the wife and kids weren't here. They at home?"

"Yeah one of the young ones wasn't feeling too well after the match, but the wife told me to come."

"Since you love fm 2006 so much, are you looking at taking my job after you retire?"

"I don't know boss. If you do a bad enough job i guess, yeah. Nah...I think i may just become a coach. I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I guess when i'm ready to retire i will think about it. But I will tell you, i'm not too far away from that."

"You think? I mean you are playing so well. Look, go home to your sick child. He needs you more than we do at this moment. Go and have a glass of wine with your wife as celebration for tonight. That is pobably the best celebration you could have. A night with the wife and kids. Not this. This is just an excuse to get drunk and pass out. You,...you are better than this. go."

"Thanks boss. I'll do that. Hey i hope everything goes well for you this season. You know i'll put i everything i got don't you?"

"I know. That's why you have been starting for me. Hey...i'll save your fm game. If you ever feel like visiting and you want to play it, feel welcome."

"Thanks boss. See you Thursday."

Things between Jamie and me got even better tonight also. As the night went on, we danced together and danced and drank, until everyone had gone and we were all alone.

(The rest of the night, i won't describe in detail, but everyone gets the idea.)

retired_edmari1

Saturday 20th August 2005

(After training)

"Alejandro...come here for a minute please."

"What is it boss?"

"When you get changed and have a shower and whatever else, can you please come to my office? Thanks."

"Sure boss. I'll be there in about 30 minutes. Is that ok?"

"Yeah thats fine. See you then."

(30 minutes later, in my office)

'Knock knock.'

"Come in...ah Alejandro. Have a seat. This is going to be hard for me to say, but after extensive talks with bnoth my coaching staff and the board, we feel that you are not quite fitting in to my plans, and feel that in order to not hold you back from progressing into becoming a great player one day, we feel that it might be best to let you go, which would allow you to talk to other clubs. I'm very sorry."

"That's ok. I mean you have to do what you have to do. I understand...It was a pleasure working for you boss."

"I'm very sorry Alejandro."