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Michael Dawson was teetering on jealous. He was somewhere in between. Happy for England and miserable for himself. He also found a sprig of hope in the fact that on the morrow he would be heading to Chigwell, the training ground of Tottenham to report to Mr. McLaren, his new gaffer. He would join the other close season and new season recruits, who included the still exceptionally young Freddy Adu, and China's brightest young hope, the amusingly named Hao Hao. He was the most experienced new arival, as Adu was still in the process of being 20, despite having been around seemingly since the age of the dinosaurs. Hao was 18, and had 22 caps for China. Wow, he felt old.
England blew their chance of a second consecutive World Cup today as they surrendered to an Albania side, high in determination. Led by their talismanic skipper Ramiz Berisha, the 22 year old midfield dynamo, the Albanians proceeded to shut up shop for the entire game, scoring the winner through a counter attack after 88 minutes through Berisha himself, who fully deserved his man of the match award. England went closest through Cole, who hit a post from fully 35 yards, and substitute Leroy Lita who skewed a shot wide when it looked much easier to score. Richard Rowe, the manager looked furious on the touchline after the game and refused to speak to the press. Captain Cole said Today we lost to Albania and perhaps that shouldn't have really happened. Ever eloquent, the England Skipper showed his calm and poise, along with his trademark eloquence. Rooney later added It was a game of two halves which was, quite frankly shudderingly badly put. If only he could show the neatness and sheer eloquence of the Captain, maybe we wouldn't have lost to Albania. May I, Boris Broomstick lead the calls for Michael Dawson to be reinstated into the international fold? It was obvious we needed him, and as a strong supporter of Dawson, I say lets turn to him for hope.
In one of the oddest World Cup Finals ever, Albania, who only qualified for the finals by dint of a somewhat fortuitous 1-0 aggregate win over Bulgaria, lost 5-0 to a rampant Spain. In a tournament where teams thought to be giants, fell at every possible hurdle, and teams like China, Finland and Albania all qualified for the second round or better, it was seemingly impossible for the tiny upstarts to win the world's most prized trophy. Indeed it was. Spain, led by the free scoring Fernando Torres, who led by example with a hat trick in the first ten minutes, proceeded to wipe the floor with their opponents. Albania, who had been magnificent all tournament with their fluid counter-attacking game which had led them to 1-0 victories in every single game, were poor. After a failure to reply to Torres's record hat trick, they seemed to withdraw into an ultra defensive shape. On 59 minutes and 72 minutes, Spain added to their tally, with veteran substitute Raul, on for the ineffective teenager Gabriel Amor, on song. A fitting end for a glittering career for Raul, in his thirties and still going. The cup presentation was savoured long into the night by the Spaniards, where the Albanians must be rueing what could possibly be their only chance of writing their name down in history.
Driving in for his first day at his new club, Michael Dawson listened to Minty Tallulah's hastily released first single, "La La La Yeah Ooh etc" on Radio Inane on his car stereo. Wow, what a voice thought Michael, It's a shame she hasn't learnt how to use it to sing properly.
He eased his Mini Cooper S into the Car Park at Chigwell Training Complex, and saw the new Chinese signing Hao Hao laughing at his motor, in a manner which suggested he was driving a big pile of baboons underpants.
Locking his car, he asked the teenage sensation what was so funny.
Rubbish car, chirruped the young upstart.
Well, Dawson wasn't going to stand for that. It may be a retro vehicle, but that was his choice and his alone.
Hao skipped off in the direction of the physiotherapy lounge, and Dawson, feeling terribly small, went to find his new manager, Steve McLaren.
He pushed open the door, smiled at Mr. McLaren and sat down in a comfortable brown chair.
Morning Gaffer, Michael Dawson reporting for training he ventured.
Ah, replied the manager, Mr. Dawson. How are you after everything?
Michael suppressed a tear, and told the friendly faced man what he had been through this year. With the turmoil of his newspaper expose, and the omission from the England squad, it all added up to a lot of grief.
And, he added, Hao Hao pointed and laughed at my car.
Mike? said McLaren Hao's been doing that to everyone. In the showers, he points and laughs too. Some of the lads have been feeling quite insecure. It'll be sorted though, don't worry.
Thanks gaffer, I really appreciate it, and thankyou for listening. I hope I can repay your faith in me on the field.
Well son, you're looking fit. I'll take a look at you and some of the others in a bit. We have a friendly aginst Moor Green to prepare for tomorrow. I'd like you to play
It had been a good training session, he got to know a few of the lads, and chatted with the few he already knew. Hao had laughed at him in the showers, which hurt his feelings. The young Chinese prodigy had then told everyone that Dawson's car was very small. He felt that his new team-mates had got the wrong end of the stick when they all collapsed in laughter. Nevertheless. It had been a good day, and he was on the teamsheet for tomorrows game away at conference newcomers Moor Green. He knew Moor Green was the place where England Manager Richard Rowe came to watch on occasion, as they were his local team. Given the amount of resentment Dawson felt towards Rowe, he felt determined to help wipe the floor with Moor Green to make his point.
Dawson wanted to make a headline, and this was a perfect opportunity for him.
Lining up with a team consisting of mostly reserves, Dawson felt pride at wearing the famous cockerel of Tottenham on his chest. He wouldn't mention it, but the new kit design had made it look a bit like a cross between a pigeon and an amorphous blob. Nevertheless, he felt a swelling of pride. The game started brightly, with Hao Hao and Freddy Adu going close, shooting wide and over within minutes of the kick off. The action was then stifled by some good play by Ellis Booker, Moor Green's star defensive midfielder. On 27, young 16 year old academy hopeful Jamie Crosby bamboozled the Moor Green defence to powerfully finish low and hard past Moor Green's young French Keeper Pierre Martinez. Crosby added a second on half time, from a header off a cross field ball by Hao Hao, which looped over Martinez, making him look a bit of a wally. The second half came, and Dawson expertly held out against Regis Hastie, the Trinidadian striker single handedly, after the rest of the defence, all academy youngsters decided that a good nap would be a most delightful way to pass the afternoon. Dawson felt he was making a point to the England manager with his sterling performance, when the headline he had been craving, came. But it wasn't one he wanted.
On recieving a ball from the keeper, Dawson saw the opportunity to take the ball out of defence, in the spirit of Bobby Moore type-defending. He glided with ease past several players, before coming up against the gifted young midfielder Ellis Booker. Dawson feinted to go one way, and went the other. Booker, off balance, aimed a kick at the ball. He missed the ball by light years, and his foot, moving ever so fast, cracked against Dawson's leg. Time moved in slow motion for him. At first, Dawson heard a creak, then a jarring movement, followed by a loud snap. Ouch.
Lying on the floor, facing up at the heavens, Dawson screamed in pain. He glanced down at his leg, which was bent in at least four directions. He saw the referee brandish a red card at Booker, who walked off the pitch. He saw the physio running towards him. He saw Hao Hao looking over him, but for once, he wasn't laughing. Then he passed out.
Incidentally. The game continued and eventually ended 4-1 in Tottenham's favour. Straight after the game, Steve McLaren drove to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital to visit Dawson, who had left the game unconscious in an ambulance. The news was not good.
Echoing David Busst's horror injury of the mid 1990's, Michael Dawson went into a challenge, and came out with a horrendously broken leg. Brutal thug Ellis Booker swung out at him during a friendly between his side Moor Green, and Dawson's new club Tottenham Hotspur. The injury is estimated to keep Dawson out of action for about a year. May I extend my condolences to Mr. Dawson, and wish him a speedy recovery. England needs him. As for Ellis Booker, I have news coming through of an addiction to Cough Syrup. More career wrecking news tomorrow, with me, Boris Broomstick.
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