Posted by: Richard Lee 06/07/2008
The Week Before We Return
With pre-season round the corner it meant a tough week's training in an attempt to prepare myself for the five or six weeks ahead. I reported to the training ground along with a few other lads to do some work in the gym and to do some light goalkeeping work.
I'm also in the process of moving at the moment so spent most of Monday and Friday packing up my house preparation - not the most enthralling of tasks!
Once more, very little to report on the football front, barely any rumours to get excited about either...I'm sure that'll change very soon as pre-season gets underway.
I also had a couple of player appearances this week, the second of which was to be in goal for a penalty shootout in order to hopefully help raise a bit of money for the school. It was at Downley Primary school, near High Wycombe and, in fairness, although most of the boys and girls were young the standard of penalties was very impressive and gave me quite a workout!
I probably wasn't best prepared facing the penalties in flip-flops but I managed to save a few. It of course goes without saying that a few of the parents had a go and smashed some balls in my direction. I guess the temptation of getting to take a few penaties is too hard to resist whatever age you are!
I'm just as bad; I remember on a holiday to Malia a couple of years back there was a penalty shootout stall and I became slightly addicted. Two euros for three shots, score three and you win a bottle of champagne. Well I say champagne but I use the name loosley as it was quite possibly the worst thing I've ever tasted in my life!
Fortunately my friend Daren, who came with me, enjoyed it so I won him a couple of bottles (his penalties left a lot to be desired so was unlikely to win it himself!)
So, in short, although not the most pleasant of ordeals having balls smashed at you from five yards when you are wearing nothing more than a T-shirt, cargo shorts and flip-flops, I could fully understand the attraction!
As I said at the start, this was the final week before pre-season so will be back next Sunday in Austria with the squad to give you the details on how the first week has fared and hopefully more to tell you on the football front! until then...