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Hi Friends. I am writing from Barcelona where I have a few hours left before flying back to Manchester to play the last few games of the league.
Perhaps some would think that the way we are at the moment, nothing else matters but I believe the last few games could determine the way Blackpool will tackle the next season. Out of the last 70 games we might have won around 7 and this is a clear indication of the dynamic of this club over the last year and a half. Therefore to give a good image and play some good games in the last bit of the season is, in my opinion, very important for the future.
Last week we found out about the airplane tragedy in the french Alps. I find it difficult to talk about this because these are things that touch you. I flew down to Barcelona on Sunday to sign the purchase of my apartment and I was planning to fly back on Monday morning. Due to a timetable misunderstanding I missed the flight back and I had to rush to buy a new ticket to fly that same night or the day after. The option to fly to Manchester via Dusseldorf came up, the same flight that crashed. I have to say that I was never considering taking that flight because I always prefer to fly to London, rent a car and drive to Manchester. But just thinking about it gives me a lump in my throat. When you find out about all the people who indeed took that plane, then things get worse. Sometimes life is too cruel as no one deserves to end like this. We live in a sick world… On Tuesday I was late for the training session. I had to pay a fine but at least I got there. Others couldn’t. May they rest in peace.
On Wednesday we trained at St Annes’ beach. I had never trained there before and we wore long spikes boots, it was great fun, although we had to work really hard and had another very tough physical session on Thursday before enjoying 3 days rest. It is good to see that the coaches are still working hard despite the position we are in and that no one surrenders.
Those three days felt really short and with all the paperwork for the apartment we didn’t have enough hours to finish everything. We have decided that the apartment will need work done and realised it will be hard work to deal with the concierge, as he is an old style man and not very nice. I hope he likes football…
Since all the family was in Barcelona, including Jordi and Berta who came from Sunderland, we celebrated Norah’s birthday for the third time in 2 weeks! She will end up confused and will think she has celebrated her 3rd, 4th and 5th birthdays!! But that is what happens when you live far away from your family…
I have been able to recharge my batteries and back in the UK I will give everything until the end of the season. To begin with, I am very motivated with out next trip to Bolton. It is a nice stadium, we are neighbours and the atmosphere will be good for sure. I hope things work out well for me, as they did against Leeds and I hope we are lucky enough to win an away game, something that we deserve and have been waiting for for a while. I don’t want to finish the season without winning one.
Going back to the rest days, on Friday afternoon the friend who convinced me to write this weekly column, invited me to watch his son’s training session in Barcelona. I would have loved to have had a son to go and watch him training and to be one of those dads who suffer watching his son, like mine did. I had a good time with him, having a chat and watching his son Jordi on the pitch doing the drills that I still remember doing, listening to the instructions of the coach and the players dad’s standing in the stands deciding what to do to win the next game. I had a great time and coming back home in the car, I even dared to give the boy a bit of advice for which he promised to dedicate me a goal on Sunday. Well, he didn’t score but they won 1-0 and he was given the assist for the goal. The kid looks promising not like his dad…
By the way, I told you not to trust my predictions. I said it was not worth it to watch a F1 race a Mercedes was too superior and yesterday Vettel and Ferrari proved me wrong. I have to admit I am not good at predicitions.
We still have a week left in Blackpool to try to finish the season the best way possible. Bolton on Saturday, as I said, we will try our best again. We must win.
Big hugs!
Come ooooooon!
Translated by Alfons Vinent.