Footy, Love and Cancelled Game

Earlier in the week, our coach Alan Richardson commented on Nick Riewoldt positively. He made a good body shape dropping off five kilos while taking an extra break in his wife’s native Texas.

Then on Friday, there was a great announcement from the club. The veteran midfielder Leigh Montagna’s contract was extended until the end of 2017. I found he was on Sunrise with Richo. But it was hard to find a video clip on the show’s website.

On the following day, I found the video uploaded on the club App. And the news was reported exclusively on the Channel 7’s breakfast show. It was great to see them on the show and commenting positively to make a strong footy club.

And Joey won over the huge pressure on kicking a ball at Luna Park for 75 metres. It was successful. The well done kick was coming from his experience and skills how to handle with pressure. I think appearing three grand finals taught him.

Alan also expressed excitement on the next NAB Challenge game in MacKay in Queensland. Riewoldt and Montagna were on the list. It seemed time for veterans to start running the engine so that they would perform very well in the home and away season.

Actually I listened to Richo’s interview on SEN Breakfast show on Friday morning. Once again his positive comments impressed this crazy St Kilda supporter (me).

Later on the day, I found I had been rostered for an empty inn for Sunday evening while I would have time off until 4 pm. I rang my boss and was told that I would have a whole day shift at the other inn. The notice made me much disappointed and sad as well as anger for not communicating properly.

I was about to go to Coolabah in Osaka where I have watched footy, cricket and football (soccer). I miss the footy pub.

It was the start of negative things around the game against Lions.

In the evening, I found out that Riewoldt has been ruled out from the game due to falling into an ill. I wished I could see how shaped body would create good footy.

Then newsfeed on Facebook told us that Brisbane Lions sought an alternative match in Brisbane with St Kilda due to the terrible weather conditions in MacKay.

I started wondering what would happen on Sunday.

Waking up in the morning, no cancellation, postpone or diversion was found.

At 10 am, all guests have gone so I tuned in Sunday Sportsentral on SEN. They said they would broadcast the match after Demons vs Doggies game.

Thanks to early departure, I finished cleaning by 12:45 pm. Making a plan for listening to the match, I decided to go on a quick bike ride and had lunch inside the back office (my bed room) as it seemed to rain while the game was on.

I understood the game would start at 3:40 pm Melbourne Time which is 1:40 pm my time. Accessing the AFL App, there was no box to tick for the live coverage. I only found the live radio for the Melbourne vs Bulldogs one. So frustrating.

Then the AFL website indicated that the game would be starting at 3:40 AEST. Okay I would wait another hour and meanwhile I listened to the another game wishing all the best for Doggies.

But the Facebook newsfeed brought us a bad news. The match has been cancelled because of safety reasons on the field. Final call for bad ending that grabbed my energy and emotion.

I commented on AFL’s Facebook post expressing disappointment and wanting to know if there would be an alternative match. Other followers provided me information that I appreciate a lot and others are impressed or surprised to see me supporting St Kilda and my Facebook profile photo.

What I realised was how much I love footy and St Kilda. Even the preseason match, I was longing to watch the game. Only listening to the radio was not enough.

Then I thought losing the opportunity to play footy was bad for the mighty Saints. The young team needs more experiences for the home and away season. Boys were unable to learn skills and coaches lost the opportunities to set strategy or to amend game plans.

I love footy and am longing a love. Passionate is the key to support St Kilda and to have a nice girlfriend. No passionate no Yoshi.

Last week’s Ross Lyon’s contract extension was surprising. He has good winning records but they slump in the final series and his club has old player list. He has not blooded young kids so why Fremantle chose to stick with him?

Age gaps in his play list at St Kilda is similar to my circumstances with ladies. In late teens and most 20s, close people at university and the railway work were boys / men. I believe I should have gained skills to how to deal with girls / women these times as enjoyable times and it would easy to learn. It was hard to meet women.

Then at the age of 30, I moved to New Zealand for four years. I found it was not easy to talk to Japanese women over there while I enjoyed companies and friendships with western ladies. I felt more attractive to western women because of how they communicated and physical contacts such as hugs.

Having had to leave the beautiful country, I am in Japan again. I still enjoy meeting lovely western women, it is hard for me to get along well with Japanese counterparts.

My women situations are hard to fix. Even they are worse than the mess Ross left at St Kilda. Luckily the mighty Saints have got a nice coach, Richo. But I have no coach to find a love.

Socialising only within the same gender done by Japanese people add the gap of abilities to being able to interact between western women and Japanese counterparts.

Also communication issues can gain such a gap. In other fields in the life generally, communication issues ruin my motivation, loyalty and faithful and indeed are opposite from love. Being asked (told) to do some important things or to work under the changed roster in very short notice, such as i have mentioned you above, is unreasonable for me. It is like the rumour of how former our coach Scott Watters communicated with then football department boss Chris Pelchen. Other example was the rumour of between former Bulldogs coach Brendon McCartney and his players. Great communication is important in our life generally.

But on the other hand, I can talk to lovely and beautiful western women. It is good even I meet mostly travellers here. I wonder where I can meet single western lady expats.

Unfortunately I look back the past and drawl because of negative past. I sense many Japanese people try to keep me away from ladies and do not want any woman to date me. But worry changes nothing, I understand.

Maybe I need to join hard trainings or leadership seminar lectured Nick Riewoldt or Bob Murphy?

As a 43 year old man without having a girlfriend in my whole life, I want a unique relationship like Nick has. He met his wife Catherine while he was on an off season trip in the US. Even Catherine started talking to Nick. In other words, I want a western woman. Oh, by the way, Sunday’s winning coach Paul Roos is married to an American woman too!

Committing too much work distracts from other enjoyable activities including writing for the great Almanac. Such circumstances create unbalanced life, like the players’ age gaps that Lyon created at St Kilda.

When Ross and North Melbourne coach Brad Scott rested their key players at Round 23, media labelled their decisions controversial. But I think it came from love respecting players for hard work and to perform well in September. They are nicer than my boss who pushes me hard with very long working hours.

I would advise Ross to introduce more attacking footy to bring the flag to Fremantle (oops, I do not want to see because I barrack for the Saints). I may need to act more to get a balanced life, for example, seeking a job with fewer hours and searching places to meet western expats for a potential girlfriend.

My game plans for the relationship stay seeking a western girlfriend. Maybe I have to watch footy at stadium and to find a fellow passionate St Kilda supporting woman to date?

Footy and love connect a lot for me.