Talking of last games it is also Linda's swansong in the burger van. She is hanging up her spatula for a well deserved retirement. I am writing this as I'm gorging on a calorie packed bacon, egg and mushroom baguette. Yummy.
That's bad news...not so much for my waistline as I can rarely resist the smell as I get to the gates, but she will be missed! Do you know if someone is taking it over?
Currently I'm thinking JJ will come on at about 70 mins - to get a really good run at trying to find that 100th goal involvement - only to then be withdrawn in the 90+ period so he gets the standing ovation he rightfully deserves.
Even if that means playing the last couple of minutes with only 10 men it would be the right move to make.
Not sure about the last bit, he'd surely prefer to do his bit if needed and can be celebrated afterwards. If he does start on the bench it'll be so he doesn't have to chase a quick winger about for 90 minutes.
He won't start. It's not a friendly and shouldn't be treated as one.
I see it as bad form to start treating any game anything less than it is. The mentality should be to play your strongest team and win at all costs.
He had his testimonial, and will come on as captain for sure but it's not Sunday league where you draw positions out of the hat. It's a game that we should be trying to win at all costs.
We started a Sunday league goalkeeper in goal for about 5 games at the beginning of last season. This game is a dead rubber. There is absolutely nothing up for grabs other than pride. The real pride would be allowing one of our club’s best ever servants to start his final game for us. He helped drag us to the Championship! You won’t remember if we finished 10th or 11th this season in a few years’ time. You will want to remember JJ’s final game.
I won’t argue whether he starts or comes on with 5 minutes to go. There are valid arguments for either scenario. (I personally just favour him coming on as a sub)
Anyone know whether there is a difference in payments to a club between say 10th and 13th? If there is and it’s significant I would more strongly favour keeping him back as a sub.
Some people are talking as if JJ is some old crock or someone who won a raffle. He's a highly trained professional footballer with an exceptional footballing brain. He absolutely deserves his place in the team.
If he wants to play 100 minutes I'd personally let him as he's earned it, but there should be some understanding if he doesn't start that he hasn't played much football recently and if he had the stamina he had 10 years ago (like anyone does) he'd probably have played a lot more.
20 minutes of us playing for corners and free kicks screaming"Shoooooot" at the end of an already decided game or as much as he can handle from the start and a standing ovation when he comes off makes no difference to us and Blooms and JJ have enough respect for eachother and the club to pick what is appropriate.
Nailed it. I yield to no one in my admiration of JJ but this is not a testimonial game and I am sure that JJ himself would be the first to say that winning is the first priority.He is an unselfish, team player and would want the club he has served so well to finish the season on a high.
By the way, thank you so much for casually mentioning the KO time change in your post, because if I hadn’t seen that whilst going for a run-the-clock-down crap at work yesterday, I would have been having a meltdown on a train somewhere near Taunton right now.
God bless you @Wycombe85. Buy you a beer to say thanks if you’re hanging around after the game?
I assume that you are referring to Tyler Dickinson when you use the disrespectful phrase ‘Sunday league goalkeeper’. I doubt that many Sunday morning keepers have been on the books of Tottenham, QPR and several clubs lower down the football pyramid.
Yeah he plays for Walton and Hersham. Three or four of my Sunday league team could (and do) play at that level. It’s beside the point. JJ is not a Sunday league player. And this is not an important game.
Comments
Talking of last games it is also Linda's swansong in the burger van. She is hanging up her spatula for a well deserved retirement. I am writing this as I'm gorging on a calorie packed bacon, egg and mushroom baguette. Yummy.
That's bad news...not so much for my waistline as I can rarely resist the smell as I get to the gates, but she will be missed! Do you know if someone is taking it over?
Amazing that for a sustained spell we were shooting from corners.
I'd like to think we will be for the best part of 90 minutes tomorrow as well
Having been all set to be at AP to see JJ’s final game, I now have to go to work at 2pm so will watch on wanderers tv
I have just had an awful thought - what if he doesn’t start and comes off the bench on 80 mins🙈🥲
Thanks for the memories!!! 🐐
I'd be shocked if he doesn't start and isn't captain for the day.
He hasn't played more than a few minutes in ages, I wouldn't be massively surprised if he starts on the bench and gets his moment later on.
She's not sure what's happening with the plot but there may be a new vendor.
100% agree.
Would be slightly awkward if the club billed this as a big 400th game then brought him on with 2mins to go!
Specifically when our constant going down just outside the box finally pays off and he runs on to take a very tasty freekick.
Currently I'm thinking JJ will come on at about 70 mins - to get a really good run at trying to find that 100th goal involvement - only to then be withdrawn in the 90+ period so he gets the standing ovation he rightfully deserves.
Even if that means playing the last couple of minutes with only 10 men it would be the right move to make.
Not sure about the last bit, he'd surely prefer to do his bit if needed and can be celebrated afterwards. If he does start on the bench it'll be so he doesn't have to chase a quick winger about for 90 minutes.
As much as Bloomfield and the players may want to finish 10th, JJ’s last day is larger than that. JJ should play 65ish mins.
He won't start. It's not a friendly and shouldn't be treated as one.
I see it as bad form to start treating any game anything less than it is. The mentality should be to play your strongest team and win at all costs.
He had his testimonial, and will come on as captain for sure but it's not Sunday league where you draw positions out of the hat. It's a game that we should be trying to win at all costs.
Absolutely he will
I disagree, it's not a game we should be aiming to win at all cost. No game is.
Yes we should be aiming to win - at all costs would make us a very team and we're better than that.
We started a Sunday league goalkeeper in goal for about 5 games at the beginning of last season. This game is a dead rubber. There is absolutely nothing up for grabs other than pride. The real pride would be allowing one of our club’s best ever servants to start his final game for us. He helped drag us to the Championship! You won’t remember if we finished 10th or 11th this season in a few years’ time. You will want to remember JJ’s final game.
I won’t argue whether he starts or comes on with 5 minutes to go. There are valid arguments for either scenario. (I personally just favour him coming on as a sub)
Anyone know whether there is a difference in payments to a club between say 10th and 13th? If there is and it’s significant I would more strongly favour keeping him back as a sub.
Best of luck, JJ - brilliant servant of the club, wonderful player to watch.
Some people are talking as if JJ is some old crock or someone who won a raffle. He's a highly trained professional footballer with an exceptional footballing brain. He absolutely deserves his place in the team.
100%.
If he wants to play 100 minutes I'd personally let him as he's earned it, but there should be some understanding if he doesn't start that he hasn't played much football recently and if he had the stamina he had 10 years ago (like anyone does) he'd probably have played a lot more.
20 minutes of us playing for corners and free kicks screaming"Shoooooot" at the end of an already decided game or as much as he can handle from the start and a standing ovation when he comes off makes no difference to us and Blooms and JJ have enough respect for eachother and the club to pick what is appropriate.
Nailed it. I yield to no one in my admiration of JJ but this is not a testimonial game and I am sure that JJ himself would be the first to say that winning is the first priority.He is an unselfish, team player and would want the club he has served so well to finish the season on a high.
By the way, thank you so much for casually mentioning the KO time change in your post, because if I hadn’t seen that whilst going for a run-the-clock-down crap at work yesterday, I would have been having a meltdown on a train somewhere near Taunton right now.
God bless you @Wycombe85. Buy you a beer to say thanks if you’re hanging around after the game?
I assume that you are referring to Tyler Dickinson when you use the disrespectful phrase ‘Sunday league goalkeeper’. I doubt that many Sunday morning keepers have been on the books of Tottenham, QPR and several clubs lower down the football pyramid.
That sounds utterly bizarre. The coming on then back off part!
Wow, he's confirmed on the bench after all.
We'll see.
Unless it's for a couple of seconds.
Or we're 3 up
Yeah he plays for Walton and Hersham. Three or four of my Sunday league team could (and do) play at that level. It’s beside the point. JJ is not a Sunday league player. And this is not an important game.