My father – Peter Wyles – played football for Leicester City Reserves before getting a Trial for Nottingham Forest! This was in the old days in England when footballers played not for money – but the love of the game! Despite the spread of capitalist football in 1990 (with the Premier League) – British people quite often prefer the “Non-League” game. These are the thousands of amateur teams that exist upon and down the British Isles – which exist in leagues – but not in the “paid” leagues (hence the often misleading term). Money has destroyed the game at one level – enhanced it at another. Money ensures the game is faster and more efficient – but this is not real football. Today, whilst stood in the pouring rain in the mud of a local wood (on slopping ground) – we played football whilst the dogs ran gleefully around!
We toed the ball, guided and controlled the ball with the inner-curve of each foot, and kicked the ball with the outer edge of each foot. We worked on stopping the ball dead – and kicking it with full power and controlled power. We passed the ball to each other through the usual triangulation and we dribbled the ball along the uneven path. the children then kicked the ball with abandonment once I had taught as much technique as I could stood in the pouring rain – holding an umbrella! This is real football – with my Dad’s footballing genes passed on to our daughters – Mei-An and Kai-Lin! I taught Gee to play football years ago and she has never forgotten. The dogs – Nico and Basel – soon got into the spirit of chasing the ball and rolling in the mud!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 