… from tomorrow (Monday 1st) until 11th June, although it’s not like you will have noticed much difference recently 😉
It has been exceptionally, almost too, quiet recently. Apparently NA was away last week, so unsurprisingly nothing has got done. However, the transfer window opens tomorrow, and our current manager should be a bit more relaxed and refreshed, so we should start getting some proper OS updates, rather than the usual “Dons On Tour” stuff.
A free subscription to SW19 for anyone who can get pictured in Ar-Raqqah, by the way. Even better if you can get an ISIS commander to wear a scarf.
So little has happened that I’m struggling to term this as an update. OK, there’s been a bit of speculation about Akinfenwa, although in truth if he does decide to go Stateside it doesn’t drastically alter our transfer policy that much – we need strikers, and ones that won’t fuck off after 3 months.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes, but equally I wouldn’t be more surprised if he stayed. He’s high profile, probably more than he’s been at any other club he’s been at, and as long as we don’t sign the second coming of Craig Tanner, he’ll be happy with us.
Watch him sign for Columbus Crew now.
I don’t think I mentioned the pre-season friendlies though, even if they’ve been common knowledge for the last couple of weeks. It’s been said already, but Cheltenham is an odd one, especially considering they were our last competive fixture.
It’s hard to think they’re non-league and we’re not, but as said in a previous SW19 update – we should be learning from relegated sides as to what happens when you don’t plan properly…
The La Manga trip is the stand-out one, and chances are it will be another Monza type game. Though preferably without losing 3-0 this time.
For those staying in England, it’s a pretty sharp reminder that pre-seasons really are solely about fitness and nothing else. And yes, if you still believe that bit of bollocks then Sepp Blatter has a pledge he wants to give you.
Watford clashes with a beer festival, so at least we have an excuse in case we get another Reading 7-0. Come to think of it, this might be the first time that fans are encouraged to turn up drunk – anyone who isn’t gets turned away and made to drink five more pints of Fingered Choirboy.
There were a few who were really looking forward to FCUM, so no doubt they’ll be pleased with Basingstoke away on a Tuesday. To be honest, I think we’ll get a better test down at the Camrose Sucker AM Stadium, without having to traipse up the M6.
Actually, you have to wonder how enthusiastic AFCW really is about this supposedly “special” relationship with the Mancs, especially as we’ve now (IIRC) twice turned down a friendly up in the North West. Perhaps if we really must keep this going, we should just send our youth team instead?
Speaking of relationship, and probably the most contentious of the lot – at least if you’re using social media as an accurate bellwether – we have Ks.
The OS can’t decide if it’s a home game or an away one for us, and given that it’s the Thursday inbetween getting back from Spain and the last PSF, it’s probably not going to be a passionate, full blooded affair.
Well, unless their keeper jumps into the crowd again, that is.
The regular PSF with our tenants fell by the wayside due to a widespread collapse in interest, although the last SW19 report (from 2007) on this fixture could apply eight years later. And perhaps the “shit-stirrers”comment from it doesn’t just apply to those from KT1…
What happens with KM (slightly) remains the elephant in the room over NPL, although should Chelski finally take it over, what happens to Ks after that won’t be anything to do with us.
Stil, it’s interesting that this fixture has returned, especially as there’s no Slutton/Woking games this time, although it does seem a bit shoehorned in.
Other than that, it looks pretty much it, and it doesn’t feel there is enough of them. Can’t we have some AFCW XI type games, where even those who go to the most obscure venues can’t identify the players?
Anyway, that’s it from me until about the 12th/13th. By then we might have made a signing. Hell, we might even have a genuine news item from the OS by that time…