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homercrates

CPT 6

Trick Johnson wakes up in the off season ready. Absurdly a night owl, as well as an early bird, Trick wakes up optimistically enthusiastic and happy in the morning. It annoys everybody around him, particularly his family. A banana smoothie, and a big bowl of Trix cereal silly rabbit trix are for kid. Potassium for the cramps, and a little MAGIC rainbow in the Trix. Trick is ready for training. Iced coffee on the way to the training field, natural energy up Trick Johnson runs through his off season patterns.

Corner drills first. Simple, look for Hohehahn’s head if you can’t locate that, then check down to a corner of the box pass and be ready to possibly cross the ball from there. Run this pattern 25 times from both corners of the field. In swings or out swings, whatever you anticipate. Trick being ambipedal allows him to choose which foot at any which time. Three concentrations recently Trick Johnson has concentrated on that had helped propel him into a career high last season during the Dragon’s title run. Corners, anticipation, and dribbling. These three things are what Trick will continue to really hone in on during the off season.

Corners done, Trick will keep up the pace by hitting mindless pacer drills to keep the fitness up and then to the video. Video break down helps Trick take a rest after the high intensity pacers to work on his anticipation. Breaking down movement and reading the game from video lets Trick keep up on the game time split decisions in anticipation. Watching the game flow and pointing out what works and what doesn't work. What tricks to pull when, who should be flowing when.

Pacers again, and then working on dribbling. Dribbling the point where your feet can perform slight of “hand” tricks. Tight control, change of direction, misdirection, head fakes, hip twists everything a magician needs to make the ball disappear or perhaps the defender disappear. Dribbling and complete control of the ball at your feet like a coin in your hand is where Trick Johnson’s artistry flourishes.
Bananas, Trix, Coffee, Anticipation, Dribbling, and corner crossing is Trick Johnson’s offseason delight.

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Ghost

Career PT6 – International Superstar
Word Count: 922

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Greetings! Or as they say in some parts of Wales, “Alright butt?”. At least that’s what my client tells me anyway.

Yes, it is I once again, former beat writer turned footballing agent for James Asprey. I wonder at what point I stop introducing myself by my former job title…

Anyway! Today I felt like making a brief return to writing on the back of what has to be one of the strangest SSL off-seasons I have followed. This past S24 season, James Asprey with Rapid Magyar achieved promotion from the lowly depths of Division 2 of the Minors League (yes, we’re still in the Minors). Usually that would be a cause for celebration, but Asprey throughout the season had frequently complained to me about his own performances. This wasn’t that unusual, he is after all a perfectionist. His previous team of the season achievements came on the back of seasons that he repeatedly expressed unhappiness with his individual performances, so his complaints this season were no surprise. The real surprise came when we met up to discuss his off season plans following the conclusion of S24.

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“I’m not going to be available this off-season,” Asprey delivered bluntly, his face offering nothing in the way of expression. “None of that commercial stuff I loathe, no phone calls, nothing.”

“Taking a well deserved break to reset in preparation for next season?” I enquired, assuming he’d be jetting off to Jamaica to visit his beloved Port Royal and rum distillery per usual. His stony expression had not shifted the slightest.

“No,” he replied flatly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as if preparing to deliver terrible news. I could tell he was worried, which in turn made me worried. Maybe he’s firing me? “I have booked several different training classes to help me improve my game. No holiday this season.”

I was relieved but confused at the same time. Why the worried look on his face? Did he think I was going to disapprove?

“James this is great news, I don’t understand why you look so worried. If you don’t think you need a break before the new season and don’t burn yourself out, then improving your game can only be a good thing, right?”

As I replied he slowly retreated back in his chair, almost as if bracing himself before delivering the aforementioned bad news I had been expecting.

“You’re not going to like the classes.”

Now I was curious, and with it that worry I felt earlier started creeping back in. I stayed quiet, offering Asprey the chance to share more detail willingly. He shifted in his seat awkwardly, cleared his throat and took another deep breath as he braced himself to deliver the news.

“The first is a team management course that should help me be more vocal and commanding in my box. Perhaps even throughout the team or in the locker room. I’m going to be surrounded by younger players all the time stuck in the Minors, so it makes sense that I might be the one they look up to?”

This… sounded perfectly fine to me. Great, even. What part of that was I not supposed to like?

“The next class is an… Imagination Expansion course… which is designed to help you think outside of the box more. I think it will help me be a bit more creative and not explicitly black and white in what I do inside the box. Less predictable, more… eccentric you could say.”

I wasn’t aware until Asprey grimaced that my slowly raising eyebrows belied my true feelings of concern and confusion. Awkwardly I nodded, raised eyebrows and all, in a universal gesture of ‘that’s interesting’.

“Okay…” I replied, trailing off to allow him the opportunity to continue.

“And the last class I’ll be taking will be at home in Wales. ‘Technical Brilliance’, which will help me be more comfortable with the ball at my feet.” Asprey sat back in his chair looking relieved to have gotten this news off his chest.

I considered the news for a few moments. Overall it sounded positive, though there were some question marks over the ‘Imagination’ class. Working on his leadership, what I understand to be creativity, and his technical ability all sound perfectly reasonable.

“I’m not sure what about these classes you thought I wouldn’t like. I think it’s great you’re trying to improve yourself outside of usual training days. Good on you.”

Asprey looked both delighted and relieved.

“Oh, that’s great! I was worried you would think I have lost the plot. I’ll send you the details of the courses so you can get in touch with me if needed in an emergency, but otherwise I will be out of reach.”

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We concluded that meeting as we would any other – confirming plans for the rest of the week, taking note of anything Asprey needed me to do for him before wishing him luck with the courses and going our separate ways. It wasn’t until I got back home and checked my laptop that I realised exactly why Asprey was worried about telling me about his off-season plans. There it was. An email from Asprey with all of the details for these courses… AND who he’d be training with.

It beggared belief.

‘Team Management and how Succeed: A class hosted by Paul Jewell of footballing fame, with guest speaker Igor Tudor’.

‘Imagination Expansion with your favourite eccentric ‘keeper, René Higuita’.

And oh dear God,

‘Technical Brilliance: Improve your footballing technique with Vinnie Jones’.

…

@#$£.

Approved

**TontoTut**

CPT #6 - https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showt...290&page=7

A shameful end to season 24 resulted in relegation for my Tenochtitlan brethren and sistren, and now nobody is calling us the 'Techno Clan' since there is little to be raving about. I am now on the warpath to ensure we bounce straight back up into Division 1, envisioning every opponent player as if they are Marcel Voda primed for a few chops of the legs. I will only ever see Voda in season 25 if we meet Shanghai in the cup, since they didn't get relegated last season. Whether I see him or not matters little, I have been training my shins to swing recklessly like helicopter blades.

To this end, every day I have been watching the 1989 film, Kickboxer, starring Jean-Claude Van Damm. There is a particular scene near the beginning of the film, where Van Damm's goes to get some ice as for his brother who is preparing for a Thai boxing fight. On his way, Van Damm hears a repeated echoing boom along the corridor. He slowly walks up to the door where the sound is coming from and sees his brother's opponent, Tong Po, kicking the concrete pillar in his dressing room. You might cringe at seeing this, thinking a cool Hollywood shot has trumped a fighter risking injury pre-fight. Well, it is actually realistic. Thai boxers kick hard surfaces on purpose to damage the nerves in the skin over the shin bone, which means kicking an opponent becomes painless. It hurts to begin with, until the nerves die, at which point it's up to your shin bone to avoid being snapped.

Inspired by Kickboxer, in pre-season training I have been kicking pillars, tractor tyres, wasp nests, bamboo trees (which Van Damm eventually does in the film), and goal posts. Nobody is safe out there against Tenochtitlan in season 25, and I felt it wasn't fair to train with any teammates since I fear for their well being. In each game going forward, Tenochtitlan will either be earning 3 points or finish with the least players on the pitch as I earn more cards than completed passes.

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