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T'was the week of the tour ....
After much vacillation, we have somehow conjured a touring party to enter the fray in Pattaya, Thailand..
The squad of 18 players is as follows: Lenny, Carl, Mick, BGF (Gav), Sam Mrad plus brother Mohammed (non-player) and marathon-running mate, Tom Stonier, Troy Harris, Hughie the Mongoose, Will, Ralph, Doddsy, Boges, Deano, Faulks, Cozza, Crites, Lips.
The game is on at 3pm and consists of four 15-minute quarters.
To see the hardships we are facing, you can check-out the accommodation at www.cosybeachhotel.com
The rhetoric part of the story
For 18 brave souls, this is a tour into the heart of darkness. We will be outnumbered, on unfamiliar terrain, physically exhausted, possibly malnourished, dehydrated and lacking heavy artillery. We may be diminutive in number but in the words of our wartime leader John Curtin when the Japs were attacking the Australian mainland and ruling the Pacific and South-east Asian rim, "F-ck 'em" (actually, he was talking about the lack of support from Churchill's Brits, but you get my drift).
Thailand (who sided with the Japs in WW2, but I digress) will be prolific in number, well-drilled, bouyed by recent victories and motivated to atone for past ill-treatment at the hands of the mighty Dragons. This will be no picnic. We have toured with less (and lost on both occasions) but numbers will not daunt us. We have four or five debutants on tour so at worst we'll have something to amuse us.
Although we number less than 20, this tour will be big in many other ways. We have three Dragons on board with a combined 29 years and 150 games of Dragons experience so tour traditions will be strictly enforced - which is a good thing. The apres football scene will also likely see closer involvement between the Tigers and Dragons, who will share a bus and hotel and both be away from home and intent on having a rollicking good time.
The side is packed with mid-field type running players but lacking in height. Hopefully, by the end of the weekend, we'll be likening the side the Western Bulldogs. We are a big chance to win this one and the eyes of the Thai media will be upon us. The press release from the Tigers has been picked up by the world's news agencies.
The squad is fit with the exception of Doddsy, who tweaked a hammy at training Sunday and will undergo a fitness on a Pattaya dance floor Friday night.
Pre-tour report, June 20
The Dragons July 25-27 tour to Chonburi and Pattaya takes the team into unchartered territory to tackle a menacing Thailand tigers team that never fails to throw down a challenge. We urgently require a commitment from players to secure air tickets and hotel (pictured) bookings.
Email tours@hk-dragons.com to indicate if you plan to come on the tour to play the Tigers, who are fresh off a big home win over a talented Jakarta Bintangs side. Numbers need to be confirmed now. A lot of planning goes into such an ambitious and exciting tour into the unknown so get on board straight away.
The plan
This is a tour like few others. Bangkok is well-estrablished on the Asian circuit but Pattaya promises to be a new experience with great playing facilities and unique apres football scene. Events will unfold pretty much like this: Pick up at Bkk Airport on Friday 25th and transfer to Pattaya, Saturday 26th July transfer to/from Pattaya accom / ground, Sunday morning 27th transfer back to Bkk for a lock-in session.
Spondoolies
For all overland transport and the luxury accommodation it is an incredibly low, low 3200thb (approx 720hkd) per person for two nights (twin share). The bus promises to be a major part of the festivities - a 50 seater to be shared with the Tigers. It will be a good chance to see who tackles the pre- and post-game routine in the soundest manner. All drinks, fruit etc on game day are also included, (including a couple of frosty ones after the game).
Single room requirements will warrant an additional charge of 2000thb for the 2 nights (HK$465).
The two clubs will be playing for the long-running Riddel-Hamilton Trophy. the last two times the teams met in a full-length match was in Kanchanaburi in an epic Anzac clash. The Dragons had thought they'd won by a point but in a DVD-gate scandal, the game was declared a draw weeks later. Full report of that April 2006 epic is at:
http://www.hk-dragons.com/results_report.php?article_id=TCETAVA-H11V9UV-K2WF01E-JAZSMMN (or go to Game Write-ups, April 2006).
Training
With all that in mind, it is imperative we get in shape for the tour. Training is on this Sunday (June 29) at 3.30-5pm at the Stanley Ho Sports Ground in Sandy Bay , Pok Fu Lam. The following week, Sunday July 6 is at 5:00-6:30. Both sessions on Pitch number 1, which is the long synthetic grass pitch we used in the last session before the 2007 Champs. Map to the ground found under Club Info/Grounds. Bring runners, not excuses.
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