December 7, 2008
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World Exclusive: Taiwan Mongrels in Manila 6’s Shock
Full Monty Tour 2008, Manila, Monday 24th November 2008
The Taiwan Mongrels arrived in Manila for the annual 6-a-side tournament, expecting their usual level of success (ie none), but inspired captain, Russell Curtis, surprised everyone both on and off the pitch initially by heading back to his hotel room at 7:30 on the Friday night, instead of leading the Mongrels around the bars and getting everyone absolutely legless.
Several Mongrels, confused by the lack of leadership, still managed to find their way to the bars in Burgos, and most of them made up for the fact that the captain was not around, by drinking enough for them and him combined. At the decided meeting time on the Saturday the Mongrels looked as ragged as the team name suggests, and having arrived at the pitches in a convoy of taxis, the excitement of being in Manila to play football seemed to overwhelm one (who shall remain anonymous) to puke up in a 7-eleven bag. Three times.
Strangely enough, the weather was cooler than usual, but the rain held off until the Mongrels hit the pitch for their opener against Seoul British in their Group A opener. And when it rains in Manila, it rains big. The uneven pitch helped neither team as they battled to a 1-1 draw – Keelung Dave taking advantage of a slip by the defender to turn his man and coolly slot the ball home. Amazingly enough, as soon as the final whistle went the rain stopped, the Mongrels now looking even more ragged, but confident about the next games having secured an unexpected point, and their first Manila goal in 2 years.
The second game was against hosts Manila Nomads, and after going 2-0 down, the fight back began, with Polish Rob firing in from a tight angle, and it was game on. Alas deep in to the second half the Nomads scored once more, the game ending 3-1. For the final Mongrels group game against another very strong team, the Mongrels battled hard, an equalizer from Keelung Dave in almost a carbon-copy of his first putting the opponents under pressure before going down 2-1. Out of the Cup, the Mongrels made 3rd place, and had the early game on the Sunday.
Would this affect the partying of the Mongrels? Hell no – Mongrels are party dogs first and foremost, footballing comes far down that list of priorities.
An untypically empty Burgos Street was populated pretty much solely by a bunch of ugly, overweight Germans and the Taiwan Mongrels. Other teams seemed to have tucked themselves in bed nice and early. A few of Swiss Kickers Tokyo were reportedly seen in Rascals Bar, but other teams were conspicuous by their absence. The Mongrels, however, roamed in packs up and down the street, partying until the late hours of the early morning.
Sunday came, and the expectations were low. A 10 AM kick off meant that a win against the opponents would see the Mongrels tied up against Carnegies. What motivation more was needed? Arriving almost 2 hours before kick off, The Rock’s strategy to beat all the Christians going to church on a Sunday morning seemed to have worked wonders.
The opponents, Sunday Boys from Hong Kong, had been absolutely massacred in their group games, 7-0, 9-0 and 6-0. The return to the hotel for relaxation and beers by the pool would have to wait, it was thought. And the Mongrels duly delivered a 3-0 thumping, all goals coming in the first half. Rob in goal was seen sending SMS’s from his cellphone, getting a massage, and dipping in to an ice-cold beer such was the possession of the Mongrels. Polish Rob scored twice, with Dom scoring the third, a goal of comedic value as the ball trickled towards the goalkeeper before bobbling above him and in to the net.
The first major shock of the tournament for the Mongrels on the pitch – their first win in Manila for 2 years! But more was to come…
So to Carnegies, and a little pre-match banter, and Mongrels keeper Rob reminded everyone on the opposing team of the Gonzalez-esque howler made by the Carnegies keeper in the game against the Swiss Kickers Tokyo the previous day.
“Oh, you saw that huh?” came the sheepish reply.
“Yes mucker – I saw it! It made my own howler in Kaohsiung look good.”
Russell’s pre-match talk consisted of how many rounds needed to be bought for each step-over and for each comedy dive, pure inspiration from the man. Confidence oozed from Carnegies, perhaps a hint of arrogance? This could explain why Carnegies failed to trouble the Mongrels goal too much, the Rock steady in defence. The game ended goalless, but not step-over or comedy-diveless, and so it headed to 3-on-3 golden goal extra time. The four minutes failed to produce a goal, so sudden death penalties arrived.
With Captain Curtis choosing Keelung Dave as the keeper in the 3-on-3, it was down to him to go between the sticks, but first came Polish Rob’s penalty – slotted nicely to the keepers left as he dived the wrong way. 1-0 Mongrels.
Up stepped the Carnegies player, sending Keelung the wrong way as well. 1-1.
Captain Marvel was next up, scoring a powerful drive. But the referee had not blown his whistle, and so he had to retake. The goalkeeper had obviously not seen where Russell had hit it the first time, remaining still as the Mongrels Captain shot a carbon copy of the first penalty. With Carnegies missing the second penalty – placing it wide of the posts – the Mongrels progressed to the semi-final of the plate. Giddying heights, as the players shaked hands, Carnegies Captain Casper looking almost as dazed as he had the previous day after his all-night bender on the Friday.
So to the semi-final against hosts Manila Nomads Braves, aka the Nomads 2nd team. Expectations once again were low, as were energy levels, as the Mongrels took the field. Almost immediately Polish Rob scored his 4th of the tournament as he blasted a powerful drive past the stranded keeper. But this woke up the opponents who went and replied almost instantly and then piled on the pressure, forcing Rob in goal to make a string of saves before being beaten with the last kick of the half to go in 2-1 up.
The Mongrels trekked sluggishly to the half way line for Captain Curtis’ inspirational half time talk.
“Just go out there and have fun. Come on lads!”
And we did. The second half saw the Mongrels camped in the Nomads half, but despite the constant pressure, no goal came until just a minute before the end, when a defender put a looping header past his own keeper. The Nomads immediately came forward, looking for a winner, but time ran out, and it was another 3-on-3 extra time session.
Taking the same format of Russell, Polish Rob and Keelung Dave, this one did not need to go to penalties, Russell stealing the ball off the keeper on the half way line and trotting down the pitch to slot the ball in to an empty net. Another shock caused by the Mongrels, reaching the final against their first opponents, Seoul British.
But the final saw no shocks – the Mongrels were beaten despite battling valiantly. Some saves from the Mongrels keeper kept the score at a reasonable level, but it was justice done in the final as we went down to the better team. After the game everyone congratulated each other on the most successful Mongrels tour to Manila for years.
After the receiving of the silverware, and having drunk the case of San Miguel beer handed to each losing team, the Mongrels headed back to the hotel for the awarding of the MVP award, and the most prestigious Mongrel award. MVP was the closest it has been for some time – with Russell and Dave “The Rock” Roberts ending up joint winners. As for the Mongrel Award…. What happens on tour, stays on tour!
