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Monday, June 27, 2016

The Miracle on the Grass

I truly thought that I had seen it all. 
Yes, I read it in the Bible, where a little guy, called David, slew the giant, called Goliath.
David did it with a rock and a sling.
Todays eleven Davids, whose every name ends in the syllable  "...son" did it not with a rock and a sling but with a piece of round leather. The soccer midgets Islanders defeated the Giant England on the Football field by a score of 2:1.
A bitter defeat for the English and a stunningly glorious victory, for the team from Island about which tales will be told in Island and in England for many years to come.
Fathers in Reykjavik will tell their sons bedtime stories of the heroic efforts of their team on this fateful day, the 27th of June 2016.
Fathers in London will feign ignorance and say to their sons: What game are you asking about, son ?
How did the Islanders do it ? With fundamental, but not complicated skills, with never ending stamina and enthusiasm and heart, heart and heart again.
How did the English under the captain Wayne Roony allow it to happen ? With too little effort, too little heart, too little of everything that wins soccer games.
Island is now in the Quarter Final of the European Football competition and will meet ever stronger competition. 
I would like to issue a warning to all the other soccer giants: Italy, Germany, and others.
Watch yourselves ! 
Island is coming and if you are not looking, they will steal the ball from you and put it into the net behind your  keeper.
That's the way it goes: Fundamental skills, unending stamina and an overwhelming desire to win will do it more often than not.
Today was the glowing example:

Island 2 : England 1

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