The Art of WinningAfter years of torrid league campaigns, heart-breaking hammerings and players coming and going through the revolving door, the TTFE league team have witnessed a run of form which most teams would be envious of. Recently converted TTFE member Joe Newbury talks about how the team have raised a few eyebrows this season...I've been playing 5-a-side football for five years and I have never been involved in what is happening with TTFE right now. This is not just a good run of form, but is truly the pinnacle of what any competitive side yearns for. To still have a 100% record with six wins out of six is just simply amazing - the first time in 5-a-side I can actually be proud of saying where one of my teams have ended up in the table!
But why do I hear you ask? Why now? The answer is probably down to many individual factors all coming together at the right time. To be honest though, it is a real testament to the old saying
'you stick at something long enough, you will get there in the end'. This ascendancy is mainly attributed to the determination of a bunch of lads who stared straight into the abyss and remained unfaltered, unfazed and galvanized in the face of crisis. I guess I can say that this season is nature's way of offering a
complimentary refund after a few seasons of bad service.
Where players have left, new players have come in and kept the dream of getting back into Division One alive. In TTFE's debut season they finished well, but the following season witnessed no points, bottom place, three player walkouts and a heavy relegation to Division Three. It was here that the lads could have packed it in. But the resolve was notably strong and stubborn and they were not about to end just yet. Season Three was much better with a few wins, but 4th place out of six wasn't enough to save them from Division Four. Season Four was another step in the right direction and 4th place out of eight this time saved them from the chop. The growing incline was there and the miracle had already occurred - TTFE were ripe for a title challenge. Yet what we have here is a dramatic jump from mid table mediocrity to hundred per cent heroes.
Some have placed the emphasis on
poor opposition in Division Four this season. It is clear that a number of the teams in the league are newly created and are still finding their feet. TTFE have only been met with one team who they faced last season,
Almeider FC, who finished in their expense in 3rd place last season.
4-4-2 and
Boom have been poor in attendance this season, gifting opponents with 10-0 wins and having an adverse effect on the goal difference in the table. In the case of
TTFE and the
Cardiff Superstars, making the gap between the top and the bottom even greater. But it is clear from this season that only four teams really have particular sway in who will get promoted this season.
Cardiff Superstars, who are also on a 100% record, may be debutants but their form will suggest otherwise.
Da Randem Mandem, 'the Young Gunz' second string, have been scoring goals for fun against the lowly opposition whilst
Almeider have the strength to mount a late title bid. TTFE of course are the fourth team in the mix.
This reason however doesn't wash very well with me. TTFE have beaten some good sides to get where they are now and I believe that they have had to find some extra reserve to beat them in some cases. If TTFE played like they did last season, they will not have had the results they have had so far. In fact, I would say the team would nestle mid table quite easily, on perhaps 10 points. The reality is TTFE have 18 points - already surpassing last season's total of 17, which won the team a creditable 4th place. For me and some notable others, one major factor of this success is most definitely psychological. This season has witnessed not just a revival, but a total upheaval of what has happened in the past. It is the embedding of what Dave Weller calls ' the belief'.
It came about after a five game winless streak at the end of season four. TTFE fought HBFC for fourth place and romped home 8-2. It was to be the beginning of the next season in spirit and mind; a reminder to all of what TTFE could do. It was the mentality that accompanied that game - the domination, the fluidity and the ruthlessness that could flow once channelled. No longer TTFE felt that they had to get by, but they had to push themselves to win confidently and outright. This 'belief' has been on board all season. It goes to show that you are as only as good as your win and if you think of it that way, it is fuel for the fire to grab another win.
Belief alone is not enough to win titles however. But an ability to
run the game has - the other major aspect of the TTFE game which has spelled success. James Pugh had always talked about changing game play to suit the opponents. In effect, the philosophy of the team is not static - it changes in each game. TTFE finally look intelligent by outwitting their opponents and allowing them to 'self-destruct'. It is clear now that TTFE can take the game by the scruff of the neck when things aren't going their way and adopt a style that can counter the run of play. This was evident in the
Da Randem Mandem game prominently, but it has influence in each of the games where have emerged victorious after locking horns with teams. With this intelligent play, TTFE have shifted games and earnt two more points where last season they would have been lost.
James Carling also noted that the
variance in the scorers is also improving. Although TTFE boast a fine defence, they have struggled to match the number of goals scored by their rivals. This season, it hasn't been the same players who are being relied upon to hit the net, but a mixture of everyone to add their goal scoring contribution. Although Carling, Pugh and Phillips seem to be the big hitters, they are complemented with the occasional drizzle of goals from Preece, Newbury, Collins and Davies. The pressure to score - a regular problem for TTFE - is slowly becoming tackled throughout more of a team effort.
With this in mind however,
fate still lends a helping hand. The goal gifted by the referee in the
Almeider FC did controversially hand the game to TTFE and keep the win record in tact, but only means the teams are the benefactor of circumstance - something out of their control. Of course the 10-0 over
Boom was a stroke of predictable luck, but it seems fitting that Cardiff Superstars got their own default win over fellow absentees
4-4-2. A default win too many over the title contenders would have seriously discredited the cause.
As stated earlier however, through all the luck and toil, TTFE have reached dizzy heights which they have achieved greatly to a renewed determination and belief that had greatly diminished in earlier seasons. I left at a time when belief was low and self-improvement was too immature to grow. It was soon clear that finding feet in a lower division was necessary to boost morale, improve technical skills and work on a team bond which was shattered during the second season in Sunday's premier league. This season is the first where the team have been
allowed to bond, as transfer activity has been non-existent.
So the big game on Sunday could mean a 100% round robin - a feat which is rare for any team to achieve. TTFE will not intimidated by the challenge - they will face it head on, on the chin, head first - you name it. But look at this way - we are due a bit more luck this season and seven wins out of seven could not be any more appropriate.
