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Beyond the Pond: Blogging with Nick Gkionis
 During his career with the Ducks from 2003-06, Nick Gkionis developed into one of the top players in the history of the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s soccer program. In fact, as a senior, he was named a first-team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Gkionis was just the second player in program history to earn the award.
In the summer of 2007, Gkionis signed a contract to play professional soccer with MEAP Nisou of the Cypriot Second Division in Cyprus. Starting in August of 2007, Gkionis began working with Assistant Director of Athletics Brian Granata to provide an inside look at life on the road as a professional soccer player through his personal blog.
Now, in the summer of 2008, “Niko” is trying his skills out in the English countryside. Feel free to follow along once again as we go “Beyond the Pond” with Nick Gkionis.
For a full recap of Year 1, please click here.
Back to Good Ole Preseason
Entry Date - July 21, 2009
I was warned when I signed with Royal Football Club Liege that the preseason would be difficult, especially when we leave the city of Liege for a seven-day preseason camp. Every year the club goes away to a place called Houffalize, Belgium, which is only about an hour away from the city. That is where the real work happens. I vividly remember the day I signed with the club I was speaking with my friend Joris (who works for the club), and he said that during the preseason camp the coach "makes players cry to their mama's." Needless to say, that wasnot the best thing to hear on the first day, but I was up for the challenge. I mean could it be that bad?
I remember from my preseason camp in Moldova with my club in Cyprus that aside from the hard work, the camp is also designed to bring the team closer together. I was looking forward to getting to know the guys a little better since we would be spending a lot of time with each other during the week. Obviously, there is a little bit of a language barrier since my French isn't the best, but I was sure I could work around that.
So on Friday July 10th we departed from Liege on a coach en route to Houffalize Belgium. I found out Houffalize is a very popular camping destination for tourists from all over and so I was pleased to see the nice scenery. We arrived and got settled into our living arrangements. There were six players to a house and two players to a room. Each house was two stories and had a kitchen, TV, and living room along with the rooms. Luckily, one of the players in my house brought Playstation 3 so we were playing that all week.
Every house had the schedule of the week posted in the kitchen and it looked tough. We were scheduled to have three training sessions a day. It looked something like this...
7:45 a.m.- 6 km Run
10:30 a.m.- two-hour training session
5 p.m. -Friendly match or two-hour training session.
We had four friendlies scheduled during the camp so it was clear that we had a taxing week ahead of us.
As the days passed, the fatigue kicked in and it became more difficult to get out of bed each day. This is normal though and the only option is just continue to fight through it. We obviously had to take care of our bodies so we regularly went for massages with the physiotherapist to ease the soreness.
One night during the preseason camp the coach told us we would have off from training but that we had to do a thing called "team building." I wasn't really sure what that meant but it turned out that we were split up in teams in the middle of the woods and put through a survival run. It was an obstacle course that consisted of running, climbing, hiking, and also working as a team to construct some different things. It was a fun time but it wasn't the easiest thing.
On the last night of the camp, the whole team and staff got together for a final dinner.I had been warned by one of my teammates earlier in the week that at that dinner I would have to get up in front of everyone and sing a song because I was a new player. The time came when I had to do it, and I was the first one of the new players to go. This meant I would be the first person to make a fool of himself. The players were joking with me to sing Aerosmith so I did. I sang that song from the movie Armaggedon, "Don't Want to Miss a Thing." I am an awful singer but everyone was dying laughing so it turned out to be a success. I got a round of applause and now every time the guys see me now they burst out into that song.
The camp finished and everyone needed some rest because it was a tough week of training. We won two of the friendlies, tied one, and lost one. Aside from a bruised toe that I received in one of the friendlies, I got through the camp very well. The preseason will now continue for another month so we still have some time before the regular season starts. I just have to continue to show my quality and hope things go my way.
We'll see.
The Playoff Hunt
Entry Date: April 15, 2009
For the past two months, my club has been firing on all cylinders going 5-1-1 in our last seven games. There are only four games left until the end of the regular season and my club is currently in the lead for the final playoff spot. It is kind of complicated how the whole championship is set up here so I won’t get too in depth in my explanation, but the important thing is that we are in a good position to qualify for the playoffs and if we win in the playoffs we will be promoted to a higher division. It is every player’s goal to win promotion, and if we continue with our good form we can do it.
The team has really been clicking lately. We seem to mesh well together on and off the field. Occasionally, we have a little scuffle in training because we are very competitive, but I think that is a good thing. It shows everyone is hungry to win. That, and the fact we can sometimes get annoyed with each other being together 24/7.
We have been winning very convincingly lately and after a recent 7-1 victory, the newspapers over here have nicknamed our team the “Dream Team”. Aside from the fact that we barbequed our opponent, the nickname was given because we have players from all over the world whereas the other teams are mostly comprised of Belgians. It is definitely a good thing for all of us that we have been getting more exposure in the media because that means more scouts from bigger clubs will take notice of us. At the same time, we must not get over-confident in our abilities because whenever that happens soccer has a funny way of bringing you back to earth.
On a personal note, the rumors have been picking up steam that there is interest from a few English clubs in me, but I am really just taking any talk with a grain of salt. I have spoken to the president and the manager a few times and they have mentioned that they are confident I will make a move, but I do not really want to announce anything until it is for sure, so stay tuned. I would love to go to England because I really enjoyed my time playing there last summer, but we’ll see what happens.
Speaking of England, due to Easter this past weekend there were no league games scheduled, so I had the opportunity to go to London to visit former Stevens men’s soccer player Spencer Cunningham. He has been in London for the past year for work and seems like he is doing really well for himself. He has a really spacious penthouse over there and after visiting, I got to thinking maybe I need to switch careers.
It was nice to catch up with him because I enjoy keeping in touch with my former teammates. We had the opportunity to check out an English second-division game between Crystal Palace and Cardiff City while I was there, and I was looking forward to it because last summer I went on trial with Barnsley FC, a team that plays in that league. Eddie Johnson from the USA men’s national team plays for Cardiff so it was cool to see him play in person as well. I enjoyed the game and couldn’t help but think of the fact that I would have been playing in this league if I got signed last year by Barnsley.
Since I haven’t posted a blog in a few months I did not get the opportunity to give a shout out to fellow soccer player and entrepreneur Jared Montz. I met Jared through my girlfriend and Stevens women’s soccer all-star Meghan Tennyson who had worked one of his soccer camps. Recently retired, Jared has played professional soccer with the Chicago Fire of the MLS and currently is running his online soccer academy, soccer camps, and other soccer-specific business ventures. A few weeks back, he asked to interview me for his popular blog on his website and it was a pleasure to do. Here is the link to check it out by clicking here.
Anyway, I am off to a training session. I think I have one or two blogs left in before the end of the season so stay tuned everyone. I am hoping for some really good news before the end of the year.
We’ll see!
The New Year
Entry Date – January 29, 2009
I can’t believe it’s almost February. I feel like I just got back from Paris and rang in the New Year, but a month has passed already. There have been a lot of changes at the club with some players leaving and others coming in. Most of the new players have come from England with good experience at the professional level so they have added a lot to the team. We were playing FIFA 2009, the video game, and one of our new housemates, Matt Bye, is actually in the game. In the game he plays for Exeter City which is a League 2 club in England. The funny part is that in the game he is rated something like a 48 out of a 100, and Matty is a good player! FIFA shafted him!
I also got one of the new English players as a roommate so it stinks that I don’t have my own room anymore! My new roommate is a good guy named Dean Stamp, and the one thing I learned about the guy is that he can do push-ups all day. All of us in the house do 8-minute abs every other night and then push-ups but he absolutely murders me in the pushups!
So far in 2009, the club is undefeated with a record of 3-0-1. The only tie coming against the Standard Liege reserves which is a game I feel we should have won. The Standard Liege game was a good experience, and the facilities over there were top notch as expected. All the match reports are up on the website so you can read all about them there. There are also some player interviews which are always entertaining because we have some real characters on our team. The site is www.royalracingfc.com
Personally, I have been feeling more and more comfortable when playing. There are a lot of quality players on the team so it is always nice to learn from them. The manager here has made it completely clear what he wants me to do on the field and everything is feeling more natural now. Hopefully it continues to go well.
A bit of sad news from the club is that my housemate Matt Friesen is leaving the club. Matt and I had some very spirited ping pong matches at the clubhouse so I will surely miss the competition. We also teamed up in the midfield and it is very evident from his performances that he is a quality player. I wish him all the best with everything he does.
I don’t know how many of the readers follow European soccer but I wanted to mention the whole Kaka story because it is absolutely ridiculous. If you haven’t heard, Kaka is a Brazilian player that is wanted by a club called Manchester City for 107 million pounds. That is a ton of money for one player and that is just the transfer fee (the amount of money one club pays to another club for a player which does not include his salary). If Kaka took the deal and was sold to Manchester City, he would become the highest paid player in the world (by far), pulling in a cool 500,000 pounds a WEEK. And that does not include endorsements. It’s so crazy I just had to mention it in the blog. What is even crazier is the fact that Kaka rejected the deal, saying he is happy to stay at AC Milan. A lot of people say athletes are just after the money but apparently not every athlete is. Great story!
There is really no other news from the club. The season has been delayed due to the fact that the weather is always horrible here. Three games were postponed in January, and we are still waiting to start the league action back up. Due to all the postponements, we will be jam packed with games to make up in the spring. I am looking forward to it.
The Holiday Season in Europe
Entry Date – January 1, 2009
Hello, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a happy New Year. Unfortunately, I didn’t go back to New Jersey for Christmas and New Years this year, but I did get the chance to visit several of the countries around Belgium.
Since Belgium borders four different European countries, it is very easy to visit those places by train. We took trips to Germany (city called Aachen), Holland (Maastricht), France (Paris), and of course to the famous cities in Belgium (Brussels and Bruges). Paris was my favorite, and I think the highlight of my break so far. We spent five days there, and I would recommend Paris to anyone who is travelling to Europe. It was probably better that I visited the city with my girlfriend, instead of some of my guy friends since Paris has that romantic type ambience to it. I also think that as you mature, you begin to appreciate the famous sites more, even if they can be boring. When I was younger, my family used to go to Greece and visit all the famous sites. I would get extremely bored and not fully appreciate the significance. I just wanted to be at the beach like any normal kid. However, now at the ripe old age of 23, I enjoy going to these historical places and reading about them. I guess I grew up a little, which isn’t that bad.
There is a league-wide break from soccer right now (It’s weird that I still call it soccer because everyone calls it football in Europe. I just don’t know if I have become European enough to call it football.). Nevertheless, we have off until January 2, and then we start to prepare for a friendly against Standard Liege on January 4. Standard Liege is one of the three biggest clubs in Belgium and competing in the UEFA cup at the moment. A big-time American player named Oguchi “Gooch” Onyewu, who plays on the U.S.A men’s national team, plays for that club. I saw him play in front of 80,000 at Giants Stadium when USA played Argentina. We at Royal Racing Montegnee hope to give the same level of competition as Argentina (yea right). I am pretty sure they will not field their full first-team, so we will probably play against mostly reserves. This game will serve as a tune-up for the regular season that starts up again on the 11th of January.
During the break, I also got the chance to catch up with some of my former teammates and family members in Cyprus. I called 30 people, making sure not to miss anyone because I haven’t been able to speak to family and friends in Cyprus in a while. My family over there gets upset if I don’t check in from time to time. I am happy I caught up with my family especially because they helped me out a lot with a difficult move to Europe and I will never forget them for that. I also spoke with my coach from last year and the team is currently doing very well. They are in 1st place at the Christmas break, and that is fantastic. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone in Cyprus!
I also watched the Stevens men’s team in the National Championship game, which was thrilling. I thought Stevens deserved it, but penalty kicks is always cruel to one team. Everyone on that team should keep their heads up because they made history, and there is no disappointment in that. Now, I must regretfully warn the team that the alumni will be primed and ready for the alumni game in the spring. I have never played in an alumni game for either team, but I hope to continue the alumni’s undefeated record!!!
I see this New Year as an exciting one. A career in soccer is so unpredictable and things can change at any time. I guess that’s the fun part but like I have said before, I would like to have a little stability in my life and I hope the New Year brings it. A club like the one I am at now is a stepping stone to higher levels of play. It is a fact that everyone at the club reiterates. We, as players, need to be patient and improve so that we can move on to bigger clubs. Who knows, but I only can hope that 2009 is good to me.
Stevens Taking over the Big Dance
Entry Date – November 25, 2008
First of all, I would like to dedicate these first few paragraphs to the Stevens men’s soccer program and everyone involved in it. For the past few weeks, they have been masterfully eliminating each opponent they have faced and truly deserve to be in the “Final Four.” This past weekend they went through on consecutive penalty-kick shootouts which is incredible because I thought that Stevens was cursed in shootouts (lost in PK’s the last two years). Clearly, this is not the case anymore.
I think special credit should go to the goalkeeper Zack “The Lifeguard” Carr, because he saved like 89 PK’s this weekend. You heard it here first, Zack will now only respond to “The Lifeguard” because he saves things when needed, and he looks like a California surfer dude. Haha. All joking aside, credit to the whole team and the coaching staff for the success. I have many friends in the soccer program, and I am very happy to see them achieve great things.
I don’t know how many people watched the webcast on but it was “Final-four” quality as well. Those guys really know how to work it. Best announcing team in Division III sports. Period. I failed to mention in the last blog how I also announced with Faraz Hyder during my time at Stevens. With that being said, Matt Fitzsimmons, Mike Diamore, and Faraz should be inducted into the Commentating Hall of Fame, wherever that may be.
Anyway, the winter has come in Belgium. This past weekend we had our game cancelled because of snow. It turned out to be a good thing because the coach gave us three days off just to relax and chill. We haven’t had three days off since I got here in August, so it was needed.
We did have an inter-squad friendly versus the second team instead of the regular season game. We played in blizzard conditions but the first team ended up winning 8-3. Yea sounds like a lot of goals but there was a lot at stake since there was a bet made on the game. I had three goals in the game but can’t say what was at stake. Let’s just say the winners had a fun night!
I must wish the best of luck to my teammate/roommate Patrick Wilson who just left the club out here in Belgium for a club in Hungary. Pat is a very good player, and it was really cool getting to know him. He was also the DJ of the house so I will miss his musical selection. Best of luck Pat.
Over here there are always rumors of players transferring to other teams. Even if the rumors are about me, I just try to stay focused on training and playing well. Whatever happens will happen. Sometimes if you get too excited about it you may end up disappointed. I am getting some experience on how the business works so I just handle the things I can control.
Its Thanksgiving this week so I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I will not be home this year but it’s nothing new for me since I wasn’t home last year either. I will miss that good food again! I am really sad to say that I also won’t be home for Christmas. Christmas is by far my favorite time of year, but I am going to be in Paris with my girlfriend Meghan so that will be something new. I have to go now but will check back next month! Good luck to Stevens in the national semifinals!!
Home is Where the Heart is...
Entry Date - October 25, 2008
Hello everyone. I am back and re-energized from my short visit to New Jersey. I went home during the mid-week in order to get some things that I needed to survive over here. The thing I needed most was winter clothes because no one ever told me that Belgium has the worst weather ever. It’s completely insane! It’s freezing and rains daily. It’s not that bad for field players, but for the goalies, like my boy Cody, it’s the worst because he is covered in mud from head to toe after every practice. Personally, I am a fan of cooler conditions when playing soccer, but I can do without the freezing rain.
On my visit home, I had the pleasure of webcasting the men’s soccer game versus the United States Merchant Marine Academy with my boy, Mike DiAmore. I had only planned on saying a quick hello, but once I got on I had a lot of fun so I stayed on until the end of the game. It brought back good memories of being in school and enjoying being able to commentate various games with Matt Fitzsimmons and Mike.
I was also glad to see Stevens win because when I was at school the Kings Point game was always a big rivalry. I remember we always took care of them, and it was good to see the team win again because I heard they had lost last year. I got a chance to chill with the guys in the locker room before the game and catch up on old times. I definitely miss playing in college because it was always a fun, relaxed time. Soccer is still fun, but I feel like there is a lot more pressure now-a-days.
Soccer-wise, the visit home did me well. I flew back to Belgium on Saturday and scored two goals the next day in a 5-2 win for my club here. They were my first two goals of the season even though my English teammate Jon tried to claim the second goal. He said the ball deflected off him and went in. I don't know what he's talking about. Unlucky Jon!!!
Other than that, life in Belgium has been pretty good. We just train and eat Belgium waffles all day. By the way, they are superb. I brought some back to New Jersey for my family, and they were all loving them. They aren't the breakfast kind we eat with syrup in America but more of a cake type waffle with sugar or chocolate on top. Delish!
It was crazy because I grew my hair out over here longer than usual, and when I got in to the airport my family couldn't even recognize me! They were so surprised to see me like that. My girlfriend Meghan said I am turning "euro" which I don't really understand but I guess it’s a good look.
It was nice to see my family and finally eat that good food because the stuff we eat out here is dreadful. We eat pasta 2343 times a week. I feel like I have pasta growing out of my ears. The food is not awful it’s just that it is the same stuff over and over again. The team chef needs to step her game up, so if anyone has any recipes, send them in!
Anyway, it is way past my bedtime, and I have 2 training sessions tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.
Settling In
Entry Date - September 20, 2008
Hello everyone! Since the last time we have met, I must say that I have settled into the Belgium lifestyle very well. I live in an apartment/frat house with eight of my teammates in a small town called Ans. All my teammates are pretty cool, and it’s nice to always have people to hang out with. They are from all parts of the world so it has been very interesting getting to know them.
The season is 4 games deep and we are currently unbeaten at 2-0-2. We have been playing well, and in our most recent game we played the best we have all season.
We were on the road against the team that was favored to win the league. Prior to the game, the coach of the team we were going to play, mentioned in the newspapers that he had seen us play and that his team would easily beat us. For some reason our team is “Public Enemy Number One,” in the league so we always have to deal with this type of trash talking in the paper. Our coach told us what the other coach said right before the start of the game, and it sure fired us up.
The game was going our way until the end of the first half as we conceded a goal. On top of that, one of our players received a red card about a minute after we went down a goal. I knew it would take a colossal effort to get back in the game, and sure enough we came out on fire in the second half. We scored 2 goals and fought until we heard the final whistle blow. It was a great feeling coming back after being a man and a goal down. That coupled with the fact that we shut up everyone that was talking trash was awesome. We all were on such a high that we celebrated in the locker room like we won the championship.
Other than the match-days, my life is pretty simple. We train six days each week, and have two-a-days on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s with Friday off. We don’t have much time to goof around over here, but one thing my teammates and I do occasionally is head to downtown Liege to watch a soccer game at a sports bar.
Another great thing about Belgium is that it is very close to many popular European destinations. We are only a train ride away from Paris, London, and Amsterdam. At times, we all head to a city called Maastricht in Holland and enjoy some sightseeing there. I plan to visit Paris and other places when we have some more time off.
The one problem I have here is that I do not speak any French. My goal is to learn French in my off time so I will be able to communicate with the general public. The only thing I know how to say is “Bonjour.” I took 4 years of German in high school and now I wish I took French!!
Anyway, I must thank my roommate Matt “Sweetsauce” Friesen for letting me use his computer to write this blog. A few weeks ago my computer crashed, so he has been a great friend by letting me use his.
Last but not least, everyone that I have talked to about Belgium always mentions the famous Belgian waffles. Let me tell you, they are all we eat here! They are not like the breakfast waffles we eat in America with syrup but they are more like little donuts/cakes. We snack on them at all hours of the day, but I still need to head downtown to have a freshly made waffle with melted chocolate on top. That is something I will do in the near future.
Au revoir everyone!!!!
Destination Belgium
Entry Date – August 22, 2008
Hello everyone. I am back to report about my interesting experiences in England. As the title of this blog states, I have ended up in Belgium. However, before I talk about Belgium, I will give everyone a recap on how I got here.
I spent about one month in England going on various trials with different clubs. As I mentioned in the previous blog, I started out at Crewe Alexandra, a League One team in northern England. I spent a week there and then went to Barnsley F.C. for another week. Following Barnsley, I went to Accrington Stanley which is a League Two team, and my final trial was with Chorley F.C.
I don't know where to begin. People are obsessed with soccer in England, and it really shows in how they support their teams. This was especially evident at Barnsley. People would come watch practice and then wait outside the practice field for autographs. I was signing autographs and I was just a trialist!
I mastered the autograph during my time in England. I guess the key to signing autographs is to try to act as cool as possible and look like you have done it before. I am not going to lie, I did get excited when the kids with the notepads wanted my autograph but I played it cool. Haha.
Probably the coolest experience was when I got the chance to play a full 90 against an English Premier League team when I was with Chorley F.C. as they had a friendly scheduled versus the Bolton Wanderers. I originally thought Bolton would bring their reserve team since Chorley is a small team a few divisions below. However, I was pleasantly surprised when Bolton brought a lot of first team players. These are guys that I was watching on TV last year playing in arguably the best league in the world and now I had the chance to play them. The game went well for us as we had a few good scoring opportunities to put us up before half but we didn’t convert. Obviously, they were playing well also and had some chances but at halftime it was 0-0. In the second half they got a bogus penalty kick and then scored a really nice second goal. The game ended 2-0 but the experience was surreal. Chorley F.C was impressed with my performance but I was hoping Bolton would be impressed!
Anyway, I felt like I had a solid month of trials and really showed well during my time in England. In a friendly for Accrington Stanley I played the full 90 and scored our only goal. I really felt like I impressed them with that performance and in training, but it wasn't meant to be.
Overall, I received good reviews from the managers and players at all the clubs. The Barnsley manager Simon Davies gave me a lot of praise. At the end of the day though, it seemed as if the clubs were unloading players rather than signing them. Chorley F.C wanted me to sign with the club but they are a small, and I didn’t think it was the best place for me. It was unfortunate because after playing with all the clubs, I realized that I can play at that level, it is just a matter of finding the right fit.
After all the trials were complete and the season drawing closer, I was focused on finding a place where I can show my ability and also gain exposure in order to find a bigger club. That opportunity arose when my friend in England, Steve Rigby, got me in touch with a club in Belgium called Royal Racing Montegnee. This is a club that showcases a players’ ability in order for them to get signed by bigger clubs. I felt like it was a great opportunity, so I am hoping to make the most of it.
Before I go, I would like to give a great deal of thanks to people that made my trip to England a lot easier. First, I would like to give a big thanks to Steve Rigby who helped me throughout my trip. Steve and his wife Breda hosted me for a week at their house, and I am very grateful for that. I have to also thank Steve's kids Sean and Lauren. They brought me out with them and showed me the good life in the village of Eccelston. Finally, I would like to thank Kayode Odejayi who gave me rides to and from training every day while I was on trial at Barnsley FC. He heard I was walking and went out of his way to help me out. I knew of Kayode before I became friends with him because I watched him on TV from Cyprus score the game winning goal versus Chelsea in the FA Cup last year. Check out the goal here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NABRDxhs3Gg&feature=related
This was a long entry but that sums up my time in England. I am now in Belgium and will probably check back in to tell you about it. I’d like to wish good luck to all the Stevens teams, and I look forward to seeing the teams succeed.
The Journey
Entry Date – July 21, 2008
Hello everyone! I am back from a three-month hiatus which was well-spent in New Jersey. I spent most of the time between my hometown of Jackson and Hoboken, just enjoying time with friends and family. It was a little tough to relax completely during my time off because I was consistently thinking about staying in top shape for soccer and thinking about my future soccer plans, but that’s the nature of the beast. Going back to Cyprus was an option, but I always said I would want to explore my options in other countries also.
During the course of the summer, I spoke to agents about going on trial for teams in Greece and Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway). I also spoke with the management at the New England Revolution and the L.A. Galaxy of Major League Soccer about having them take a look at me. It was frustrating at times because of all the back and forth e-mails and phone calls that sometimes didn't materialize into anything. Finally, with help from my college coach Tim O'Donohue who put me in contact with a sports management person in England, the opportunity to go on trial in England arose so I went for it.
Last year, as you may remember, I blogged about my experiences playing in Cyprus. It was a great experience over there, and I have many memories that I will never forget. However, I felt like it was a perfect time to progress and try my luck elsewhere.
I will be on trial in England for three weeks with three different teams. I will spend one week training with each team. The first week, I will be with Crewe Alexandra. The second week will be at Rotherham United. The third week will be at Barnsley. I had known of Barnsley last year because I remember watching them beat Liverpool and Chelsea on TV.
All of these teams are located in Northern England which in some parts is somewhat of the countryside. I am currently writing this entry from my room at Henhull Hall, a 210-acre farm overlooking the English grasslands. I think this place is allergic to noise because it is very quiet here. Maybe a little too quiet!
So far, it is early in my trial with Crewe Alexandra. We have had two training sessions and a friendly. I played about 25 minutes in the friendly and did my job with no mistakes. We won 5-0, and I think the staff and fans were happy with the performance of the team. For a write-up from the club site, please click here.
Some fans were asking me my name and other stuff after the game because they noticed I was new with the team. It was an away game, and it was cool to see a lot of "Alex" supporters there.
Anyway, that is all from here in the English countryside. I have a day off today so maybe I will help my hosts milk some cows or something. Cheers!
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