Justin's Blog

 Archive for the ‘Soccer’ Category

What a day!

In fact what a weekend!

On Friday night Calum and I headed up to Clifton Park, New York to see one of our favourite bands, Rancid (we’re going again tonight in Boston).  Great show, lots of bouncing, dancing, and singing – a good warm up for things to come.

By 10 o’clock on Saturday morning (3pm British Summer Time) we had made it to Legends Sports Bar on West 33rd Street in New York City which was showing the game.  The Bar seemed to be split between Hearts fans watching the Cup Final and West Ham fans watching their game with Blackpool to secure promotion to the English Premier League (I’m not sure that I saw any Hibs or Blackpool fans)

After a fine breakfast it was down to the business of beating Hibs, and we certainly did that.  With a final score of 5-1 it was just a day to celebrate, the only slightly nervous moments being just before half time when Hibs pulled it back to 2-1.  There was a couple of dubious refereeing decisions that went Hearts’ way, but even the poor souls on the Hibs forums had to agree that the whole Hearts team just seemed to want it more and were deserved winners.

It’s quite a thing to be in a basement bar 4000 miles from home and still be with a group of happy Jambos singing and dancing.

Maybe Hibs will get another chance in the 23rd century!

Enjoy the highlights:

:: Justin ::

On Saturday, the famous Heart of Midlothian Football Club will take on the lowly Hibernian in the Scottish Cup.

This is the first time the teams have met in the cup final since 1896!  As you can imagine, it’s rather a big deal!

In many ways, I think Hearts have more to lose.  Ove the past few years we have definitely been the better team, including of course winning 4-0 in the Sir Paul Hartley semi-final.

Or in a previous cup match in a an earlier round which ended with Wayne Foster’s amazing goal (possibly the only piece of footballing skill he ever showed, but it was more than enough). The iconic “Foster on the fence” image is typical of Hearts mastery of the Edinburgh Derby.

More recently there have been climactic goals from the likes of Kevin Kyle

and Rudi Skacel

who likes to score against Hibs almost as much as my boyhood hero John Robertson

The problem is that all of that will count for very little should Hibs somehow manage to win on Saturday.

For perhaps a more balanced preview, you can listen here. 

On the other hand, remember that Hibs haven’t beaten anyone in a cup final since 1902:

Hearts, of course, most recent won in 1998 and 2006

Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it back to see the game in person.  However Calum and I will be joining other ex-pat Jambos in a sports bar early on Saturday to cheer the boys on.

Hopefully I will be back with some wonderfully exhaultant blog posts afterwards.  If I fail to mention it, you’ll know what happened.

:: Justin ::

To celebrate the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s bard, here’s a bit of poetry.

If you’ve never been to a Burns Supper, get it on your bucket list

ODE TO A HAGGIS

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
You pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’need
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reeking, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive
Bethankit hums

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash
His spindle-shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle;
An’ legs, an’ arms an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ thrissle

Ye pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
An’ dish them out their bill o’fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ pray’r,
Gie her a Haggis!

:: Justin ::

We have played in South Morroco, we have played in the USA

But the greatest game in history in the game on (the day after) New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day is the tradional day for football (soccer) derbies (rivalry games) in Scotland.  For some reason (I would suspect alcohol consumption) they rarely seem to happen actually on New Year’s Day these days, but this one was pretty close.

It’s been a tough couple of months for my beloved Hearts, with off the field stories about financial problems and unpaid wages making all the headlines along with some pretty poor results.  The results have picked up over the last few weeks (though the finances don’t seem any better – we even lost Iona’s favourite: Eggert Johnson to English team Wolverhamption Wanderers – taking with himn the best accent and hair known to man).

Today though was the derby against cross-town rivals Hibernian.  It was a pretty dire first half (including Heart’s third missed penalty in the last month).  The second half started worse with Hibs having their best spell of the match, but then the fun really started.  Everyone’s favourite Australian – Ryan McGowan opened the scoring but Hearts gave it right back with an own goal 90 seconds later.  However goals from Andy Webster and the delicious Rudy Skacel in the last ten minutes put the world to rights and assured that this would indeed be a Happy New Year.

Picture of the day was Ian Black (who had previously been reported picking up part time work as a painter) showing off his t:shirt:

This has lead to two of my all time favourite Twitter hashtags: #illpaintthisplacemaroon and #playingforfreeandstillwinning.

Watch the goals here (with some interesting commentary)

:: Justin ::

I am on my way to Edinburgh for a quick trip to celebrate my parents’ golden wedding anniversay. While there I will still be available by phone and email.

Before that though there was the small matter of the Edinburgh Derby.  Thankfully that got 2011 of to a wonderful start as Kevin Kyle headed home the winner with 4 minutes to go.

You know what they say…

“The greatest game in history is the game on New Years Day…”

Happy New Year!

:: Justin ::

As I was talking with my favourite state-side Hibs supporter (actually I think he is the only one I know) I was reminded that I haven’t been writing much about the famous Heart of Midlothian recently.

Part of this is probably because they are doing so well I am afraid to do anything that will break the spell.

Amazingly it all seems to have turned on the return to Gorgie of two of its favourite sons.  Manager Jim Jeffries and midfielder Rudi Skacel.

Now we are at a place where Hearts have won 8 of their last 9 games and are only 3 points out of second place.  Not only that but they are playing really exciting, attractive football.  In short, it’s a great time to be a Jambo.  Just take a look at David Templeton’s goal against the aforementioned Hibs to see what fun it is.

Of course being a true Hearts fan, I fully expect it all to come crashing down, but until then…

:: Justin ::

PS

I am on my way back to Edinburgh, Scotland where I will be for the next week, spending some time with my parents.

I’ll be available by just about all of the usual means, but if you can’t find me and need something urgently, be sure to call the office or jump on Live Help.

:: Justin ::

It’s been ages since I wrote anything (again) though there has been rather a lot going on.

I’ll try and catch you up with it all over the weekend.

The biggest news of all though is…

Rudi’s back!

For those of you saying “Huh?” do a quick search in my blog and you’ll see posts from a magical time during the 2005/6 Scottish Football season.

Now we will find out if you can ever go back.  Personally:

:: Justin ::

P.S. A nice little win in Inverness today.

Do I really need to say any more?

:: Justin ::

It’s been a strange season for Hearts this year, but the only thing that really matters is we haven’t lost to Hibs all year (two wins and two draws).

Today was the final Edinburgh derby of the year and Hearts went down 1-0 to a disputed penalty but came back to win 2-1 with a goal from David Obua in the 89th minute.

We now know that the sunshine will be on Gorgie all summer long.

:: Justin ::