It's just better

We've just had a long weekend here in New Zealand. The sun was finally out - I think summer may actually be on its way.

So, what did I do during this last holiday weekend before Christmas...? Well, I spent most of it in front of the TV watching football and playing with my new toy (...keep it clean!).

Our household finally entered this century last week when we hooked up MySky HD and boy, does the football look so much better now. It was a timely TV intervention too, with so much round balling to be viewed.

Before we get into that I must confess I even had a look at some rugby, mainly because I was still getting used to (and being blown away by) the picture clarity. This only served to confirm my belief that rugby players, in general, are fat, ugly and more hairy than pretty much any other type of sportsman. It's clear - rugby should be watched with your eyes closed.

Anyway, back to more important things. The football. We had the Premier League, the A-League and under-17 World Cup on offer this weekend.

In the Premier League Chelsea was the only big team to win. Man U slipped up at Anfield, keeping Rafa Benitez in a job for a few more weeks. Actually, that's probably part of Alex Ferguson's long-term plan - keep Benitez employed, which will ensure the scousers continue as also rans. Arsenal drew (at West Ham), Man City drew (at home to Fulham) and Spurs lost to Stoke.

Speaking of the Spurs game, it just goes to show you can actually kill a side and get nothing for it. This is far from the first time we've seen that in football (or from Spurs...) and was a classic example of what I call the joyous frustration of the beautiful game. Spurs had all the shots, all the possession, hit the woodwork and yet lost. It's the way it goes sometimes when the only thing that matters is whether or not you put the ball in the net.

On Sunday afternoon I settled in to watch the Phoenix in the A-League and, once again, I saw a side that had all the shots, all the possession and hit the woodwork. Thankfully this time that side (the Phoenix) won 6-0. Not only was it a drubbing but it was against a Gold Coast side that would have gone top with a victory.

These two games were a classic illustration of why football is the biggest thing on the planet. Like life, you don't always get what you deserve. You can work hard, perform well and be better than your opponents, and still not win. Just like in life. What's that old saying?: "Life's not fair"? No, not always. And neither is football.

Monday morning saw the NZ under-17 side open their World Cup campaign in Nigeria with a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica. In conditions favouring their more technically proficient opponents (hot and humid) the kiwis scored first, only to commit a defensive howler to let Costa Rica get the equaliser. Hamilton Wanderers' Michael Built (remember him diving all over the Matamata Domain a few weeks ago?) scored for NZ. This means the kiwis are still very much alive in the tournament with games against Turkey and Burkina Faso still to come.

Normally our sides are out of it after the first game of tournaments like this. It looks like we've actually got some decent players too. I heard someone mention this is the first wave of Wynton Rufer's WYNERS kids coming through. If so, nice work Mr Oceania Player of the Century.

A final mention goes to some Matamata players who were at the NZ Under-19 Youth Championships in Napier over the weekend. Andrew Clothier was a guest player for the Tauranga City Utd side that lost in the quarter finals. Apparently he so impressed some of the Tauranga fans that the suggested he play at Links Ave next season. That was, of course, without out realising he will likely be playing at Links Ave next season - for Matamata.

Ex-players Dima Slack and Gareth Clark, were in the Cambridge side that lost 1-0 in the Satellite Tournament final to Dunedin Technical. Dan Frischknecht was also in Napier, although his Hamilton Wanderers side didn't appear to do so well.

Whew. I'll be glad to get back to work tomorrow after all that. Actually, I lie. I'd much sooner watch football all day every day. Maybe that would even motivate me to get off my fat lazy backside and actually play again.

Whaddya reckon?