Who is the Genius?

Nottinghamshire 332 for 7
v Yorkshire
close on Day One
County Championship Division One
Tuesday 3 September 2018
Played at Trent Bridge

Sheffield United Futures U19 6 v Hallam U19 0
North Midlands Development Football League U19s
Wednesday 4 September 2018
Played at SUFC Academy, Shirecliffe

Harworth Colliery U21 2 v Sheffield United Futures U21 2
North Midlands Development Football League U21s, North
Thursday 5 September 2018

SUFC 2018/19 Games 20 & 21

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Three days of County Cricket, SUFC Futures & Brewery Hopping. The County Cricket has ended in a fairly tame 450ish plays 500ish draw.

Those were the first Futures games of the 2018/19 league season. Bluntly, the set up looks similar to last season. The complicating factor could well be when the Academic College year starts and who is available. The U19 side seems to me to be very much the Midweek Shirecliffe Academy XI. Derek Geary, lead coach for the Academy U18s takes the Futures U19s. Five of the starting XI on Wednesday had also started last Saturday v Coventry City. Two of the starting XI had been subs at Coventry. And three of the subs v Hallam, started at Coventry. Look, analysis aside, it's the same squad is what I'm saying. Academy Lite. I'll be honest, that makes the Futures U19 very interesting to me. It's a good chance to have a look at the Academy Lads. Except, they're not playing other League Club Academies, they're playing youngsters from local Non-League clubs.

Downside. They're likely to be shoulders, if not head and, above the Non-League kids. They had a goal difference of 50 across 16 games last season.

Anyway. Back to Del Geary. Lazy. Good for nothing. He's basically tossed it off at that game v Hallam. Stealing a wage, the fella. He thinks he can get away with it. Because it's a small game, small crowd, no one will know what he is up to. Mate, the Carrier Bag Firm have Eyes On. We. Know. Stuff.

Alright, he hasn't put the cones out before the game. One of his assistants does that. Fair enough. Alright, he hasn't lead the run there, wave this in the air, put your right leg in, shake it all about routine in the warm up. One of his assistants does that. Fair enough. But, mate, they're “your” players. At least show willing & lead the half time team talk. The geography of the floodlit pitch & the dressing rooms at Shirecliffe mean that teams sometimes just do their half time talk on the pitch. In full view of The Baggers. That is what United chose to do. Maybe the dressing rooms were too far for Geary to walk. The lazy get. He never got out of his chair.

Instead. A non-cape wearing hero, SUFC Tracksuit, clipboard, notes, the lot, gathered the team around and calmly delivered his debrief on the first half & his plans for the second. Ladies & Gentlemen. Say hello to Harrison Neal. Harrison captained the U18s at Coventry on Saturday. I've named him as One To Watch in previous Blogs. Poor fella. Beery breath kiss of death that. I rewound slightly and recalled that Harrison had been belting out some of the Physical Japes instructions in the warm up.

Hang on. I don't want to upset anyone. Maybe. Just maybe (winks). It was a plan. Maybe Del Geary was in on it all along. Maybe this Wonderful Fucking Club deliberately give their youngsters responsibility. Asks them to step out of their comfort zone. Says “go on learn the game”. Think. Yes you, 17 years old, with the boots on. Think. What you got?

It couldn't have been a Cunning Geary Plan all along could it? Ask one of the Academy Players. To stay off FIFA on the X-Box (do they still make those?) for a night. And THINK about the real game & how his mates are playing. Stand up. Be counted. That says everything about the values of our Academy. What a Club. What A Club. Where do I sign?

Del set 'em up in the first half. Two Nil. Harrison set 'em up for the second. Four goals. Six Nil on the whistle. The little Genius. Oh. Go on then. Del Geary & his staff deserve credit as well.

Brewery Hopping

Having been “commended” in Brewdog’s Brewery Hopper 2018 Beer Geek Awards, I'm giving it my all this year. (Harrison mate, thanks for the offer, but I really don't need your help on this, particularly considering you're not even fucking old enough to drink). I rattled up to number 29 in Nottingham. Ticking both Navigation Brewery & Castle Rock Brewery. I'm still a Keg Beer Whore though. Absolutely loved the Castle Rock, IPA V1, Citra Mosaic on keg at an enticing 6%.

Lovely. Very rich. Thick n chewy. The bitterness came quick. Stayed long. Grew a bit. Just the right side of throat gripping.

712/1479