Dads shout at lads so they foul number 7

It's taken a good few games but we're starting to warm to the CoE system.  We're seeing signs that he might settle into it, he played really well at right back again on Sunday, tracked, chased and even cobbled some last ditch clearances together, you might actually start to believe that he'd played there before 2 weeks ago.  There's still an issue at the other end, still nervy, still struggling to meet the ball and control it quick enough before those pesky defenders whip it off his toe. His natural game over the last 3 yrs has all but gone in the past month, there's a new kid emerging. And they won, it's not meant to matter, but it shows progress to parents who can't see past it yet.  I think I can see past it though, I'm starting to see the FA's result doesn't matter view through a parents eyes.  I'm starting to agree, football can be competitive without results,  POSH were the team that proved it to me on Sunday, it was only in the third game that their keeper kicked it out, everything was short, quick, beautiful to watch.  If they're happy on the ball and free to express themselves, good things follow, they work it out, kids are bright if you let them be.  

But after a tough, tough week where we thought long and hard about whether we've done the right thing this year.  Today was a positive and well worth the 120 mile trip to the arse end of the wash to see him play his first away game.  They lost, he was clearly at fault for one of the goals in his second spell at centre back, but that aside there we glimmers of my boy back in his play, theres a spring back in his step tonight and with a bit more luck he'd have had the goal he craves.  

There has been talk all weekend of him not wanting to play after Thursdays no show, he was awful, lost, out of his depth.  Didn't chase, couldn't kick and taken off because you'd have said he'd never seen his feet before let alone kicked a ball with them.  He knew it, we knew it.  There was always going to be a nervous stage at the start of it all, he's a big bag of nervous energy at the best of times, it regularly transposed onto the football pitch last year but Thursday was painful.

When we sat down and talked the blog idea through I imagined a chance to share emotions, a sounding board and link for both dad (who is now restricted to the occasional clap on the sideline) and lad to think things through and talk about everything on a Sunday night.  But on Thursday I couldn't pull myself to write anything or talk to him about it, I was gutted and felt I'd let me boy down somewhere.  

We knew it would be a tough few months, it's certainly a big step up when all the boys in the teams are strong, hungry and where you're probably one of the weaker teams.

Today however there was hope, positives where there were non.