Big Gaz, Tony Angelino and Dishing the Dirt!

It’s been eight weeks since the FAW’s decision to suspend all matches in the Welsh system. It was, without doubt, the correct call and although every sane person will understand and agree with it, this mid-season hiatus has seemed to have lasted much, much longer.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the game but don’t think I’ve realised, until now, just how big a part of my life it is, and I’m sure most who read this will empathise with that.

Things I miss include the obvious; watching the match, catching up with everyone before kick-off and, once the action is underway, seeing everyone in their usual spots around the ground. Most of us are creatures of habit and certainly this extends to football. For example, if Gaz wins the pre-match toss-up, I know we'll be playing towards the Rondo Stand with the Cofi Army on  Danny Brookwell's side of the pitch. If the team is kicking towards the supporters club end I’ll always find the Cofi Army behind and to the left of the goal and, at the other end of the goal, behind and to its right, I’ll catch up with other diehards such as Paul Wills, Jim Edwards, Harry R & I and John Watkins.

The groundsman, Wyn, will be either adjacent to the ‘D’ at the end of the penalty area or at the door of the porta cabin near the corner flag, and I’ll also always see Jamie Breese’s father, Keith, in that vicinity, usually enjoying a cigarette with a smile on his face. Little things maybe, but all of which have become a part of going to the match at the Oval. And all of which I miss. 

Likewise the away matches, where I miss the chippy in Caersws on the way down to mid and South Wales and a McDonalds on the way home. Although most of all I miss the constant bullshit and football talk with my mate Bobby on our travels!

We’re all still awaiting guidance from the FAW with regards to what will happen with the remainder of the season but, no matter how things pan out, not every club will be happy with the outcome.

For Caernarfon, we have two excellent opportunities of clinching a first ever European tie, courtesy of a guaranteed play-off spot and also a Welsh Cup semi-final. If the season was to be curtailed now, how much of a disappointment would it be for everyone involved with the club? To be so close to making history and not given the opportunity to reach our goals would be heartbreaking but, under the circumstances, we're in the lap of the Gods.

There are numerous clubs in the same position of course whilst others I’m sure would welcome voiding the campaign as it would see them cling on to their league present status. 

These are all scenarios that will need to be concluded in some way or another and my hope is that the game's powers that be don’t void the campaign – the present campaign is called the 2019/20 season so surely we have until the end of the year to conclude it? However, if it is announced that league positions are to be decided by a points per game formula, then those teams with a vested interest (ie in relegation positions) will simply have to man up and accept that they haven't been good enough for the most of the season.

European qualification is a totally different proposition as there is a spot open to winners of the Welsh Cup so the FAW will need to look at this very carefully. If the season is cancelled, who gets that spot? 

I’m sure each of us have gone over all kinds of scenarios on how to conclude the campaign and European places and, however difficult it is to see any light at the end of the tunnel, things will surely work out eventually, both on and off the pitch.

Yes, football is important to us but, in the grand scheme of things, it means little when compared to everyone’s health and well being.

In the meantime, we’re all having to deal with things the best we can, and it was great to see Sean Eardley and the squad getting together recently for a quiz night on the Zoom platform. I believe that Kevin Sheret, the goalkeeping coach, came out on top and I was encouraged to see that there was plenty of competitiveness to the proceedings. I read on Twitter that Gareth Edwards thought there was even some cheating going on, which is disappointing or extremely funny, depending on what you think of the Big Man!  

I was also intrigued to see that Super Leo Smith turned up for the quiz dressed as Tony Angelino, the crooner with the speech impediment who made such a mark in Only Fools and Horses all those years ago. 
Something I forgot to mention in the last blog was the cancellation of the Wales ‘C’ match that had been scheduled to take part at the Oval in March.

As the club's media officer I've been asked many times by reporters in recent weeks about how the club is surviving and something that always crops up in the discussion is the aforementioned fixture and the loss of revenue to the club due to its cancellation.

However, instead of dwelling on the financial implications to the club, I've been thinking more about the disappointment of the would-be participants and especially of course, the three Caernarfon players who were in the Welsh squad. Alex Ramsay, Leo Smith and Darren Thomas were all on the verge of representing their country in the most prestigious match at this level of football and I can only imagine how frustrating it must have been for them, especially Leo and Darren, who would hopefully have been making their debuts for the side.

Rambo

We haven't heard anything regarding the possibility of rescheduling the fixture but if it happens, I think it's only fair that the FAW bring it back to the Oval. I believe that one of the reasons for selecting our ground was because it generates a real atmosphere and that will always be the case so there shouldn't really be a problem in bringing it back to Caernarfon. Can you imagine how good it would be to hear the Cofi Army chanting for Rambo, Leo and the Cofi Messi as they battle their English counterparts?

Before moving on from this subject, it's worth mentioning the excellent gesture the Cofi Army has made with regards to the tickets for the cancelled match. As soon we the club announced that refunds are to be paid when the lockdown is lifted, an impressive number of supporters told the club they didn't want the refund and to keep the money. These are difficult times for everyone and this response goes a long way in showing how fortunate we are to have such loyal supporters. 

Everyone who has read the blog over the last five years will be aware that I don't use it to make 'official' statements but, under the circumstances, I think it's acceptable of me, as chairman of the club, to thank everyone who has made this kind gesture. The money will be a great help to us as we navigate through such difficult times. Diolch o galon pawb! 

The club received a boost recently by successfully applying for the Domestic and UEFA licences. Everyone will already know the importance of both licences, being that they are a club’s entry cards to both the Cymru Premier League and European competition, based on qualification, of course. Our licencing officer, Marc Roberts, deserves a lot of credit for this, as does General Manager Darren Billinghurst and a host of other volunteers who have worked hard in ensuring the criteria was met.

As is always the case, some clubs have failed in their applications and there has been plenty of finger pointing and accusations of skulduggery about the whole licencing process. Caernarfon Town has been there not too long ago and so we all know how it feels to fail the criteria and be denied promotion to the top tier. 

I believe that where the FAW may be getting it wrong with regards to the whole process is that they don't publish the reasons why clubs are denied the licence. Of course, it may well be that this is due to confidentiality but, as it stands now, they are opening themselves up to criticism. Simply put, it should be the governing body's responsibility to publish the results, although I do think that the clubs have a role to play in it. Unless both parties are totally transparent with the reasons for a failed application then there will always be debate and false rumours.
Anyway, back to Cofi matters now and how we're trying to at least raise a few smiles during the lockdown. A fortnight ago, Eards sent me a message, suggesting that we should start a new series of Q & A's with members of the first team management and playing squad, with the sole intent of dishing some well-intentioned dirt on their team mates! It's basically a form of written banter and, if the manager thought it was a good idea then who was I to turn him down?
Due to the nature of the series I thought it would be good to include photos with the answers and, as the facility to do this is not available on the club's website, Oval Ways was the ideal platform to present the dirt-dishing! I was also slightly concerned at the prospect of publishing 'banter' on the club's official website, and so far, everything seems to have worked well.
The management and players have all taken on the challenge and the 'Team Mates' series has proved very popular up to now. In fact, the series has provided lots of positive feedback and, from what I have read, it seems to be raising a smile with the clubs' stakeholders, which is is the most important thins. If you haven't read any of the entries in the series, just have a look on the blog and you'll be able to catch up. 
And finally, I was impressed to see both Gareth Edwards and Jamie Crowther taking on, and successfully completing the five 'keepy up wall bounces' challenge, which they shared on Twitter recently. I think Darren Thomas and Nathan Craig could probably do just as well with blindfolds on but it was still good going by the Big Guys!
Stay Safe and Keep the Faith!