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Pool in Latvia - Day 3
STEVE CANAVAN brings you his diary as Blackpool travel to Latvia.
IAN Holloway has come up with a wonderful way to describe Brett Ormerod.
The Seasiders veteran striker has been a busy man of late, and last week followed up 120 minutes of action in the Carling Cup with the full 90 against Fulham.
Reflecting back on that, Holloway said: "He looked like Albert Steptoe when he arrived for the Fulham game. We had to warm him up with a blowtorch.
"He kept going on about playing 120 minutes in midweek and I said 'here we go again Brett, he's off on one'.
"He does like a bit of a moan! I'd love to get him on the Jeremy Kyle Show and get him on his soapbox.
"But what a great advert to any young lad who wants to be a professional footballer.
"He is 33-years-old, he is as fit as anybody and what a good player he still is, so I am delighted to have him."
Holloway obviously took pity on Ormerod in Thursday's friendly with FK Jelgava, playing him for just the second half.
Ormerod, meanwhile, hasn't been too impressed with the food on offer in Latvia.
"I'm a steak and chips man me," said the Blackburn lad, as he picked at a suspicious-looking fish served for dinner at the hotel. "Good job I had some at the airport before flying out else I'd be starving by now."
*STEVE Thompson and Stephen McPhee found a good way to pass some time at the team hotel, heading to the tennis court for a knock.
It wasn't quite Federer-Nadal but to be fair to the duo, they were half decent.
Thompson, as he told everyone within earshot at least 27 times, won 6-2, 6-2. They would have played a third-setter but alas fitness, or the lack of it, took its toll.
*THIS is going to sound a bit rich considering we English are the most ignorant race alive, but it is always entertaining listening to foreign people speak their slightly unique brand of our language.
The announcer at the FK Jelgava v Pool game gave us some fine examples.
After battling through the Seasiders line up ("number three, Daneese Coides; number 18, Jasson Eels"), he described the attendance thus "One thousand and seven hundred and 50 people observe this game".
Announcing time added on at the end of the 90 minutes, he said: "We have five minutes for the second half time."
There was a similarly amusing moment when Valery Belokon boarded the team bus to speak to the players.
"Today," he announced, "is a free day", which excited the players greatly, who thought they had carte blanche to do as they pleased.
Unfortunately for them what he actually meant was 'Today is a Friday'.
*THE squad was taken to a reception following the match, where they were given food and drink and a warm welcome by their Latvian hosts.
There was also a presentation to the man of the match.
This went to DJ Campbell, who stepped forward to collect his prize, which was … a cookbook. A nice gesture but I just wonder how many times it will be used?
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Weather for Blackpool
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
