After months of organising by Ivan and Dale the England Tournoi 2011 was a go and the Copthorne Hotel in Slough and Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre were ready for the Old Boys arrival.
England had a strong squad of fifteen players with fourteen at the hotel and Dave coming on the Friday morning. Then we had Denise and Marcus, and Donna and her two children cheering us on and staying at Bisham Abbey.
Ivan and Dale arrived at the hotel on Thursday late afternoon to meet the teams and they met the with Rose and Valentina to get the t-shirts and programmes ready for each nation.
Ivan and Dale went for a meal with the Swiss and then had a late night trip to Tesco to buy the 660 litres of water needed for the games, where Ivan nearly died a death by trolley on escalator.
Friday 20th May 2011
The England team arrived at the hotel in the morning and were given their three lions t-shirts and other tournoi bits and pieces. We all travelled by car and the coaches to Bisham Abbey and had lunch in the great hall then got ready for the opening games.
The opening ceremony began and Gigi sang us Nessun Dorma, Ivan then did a great opening ceremony speech and greeted all seven teams with some words in their own language.
Group Stage - Hungary v England - 3.15pm
4-1-2-1-2 Formation
Team Line Up
GK Ismail / RB Stefano / LB Ivan / CB Chris / CB Steve (c) / DM Dale / LM James / RM Peggy / AM Roger / CF Dave / CF Terry / SUB Mark / SUB Eudimar / SUB Jason / SUB Andy
The Three Lions started in a diamond formation and got the ball down early to feet, the first few minutes resulted in both teams rushing things and gifting away possession as the nerves of a new tournoi was still present, but things gradually settled.
England took the lead with their first attempt, when the ball was worked through midfield to Dave who flicked the ball through to TERRY who ran through and slotted past the keeper for the lead.
Hungary played some good football and Ismail made a good save from a free kick from the edge of the box and made a good near post save from a header, but then their main striker fell down in the area after absolutely no contact which was rather embarrassing and the referee told him to get up, then Steve told him what he thought in rather strong terms.
Dave almost doubled the lead when he got through and hit a shot across the keeper but a full length dive tipped the ball onto the post.
Half-Time Hungary 0 v England 1
Dale and Dave were replaced by Eudimar and Mark at the break and the teams were relatively evenly matched in the second half. England almost got on the end of two teasing crosses but couldn't get the vital touch with the keeper coming out strongly to collect.
Jason and Andy then came on for Ivan and James and put themselves about immediately, Andy linked well with Ed and he jinxed his way down the touchline into the box but his attempted cross was blocked for a corner. Steve almost got a header from the corner but it was finally cleared.
Hungary had a couple of chances to hit back towards the end, when after a blatent handball was not spotted in the build up by the referees, their player at the back post hit the post and it bounced out to safety, followed by a player cutting in past two challenges but hitting his shot over the bar.
Full-Time Hungary 0 v England 1
Group Stage - France v England - 5.15pm
4-4-2 Formation
Team Line Up
GK Ismail / RB Jason / LB Ivan / CB Steve (c) / CB Andy / CM Dale / CM Roger / LM Eudimar / RM Peggy / CF Dave / CF Terry / SUB Stefano / SUB Chris / SUB James / SUB Mark
The gaffer was trying to keep players fresh so he made a few changes but England started quite sluggish and couldn't get going, Dale was slightly feeling his groin and this restricted him somewhat and FX started well with lots of energy for France.
Both Terry and Dave found time in the box after twisting and turning but couldn't get their shots on target and despite some play around the edge of the box we were rushing things and our final ball was not quite up to scratch.
France had some possession in our half but had not threatened until with the team pushing up, Steve was in front of his fellow defenders and a ball over the top saw their striker run through onside with someone playing him onside and he lobbed Ismail who was in no man's land to give the french the lead.
Half-Time France 1 v England 0
Stefano, Chris and James replaced Jason, Andy and Peggy and England started the second half much better. We got forward much more and allowed our wingers to run one on one with the full backs.
Five minutes into the second half Mark replaced Dale and it was an inspired substitution as Roger swung over a corner and MARK met the ball on the run and powered a header past the keeper for the equaliser.
Ed was full of energy and kept the french under pressure and continually ran at them with the ball, occassionally holding onto the ball a little too long and having it taken from him instead of releasing the ball early. Terry hurt his knee and Peggy came back on and went up front with Dave dropping into midfield.
England finally got the winner with five minutes left when Ed ran through midfield and fed ROGER who ran past the defence, holding off the defender and he slipped the ball into the bottom corner.
We nearly added a third when Peggy ran his full back then the centre back and pulled the ball back to Mark, even though he was aiming for Roger, but Mark glanced the ball a yard wide of the post with the goal at his mercy.
Full-Time France 1 v England 2
It had been a good day for the team with us being the only unbeaten team left in the competition despite not playing at our best throughout the day. We were on top of the group with six points with Belgium and Hungary on three points but France on nil points.
The meal was good and the teams were entertained with a belly dancer who got individuals up to dance with her in front of everyone. Chris and Steve have a lot to say but bottled the offer to dance with Steve looking away and Chris pretending to be on the phone. Ed did get up for a very short while but it was the Swiss and Spanish who really loved it.
Seven of the boys had a poker game in the bar with Dale winning the first game and Steve winning the second, whilst having a few drinks. It was around 1.30am when everyone went off to bed.
Saturday 21st May 2011
Breakfast was between 7am and 9am and the team ate early knowing they were set for the early kick off against Belgium at 10am. Dale drove up and we brought the rest of the water and settled in for what was going to be a very long day of knock-out football. Dave was unfortunately not available this second day.
Group Stage - Belgium v England - 10am
4-4-2 Formation
Team Line Up
GK Dale / RB Stefano / LB Ivan / CB Chris / CB Steve (c) / CM Eudimar / CM Ismail / LM James / RM Peggy / CF Terry / CF Mark / SUB Jason / SUB Andy / SUB Roger
There was a significant change on the second day with the gaffer not being able to play to his full potential on the pitch due to his groin strain he put himself in goal and that meant we had a fresh footed Ismail in midfield.
Roger took a rest and England knew that a draw would be enough to top the group and advance to the semi-final. The first half was pretty even with Belgium having some possession in our half but didn't get a shot on target during that spell.
England got down the flanks on a number of occassions but overhit the crosses and the chances were lost. Mark went down heavily and Dale substituted him for Roger and we were on top until the break.
Half-Time Belgium 0 v England 0
Stefano and Ivan replaced Jason and Andy at the break, and started really well at the back putting in tackle after tackle. The three lions picked up the pace and were now getting on top, Peggy and Terry continued to get behind the defence and only good last minute tackling kept the scoreline level.
Belgium finally broke away and what appeared to be a cross ended up at the last minute turning into a shot and Dale had to be alert to parry the ball away from the near post top corner otherwise Belgium would have taken the lead.
England were gradually getting closer and finally took the lead with a few minutes remaining, Terry chased a ball over the top, tried to round the keeper who made a block, the ball fell loose and Terry slid in and cleanly played the ball back to Peggy who slipped the ball across to ROGER who beat the defender on the line with a shot into the bottom corner.
The keeper stayed down but no one understood why as there was not a foul in the build up, Roger went to check on him but the Belgian supporters started shouting at some of the english players but we didn't know why, as there did not appear to be any contact in the goal. The keeper eventually got up but hadn't received treatment for anything whilst down on the floor.
It was a disappointing end to what had been a good competitive game and saw England reach the semi-finals with a 100% record and Belgium have to settle for a place in the 5th/6th play-off.
Full-Time Score Belgium 0 v England 1
The Group A table finished as follows:
PL | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1. | England | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 9 |
2. | Hungary | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
3. | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
4. | France | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Semi-Final - England v Spain - 12pm
4-4-2 Formation
Team Line Up
GK Dale / RB Andy / LB Jason / CB Chris / CB Steve (c) / CM Ismail / CM Eudimar / LM James / RM Peggy / CF Terry / CF Roger / SUB Ivan / SUB Stefano / SUB Mark
The Three Lions came out of the blocks brilliantly at the start of the game and should have been a couple ahead in the first ten minutes. Terry was played behind the defence moments after the start and managed to lob the keeper with a deft little chip but the covering defender chased the ball down and cleared off the line.
The attacks kept coming and Roger got in down the right and drilled the ball across the six yard box about a foot wide of goal. Then he got down the left and drilled the ball across the six yard box the other way and Terry couldn't just find the touch at the back post.
Ismail and Ed were working well in midfield and the whole back four were extremely solid and the Spanish looked a little tired and didn't test Dale much in goal other than a couple of crosses that the keeper claimed easily.
Half-Time England 0 v Spain 0
Ivan, Stefano and Mark came on at half-time for Jason, Andy and James and the team were solid but lacking the creativity of the first half.
It became a bit of a midfield battle and the Three Lions attempted to keep getting the ball wide and swing balls into the box. Peggy was having a successful half down the right and beat the full back quite a lot, Terry, now on the left, was doing the same trying to feed Mark and Roger in the middle.
The breakthrough came ten minutes before the end when Roger swung in a corner and despite the attention of the defender all over his back, TERRY rose highest to glance the ball into the back of the net.
Mark had to come off injured and was replaced by James, but shortly after Spain got some momentum and won a couple of corners, and from one of these their midfielder shot low to the right bottom corner and Dale had to dive full length to push the ball around the post and bend his finger back in the process.
England finished the game off when the next attack James got down the left and the ball was played into Terry and his ball across the area found Ed whose shot was cleared on the line but ROGER followed up and found the bottom corner.
Full-Time Score England 2 v Spain 0
Final - England v Hungary - 4pm
4-4-2 Formation
Team Line Up
GK Dale / RB Stefano / LB Ivan / CB Chris / CB Steve (c) / CM Ismail / CM Eudimar / LM James / RM Peggy / CF Terry / CF Roger / SUB Jason / SUB Andy / SUB Mark
The hour long final was played on the international pitch and the grass was like carpet, the surface was fantastic and the sun was shining in the fabulous setting that was Bisham Abbey.
It was a relatively slow start to the final by England and the number of games and heat looked to be taking it toll, but despite a lot of possession early on by Hungary they did not test Dale once in goal with only a cross come shot going wide in the first half.
The Three Lions began to come to life and got down the right on a number of occasions and a ball into the box from Peggy bounced around the area and almost fell to one of our players for a back post tap in but a last ditch clearance managed to clear the danger.
On more than one occasion Terry ran his man down the touchline and in behind but was unable to find anyone with his cutback with the goal gaping. Then from a corner Steve saw his header just clear the crossbar.
Half-Time England 0 v Hungary 0
At half-time Jason and Andy replaced Stefano and Ivan, and Dale told his players that there wasn't any need to rush things, we needed to slow the game down, look to get the ball to feet and try not to do too much as Terry and Roger were always looking to be played in behind with the right ball.
The second half was a more tactical affair and it became clear early on that Hungary were intent to hang on for the draw with a 4-5-1 formation and their back four camped on their own penalty area, not allowing Terry and Roger in behind.
England realised this and kept attempting to get in around the side of the defence and Peggy and James were doing this well. Mark came on for James just into the second half with Terry moving out onto the left.
Apart from one shot just over the crossbar, again Dale did not have a save to make in the second half and the defence was again solid not conceding a goal all day.
The home side continued to press and had quite a few chances, Roger ran across the area and passed to Peggy who drilled a shot towards the far side of the net but the keeper dived full length to tip the ball away, then Roger had a shot from outside the box that the keeper easily gathered.
Time was slowly ticking down and Mark went off with James coming back on and Terry going back up front. England had two chances near the end that sould have won them the tournoi but couldn't quite get the ball over the line, first a ball across the box bounced up five yards out and James glanced a header towards goal that the keeper somehow managed to block and fall on.
Then in the dying moments Roger found Peggy in the box, he turned and drilled the ball towards goal inches past the far post and with the keeper static, it would have been the winner had it hit the bottom corner.
Full-Time England 0 v Hungary 0
The penalty shoot-out saw England go first and controversy reigned supreme from the first one, Roger stepped up and drilled towards the top corner but the keeper spectacularly saved.
However, the linesmans flag instantly went up and with the referee not looking Dale shouted at the referee to talk to his linesman. The decision was a re-take as the keeper had illegally advanced at least two metres forward before the ball was kicked, which made the ability to save the ball much easier. Roger stepped back up and scored low to the keepers right. They easily scored low to the right. 1-1.
Ed stepped up and missed to the right of the keepers post and they side footed into the left corner, 1-2 Hungary. James stepped up and scored and then their midfielder and current Loko player Marton stepped up and hit the post, 2-2.
Chris stepped up and scored low down the middle, then they sent Dale the wrong way again, 3-3. Terry stepped up and scored easily and they again sent Dale the wrong way. With Dale not feeling confident, after arguing with the Italians and Belgians near the goal over the correctly disallowed and re-taken penalty, Jason stepped up but blasted over the bar, ala Stuart Pearce, they sent Dale the wrong way again and the game was Hungary's.
Penalties England 4 v Hungary 5
It was such a shame for the english lads after statistically being the best team in the Tournoi, the only team unbeaten in normal time winning 4 and drawing 1, scoring the most and jointly conceding the least with Hungary. It was tough to take after dominating the final, maybe not on possession but definitely on good chances that we just didn't take.
The evening meal was great and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, the DJ was playing low music throughout the meal then Ivan started the presentation ceremony and was a natural on the mike while Dale presented the awards.
The agency girls, Rose and Valentina who had done a fantastic job throughout were presented with Champagne and Roger won the Tournoi Top Goalscorer award with three goals.
The teams were awarded trophies from eighth through to first.
Final Standings
1. Hungary
2. England
3. Poland
4. Spain
5. Belgium
6. Switzerand
7. Italy
8. France
The band came on and were great and the lads retired to the hotel bar to do the Player of the Tournoi award. Ivan was first presented with a bottle of champagne from the club for his magnificent hard work throughout the year and then the votes were counted with Ed getting the vote just ahead of Steve.
England Top Goalscorers
1. Roger - 3
2. Terry - 2
3. Mark - 1
The lads all clubbed together and got Ivan a bottle of champers as well and presented Dale with a great little trophy that said thanks for all the effort in the last three years and a bottle of Jack Daniels, with Dale now stepping down after three years in the job.
A few of the players headed into Windsor to go clubbing but Dale, Roger and Ivan spent the evening on the dancefloor which was packed right until the end at midnight dancing to the DJ's music after the band had finished. Denise, Marcus and Jason also got involved with some moves, whilst Andy and family laughed at us all from the sidelines.
It was a good Tournoi and things worked out relatively well, with one or two glitches but that was to be expected as it is rare that things are done perfect. The England Tournoi was now finished and it is on to Belgium in 2012, Poland in 2013 and Spain in 2014.
Tournoi Report by Dale Mellor.
Links
Tournoi Information - English
Tournoi Information - French
Tournoi Group Video Drawing
Team Reactions to the England Tournoi 2011
"Dear Dale,
Dear Ivan,
In the name of the Hungarian Team I would like to thank you for the very good organisation of the tournament this year! We had really a great time in England, in the beautiful part called Windsor and Bisham Abbey! You made a big effort! Well done!
Thanks to you, to the ladies and to all the players and supporters of the English Team and to everyone who took part in your hard work!
All the best to you and your families and see you in Blankenberge in 2012!"
Zoltán & Janos, Hungarian Team
------------
"Dear Dale and Ivan,
The time spent in London has flown by very quickly as we arrived on the Wednesday. The Italian team want to first thank you for your kindness and availability reserved for us all, thanks from my heart!
For the rest we really are all very happy about the friendly atmosphere that we found, something different from other recent years, no controversy and what won was the friendship and sport. Never before this year I'm happy for the result from my team. I personally thank all of the other team leaders to "bear" our noise and I hope next year to review all the sports fields of Belgium.
With friendship"
Beppe Teora, Italian Team
------------
"Hello Dale and Ivan,
Who can say that what he does is always perfect? Nobody!
We came to play football, and we play football.
We came to see our old friends, and we see our old friends.
We came to pass good time with these old friends, and we pass good time with old friends.
For us, it was perfect.
Thank you.
NB: for the next time, just, we like.......win a match ;-))))))"
Stephane Gerault, French Team
------------
"A big one thank you to London and to all the participants.
This is a pleasure to rediscover each year all our foreign friends at the time of this magnificent tournament of soccer but especially to take advantage of the friendship between us.
We all see soon and again CHEER all the organisers of these annual meets and long live Belgium for next year."
André Alaraz, French Team
------------
"Ivan & Dale,
Unfortunately I cannot be with you on the Tournament but Wiesław and the Polish team are very happy for their stay in Slough and the good football played. Many thanks for your perfect organisation.
See you next year I hope.
Best wishes from sunny Kraków."
Izabela Lapin, Polish Team
------------
"Hello Dale and Ivan,
Again a big one thank you for the organisation. All was in order, the hotel, food, atmosphere and the soccer. I think that first of all it is the friendship that surpass and this year this is again evident.
We see each other all next year in Belgium.
Laters."
Patrick Bonnevalle, Belgian Team
------------
"Dear Dale,
Dear Ivan,
I would like to thank you for the very good organisation of the tournament this year! You did a very good job!
The Swiss Team had really a great time in England and all the players will also say "Thank you very much" to you and your team and staff.
All the best to you and your families and see you in Blankenberge in 2012!
Best wishes, friendly"
Martin Demisch, Swiss Team
Sunday 15th May 2011
