WESTMINSTER COLLEGE, SALT LAKE CITY. (October 25, 2010). Olympique Montreux manager Bel-Ami has a footballing philosophy that is unshakeable.
It involves playing the game the right way. Bel-Ami’s way.
The ball stays on the turf. It moves rapidly between players. Unnecessary touches are frowned upon and when it is humming smoothly, it can rightfully be considered as art.
Over the last eleven years there have been enough beautiful moments to fill a gallery many times over, and fortunately for Bel-Ami, the Olympians and the supporters, those beautiful moments have resulted in numerous championships and overflowing trophy cabinets.
At Westminster College last Saturday against Mundo Utah, the Olympians displayed their surgical passing game to the delight of the spectators and the misery of Samir Delilbasic and his Mundo Utah mates. Bel-Ami’s men were physical and gave back as good as they got. There was no sign of fear and it looked as though everyone had each others' back.
It felt like the good old days of Paul Williams, Todd Miller, Nate Murphy, JT Cracroft and Josh Kimball when the Olympians used to mix the beautiful game with muscle. All-for-one and one-for-all.
The result of all that electrifying passing game and steel started producing results early and often.
David Chevez was cheeky in clipping Samir Delilbasic while Sina Alipour clearly was inspired by his teammate’s aggression when he went through the back of Admir Softic. Adis Alagic was a one man land mine. Mundo Utah players just did not dare go where he was for fear of running into steel.
All this happened in the first 24 minutes of a fiery first half that saw Mundo Utah’s giants rather intimidated and frustrated as the round thing rolled and rolled from the dizzying passing of the men in the red jerseys featuring the “Think Haiti” tribute to the victim of Haiti’s devastating earthquake last January.
The Olympians were intelligent, kept possession superbly and wore Mundo Utah down with their non-stop aggression and willingness to mix it up.
By the end of the 90 minutes Samir and Mundo Utah were exhausted thanks to those two components. Not to mention the three or four dizzying spells when Bel-Ami’s men put together 30-plus successful passes.
“I didn’t think that we had the character or mentality to dish it back. I have been wanting that in long time. After the bullying we have been receiving all season long, it was good to be physical and yet impose our brand on the game,” said Bel-Ami.
If there really has been a change in the attitude of the club, if they are willing to go nose-to-nose when the situation demands it, perhaps Lazio better beware in the Utah Super Cup game a fortnight from now.
Bel-Ami is a proud artist with a strong stubborn streak but maybe he’s thinking that getting his hands a little dirty may just be the key to creating his finest masterpiece.
The Olympians won the Utah Open Cup “avec de la manière” (with style). Armin Sedarevic scored a brace and Steve McMurdie, David Chevez, Nathan Braun and TJ Waters, scored beautiful goals. Mundo Utah put in a consolation goal in the closing minutes on a defensive mistake to make the score 6-1.
“You just cannot fake the funk in front of greatness,” mused Mundo Utah’s coach Mike Brown who had planned a victory celebration at Café on Main should his men upset Olympique Montreux.
The Olympians had other ideas.
It is funny that Mundo United O-30A's (team name correction) coach Mark (not Mike) Brown is misquoted as saying something you wish he (I) had said. Your team played well, but your average age may be close to half of ours. If you would like to schedule a friendly this weekend on a grass field, we would be glad to help you prepare for the Super Cup. Let me know. Maybe Sunday 2:00 pm at Storm Mountain in Sandy?
ReplyDeletemarkbrown13@msn.com.