Friday 10 May 2013

Pre-season friendlies - are we getting excited?

Well the pre-season frendlies are already starting to stack up with confirmed fixtures against West Ham and Portsmouth in the bag. I am beginning to wonder who else we might attract to the Goldsands stadium over the summer?

I don't think I am alone in saying that the Portsmouth fixtures this last season were great games and the occasion of a derby match is always thrilling. I commented at the time that the Pompey fans were tremendous at our home game and even when we visited their ground at the start of last season they seemed to have nothing but positive things to say about AFCB's chances and they proved to be correct.

I wonder if tournaments are less popular or more difficult to organise these days. Do you remember the extraordinary European summer tournament in 2011? It featured Saarbruken, Lokomotiv Moscow,  and Glenn Hoddle's Academy all playing the Cherries in a competition sponsored by Energy Consulting Group. I don't think any of us really knew what Maxim Demin would bring to our small club then but that was just a taster. While Paris Saint-Gemain and David Beckham might be outside our purse strings it's always great to have the opportunity to see some clubs that would not normally visit the Goldsands stadium.

I feel it is important to have some very competitive games before the season kicks off and if AFCB get the chance to play some top quality opposition from the Premiership or elsewhere in Europe's top leagues it's no bad thing. I bet Watford will be having a friendly against Udinese, for example. While I am not sure of the fairness of such tie-ups as Watford and Udinese's arrangement regards player contracts, there is no doubt that having the experience of exchanging ideas and playing styles can be beneficial.

Cardiff and Reading have provided good opposition in the recent past for AFCB in friendlies, perhaps Harry Redknapp can bring QPR down early so we can work out how to beat them in the league.

Is there any team you would really like to see at Dean Court over the summer to play the Cherries?

3 comments:

  1. Liverpool at home!!

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  2. won't play QPR same league, probably get Cardiff or another promoted club, but would love to see any other prem team,

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  3. I'm puzzled why we're at home against Pompey....
    I would think being promoted, it makes us a bit more attractive to have others wanting us to play them away. But home, it would have to a Premier club (NOT Stains)....

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