Football: Blues to ride emotional waves

EMOTIONAL RIDE: Even match officials Scott Mancer (left) and Matt Stoneman seem to be sharing the pain and anguish of Blues players, such as Harry Morton. PHOTO/FILE

SOMETIMES, just sometimes, it pays not to tug at the emotional strings too much because the less people care, the less likely they are to get hurt.

That is, it can become a gamble to employ feelings to motivate because, like it or not, it's something that can prove to be contagious if not kept in check.

In sporting parlance, winning championships is about a team's ability to renew their emotions on the reliable fabric of intellect.

It'll pay for Conroy Removals Napier City Rovers to take heed of that when they host Miramar Rangers during their 13th round Lotto Central League football match in Napier tomorrow.

The barrel of the gun, that saw the visitors stymie the Rovers' Chatham Cup (national knockout) campaign only three weeks ago, is still warm, so to speak, and will prove alluring as it gets closer to 2pm when the game kicks off at the Bluewater Stadium Park Island.

It was a Russian roulette here on June 26 when Rovers captain Danny Wilson and his men came off second best, 4-3, sipping from the chalice of despair in added time.

Hey, someone has to lose in cup matches but emotion can be a form of energy that lays dormant until the next time.

For player/coach Bill Robertson and his assistant, Chris Greatholder, the overriding desire to eke out revenge can often be perceived as a sign of weakness and vulnerability from the opposition.

In their haste to exorcise their demons tomorrow the Blues may find they have created a gateway for a pact with the devil.

If anything, such high-profile defeats have a tendency to bring out the character of a team, albeit with the enthusiasm of having to swallow some sort of vile medicinal concoction that is supposedly good for you.

Robertson offers professionalism in the mould of grandma's time-worn herbal remedy to ensure his troops won't stumble on the pitfalls of a sincere but involuntary feeling.

"Obviously it's about being professional so there's no chance of it boiling over," says the centreback.

"We have to control our emotions and have some hunger to win games."

The enormity of the game isn't lost on him and neither will it be on his Miramar counterpart, Wiremu Patrick, and his men in a quest for the winter double of cup and league crowns.

"It's a must-win game for us because it's three weeks on after the cup so our mentality is that.

"No doubt there'll still be a little bit of feeling but we don't need to motivate the lads," says Robertson, dispelling any suggestions the game will lack intensity because it's not a do-or-die cup encounter.

"We'll be playing it in the same manner."

Defending champions Rovers were sitting two points behind new league leaders Wellington Olympic but the former have a game in hand.

"We have five more league games to play so we must win most of them to retain the title," he says.

"The players are aware of the magnitude of the game."

Robertson won't need any more motivation outside the obvious.

Only one team (guess who?) have won back-to-back Central League bragging rights in the history of the competition.

Yes, Miramar in 2013-14.

"It's not an easy achievement but that's a goal if we can manage to do that," he says, mindful the wind-whipped weather will be testing but they'll endeavour to adapt accordingly.

The other thing he wants his men to bear in mind is keeping their grasp on the O'Brien Challenge Shield, something the holders put up for grabs at every home game and an exercise that often goes unrecognised in the euphoria of victory or despair of defeat.

"We'll put the O'Brien Shield on the line after successfully defending it six times this season," says Robertson, impressing not too many teams can claim to have defended the shield an entire season.

The Rovers have one other home games left to do that - against first-round slayers Stop Out (3-1 away) next on August 7.

The bye week, with the away Palmerston North Marist game postponed to a later date because of the hosts' Chatham Cup clash, was godsend for the Blues in terms of rest and recuperation.

Most of the players have got through a full week of training.

Those previously on the walking wounded list - co-skipper Finlay Milne, playmaker Saul Halpin, goalkeeper Ruben Parker Hanks - should be available, pending the nod from physiotherapist Alex Gairdner.

English import defensive midfielder Rob Pearson is out serving a one-match suspension while homeboy Ross Willox won't be available for a fortnight.

"Ross is away in the United States seeking university scholarships," says Robertson of the Napier Boys' High School midfielder.

MATCH DETAILS

For rd 13 of the Lotto Central League this weekend:

WHO: Napier City Rovers v Miramar Rangers.

WHEN: Tomorrow, 2pm kick off.

WHERE: Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, Napier.

REFEREE: Anthony Riley.

AR1/AR2: Hamish Johnson/Gordon Harris.

ROVERS: 1. Ruben Parker Hanks (GK), 2 Daniel Ball, 3. Ethan Ladd, 5. Finlay Milne, 7. Stephen Hoyle, 8. Ryan Tinsley, 9. Vinnie MacKirdy, 10. Saul Halpin, 11. Tom Biss, 12. Harry Morton, 14. Josh Stevenson, 15. James Hoyle, 16. Danny Wilson (c), 17. Fergus Neil, 18. Stu Wilson, 19. Bill Robertson, 21. Kyle Baxter (RGK).

Player/coach: Bill Robertson.
Ast coach: Chris Greatholder.

RANGERS: 1. Danny Clarke (GK), 2. Tim Schaeffers, 3. Joel Wiechern, 4. George Milne, 5. Tom Probert, 6. Taylor Hough, 7. Cole Peverely, 8. Andy Bevin, 9. Tom Jackson, 10. Ben Thomas, 11. Mikhail Bredeveldt, 12. Niko Kirwan, 13. Patrick Fleming (c), 14. Finn Moore, 15. Richard Bott, 16. Ben Harris, 17. Dom Rowe, 18. Chris Conway, 19. Aleem Sheik, 20. Peter Halstead, 21. Jack Imray, Michael Stewart-Hill (RGK).

Coach: Wiremu Patrick.