An interview with Luke Bellord…..

MERTON EAGLES - So Mr B, an interesting season lies ahead for the Eagles. How do you think feeling is within the camp?

LUKE BELLORD - One of optimism I hope. Given the new players we’ve added to the squad over the summer I can’t imagine it being anything but. Everyone’s had to raise their game in training and it’s been great to have a team of hungry players again after the disappointments of last season. I can’t wait for the season to start!

MERTON EAGLES – And how do you personally think the season is going to go?

LUKE BELLORD - I think we should be careful not to set unrealistic targets, but Arsenals 49 game unbeaten run looks in serious danger!

No, seriously, I think we just need to focus on growing together as a team, playing good passing football and being positive with our play. That will get us where we deserve to be at the end of the season. We’re going to have a good size squad for the first time in a few years so there’s no reason why we can’t bounce straight back to the top division at the first attempt and take a few by surprise in the cup(s) as well.

ME - Do you have anyone specific you think can really shine this season?

LB - Hard to single any one person out of a talented squad, but if I had to I’d say Al Mcnamara.

At times you can’t get near to Al in training and I think, although he’s performed better and better since he’s been with us, this could be the year when he pushes on and dominates games with his energy and tough tackling. (When he gets back from his ban anyway!)

ME - Any weaknesses you’ve identified in the current squad?

LB - Well, we could do with a goalie.

ME - Obviously last season was pretty disappointing on the whole, is there anything you think you can pin it down to?

LB - I can put it down to a number of things. I believe the team had gone stale and there wasn’t enough competition for places.  Also the fact that we rarely had the same 11 players turn up each week didn’t exactly help. So morale was low from the off which is never a good sign!

However, I don’t think we should dwell too much on what happened last year though as we can’t change that, what we can control is this season and we’ve certainly swept the cobwebs out with a whole host of ‘Bosman’ signings in the summer!!

ME - What about any positives to come out of last season?

LB - Erm…. Joe telling us about Gumtree.com?

ME – Well one positive to come from Joe I guess!! It’s looking as though this year we are going to be without Ben and Peanut for differing reasons, two players who have contributed a lot to the Eagles over the past few seasons. How do you think we will be affected by their loss?

LB - They’re forgotten already!

Just kidding, no it’s sad to see them go. Ben and Peanut have been with us for a long time now and have been mainstays in the starting 11 for that period. Two left footers as well! Like they weren’t in short supply enough already!

Best wishes to both of them, they’ll certainly be missed but, luckily for us, they’re departure has coincided with the arrival of a number of players who can fill their positions - so we can put the violin away now.

ME - Looking back over the past few seasons we seem to always be saying we have the “best squad” ever and we should “win something this year”, yet so far we have fallen well short of our expectations. What makes you think this year will be any better?

LB - Because we definitely have the best squad ever!! – No, we really do - and we should win something this year just to prove it!!

Correct answer: It is exactly for those reasons why we shouldn’t be setting the targets too high as it means when you miss them it’s a sob story. As I said before, lets just concentrate on playing to the best of our abilities as a team and be quietly confident that we’re good enough to maim the odd team or two.

ME – Wise words! Now I understand you are working towards your Uefa ‘B’ badge? How do you think this is helping the squad?

LB - Well “working towards” is the right description. I’m currently only on my Level 2 badge so a way to go yet. A bit like saying Middlesborough are working towards Premier League domination, but it sounded good, so feel free to use it again.

I wouldn’t say I’ve brought too much to the table as of yet to be honest, although I’d like to think the structure of the sessions has helped in our pre-season preparations.

ME – Don’t under estimate yourself Luke!! You’ve been with the squad for about 7 years now and have seen many a player come and go, so I have to ask you, as I have others, who do you think are the best and worst of the players the Eagles have experienced?

LB - We’ve had some crackers over the years that’s for sure! Some of the best Sunday League stereotypes you could wish for. ‘Worst’ might be harsh way to describe Rhett, who played, I think for about 2 years all in all, although it probably seemed like a fortnight to him as he spent most of the time pissed. I’ll never forget the time Nath and I went to collect him from his house before a game only to find him still pissed, smoking a joint and greeted with the news that he “shit himself last night”. He still started that game less than an hour later (where are our standards???) but promptly withdrew from the action to throw up behind the goal before being substituted. A classic Eagle.

One of the best players we ever had was Stevie Painter. When he and Nath turned it on in a game there weren’t many defences that could cope with them. He scored goals from everywhere and with any part of his 3ft 7 frame. Legend.

Then there’s Peanut. Undoubtedly, in my mind, the most technically gifted player we’ve ever had. There’ll be right backs all over the Sunday league set up rejoicing at his decision to retire and concentrate fully on his preparations for the 2008 ‘Anything With Ketchup’ championships to be held in Berlin.

My brother also deserves a mention here as the scorer of the most spectacular goals, one of the few players to actually get applauded by the other team (after his free kick against Ewell Park 2 seasons ago).

ME – Here, here! I can’t actually remember a goal from Nath that wasn’t spectacular! And who have you enjoyed playing with the most?

LB - Again I’d have to say Peanut.  

ME - On a different note, the Eagles management tried to move the end of season do away from the stereo typical ‘Lets just get bladdered’ event, to a more social golf society day. How do you think it went?

LB - A great break from the norm!  27 holes might have been a bit much for the non-golfers, but to hell with them!

ME - There are rumours that due to its success it may be run again before Christmas? Good idea or folly?

LB - I make that Pimms o’clock!

ME - Well thank you for taking time out of your busy day Mr Bellord!! Good luck with the coaching course and if we get any success this year it will be down to your coaching techniques!!

If there is anyone you would actually like to have interviewed, drop me a note at merton_eagles@hotmail.com