Bangkok 2001 The Champions

Just last month Kaohsiung's one and only expatriate football team, the 100 Pacers, returned home from competing in Bangkok's Far East Football Tournament. This tournament is one of several prestigious international events that the Pacers compete in annually (others being in Phuket, Macau. Manila, and Phnom Penh). These competitions are always fiercely contested, with teams coming from the far reaches of Asia and beyond.

Typically the big expatriate communities of Hong Kong, Singapore, and even Taipei (the Taipei Animals have a history of success in the Manila event) have produced most of the winning teams. This reflects the large pools of talent from which those teams can draw upon, as well as the fact that they play in well-established and competitive domestic leagues.

In recent years the elite sides have had it less their own way, with a new name muscling its way onto the winners podium. Back in 1999, our own Kaohsiung 100 Pacers, a side which has neither large playing resources, nor a competitive league in which to sharpen its play, claimed their first major trophy by winning in Phuket. To this triumph we recently added another by winning in Bangkok. Success in this most recent event has been a tribute to phenomenal commitment, skill and team spirit. Here are my recollections of what was a brilliant event- one which really exceeded all expectations!

We arrived at the tournament venue, bright and early on a brutally hot Bangkok morning. Our squad consisted of twelve players, with the promise of a thirteenth (Callum) arriving in time for the second game. Looking around the team, a mood of quiet optimism prevailed. We had brought a small, but strong, fit and sober squad, and we had all worked extremely hard at developing a style of play to suit our strengths. As far as expectations are concerned, from a personal point of view I was eyeing a quarter final berth, having never previously made it out of the group stage in previous tournaments.

Regardless of expectations, we knew that for us to progress into the knockout stages we would have to get off to a good start. With only four group games to play, experience told us that defeat in the opening game would leave us with an uphill struggle to qualify.

The format of the tournament was of three groups of five teams, where the top two teams from each group advanced to the quarter finals, along with the two best third placed teams. From the quarters onwards it would be a conventional knockout situation. Each game was to last twenty-five minutes, and bonus points would be awarded to those teams managing to score three or more goals in a game.

Team: Hooton, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Gist, Cantwell. Sub: Garcia

In spite of our intentions to get off to a flying start, we began the tournament in sluggish fashion. I suppose it is a sign of how much we have progressed as a team when we come to view a solid draw along with a clean sheet as disappointing. In reality we dominated play, passing the ball around with composure, while giving our opponents virtually no opportunities.

During the game we had shot after shot, but were thwarted by a combination of wayward finishing and smart goalkeeping. After the game each of us was left wondering how much we might come to rue those missed chances, as in these kinds of tournaments often the narrowest of margins dictate which teams advance to the next stages.

Team: Hooton, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Gist, Cantwell. Sub: Garcia

In spite of the "no show" by our thirteenth squad member, this was the game where we really announced our arrival on the tournament. Right from the start we were on the offensive, passing the ball around confidently, and making telling, incisive runs. Added to this, some of our tackling was of the most uncompromising kind, which helped to prevent Saigon from building up any momentum of their own. Our bright start had wrested the initiative, and after just a couple of minutes, we were ahead. The first goal followed some sustained pressure, and culminated in Sweet passing the ball to my good self, who drilled in a cross-cum shot from a tight angle. Garcia calmly slotted home the second and third goals, while Gist poked in the fourth, in so doing, taking a whack on the heel, which was to keep him from playing outfield for the remainder of the tournament. Saigon managed a late reply themselves as Hooton's "pan-style" cap obscured his view of an (albeit lame) in-coming shot.

Team: Gist, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Garcia, Cantwell. Sub: Hooton

The German side had won their previous two games handily, and they went into this encounter knowing that victory would assure them of first place in the group, and with it a place in the quarter finals. For the Pacers, Gist's foot injury meant that he would replace Hooton in goal.

The game itself was an extremely tight affair, with good football being played by both sides. While the balance of play was slightly in our favour, neither side managed to carve out any clear openings. The nearest either team came to breaking the deadlock was when, towards the end of the game, two German forwards exchanged passes just inside our area. With our defence wrong-footed, the German forward appeared ready to the deliver the coup de grace, but, as he drew back his right foot, in flew Hawley to whip the ball away brilliantly for a corner. Shortly afterwards the referee called for full-time and we all blew a collective sigh of relief. It had been a bruising encounter, but it had been played in an excellent spirit, one that did credit to both teams. Most importantly, we had retained our unbeaten record, and looked well set for that hoped for quarter-final berth.

Team: Gist, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Hooton, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Garcia, Cantwell. Sub: Watson

Sunday morning brought with it many new aches and pains, ones which had gone unnoticed during the adrenaline-filled first day. Our team had to reshuffle, with mi'sen withdrawing due to a knee injury, and Hooton slotting into central midfield. At this point we all knew that the team was down to the bare bones and that any further injuries would leave us seriously short of players.

The match itself was a marvelous spectacle, even surpassing the previous day's annihilation of Saigon. From the moment that Sweet crashed home a blistering left footer in the first minute of the game, there was little doubt as to who would prevail. Once again our defence was rock solid, giving the midfield and forwards a platform from which to launch attack after attack. Garcia and Sweet were to end up with two goals apiece as the Pacers cruised to an emphatic victory. Once again we got the bonus point for scoring three or more goals and qualified for the quarter-finals as group winners.

Team: Gist, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Garcia, Cantwell. Sub: Hooton

It is funny how one's expectations can rise as a tournament progresses. My earlier thoughts about being satisfied by a quarter-final appearance had long since been swept away. By this time everyone was focused on making the semi-finals, and our belief was strengthened by the news that we would face our earlier opponents, Manila (who'd qualified as one of the best third place teams) in the quarters.

Our captain, Steve Dorward, kept our feet on the ground, pointing out how, in the past we had all too often been our own worst enemies. We had sometimes taken opponents lightly, or had let a team off the hook, when a game was there for the taking. This time we were determined not to fail. Not only were we confident in our ability, but our burgeoning team spirit and focus meant that we were all prepared to fight for each other, ready to spend every last drop of energy to give ourselves the best chance to qualify.

There was no sign of the old complacency in this display, as the Nomads were simply run ragged. The tempo with which we played the ball around was far too much for the Nomads. Our defence was once again colossal, with J.J, Hawley, Kington and Shard preventing even a single shot on target. At the other end, it was a different story, with the ever predatory Garcia helping himself to a brace, while mi'sen and Sweet also netted.

Team: Gist, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Garcia, Cantwell. Sub: Hooton

There was a sense of injustice within our camp when we discovered that we had been drawn to play H.K.S. in the semi-final. Our respective seedings (being first and second after the group stage) ought to have kept us apart until the final. Some of us suspected jiggery-pokery by the tournament organisers, the Germans. We were also well aware that we would be facing the defending champions, a team who were by common consent, the most talented side in the tournament.

In spite of the odds we were feeling confident. We had, after all scored by far the most goals of any team in the tournament, and were playing with such cohesion that we knew it would take an exceptional team to beat us.

The game started off at a scorching pace, with H.K.S. always seeming to get to the ball fractionally before us. There was no doubt that H.K.S. held the upper hand, and they soon began to exert extreme pressure on our defence. Nevertheless, attack after attack was heroically repelled, with our redoubtable defence again proving their worth. At one point play had to be halted as Hawley had to have his 'fifty pound head' stitched following a clash on the edge of our box.

A half time break has never been more keenly welcomed than this one. We had been under siege for most of the opening period, and had worked our socks off to keep chances down to a minimum. The challenge in the second half was to try and create more offensively, otherwise a penalty shoot-out beckoned.

The second half continued at a phenomenal pace, but this time it was us who seemed to be getting to the ball that little bit quicker. Shooting chances remained few and far between though, with the best chance falling to Squadron, whose forward slipped his marker and hammered a near unstoppable shot inches over our crossbar. The game ended goalless, and so it was onto a penalty shoot-out.

If fortune favoured us at all in this tournament, it had been during this game. Our luck was to hold out during the shoot out, where we prevailed in spite of a couple of misses, with our patched up goalie, Gist making a couple of vital saves. The final beckoned.

Team: Gist, Hawley, Shard, Jarrard, Kington, Watson, Sweet, Baldy, Dorward, Garcia, Cantwell. Sub: Hooton

All of our team was ecstatic to have made it through to this stage, but we had to quickly focus our minds on the task ahead. We were to face a team who we'd competed well against in our group games, the hosts of the tournament, and the previous year's runners up. Once again our captain gave a rousing speech, dedicating our efforts to Mario, a respected former captain of the team who had been unable to make the trip. And so it was, with absent friends in mind, that we went onto the pitch for the biggest game that many of us have ever played in.

It was again a very evenly contested match, characterized by full-blooded tackling and tireless running. After two days of playing flat-out in the sapping heat, the game became a battle of wills. Just as in the semi-final, chances were few and far between, with the two teams canceling each other out. If we were going to take this trophy, we were going to have to do it the hard way- by penalties.

No one who has taken part in a penalty shoot-out will fail to appreciate the sense of drama and pressure that accompanies it. In spite of our success in the semi-final, we did not feel particularly confident before this one. Historically, our team has a woeful record in shoot-outs. Added to this, we were up against the Germans, and, as every Englishman can tell you- the Germans never lose on penalties!

So it was, five against five. We lost the toss and were chosen to go first. Our brave captain stepped forward, and though usually a cert to score, this time he was troubled by the memory of his semi-final effort coming back off the post. We needn't have worried, as he thrashed the ball low to the goalie's right, 1-0. The Germans replied emphatically, blasting theirs' into the roof of the net, 1-1. Next up came Sweet, he too had missed one in an earlier game, but had shown no nerves in burying his semi-final effort. And so it was here, he slammed the ball low to the goalie's right, 2-1. Once again the Germans leveled, with a powerful effort making it 2-2. Our third taker was Garcia. He had shown nerveless finishing throughout the tournament, and everyone was confident that he would score here, too. Our hearts were in our mouths though, as he nonchalantly strode up to the ball and crashed his shot against the goalie's right post. Normally a shot of this kind would have bounced straight out, but in this case, the force of the shot made the ball spin round and into the net (leaving the post shaking for seconds after), 3-2. Next came the pivotal moment of the contest. The German player drove his shot to Gist's left, who, diving full-length, spectacularly palmed the ball away. It was advantage Pacers, and from here on we knew that if we scored our two remaining penalties, regardless of what our opponents did, we would be the winners. I was the fourth penalty taker, and after taking a few strides back, ran in and slotted home firmly, high to the goalie's left, 4-2. The Germans showed character in keeping up the pressure, firing home to make it 4-3. And so it was all down to our fifth and final penalty taker, our goalie, Tim Gist. The tension was unbearable as he placed the ball on the spot. After taking a short run up he struck the ball sweetly to the goalie's right, 5-3. The trophy was ours!!!

The sense of jubilation was incredible, as the players stormed over from the sidelines to mob the last kicker. We really had hit new, unthinkable heights; setting the bar for future Pacers teams to aspire to. Even our woeful rendition of "We Love You Pacers" at the victory party failed to take a shine off a fantastic weekend!