The Gaffer’s Reality Check
Matthew Groves, fondly referred to by his team as The Gaffer, prides himself in being a mentor for the players he is tasked to develop. The Senior Trainer at Master’s Futbol Academy shared some thoughts with Touchline Insider about unfortunate realities and injustices.
Imagine being in a shop. You see the store clerk who tried to get your number and ask you out last week, and you had declined. You avoid him/her at all costs, finding the items you wanted and purchasing them. After you purchase the items, at the door, the grudge-holding store clerk calls you out, says you stole it, and forces you to put the items back... the receipt machine wasn't working. You don't get back the money you just spent. They insist that you stole it. After pleading with them, you finally put the items back and humbly restart shopping. After the completion of your shopping, you just want to get out of the store and away from this experience with the few things you have left. However, on your way out, the same clerk finds you and bans you from coming back into the store for being violent and aggressive and saying you were cursing at him on the way out. Although the allegations against you were unproven, he/she somehow gets a restraining order against you, although you have done nothing wrong.
Where is the justice?
This is a random story and has nothing to do with footy and what happened to Joao and Ivan.... That's another story, one that I’m not allowed to tell...
The Gaffer (Matthew Groves)
#freeJoaoandIvan
I MUST CONFESS
I must confess…
I have bloodlines originating from Belfast, Ulster.
During the troubles in Northern Ireland the IRA (Irish Republican Army) used photographers to help create a visual narrative to support their political platform. Photographers were embedded within the IRA and considered to be a significant instrument in their mission statement…rightly or wrongly. It was an unsettling time in the United Kingdom.
I must confess...
I’m proud to be around the Master’s Futbol Academy family but I’m an independent photographer. My mission over the past few seasons has been to document and visually report on everything pertaining to the men’s Championship team at MFA. I have been around the squad and welcomed as one of their own. It’s a wonderful family environment filled with a wholesome community. The project is very worthy of my time and effort.
I must confess…
During my journey, not only do I capture all things MFA but I record bits and bobs from League1 Ontario. Many interesting characters make up League1 Ontario. It’s a young league, full of dedicated players, talented technical minds and creative administrators. There are an infinite number of positive storylines within L1ON to be told.
I must confess…
Some of these storylines carry a positive message but very occasionally there are warts - blemishes so to speak that appear before my lenses. With growth - comes mistakes. Fixing the mistakes is the first step in growing.
I must confess…
Recently my work has come under the scrutiny of League1 Ontario. The league is unsettled by my social commentary. My platform has been made out to be Northern Irisheque. Apparently there is no room for editorial comment in photojournalism. The league is concerned that my words and visual interpretations aren’t promoting a “good look”. I’m a bit flattered that my yarns and photos are garnishing any looks. As a result, many of my contributions of the past were censored, varied or deleted on the League1 Ontario Flickr account. My contributions moving forward, will be reviewed and filtered (censored), if the League feels the need. The league has also related my independent work and has communicated to me that MFA is bound by probation. I understand that MFA has never entered such a disposition. My conclusion - It’s a systemic reaction with some faulty fact checking. But that’s ok. We all make mistakes. That’s part of growth.
I must confess…
I’m not part of Northern Ireland’s historical folklore. Far from it. Just a Scarborough bloke. I’m an independent visual storyteller based in one of the GTA’s hidden gems, covering a sport that I enjoy. In future, however, I will look within, doing my own due diligence to see if my stories or photos cross any lines. I will self-police my creative side. I agree – it’s not a good look if I cross that line. I will certainly guarantee to respect thin skin.
I must confess…
The Alternate Lens is history on Flickr…long live the Filtered Lens. Good preparation for the emancipation of Canada by our neighbours to the south.
#freeJoaoandIvan
#HendodoesasHendopleases
PROFOUND INFLUENCERS
It is a strange set of circumstances that has led to my journey into football. As spouses, parents, siblings, and as friends we have an unspoken duty to inspire those around us. It is, however, sometimes the act of a stranger, outside the sphere of our tight circles, that generates direction and change.
Back in ’82 I became very smitten with the round ball. It was a courtship that began years before ’82 but it was a single incident, perpetrated by the generosity of spirit of one professional athlete, that set the course for a mad love affair that keeps burning to this day.
Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Tony Chursky, a veteran NASL goalkeeper who plied his trade in Seattle, California, Chicago and Toronto, was the facilitator of my obsession. Back in ’82 he responded to my request for information about purchasing a goalkeeper jersey within the Greater Toronto Area. Goalkeeping was a different animal back in the 80s as keepers outfitted themselves. Not only did the former Canadian International send me one of his own jerseys but the the card that accompanied the package was most inspiring. It depicted a cartoon character chasing a rainbow with the message scribbled inside: ” always chase your dreams.”
After a rather insignificant goalkeeping career that saw this writer toil with several teams throughout Toronto and the Garden City I turned my attention to writing about the game. I have enjoyed spinning a few tales about soccer/ football/ futebol / fusball / calcio from Halifax to Happy Valley and many places in between. I was even fortunate enough to have some of my scribbling featured at Football Expo in Cannes, France. I have since reinvented myself from being a soccer scribbler to that of a visual story teller. My template of story-telling is inspired by the reputed magazine ‘ When Saturday Comes’ and yes, I have a bias, for the goalkeeping tribe.
Tony Chursky is now living in Washington State and retired from a decorated career in teaching as well as coaching soccer. My bucket list included contacting him, something I accomplished a few years ago. His hand- me down jersey hangs in one of my closets as a reminder of generosity of spirit and inspirational actions.
In my travels across League1 Ontario I have seen many, young and old, who are inspiring others. Just like the Professional and the wannabe keeper did decades ago.
Back in ’82 I became very smitten with the round ball. It was a courtship that began years before ’82 but it was a single incident, perpetrated by the generosity of spirit of one professional athlete, that set the course for a mad love affair that keeps burning to this day.
Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Tony Chursky, a veteran NASL goalkeeper who plied his trade in Seattle, California, Chicago and Toronto, was the facilitator of my obsession. Back in ’82 he responded to my request for information about purchasing a goalkeeper jersey within the Greater Toronto Area. Goalkeeping was a different animal back in the 80s as keepers outfitted themselves. Not only did the former Canadian International send me one of his own jerseys but the the card that accompanied the package was most inspiring. It depicted a cartoon character chasing a rainbow with the message scribbled inside: ” always chase your dreams.”
After a rather insignificant goalkeeping career that saw this writer toil with several teams throughout Toronto and the Garden City I turned my attention to writing about the game. I have enjoyed spinning a few tales about soccer/ football/ futebol / fusball / calcio from Halifax to Happy Valley and many places in between. I was even fortunate enough to have some of my scribbling featured at Football Expo in Cannes, France. I have since reinvented myself from being a soccer scribbler to that of a visual story teller. My template of story-telling is inspired by the reputed magazine ‘ When Saturday Comes’ and yes, I have a bias, for the goalkeeping tribe.
Tony Chursky is now living in Washington State and retired from a decorated career in teaching as well as coaching soccer. My bucket list included contacting him, something I accomplished a few years ago. His hand- me down jersey hangs in one of my closets as a reminder of generosity of spirit and inspirational actions.
In my travels across League1 Ontario I have seen many, young and old, who are inspiring others. Just like the Professional and the wannabe keeper did decades ago.