Dance of the cogs
On the dressing room floor
Assistant coach holding shut
The door…
All eyes on the jersey bag…
Who will dash out in glory?
Or walk behind to lag
In the fading din…
Dying echoes of…
WIN! WIN! WIN!
Coach pleading…

“Lads…
Today the pinnacle of many weeks…
Spirits…press-ups…laps
Bone creaks…
In hail, rail and piercing wind
The message to send…
Pain is the price of gain”
WIN! WIN! WIN!

The final team talk…
“We know they are good
Take no hostages…
Get stuck in, as ye should…
Spray the ball about…
Play the wings…
Express yourselves…
Enjoy the whole thing…but
WIN! WIN! WIN!”

Minds…
Drift to dreams…
Lovers…
Girlfriends…
Flowers…
Well taken scores…daisy-cutter goals…
“COME ON…COME ON…
Fire in the belly…
Be proud to wear the jersey…
Don’t think of defeat…
It’s a sin”
WIN! WIN! WIN!

“They’re coming…they’re coming”
The fans expectant shout…
As the teams stream out…
To huddle again…
Amid the awful din…come on ref. …begin!

 

by Sean Hallinan