PLAYER FOCUS on....."Johnaldo"!

Unfortunately, it's my turn for the horror that is player focus. This is good fun when you are writing about other players but when it's about yourself..... not so good! Anyway, i turned my well thought out answers over for Jodinho's cerebral analysis and pithy comments. I promised not to edit what he wrote but simply post it..... so....here it is.......!

John "Das Boots" was one of the charter members of the Madison Celtic Club, and he has been a mainstay of the team both on and off the field since the beginning. Having grown up in Scotland he brings enthusiasm and skill each week and is always willing to make sacrifices for the team. In honor of Johnaldo's dedication and contributions to the team a consensus was formed to wear his much-loved Glasgow Celtic's colors. Johnaldo continues to be a season ticket holder for his homeland team, and he regularly attends many of their games. Johnaldo plays solidly in the back, but sometimes reminds his team mates that he is accustomed to playing mid or striker. (He even went so far as to demonstrate some of his scoring abilities over this past summer.....)

And now a few questions answered by the Golden Boy himself:

First time you played soccer? Of course, it was called football in those days and i think i was about 3 years old. I had conquered eating, walking and stuff like that and the next thing on my list was kicking a ball which i have now done for more years than i care to remember. (We'd like to stop counting too...).

Fav Team? Really, i need to answer this one? I was born a Celtic fan and will no doubt die a Celtic fan. I can remember my first ever game going to see Celtic in the sixties. They were the best team in Europe then and those years set a high standard for Celtic to live up to. (It's always good to have memories of the good times....)

Fav Player? I have seen so many great players up close while watching Celtic in Glasgow...most recently Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Del Piero, Ronaldinho, Henry, Gerrard to name a few. I was also at the Scotland Argentina game when the 19 year old Maradona scored his first goal for Argentina! But my fav players are Jimmy Johnstone and Henrik Larsson! (Any Scottish players that you care to mention? Oh, that's right, the field of choices is very, very narrow....)

Fav Music? Snow Patrol, Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas, Kaiser Chiefs,Nickelback, Oasis, U2, Simple Minds, Keb Mo, Mary J Blige, Jack Johnson, Sting, Keane, Lily Allen, Duffy. (Maybe we should've asked who you don't like....)

Fav Movie? Depends on my mood: for entertainment i enjoy the Harry Potter movies, Bourne series, Star Trek stuff, Amelie, Gladiator, Shaun of the Dead, Lord of the Rings,The Great Escape, Mississippi Massala... More serious movies that i loved; Hotel Rwanda, Rabbit Proof Fence, Das Boot....... (Harry Potter?? (listed first no less) This explains a lot......)

Best moment on a soccer field? Scoring the winning goal in the University sevens final. The team got so drunk after the game the only thing i can now remember about the day was the goal. (Yup, that was something....)

Nickname at school? Well mostly "Housty", sometimes Tex. (Now that's original! No "Son of Sam" (Houston)? That's right, he came along well after your ancient childhood!)

Motto for life? Always look on the bright side of life....da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum (The Celtic fight song?)

Something we don't know about you? I played trumpet in my high school band and we won a UK version of "America's got talent" called "New Faces". A TV star and fame, all at an early age.....it's a wonder i am so normal......Please form an orderly line for my autograph.... (Very impressive....We're sure you'll be treated differently now.....)

Thank God, that's over! Some nice comments from Jodinho though, proving that bribery does work! That's the last Player Focus, and probably the last post, of 2008, but we will be back in 2009 with some new amazing insights from Roniildo, Fribeka, Tom the Coach, Hamid The Enigma, Jerry and many more!...stay tuned!

Have a Great Christmas and Happy New Year....and try to keep fit!

Player of the Fall, Awards! Best Defender

After a sweeping poll win for Roniildo as best midfielder we come to the really hotly contested poll.....Best defender of the Fall! Last Spring the poll winner, El Gato, was surrounded by a swirl of accusation and counter accusation as his shock poll win was investigated for poll rigging and bribery....after an extensive review his win was allowed to stand! After switching to goalie for the Fall it's safe to say we could have our first clean election for best defender!

After losing several potential winners through injury, the candidates are:
La Boca, The Heckelator, Tom the Coach, Tom the Pink, Hamid the Enigma and finally Johnaldo ( Das Boots). I know who my winner is, but will it match yours? Over to the fans for the final decision!

And welcome to Behrooz who is now an official "Blog Follower"!

Player of the Fall, Awards! Best Midfielder

Yes the blog is still active! Another tough poll, after the run away victory of RoRo for best striker.... it's now "best midfielder of the Fall season"! The spring winner was Jodinho and well deserved too! So will his strong Fall performance allow him a repeat win, or will some of the fantastic midfield performances from others get the nod? Roniildo has scored 6 goals this season and had some stand out performances, or Carlito who probably has more assists than any other player in the team. Fribeka ( La Boca Junior!) has also had his moments along with Jerry and Stuart. So it's now down to the fans to decide.....who is the best midfielder of the Fall?!

PLAYER FOCUS on...."Scotty"

Happy St Andrew's Day...the patron saint of Scotland!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Still a day to go on the best striker poll! Make sure you vote....RoRo is way in the lead! I've also added a couple of new features to the blog. The first is the video bar which i have now made more Madison Celtic related....i have loaded up some video of us playing! There is also some video from my camera phone at Celtic park. I have some more video which i will load soon. Also, there is now a "followers" bar which allows you to put yourself down as a follower of the blog. You can be anonymous or use those great nicknames that you all have now....go on, be brave and give it a try! I will also re-explain how to post a comment shortly using the comments feature at the bottom of every post. Anyway, enough of that ...on with player focus!!


This high flying player missed the Spring season but came back to full effect during the Fall. Equally comfortable up front or in a battling midfield position, Scott "Scotty" the ...erm..."Scot", has knocked in 3 goals and quite a few assists. He has the potential to challenge Danny and Fribeka for their titles of La Boca and La Boca junior but so far they remain the top dogs for vocal pyrotechnics. So what else should we know about Scotty?...read on as he beams me up to his World for an in depth interview.


First time you played soccer? Age 7, my first game was indoor, I scored 5 or 6 goals and was hooked from then on. It was like playing against Killingworth.... ( first game and you remember all those goals, huh? so, what were you wearing that day? what was the weather like? what did you have for dinner? no, really... i believe you can remember it....i do )


Fav team? NY Cosmos, really! I went to every game I could and played summer league with a couple of the players. Was great growing up watching Pele, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia and Carlos Alberto (my college coach coached the Cosmos in the 1970's, so I had an affinity for the team even after the NASL folded, and unfortunately had to endure some of the same workouts he put Pele through!) (i can see some of that Pele training in your style of play......ha ha...i know, I'm laughing too)


Fav player? Franz Beckenbauer, "der Kaiser", that was one great German footballer! ( he's not as good as Das Boots)


Your nickname at school? "Scotty"....and only my soccer team mates were allowed that privilege! ( and Scotty it will be....sorry about the beam me up thing...)


Fav music? Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (I'm from New Jersey,what did you expect? You gotta problem with that?) (Whaddya tawkin, stunad? Fuhgeddaboutit!)


Fav movie? Toss-up, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or No Country for Old Men ( both very happy endings!)


Best vacation? Taking the wife and kids to Europe in 2007, great trip....was very expensive so now I play soccer for money - I'm still waiting on my first check from Tom......( so am i ! )


Best moment on a soccer field? Scoring the winning goal against our arch rival with under a minute remaining in the 1983 county championship semifinal, we went on to win the final (then we lost in the state championship 2-0, that sucked)

Motto for life? Don't take it too seriously and have fun

Something we don't know about you? I'm actually bald and not in very good shape ( i don't know how to break this too you but.....)


Christiano Ronaldo or Kaka? Ronaldo ...didn't he help knock Celtic out of Europe? ( yeah yeah and a few other players too....a bad European run this year )


Thanks Scott for the revealing, inside view of the player that is known to all as ....... "Scotty"!

Player of the Fall Awards! Best Striker

Yes, it's that time of the year again when all those honest democratic voters out there get a chance to pay homage to the best Fall defender, midfielder or striker at Madison Celtic! As a reminder the winners from the Spring season were Jim ( goalie ), El Gato ( defender), Jodinho ( midfielder) and El guante blanco ( striker). Will they win again this season? Well one of them will because El Gato has won the goalie of the Fall season award! Well done!....and hopefully that will stop any cheating in the defender poll.....

Ok, we are going to start with the striker of the Fall award....this will be a tough one, with Jorge, RoRo, Eric, and Scotty all up for the award. I could have added some other players who have played up front once in a while but i think we will stick with these four.

Some facts to help with the decision making; the goal scoring charts at the end of this Fall season have RoRo with 10 goals, Jorge with 8, Roniildo with 6, Scott with 3 , Carlito with 2 and Eric with 1. Of course, it's not all about the goals but they do help!

No cheating on the polls .... and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The popular player focus feature will return soon!

MATCH REPORT; New Fairfield 3 Madison 1

Madison frozen out of the points in tough season ender

By Jodinho

Reluctant to peel down to our uniforms in the Artic-like conditions (28 degrees F and windy) with only 11 players representing the proud Celtic side, and with several key defensive players, La Boca, Johnaldo and Hamid, nowhere to be found, the teams took the field away to New Fairfield. (Another significant player, Los Guantes de Blanco, unexpectedly withdrew from traveling to the field as he informed his amigo, Carlito, "Es muy frio! Yo no va!") The opponents did not lack for substitutes and played aggressively, and Celtic were up to the challenge. Tough physical play quickly morphed into an ugly match, and New Fairfield struck first when a mix up in the back line resulted in a too easy goal in the first few minutes of play. Celtic pushed back hard and had, as has been our trademark this season, numerous opportunities to put the ball into the back of New Fairfield's net, but with nothing to show for it. In the meantime,New Fairfield's English striker caused fits for the Celtic side and drew the attention of Roniildo who was determined to keep his fellow UK statesman in line.The second half was a continuation of the first, with excellent play in the middle and up top, and lousy, loose play in the back....it was clear that Celtic's defense was in disarray and was having difficulty with repeated strikes toward our goal. Nimble El Gato saved a number of wicked close-range shots by New Fairfield and kept Celtic in the game. Midway through the half, several Celtic players perversely stopped play to discuss the possibility of a ball going over the sideline, all the while NewFairfield sprinted down the field and pounced on yet another all too easy goal. Emotions were tellingly high, with La Boca Junior and Scotty leading the chorus. RoRo placed a couple of nice shots just wide of goal.Things completely unraveled when Jodinho twice attempted to clear the ball from the box, only to kick the ball directly to the opponent at the 30-yard mark who, with a quick pass to his forward sprinting teammate, quickly capitalized. 3-0!! And to think we were playing even or better than NewFairfield! Just when hope was all but lost with only 15 minutes left in the match, RoRo sliced a short cross from the right corner into Ronildo who neatly tucked it away with a powerful shot. Celtic saw a glimmer of hope, which ignited into newly-found high energy when Scotty was taken down in the box by the keeper. Expectations of a successful penalty kick by Ahmad to bring us to only one down with 10 minutes to play were quickly extinguished as the right post was struck and the ball caromed off in a disadvantageous direction. With that, Celtic valiantly attempted to score, but the air was out of us as the ensuing end whistle approached. In the end, a gutsy show of determination, but a demoralizing defeat at the hands of well-matched New Fairfield side. Apres game: Carlito provided a party platter of his home-made wings which were very good...if only we could hold onto to them with our numb fingers.Of course, the wings were washed down with cervezas compliments of Jerry. In order to appease Roniildo, he was also promised that he would be selected to take the first penalty kick of the spring season.

Happy Holidays!

NEXT GAME: Sunday 23rd Nov, New Fairfield!

This is it! The final game of the 2008 season and what a season it has been. A new team, some new shirts and a whole new commitment to winning! After 18 games we have only one left and it's a tough one, away to New Fairfield. They are sitting third in the league with 34 points after 20 games. We are 5th with 30 points after only 18 games so we can't catch them but if we beat them i would say we are the moral victors seeing as they got to play more game than us. In fact every team got to play more than us! We have played New Fairfield 3 times already this season losing one, winning one and drawing one.
I will again miss the game but i know you guys can do it! Someone please take great notes of all the goals that RoRo and Jorge ( El Guante Blanco) scored!

By the way, the current goalscorers for the Fall season are as follows:

Ro Ro 10 goals
Jorge 8 goals
Roniildo 5 goals
Scott 3 goals
Carlito 2 goals

Then Danny, Tom, Eric and Jacques are all on 1. We won't count my goals.......

PLAYER FOCUS on...Jorge..."El Guante Blanco!"

Jorge is a superb player who scores goals for fun. He has knocked in 8 goals during the Fall season and he and RoRo are fighting it out for top goalscorer. He also played fantastically well during the summer, but when it gets cold Jorge gets his white gloves out to keep that important piece of football equipment warm....his hands.
So what do we know about El Guante Blanco.......or should it be....."El hombre blanco enguantado".......? Read on to find out what happens when the gloves come off!

First time you played soccer? Kindergarten in public. In private with my cousins when i was 3 years old. ( wow, you really did plan your soccer career!)

Fav team? "LIGA DE QUITO" actually "COPA LIBERTADORES" champions of South America. "Liga de Quito" is from Ecuador, from my University, where i studied to be a teacher at High School.

Fav player? Raul from Real Madrid, Spain and Maradona 10 times!, World cup '86 was the best. ( I think Scotland was in that one too....)

Nickname at school? "CHINO" I have a small eyes ( that explains a few of the misses then.....)

Fav music? Cumbias ( Are they better than Blackstar though?)

Fav movie? Alexander (?)

Best moment on soccer field? When I scored a goal, a fan gave me a bottle of alcohol. It was his way to celebrate ( Was his name Danny?? )

Motto for life? I love my kids, i love my wife, i love soccer, from anywhere, any age, men or ladies, indoor or outdoor ( we are still talking about soccer...right?)

Something we don't know about you? On soccer field, I am very aggressive, big temper. Off, I am very good person. My wife feels disappointed when she comes to watch me play ( Don't let her come and watch you then!)

Thanks Jorge!

MATCH REPORT; Madison 4 Milford 2

Madison magic too much for Milford

A bitter wind that chilled you to the marrow and brought tears to the eyes was a timely reminder, if it was needed, that Spring and Summer had passed and that Fall was now finally giving way to old man Winter. But on this day, even as the seasons rushed to pass the baton to the finish line of 2008, this Madison team could now proudly say not here, not ever, no one beats us at our house!
Yes, a final game at home yet again ended with the Madison team standing proud, unbowed, undefeated.....and victorious!

This was a rousing, bracing game that started at a hares pace and to be honest caught the Madison team cold. After five minutes a defensive mix up allowed the Milford team to break down the right, cut a ball straight across the penalty box for the easiest of uncontested finishes. Madison were one nil down and struggling to deal with Milford's aggressive play backed by an even stronger head wind that made a mockery of the Celt's usual passing game. This early set back had added to the pre-match shock of realizing that Madison's top goalscorer was missing from the line up. RoRo would not be there to rescue the team as he had done in many previous games and the team would need to rise to the challenge. Several chances came and went for Madison with shots going wide or high as they struggled to get into the game. But just when it was looking bleak for the Celts, a great move down the left by Jorge allowed him to swing in a great cross which was expertly controlled by Carlito in the opposition penalty box. With the softest of touches he then gently lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper for a great equalizer. But if Madison thought the Magic would now disappear from the game they were sadly mistaken. Milford roared back with a style of robust, aggresive play that blended perfectly with the awful weather conditions and the overt leniency of the referee. It was perhaps no surprise then that shortly before half time a goal mouth scramble resulted in a handball save by Ahmad which rebounded to a Milford player who knocked the ball into the net. The referee thought long and hard about pointing to the penalty spot and maybe a red card for the Madison player, but instead he awarded Milford the goal and the 2-1 lead to take into half time.

Some tough talking at half time reinvigorated the Madison team and they started the second half the stronger team. As luck would have it, the robust wind that they had been playing against for most of the first half had now subsided denying Madison the luxury of the boot and rush play that Milford had employed through the first 45 minutes. Unperturbed, Madison's slick passing was much more in evidence now and their constant pressure was finally rewarded when a Milford defender hand balled in the area to present Madison with a clear penalty. Unfortunately, a superbly struck shot by Jorge slammed against the bar and was cleared by Milford. Madison didn't allow this set back to upset their rhythm and the constant aggressive play by Roniildo through the center of the field allowed Madison to keep possession. Wave after wave of attack by Madison was repelled by Milford until an unholy stramash in the opposition penalty area allowed Roniildo to scramble the ball over the line for the deserved equalizer. Madison were now in the ascendancy and this position was rammed home when a sweet move started off by Carlito was finished off by a stunning shot by Scott for the go ahead goal. After this Madison still had some stout defending to do but the game was neatly wrapped up when Roniildo grabbed his second and Madison's fourth of the day to complete a well earned victory and claim an undefeated home record. Only one game left in the 2008 season and a strong Fall sequence of games has now seen the Madison team rack up many more league points than they managed through a somewhat indifferent Spring.

NEXT GAME; Sunday 16th Nov, Milford!

Unbeaten at home in 2008, the final game looms.

Having gone through the whole of the 2008 season with an unbeaten home record, Madison meet Milford Magic in their last game at home. During 2008 Madison have played 8 games at home winning 4 and drawing 4. This will be our fourth game against Milford this year having lost one, won one and tied one. So an unbeaten home record to play for as well as bragging rights against the Magic are all up for grabs on Sunday!

Weather permitting, we will play at our normal ground at the Madison surf club and then Tom has planned an after game drink!

See you all there!

PLAYER FOCUS on......Tom "The Pink!"

Tom has played all through the 2008 season and has had several great games. But by far the best was his stand out performance as the second half referee in our game against the Clinton Brazilian select when we came back from a 4 0 deficit to tie the match 5 - 5. Great game ref!
He is the voice of reason and conciliation in the team. He is willing to take the blame even when it is not his to take, to calm when things are getting a bit stormy....all in all, a great team player. So, what makes this saint of a teammate tick? Read on......


First time you played soccer? Very young! I had 3 older brothers and I was always playing what they were playing - and getting hurt! I played on teams in HS and college and since then in CT summer and indoor leagues


Fav team? Liverpool FC - YNWA! ( Not as good as the Celtic fans version! )


Fav player? I like several: Stevie Gerrard for his explosiveness and ability to influence a game (not his consistency), Fernando Torrez for his efficient movement and ability to shoot from anywhere using whatever he has available, Deco for his awareness, control, and play making. I've also grown to like Rooney a lot since he's shown some maturity. There are also a number of really smart, elegant players to watch in Europe and South America, I just don't see them enough to know them. ( The smart elegant South Americans must be Jorge and Carlito!)


Motto for life? Do your best, treat others well, and keep moving or things will stop working on you!


High school nickname? Pink ( Go figure!....imaginative though)


Fav band? The Who ( The what? )


Fav movie? Again, many for different reasons: Caddyshack, Little Big Man, Terminator, Bourne series, Dr. Strangeglove, Platoon, Bond movies (Connery was best), Thelma and Louise - just kidding! (Did you really mean Dr Strangeglove? )


Best moment on a soccer field? Two - winning in OT in HS to get to state semi-finals; shutting down a Div I All-American in a summer college league match. I've had a few really good indoor games at Oakwood playing on a team that did not lose for 2 1/2 yrs which will go unnoticed in soccer history....( Not now!!)


Tina or Sarah? Why not both?


Most surprising thing we don't know about you? I could tell you, but then I'd have to have you whacked! I don't know...I was an A-league darts player, studied English and philosophy in school, and was in my high school math league just to mess around at other high schools. ( Math league, huh?... no drink, no girls... but math league...)


Thanks Pink!

MATCH REPORT; Clinton 0 Madison 1

Last gasp goal wins it for Celts

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that this league is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dreams of our players are still alive; who still questions the power of our team, this game is your answer!

A game that should have been won well before the end and was thrillingly claimed in the dying moments of an enthralling encounter against one of our most bitter rivals. I say this without the benefit of actually being at the game but as a conduit of information coming from Jody, Behrooz and Jacques. A very strong performance against a stubborn Clinton team was accentuated by a season best performance by Roniildo. Marking Enrique out of the game and creating many great opportunities throughout the game were the hallmarks of success for Ronnie in a performance that clearly frustrated our ex player to distraction. Roniildo was not the only great performance during the game with some great point saving saves from The Cat especially near the end of injury time. However, it may be no surprise to hear that the goal that won the game for the Celts came from a great move down the left when RoRo was released by Fribeca. He stormed into the opposition penalty box, as he has done so many times this season, before delivering a great shot from an impossible angle that slammed deep into the Clinton net. A crushing moment for them and another great goal from a great player!

And with only two games left in the league I think about all that we have seen throughout this years campaign, the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the team who pressed on with that great sporting creed:

Yes, we can!

NEXT GAME; Sunday 9th Nov, Clinton!

Jodinho explains the rules to Roniildo

Our next game will be an away game to Clinton at Indian River. Clinton vs Madison is a derby game for me and I'll miss it because I'm still in the UK. In over 6 years of playing Clinton, they have never beaten us! They have never even taken a point from us! We have a proud record to keep!

They have really improved their team this year with a lot of Brazilian imports and our game against them earlier in the year was only a 3-2 win for us. Of course, one of our ex players now plays for them which should make the game very interesting. I'm sure he will be trying his best to score against us. Best of luck! Let's go for another big win after the destruction of HK. Oh, and someone please take notes so i can blog it later.

PLAYER FOCUS on.... Danny...."La Boca!"

Today we will focus on one of our most talented players (well, that's what he told me!) Danny Bhoy! He joined the team during the summer of 2008 and initially played up front before reverting to his natural position as sweeper. Although he still likes to go up front to show the strikers how to score. He is the last line of defence before our goalie and more times than not he gets the ball ( and sometimes the player!) Danny is not shy in expressing his views on the field, hence his nickname, but he is committed to winning! Although some of his best moments are usually reserved for the after match play by play. An event not to be missed!

I approached my interview with "La Boca" with some trepidation....with his straight talking, to the point reputation will I have to use the **** censor more than I did for The Heckelator? Read on for this fascinating insight into the sweeping genius, the defensive maestro, the verbal fountain that is......... Danny! ............the Third.


First time you played soccer? I first played Soccer when I was 7 years old ( Phew, first question safely out of the way)

Fav team? Man-U, how did you like that ass kicking? ( Ut oh....Here we go...let's see what happens in the return game tonight!)

Fav player? Lionnel Messi ( Hmmm...didn't pick a defender like Rio, Terry, Puyol or Buckwheat? )

Slogan for life? Ride this train until the wheel falls off ( I think there's a couple off already...)

High School nickname? "Spot", I was the only black guy on the team! ( were you bald then too? )

Fav band? Blackstar (...is that really a band?)

Fav movie? A Bronx Tail ( .... the porno version of A Bronx Tale? )

Fav Soccer moment? Hitting the winning P.K. freshman year for state championship

Beyonce or Christina? Beyonce ( You'll have to fight Ro Ro for her )

Something we don't know about you? The girls love me! ( And Jorge loves your salty head! )


Thanks Danny bhoy.....your answers were to the point and you let nothing go past you.....just like the way you play! Let's hope you will be recovering from a Man U defeat as you read this.....

MATCH REPORT; HK 2 Madison 9

Madison run riot to destroy HK

No one could have predicted the final scoreline that stood at the end of this game. Not even the most optimistic of Madison supporters would have thought that the Haddam-Killingworth team would crumble so swiftly, so easily to this Madison team that were sitting several spots below them in the league. It was a truly breathtaking performance by Madison as they gave HK one Hell of a beating.


In what was HK's biggest ever loss, 9 goals were clinically dispatched by the Madison outfit over two fabulous halves of soccer supremacy.


Madison got off to a flyer of a start in this game as they attacked the HK defence from the kick off. Strong running and great possession play by Madison were very quickly rewarded when Ro Ro, the unstoppable Madison striker, hit his 9th goal of the season with a great shot past the stranded HK goalkeeper. Unfortunately for HK this was just the start of the onslaught and very shortly after this first goal Ro Ro was at it again as he surged past HK defenders down the left side of the field, cutting inside the box, then finishing of his great run with the second goal of the game. The HK team did not know what had hit them.....we did....it was The Tank! Stunned by the Madison verve and majestic style of play the HK team could only look on in awe as Jorge took the whole HK defence on a run, as he outstripped the last defender, broke into the penalty box and unleashed an unstoppable shot high into the left side of the HK goal past the hapless goalkeeper.


Things went from bad to worse for HK after this when some great play by Carlos and Jody down the right side of the field resulted in a neat pass to Scott who slammed the ball into the net for goal number four. HK tried to respond to the Tsunami of attacks coming from Madison and to their credit managed to break through the untested, and slightly bored, Madison defence to crack a great shot past the catnapping Behrooz and reduce the deficit to 3 goals again. This goal seemed to only stir up the Madison team as they went back on the offensive and just before half time they re-instated their 4 goal lead when Scott slotted his second goal of the game past the increasingly harassed HK goalie.


The frantic pace of the first-half continued after the break, with Madison intent in dishing out a real beating to an HK team that had given them some tough games in the past. It wasn't long into the half when that beating continued; Jorge went on a mazy run down the right hand side of the field and unleashed a shot that went past the HK goalie on his inside post. This was Jorge's second of the game and Madison's sixth. The Madison players were now all trying to score a goal resulting in some fairly awful attempts at goal by the Madison defenders. However, possibly the goal of the game, if not the season, came from Carlos at least 35 yards out. Seeing the HK goalkeeper off his line Carlito unleashed an audacious lob that sailed high into the net for goal number 7. Two more goals from Madison, one from Jorge, to finish off his second hat trick of the season, and another from Ronnie finished off the scoring for Madison. A late consolation goal by HK, as they thumped the ball past the sleeping Behrooz, was not enough to save the embarrassment of such a devastating defeat. Superb play by Madison in all departments as the midfield were firing on all cylinders with Ronnie, Jody, Carlos and Jacques all turning in "best of the season" performances. Strong play by the strike force with 7 goals shared between Ro Ro, Scott and Jorge told you everything you need to know about the game today. Some late injuries to Eric and Jorge took some of the fun off the victory but hopefully they will be fit and available for the next game against Clinton. On this form Clinton should run for the hills!

NEXT GAME; Sunday Nov 2nd,Haddam Killingworth

Celtic dogs get ready for a Happy Halloween!!!

Our next game is this Sunday away to HK and it could be a tricky one.......or maybe a treat. They currently sit 4th in the league on 26 points after 14 games. They have won 8 tied 2 and lost 4. Two of those losses were against Woodbridge,the most recent being last week when they were beaten 4-2 at home. They have also lost to Trumbull and the Falcons. They are a tough team to beat but we have a good record against them going back several years. It would be great to get out of our tied game rut and collect 3 points to close the gap in the league. We are currently on 21 points after 15 games, 5 wins, 4 losses and 6 draws! By the way Tom, the Trumbull score has still to be entered into the league results and standings....

It will be good if Ahmad gets to play for us at the weekend. He was a very strong and skillful player for us over several years until he made the mistake of joining Cheshire.

Ron and i are bringing the beer this time....... and some Haggis....

Have a scary Halloween!

PLAYER FOCUS on........Rohan "The Tank!"

Rohan joined Madison Celtic in the summer and he has already become a major goalscoring threat in the league. He has scored 8 goals in the Fall season so far, including two great goals at the weekend, and his robust style of play has earned him the nickname "The Tank". He's as tough as a $4 steak, he rampages through opposition defences as if they don't exist and has a rocket shot to finish things off. But....he is still new to the team and we don't know a lot about "The Tank" so I took the opportunity to carry out an extensive and revealing interview with Madison's top striker.

First time you played soccer? At age 6

Favorite Team? Liverpool and Brazil

Favorite player? Pele (Not cause he played for the Cosmos? )

Motto for life? Be the best at whatever you do

Your nickname at School? Ro Ro

Fav Band? Steel Pulse ( is this a Country and Western band?...)

Fav Movie? Scar Face ( Likes his movies tough!)

Fav moment on a soccer field? When I played for the first time in high school at age 15

Beyonce or Christina? Beyonce all the way ( All the way?)

Something we don't know about you? I had to shoot a robbery suspect when I was a police officer in Jamaica. It was in his ass. I am also very afraid of heights, but guess what? I want to get my pilots licence before I leave the Navy. I forgot to mention that I am a Corpsman ( OK, I think we should tell the opposition about your ability to shoot before every game! )

Thanks Rohan! Now get out there Tank and roll over the opposition with another hat trick!

MATCH REPORT; Madison 2 Falcons 2

Madison Celts Clip Falcons' Wings

Madison kept their reputation as the leagues draw specialists in this bruising encounter with the high flying Falcons. Although the Polish team were a constant threat throughout the game Madison had some significant chances late on in the match to snatch a winner.

On another bright sunny Fall morning this game promised to be a real treat for the soccer connoisseur, and so it proved. A strong start by the Falcons was matched by an equally confident display by the home team. Early chances fell to both teams but alert goal keeping by Behrooz and strong man to man defending kept the Falcons at bay whilst Madison peppered the opposition goalkeeper with a series of speculative shots. However the match really burst into action when Madison won a direct free kick just outside the Falcons penalty box. This allowed Rohan to step up and showcase his incredible dead ball shooting skills when he rocketed an unstoppable shot high into the top left hand corner of the Falcons goal to put Madison one up. This was Rohans seventh goal of the season and emphasised how important his robust forward play is to the Madison team. The goal clearly rattled the league leaders who sprang into attacking action with a series of smart forward moves. Great movement on and off the ball by the Falcons really put the home team on the back foot. After a corner was conceded by Madison the subsequent cross was whipped in and met sweetly on the head by one of the Falcon forwards for the equalizer. The Falcons took great heart from this goal and they really took a grip of the game at this point. After several minutes of sustained attacks the Falcons released a great defence splitting ball down the Madison right. The Falcons forward latched onto the ball and with defenders trailing in his wake he fired a fantastic finish beyond the grasping arms of Behrooz for a 2-1 lead to the Falcons.

Madison held out to half time with this score line but were beginning to struggle. Madison had only 11 players available for this game, so with no substitutes they would have to be careful to conserve their energy. The second half started with renewed attacks by the Falcons and some great possession play. At this point Madison were kept in the game by a sequence of superb saves by Behrooz and some great backs to the wall defending by the Madison back four. And as the second half wore on with no further goals from the Falcons the Celts confidence started to rise and they began to push the league leaders back into their own half. Then after one great run by Ronnie down the left and a great ball to Rohan, the "TANK" brushed off a number of the Falcon defenders like flies as he drove into the penalty box before smashing a great equalizer into the net. His eighth of the season and a major blow to the Falcons. At this point in the contest it was anyones game and a number of close chances near the end for Madison could have ruined the Falcons impressive unbeaten run. The Falcons started to take out their frustrations on the Madison team with some hefty late tackles and some petty fouls and trips. In the end they held out for the draw and Madison could feel disappointed not to take all three points in a game that showed their strong defence and attacking qualities in full force.

On this form Madison are proving to be a tough team to beat. Apart from the aberration of the Bridgeport result they have been unbeaten in their last 8 games. If they had been able to convert some of these tied games into wins they would be challenging at the top of the table.

Weather Update!! Game Is On!

The game is on Today!!! See you at Madison High School.....

NEXT GAME;Sunday 26th Oct, Falcons!

Tom lays down the law to Ronildo!

Looks like Tom has the plan for victory....and he's sharing it with Ronnie....let's hope it's a good one 'cause we will need it! This weekends match is a home game against Falcons FC. They are top of the league on merit. They are unbeaten over their last 9 games and are on a current win streak of six games. They have won ten games, lost one and tied only three over the whole 2008 season giving them an impressive 33 points. Our stats are poor in comparison this year, with only 5 wins in amongst 4 losses and 5 ties, a meagre haul of only 19 points! I hate to say it but this looks like Man Utd versus Celtic. We can't expect to win but we have to go out and try to compete. I think we can surprise the Falcons if we play to our potential and manage to take our chances. We played well against this team earlier in the year with a really depleted squad. Only in the second half did we look second best. Let's bring the Falcons down to Earth!!

The game will be played at the Madison High School. Let's hope the rain stays away.

PLAYER FOCUS on.....Rob "The Heckelator"

Ok, so i haven't come up with a great nickname yet for Rob but "The Heckelator" can do for now...sounds like a cross between "The Terminator" and an angry guy in the crowd. Hey, maybe that is a good nickname! Rob has been one the defensive regulars this season playing either left or right back.....he can do both you know! Beside him in most games has been "The Toe" although he has been posted missing recently. But even missing a toe Rob has not had any defensive howlers or own goals although we still have a few more games left in the season~!

First time you played soccer? 6th grade (age 11). Never even saw a soccer ball prior to then.

Fav Team? NY Cosmos ( Really?....I mean really?? )

Fav soccer player? Steve Savage. Never heard of him, have you? Kinda short, long blond hair, good midfielder. He's the one who came up to me after I blew out my knee in practice at the University of Tampa, the echo of the "pop" still reverberating under the grandstand roof, leaned over, got in my face, and asked two very simple questions that put everything into it's proper perspective. ( ....and? ...and?...jeez, has this story been censored?)

Best band ever? So many from which to choose... Indigenous, Screaming Cheetah Wheelies, Joe Satriani, Soundgarten, Led Zeppelin, the list could go on and on. ( Thank God you stopped though....)

Beer or wine? From the size of my belly, what the hell do you think? ( Hhmm)

Best Movie seen? I've got three kids... I don't get to go see movies.

If you could be a singer who would you be? I don't sing. I don't want to sing.

Halle Berry or Jessica Alba? Who? What?

Motto for life? Love my wife, love my kids, pass the ball to Ronny, Carlito and Jorge.

Can you describe your best ever moment on a soccer field?
1981, NCAA Division II championship. And I had to watch from the bench because of the knee thing mentioned above.


Thanks Rob, a great insight to your love of music, family and football. And you are the first interview that had to be **** for use of **** language!

MATCH REPORT; Madison 0 Trumbull 0

Awesome goalkeeping display denies Celts

A virtuoso performance by the Trumbull goalkeeper was the story of the day. One fantastic save after another proved that this young Chilean phenom will rescue Trumbull many more times in the future. In a game that Madison should have won by a handsome margin the visiting goalkeeper proved that even in a team game one player can dominate the result.

Madison started this game strongly and continued that way for the full 90 minutes. In stark contrast to last weeks performance, the defense had its best game of the season with Behrooz hardly troubled during the first half. Rob H was unbeatable in the left back position and Danny was able to sweep up any loose balls coming his way. Normally from the base of a defensive rock you can build a victory but no matter how hard Madison tried they could not find a way past the Trumbull goalkeeping Colossus.

The pattern of missed opportunities was set early in the game after one particularly great move. Skillful midfield wing play by Carlos put Ronnie K through in the opposition penalty box where he swung over a great cross to meet the head of the on rushing Jacques. It hardly seems believable now, but with the goal wide open and the goalkeeper stranded, Jacques contrived to head the ball high over the post.....! A clear cut chance gone and Madison would be left to rue this easiest of chances to go ahead. Madison continued to dominate possession throughout the first half and Jorge and Rohan managed several attempts on goal that were either saved or mopped up by the Trumbull defence.

The second half was a replica of the first, with strong, controlled possession play by the Madison midfield and wave after wave of attack on the Trumbull goal always being thwarted at the end. Numerous chances came and went and as the second half wore on it became obvious that nothing short of a miracle or a bolt of lightening hitting the Trumbull goalkeeper would allow Madison to win this game. Even in the dying seconds of the game with Jorge clear on goal with only the giant goalkeeper to beat, a superb double save clinched the point for Trumbull in a game that Madison deserved to win. All credit to the goalkeeper for the best display of agility and bravery I've seen in a game for a long while.

What now for Madison? Although the result was hard to swallow this was still a very good attacking and defensive performance by the Celts. If they can carry this attitude and aggressive style through the rest of the season they could finish the year strongly. It's unlikely they will meet a more dominant goalkeeper in their remaining games.

NEXT GAME; Sunday 19th Oct, Trumbull!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR COACH;

"Gentlemen,

This Sunday we will play against Trumbull team and this is a Home game for us. We will be using the Exchange field behind the Surf Club. Please come through the Madison Surf Club that you can park at the top Parking area.

Please be there at 9:30 am.

Jacque will you do the honor bring beer for the team please...Dutch and German beer will get you a lot of attention. I will have Carlos to bring something that goes well with the beer.

We have to win this game....go Madison Celtic

Eric, please bring the Flags....thanks

Tom"

We have played Trumbull once already this year resulting in a 4-4 home draw. They currently sit 5th in the league having played 12 games winning 6, losing 4 and drawing 2. They sit one point ahead of us in the league and if we win this game we go above them into 5th position!

Depending on which Madison team turns up this Sunday this will either be a struggle or a good home victory. I think we are tracking the DOW this year in terms of our form...sometimes up....most times down! GUYS, it's time for a rally. Let's turn up on Sunday and really set out to win this game from the start. No more defensive mistakes.....!! Tom Tom ;o)

PLAYER FOCUS on.....Behrooz "The Cat"

Behrooz is another member of the "Fab 4" founder players of the Madison team. Back then he was a goalie then he decided to be a defender and then he quickly realized he was a goalie. Apart from being constantly injured Behrooz is renowned for his cat like instincts in goal. At various times during the game one can see him run off for a sip of milk or have a quick nap before the opposition attack. Yes, he's a one off and today we get to see inside the mind of "El Gato". He doesn't mess around with his answers so i had to mess around with his questions.....

When did you first start playing soccer? Since age 5

Fav team? AC Milan

What's you nick name? KaKa

Best band? Eagles

Fav movie? French Connection

Who do you play soccer like? Eric Clapton

What was your proudest moment? Being voted best defender ( total fix!)

Who would you like to be if you were not"El Gato"? Halle Berry

Straight forward answers from the no nonsense goalie....but let's face it, all goalies are crazy!!

MATCH REPORT; Milford 2 Madison 2

Erratic form returns to haunt Madison


Vibrant Fall colors, a verdant lush field and a warming Sun arcing across an azure sky created the perfect conditions for playing the "beautiful game". Unfortunately this picture perfect scene was to be ruined by some pretty ugly play by both teams during the match. For some strange reason Madison started the game in a very sluggish manner with some very low energy performances permeating through the team. Milford, although not exactly magic, were sufficiently enterprising to force the Madison team on to the defensive throughout the first 15 minutes of this game. Although the Madison defense has played well at times through the season this game would not prove to be one of their best. Even with the return of the nomadic Hamid to the defensive ranks the back four played out an error strewn first quarter of the game and were rewarded for this sloppy play by a goal from Milford. A simple ball was lobbed up through the left of the Madison defence and chased by an on running Milford forward who was easily first and last to the ball as he slammed it past the stranded Behrooz.

This served as the wake up call for the Madison players as their play started to noticeably improve. Some nice touch and go passing between the defence, midfield and attack ended with another classic mazy run by Carlos into the opposition penalty box. After a few scrambled and frantic attempts at shooting by Madison, and desparate clearances by Milford, the ball finally made its way into the back of the net with the help of the battling midfielder Jacques. At this point Madison were playing well and getting on top of their opposition. However, in another moment of defensive befuddlement Tom A over hit a pass to Tom P across the edge of the Madison penalty box straight in to the path of the on rushing Milford forward who wasted no time in dispatching the ball into the Madison net. Another avoidable goal from Madison which could have signalled some heads going down and the game running away from them. To their credit Madison again raised their play and got back into the game. Several chances went begging at the Milford end of the field but, shortly before half time a free kick on the right hand side for Madison was expertly swung in by Scott and met at the far left post by Eric to squeeze the ball in for the equalizer. All tied at half time and some frustrations beginning to show around the field.

The second half was a largely fractious, bad tempered affair with both teams having trouble completing their passes. There were still many chances to score with Rohan and Carlos doing some strong running but getting no luck in front of goal. Milford also had a clear goal bound shot cleared off the line before having a player sent off for persistent fouling. After this the game ran its course with no further incident as Madison slumped to another avoidable draw.

Next up will be Trumball and hopefully a return to the form that saw off New Fairfield earlier in the season.

NEXT GAME; Sunday 12th October, Milford!

We have an away game this Sunday against Milford Magic. This is a make up game from earlier in the Fall season. We have played Milford twice already this year losing the first 3-1 and winning the second 4-1. Overall, in season 2008, Milford have played 14 games winning 4 against the likes of Clinton ( twice ), Southington and us. They have lost 8 games and have tied 2. They sit 4 points behind us in the league even though we have played 2 games less. After last weeks result we should be flying! But, we must not be complacent....remember the Bridgeport result!
Bottom line..... we should beat them, so let's do it!!

Tom, Behrooz, John, Rob, Tom P., Carlos, Jorge, Rohan, Scott & Eric....can all meet at 8:45 am at Exit 58 in Guilford.

Here are the directions to the Fred Wolfe Park in Milford for those making their own way there:
I-95 South to Exit 39B (Mall Exit / Rte 1), end of ramp take Rte 1 North. Move into left lane, at 1st light (near Burger King) turn left onto Cedarhurst, go to 3rd stop sign and turn right onto Orange Ave for 1mile where it will change to Ridge Rd. Continue on Ridge for about ¼ mile and turn right onto Hollow Rd. Go to end of Hollow and you will see entrance to park.

See you there!

PLAYER FOCUS on....Jody "Tenbrinhosa"

Jody is one of only four survivors of the original founding players of Madison still playing in the team. Yes, he is that old......He has outlived many team changes, player formations and countless injuries to finally get off the bench this season for a few games. He is an old Navy guy so he knows a sinking ship when he sees one which makes it all the more surprising he has stuck all this time with Madison! He is a tough midfield battler and is more than happy to take all the blame when the team plays badly. Which is great news for Jacques! In our current set of articles we want to get to know what makes the Madison players tick! Jody took sometime off from his hectic beach party lifestyle to give me this in depth interview recently. Slainte Jody!

First time you played soccer? Just left my mother's teat...( Yuk, Ed)

Fav Team? Bayern Munich

Fav soccer player? Van Nistleroy ( Cause he's Dutch)

Best band ever? Pearl Jam

Beer or wine? Yes, and liquor too!

Best Movie seen? Top Gun ( Weren't you in it? )

If you could be a singer who would you be? Eddie Vedder

Your best soccer quality? Showing up to the game! ( Unlike some, Huh Hamid?)

Motto for life? Life is good...enjoy it! And don't take yourself too seriously!

How do you keep fit? Biking, boarding,tennis, soccer, drinking (that's why you are always too tired on a Sunday!)

Can you describe your best ever moment on a soccer field? Scoring a hat trick in high school in the division playoffs ( Ah, the good old days....)

Thanks Jody, now i know what makes you tick for the Celtic!

MATCH REPORT;Madison10 Southington1

Guys, guys....I wanna talk to you about when it rains.....

When it rains it pours, or so the old saying goes, and after the veritable drought of goals in last weeks game against Bridgeport, today was a rip roaring deluge. The short hand version of the game was that Jorge scored four, Rohan scored three with Tom, Ron and Danny picking up the scraps to make it a perfect 10. In between all these goals Southington, to their credit , kept going and scored a decent goal which prevented an even tougher whitewash for them.

You could tell after 5 minutes of this game that Madison had their tails up and Southington were in for a torrid time. After that small amount of time Madison had already hit the bar twice and the post once as they bombarded the Southington penalty area. It was therefore no surprise when a tidy set of quick passes found Rohan running strongly into the box to slam in the first goal for Madison. Shortly after that he repeated the trick with another great powerful run and goal after a great midfield tackle by Carlos that won possession. Carlos was also instrumental in the third as he whipped over a wicked cross from the left hand side of the field which Ronnie smartly dummied and there was Jorge at the far post to head the ball into the net for the third goal. Ronnie's smart play was rewarded shortly after this when he received the ball in the box from Carlos and slotted the ball into the net for Madison's fourth of the game.

The goal scoring then took a step up in quality as dead ball specialist Danny, stepped up to curl a phenomenal 25 yard free kick high into the far left hand side of the fully stretched Southington goalie. A truly unstoppable shot and at this point so were Madison. Before the half time whistle went Jorge managed to score his second, and Madison's sixth of the half. A great first half with some truly fantastic goals and some great tackling and possession play by Carlos.

The second half again started off at a brisk pace with Madison attempting to keep possession of the ball with some neat passing. This paid of handsomely when first Rohan, then Jorge completed their hat tricks to take the score to eight nil. At this point Madison clearly took their foot of the pedal and Southington started to control the game with some powerful running. Having said that, it was still a bit of a shock when they managed to score against the Madison defence which prior to the goal had had little to do. Normal service was restored when Jorge slammed in the ninth goal for the home team and Tom rounded of the scoring with a tap in to make it ten just before the final whistle sounded. A strong performance by Madison against a weak Southington side who fought hard but were never really in the game. Let's hope Madison can keep up this form as they next play Milford in the league.

Loved the white gloves Jorge!