Grigor Pasha writes: When I was a player, back in the eighties, I was what commentators describe as ‘limited’.
Nominally, I was an anchor man. But that label was really only a euphemism for ‘static and dirty’. I never ran around very much: there didn’t seem much point when I was too slow to arrive anywhere.
And if people came into my space, I did have a tendency to kick them — especially if they were playing for the other side.
The one virtue I had was, when the ball came to me, I didn’t like to hoof. Nobody needed to train me to play a simple passing game: the 10 yard pass came naturally. ‘Here you are, now you deal with it.’
Boys who can play
Because of my own limitations I have developed an admiration, perhaps even a reverence, for the boys in the Pomorie squad who can play a bit. In saying that, I’m trusting you not to pass it on.
And there are several who can play. Currently we play a narrow diamond and the players I use at each of the four points are at home on the ball and can use it.
I’m having difficulty getting some of them to stay beyond the season. Bekir ‘Leave the set pieces to me’ Rasim and Hristiyan Kazakov want too much money. Stefan Motodiev and Stanislav Valchev want to return to return to our senior affiliate, Ludogorets.
The two I have signed on long-term deals are the two I most wanted: Georgi Chukalov (signed to June 2021, with an option to extend) and Rumen Kasabov (to 2022, with an option).
The boy Kasabov has a nice touch; he can see a pass and sometimes even execute one; he makes good decisions, which is not to be taken for granted at our level, and he can surprise teams.
The lad Chukalov has perhaps less star quality, but is quite well rounded. And, like Kasabov, he’s nippy, and he usually puts in a decent shift.
At present they’re slugging it out for the same spot, as playmaker in the middle. But my plan for next season is to play them together, side-by-side — one as playmaker and one as one as masala (or is that the dish? We never had them — the role or the dish — in my day).
The prospect excites me. I want to keep these two together, so they can carry us to glory.
It seems I’ve discovered within me a vein of homo-eroticism I hadn’t acknowledged before.
