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Phuket International 7's Open & Masters Competition
28th/29th November, FIFA Tsunami Memorial ground, Phuket, Thailand
PHOTO GALLERIES - Gallery 1, Gallery 2
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Footy Japan Masters Squad:
Kev Gray, Sid Lloyd, Pabs Pomares, Hide Yoshioka.
James Morson, Lenny Tui, Jay Bailey, Brian Doyle.
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BFC Open Squad:
Sam Morson, Jon Best, Nobu Kouka, Pabs Pomares, Hide Yoshioka.
Brian Doyle, Jay Bailey, Shosuke Yamagishi, James Morson.
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 We came, We saw, We conquered!
Yes, he did it again, Sid managed to 'Make friends and influence people' with another of his infamous speeches - speaking without thinking as usual. He didn't apply his brain to this one, as if there could have been anything left of his brain at that stage of the evening, Brian's Stag night well underway and heaps of ciders already in his belly.
Yes it was another of 'those' tours, where the football came secondary to a weekend of alcoholic debauchery that would see BFC's ex-Captain Brian Doyle paraded around Patong Beach in a golden gimp suit to celebrate his final days as a bachelor. In fact all Brian saw of the first days football was 1 minute of the first game followed by 5 hours of the inside of a toilet bowl bidding farewell to some dodgy oysters that had been consumed in the early hours of Saturday morning - Thanks Al.
 This year, thanks to the combination of Football tournament and Stag night, Footy Japan and BFC were able to enter 4 teams between them, 2 in the Open and 2 in the Masters. The teams consisted of a mixture of players from 8 or 9 different TML teams (many of whom had played for BFC or Vagabonds at some time in the past) and some ex-BFC players who now live back in the UK. Although the teams were named FJ & BFC some players actually played for one in the Masters and the other in the Open (as can be seen by the winning team photos).
Saturday
The first matches on Saturday were for the Open competition, kicking off at 9:00am - a bit early for those who'd been on the razzle till the early hours. It's always good to get your mistakes out of the way early, which both teams proceeded to do in style. Footy Japan went a goal down in a few seconds when a still drunken James B gave the ball away to the Bombay Gymkana striker leaving an easy finish.
Although FJ managed to turn it around and get to 2-1 up a very soft goal at the end meant a 2-2 draw. BFC's first match against Latini was delayed but once it got underway, the boys in red were all at sea as they lost 3-0. Luckily both teams managed to turn things around for their 2nd & 3rd matches but in so doing set themselves up to play against each other in the quarter-final of the Open Cup on Sunday morning.
 In the Masters tournament played in the afternoon, Footy Japan (the defending Champions) started as they meant to continue, with an emphatic win. They went on to win all of their group games setting up a clash with Phuket Morning Star in the Masters Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. The BFC Masters team didn't do quite as well, having to face last years finalists and ex-Socceroos, Bondi FC and the infamous Shanghai Krauts. Bondi won all of their matches but the other 3 teams all drew, leaving BFC and Rugatino on exactly the same stats. To decide who would go through 2nd in the group the 2 teams had a penalty shoot-out with BFC coming out on top and into the Masters Cup.
Sunday
Thanks to good placement from the first days football, the opening matches for both FJ and BFC weren't until late morning on Sunday, both playing their Masters Cup quarter-finals. Both teams ran out 2-1 winners but unfortunately this meant they would face each-other in the semi finals. So there we were, Footy Japan and BFC having to face each other in both competitions, Open and Masters, meaning we would have to knock each other out of the competition. Would have been nicer if we didn't meet till the final, but 'Them's the breaks!'
The 2 teams faced each other first in the Open quarter-finals and there was not much to choose between the 2 of them. The game was settled by a piece of brilliance from last years hero Shosuke, who nutmegged one, danced around 2 more then finished with aplomb in the top corner for the only goal of the game for BFC. Footy Japan fought back hard, with ex-BFC player Sevan causing the BFC defence all kinds of problems. Shots went in, the woodwork was struck but no goals were had and that was the end of FJ's Open attempt.
Next up came the Masters semi-final encounter, with some of the players on opposite teams for this affair. Footy Japan soon took the lead through Hide Yoshioka - who had a great tournament in both the Open & Masters winning teams! The amazing (coz he's 48+) Lenny Tui made it 2-0 with a cracking left foot strike before BFC managed to pull one back through Jon Best. It wasn't enough though as roles were reversed and Footy Japan went through to face Bondi FC once again in the final.
 In the Open, BFC got through their semifinal with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals by James Morsons brother Sam and of course Shosuke, setting up a final match with Singapore Spartans, a young fit Chinese team who'd already shown they were a force to be reckoned with. And a tough match it turned out to be, with both sides going close but thanks to some great saves (Kouka) no goals were scored in normal time or golden goal extra-time. So penalties it was, BFC taking first and scoring all three of theirs - no mistakes! Spartans scored their first two but Kouka read the third perfectly, diving to his left and making a great save to the elation of his team. BFC Open Champions!!
So the Masters final, a repeat of last year, only this time Footy Japan had their full masters team (all 8 of them) having played all day Saturday with no substitute thanks to the loss of Brian with his oysters! The game started with Bondi having possession and just knocking the ball around the field and not giving it away. Neither were they threatening the FJ goal though and when they did lose possession they were punished in quick fashion. Hide won the ball on the left, put in a cross and Pabs put his header into the bottom right corner past the ex Australia & Sheffield Wednesday keeper.
It was a perfect start for the reigning Champs and it looked like the lead had been doubled when Lenny fired in a bullet of a shot that came down off the cross bar and appeared to cross the line before bouncing out. The referee didn't see it so didn't give it but the Aussie boys confirmed later that it had gone in - lucky it wasn't needed in the end! The Aussies pulled level when Scott ollerenshaw (25+ caps for Australia) found space and managed to squeeze a deflected shot into the top corner.
Time for James Morson to step up and lead the way, carrying the ball towards the Bondi goal, he cut in from the right and unleashed a nice left footed drive that the keeper could only parry. The ball hit the back of a Bondi defender and fell kindly for the old crooner Kev 'the kit' Gray, who needed no invitation to pounce and knock it in at close range. 2-1 the final score, a repeat of last years result so once again Footy Japan Masters Champions.
 All of the players gratefully received their medals while enjoying copious amounts of beer at the award party in Taipan Nite club and also Footy Japan received the Fair Play Award from Bayon Wanderers captain Billy Barnaart, partly for their performance in the tournament and in part for their contribution to Asian Amateur soccer - FJ Charity 7's raised money for the BJCF Charity run by Billy, earlier this year.
It was once again a great team effort and nice to see a so many players coming out to support Footy Japan and BFC at this tournament. Usual rivalries from TML matches were forgotten and new friendships forged. I hope more TML players will come out for future tournaments, please keep an eye on what tournaments are coming up (Click Here).
Of course after the award ceremony, we all had to take 'double' Champion Brian out on his stag night, but that's another story and one that's probably best left on tour - 'What goes on tour, Stays on tour!'
Report by 'The Machine'
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