Win2Win Racing
3rd June 2009, 14:20
"In two weeks' time you will have just finished your first training session. Get some running done so that you are prepared for it."
That was the message from Harry Cairney that brought me right back down to earth after spending the weekend in a beer garden baking in the Dumfries sun.
The thought is a truly horrible one.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisjardine/jardine_trains_blogpic.jpg
I would be very surprised if any footballer actually looks forward to pre-season training, and I'm no different.
The gaffer usually reads my column, but I hope he skips it this week.
I usually keep myself ticking over through the close season, but I'll be honest and say that I've been for one run - and that was only a few days after the season finished.
That, combined with a crazy three nights in Magaluf and the weekend I've just had - and, well, it's probably fair to say that I'm not in the best of shape - but I'll get there.
I've got 12 days until we begin the torture and I'll be working my socks off until then.
I'm lucky in that I work in a gymnasium and I always do a bit now and again once I finish, or during quiet periods, but as of tonight I will be pounding the roads.
I suppose us Annan boys are lucky as well that we have had three weeks off already and still nearly two weeks to go - I just read this morning that Shunsuke Nakamura is in Japan preparing for three world cup qualifiers.
England have two qualifiers coming up as well after a long, hard season and it must be difficult for the players when everyone else is off on their holidays.
In saying that, they get paid fantastic money and I'm sure Gareth Barry's five-year contract worth £80,000 per week will ease his pain just a little (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/8079088.stm).
I'd be interested to hear the views of Villa and City fans alike on a move that certainly took me by surprise.
All the talk seems to have been about Liverpool and more recently, Arsenal.
I'm sure the Villa fans will feel a bit disappointed that their best player has left them for a club who didn't even make the Europa League next season.
Manchester City certainly have great potential about them - almost £100m spent on six players tells you they have the financial muscle to buy almost anyone in the world.
But we all know that money doesn't guarantee success.
To be fair though, I take my hat off to City as they obviously did a great job in selling the club and their ambitions to the player.
It could be an interesting first trip back to Villa Park for Barry, but he has given them 12 years of great service and deserves the chance to make up his own mind as to what is best for his football career as well as his family.
Not that I think any club could get him right now, but if I could buy any player in the world I would have to go for Andres Iniesta from Barcelona.
The performance he gave in the Champions League Final (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8060878.stm) was simply incredible.
I used to think it was Xavi that made them tick, but this guy really is an awesome footballer.
Does he ever give the ball away?
I've never seen Manchester United dominated like that before in terms of possession.
It's going to be some team that takes the Spanish and Champions League titles from their grasp next season.
More... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisjardine/2009/06/in_two_weeks_time_you.html)
That was the message from Harry Cairney that brought me right back down to earth after spending the weekend in a beer garden baking in the Dumfries sun.
The thought is a truly horrible one.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisjardine/jardine_trains_blogpic.jpg
I would be very surprised if any footballer actually looks forward to pre-season training, and I'm no different.
The gaffer usually reads my column, but I hope he skips it this week.
I usually keep myself ticking over through the close season, but I'll be honest and say that I've been for one run - and that was only a few days after the season finished.
That, combined with a crazy three nights in Magaluf and the weekend I've just had - and, well, it's probably fair to say that I'm not in the best of shape - but I'll get there.
I've got 12 days until we begin the torture and I'll be working my socks off until then.
I'm lucky in that I work in a gymnasium and I always do a bit now and again once I finish, or during quiet periods, but as of tonight I will be pounding the roads.
I suppose us Annan boys are lucky as well that we have had three weeks off already and still nearly two weeks to go - I just read this morning that Shunsuke Nakamura is in Japan preparing for three world cup qualifiers.
England have two qualifiers coming up as well after a long, hard season and it must be difficult for the players when everyone else is off on their holidays.
In saying that, they get paid fantastic money and I'm sure Gareth Barry's five-year contract worth £80,000 per week will ease his pain just a little (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/8079088.stm).
I'd be interested to hear the views of Villa and City fans alike on a move that certainly took me by surprise.
All the talk seems to have been about Liverpool and more recently, Arsenal.
I'm sure the Villa fans will feel a bit disappointed that their best player has left them for a club who didn't even make the Europa League next season.
Manchester City certainly have great potential about them - almost £100m spent on six players tells you they have the financial muscle to buy almost anyone in the world.
But we all know that money doesn't guarantee success.
To be fair though, I take my hat off to City as they obviously did a great job in selling the club and their ambitions to the player.
It could be an interesting first trip back to Villa Park for Barry, but he has given them 12 years of great service and deserves the chance to make up his own mind as to what is best for his football career as well as his family.
Not that I think any club could get him right now, but if I could buy any player in the world I would have to go for Andres Iniesta from Barcelona.
The performance he gave in the Champions League Final (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8060878.stm) was simply incredible.
I used to think it was Xavi that made them tick, but this guy really is an awesome footballer.
Does he ever give the ball away?
I've never seen Manchester United dominated like that before in terms of possession.
It's going to be some team that takes the Spanish and Champions League titles from their grasp next season.
More... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisjardine/2009/06/in_two_weeks_time_you.html)