Phants path to glory stomped in stone

Andrew Williamson AKA Club legend

Reeling from the loss of club stalwart Andrew Williamson III Esg., the Lao Elephants have had a restless and disturbed build-up to their third annual Asian Champs in as many years. With a division between the north and south club factions not seen since the celebrations after Adelaide’s back-to-back flag win when Pauly’s body just couldn’t quite do what his head wanted it to, there has been a very slow build-up of momentum on the way to Shanghai. Despite these setbacks the trunks have slowly begun to sway in unison and the trumpetting has been getting louder and louder.

Having been hit by the travel, dengue and general apathy bug, the Vientiane playing stocks have taken a hit in recent months and are only now starting to rebuild slowly, with the inclusion of a couple new recruits and a few more waiting in the wings for their debut. Accordingly, much of this year’s preparations for the Asian Champs has come from the Southern based Lao Elephants, who’ve been recruiting with gusto and host a herd of household names to be feared. Names like “Shauno”, “Frenchy”, “Simmo”, “the Hoff”, “the Hoff’s son” and “Shane” have been mentioned all along the route 13 north and have been causing tremors to break out among the playing lists of the other competing nations.

With only a week to go until the big event kicks off the ‘Phants have been out on the track and in the gym, maintaining their reputation as the most asthetically pleasing of South East Asian football sides and challenging for the pinkest. With a mild Autumn waiting for them in Shanghai many a ‘Phant has been thankful that the tropical training routine should see them acclimatise advantageously to match conditions.

Can the Lao Elephants match the heights of their previous Asian Champs campaigns by embarassing the Vietnam Swans yet again, or will… nah, bugger it. We’ll just embarass the Swannies again.

Asian Champs, one week to go: Time to start getting serious, getting our game faces on, slicing up the organges and boning up on the rules of the game again.