Foreign coaches. What is all the fuss is about? Why have they suddenly become the most fashionable thing since nose plasters? Ossie Ardiles, Josef Venglos, Danny Bergara, Jan Molby. Not exactly Shankly, Busby and Stein is it? Not exactly trophies bulging from large cabinets. About the only thing bulging with the above four was their own nets. So why all the fuss now? Alright, so Ruud Gullit was a bit tasty as a player, but then so was Ossie. And Arsener Wenger might be pretty nifty with the old local dialect, but then so was Janbo. And what have these messiahs won between them? One paltry FA Cup against Middlesborough of all people, and an Autoglass Windscreen Sherpa Van Wipers challenge Trophy. Not exactly something to be shouting from the roof-tops about. So why is it, that the likes of Ian Wright and Dennis Wise regularly appear on our TV Screens blathering about the brilliance of such revolutionary ideas as man-management, not drinking sixteen pints of lager the night before a game, carbohydrate infested diets, and training in the afternoon?

You might conclude from this view-point that I am yet to be convinced by this new trend. Well that would have been true before this Sunday, but now I am a fully signed-up convert. The reason? One Manlio Trovato. There’s only one Manlio Trovato. Logica’s very own continentally imported coach. Manlio has quietly and efficiently eased into his role as the New Logica FC Captain, and as we have been just as successful this season as last, perhaps few would have noticed that much has changed. However, morale has been ebbing a tad over the last couple of weeks as Logica have lost heavily to Racing Club in the Cup, and Dark Star in the League. We were in big danger of "doing an Everton". Now was the time to act and Trovato did not flinch. Not for him tea-cups thrown across the dressing-room, nor losing it big-style via a ballistic rant whilst wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse headphones. No, Trovato identified a need for the subtlest of changes to our match-day routine, and with this he felt there would be a massive improvement in our game. All we had to do was get to the ground half an hour early, change smartly, and bobble out for a light warm-up before the game begun. This would wake us up, sharpen our minds and our feet, and we would be ready for our opponents from the first minute rather than the thirtieth.

Ingenious, and it worked! If any evidence was required then Raynes Park provided it by doing a convincing impression of Old Logica. At kick-off time they only had nine men, and two stragglers ran from the changing rooms only at the very last minute, pulling their shorts up as they went. Thus as the game kicked off, Logica were alert and organised, whilst Raynes Park were still trying to work out who was playing where. Within a minute, a flowing move saw Clarke release his strike-partner Spence, and it was only the fact that the Scotsman’s shot was too close to the keeper that stopped Logica taking an immediate lead. That was not long in coming, however. Some well-constructed chances had been carved out and missed before Jon Clarke scored direct from a corner. No messing about, not for him eleven years continually attempting to score direct from a corner like Sumo. No, first corner, and he looped it straight in at the far post.

A fluke goal gave Park a barely deserved equaliser as their striker bundled Appleyard to the ground before surprising keeper Abbott with a flashing low shot from the acutest of angles. But Logica bounced straight back. Another corner, and this time it was Richmond leaping like a trout at the far post to nod the ball back across goal, and Hatton nipping in to poach his second goal of the season. Logica held this lead with some aplomb, and Richmond in his first competitive game for Logica in, oooh, I don’t know how many years, was making a big difference. The passing was crisp, the calling was sharp, and it was all a joy to behold. Sadly another soft goal let Raynes Park back into the game just before the break. A corner was cleared by Logica, but the ball was lobbed back hopefully. The back-line froze like Tony Adams ice lollies with their arms aloft to a man. No flag, and Abbott was slow to react and come off his line. The Park striker seemed favourite to get to the ball so Abbott dived to his left in anticipation of a shot. Sadly, the striker didn’t bother, and the ball trickled forlornly into the right-hand side of the goal to make 2-2.

Kicking up hill, Logica began the second half defending resolutely. Ian Clarke, Hatton and Appleyard were magnificent and Anthony gave great help to his defence at right-half. Sadly Toman, on the left, was not so effective. Indeed the only people in danger from Toman were the spectators on the touch-line as our slappy winger barfed his way through the second period. Despite this, we were once more playing the Logica way. Soaking up the pressure in defence, and breaking swiftly and dangerously. Spence and Clarke were put through a number of times, and finally it was Spence who finished clinically from a through ball by Richmond. Logica had the lead for the third time.

As is often the way, the more the game went on, the more tired the Logica players looked. There was more and more soaking up and less and less breaking. Even so, we continued to soak up well, best evidenced by the fact that Abbott had hardly a save to make. With five minutes to go, just as the Logica Ultras in the Asda Stand began to dream of a first victory for nearly a year, Raynes Park went and equalised yet again. A throw-in was not cleared convincingly, and Park’s left-back managed to dig in a shot from eighteen yards which just evaded Abbott’s despairing dive.

So another valuable point, which at least meant we were unbeaten in half our league games this season. The difference from the previous week was dramatic, and Sr. Trovato must take much of the credit for his inspirational intervention. We only hope this routine can be repeated every week. Consider the continental coach band-wagon well and truly jumped upon.