Aki Riihilahti - Viralliset kotisivut In English Suomeksi På norsk
Uutiset Kysymykset Fakta Historia Kuvat Special

Uutiset

Takaisin uutisiin

12.5.2002
I am nuts

I thought to sum up the season of the Eagles. And finally after sitting in front my computer over an hour without any single idea what to write - I got hungry. After eating a sandwich (which always sums up the season the best), I decided that there are already enough people who don’t speak during the season but are wise after it. So I don’t want to be now one of these smart-asses with my evaluations. After all everyone knows the results and the story already, that’s enough. In the end only the Division table can give us the blessing. This time it forgives us but doesn’t make us any saints. Amen.

However I can give some numbers. Not from Palace, but from my own diary. I have included all Palaces, Finlands and own trainings and games from 3.7.2001(start of the pre-season) to 24.5.2002(seasons last game Finland-Latvia). So, here is my season in a nutshell. That is the place to put it when you are bit nuts.


How Much?

326 days long season
294 working days
32 resting days
425 trainings
63 games
Couple of seconds under 1000 hours of business
5379 minutes played in games
(Preparations to trainings and games plus watching or talking about football not counted here)
19 sponsor happenings
10 seconds when I thought that I was almost as good as Zidane


Where?

8 different countries
61 days on the road
25 different hotels
Around 400 hours in a car on a way to trainings
38 different stadiums
Many windy training grounds
Two parks
Many gyms
One churches yard
Living room
Couple of times in my dreams (not counted as actual training)



Results?

31 wins
10 draws
22 defeats
Did not qualify to World Cup
10th at English first Division
8 yellow cards
10 goals
Couple of man of the match awards
Sometimes criticized heavily
Chievo – Atalanta 2-1 (0-0)
Many good passes
Too many bad passes



Costs?

Two concussions
Wide collection of magnetic pictures from different parts of my body
5 pair of boots
Over 800 meters of strapping into ankles
About 30 ice bags or even bag of deep-frozen vegetables as first aid
One packet of painkillers
One wrist injury worth of autographs
Too many interviews
Have eaten a ridiculous amount of pasta
And more salads than normal rabbit family uses
Missed my brothers wedding and couple of good telly programs



Das is it. I might have forgotten something important like the fact that I really don’t eat sandwiches. Otherwise my calculations are as liable as stock markets. Well, however I count this, it could have been either better or worse. In the end the final balance is always positive in football,

Aki


Copyright 2001 Aki Riihilahti, all rights reserved Sivun ylälaitaan