MOST weekends they rough it in Non-League football, but when it comes to five-a-side football they’re champions of the world!
Erith Town first team coach Jamie Leggett, Leatherhead midfielder Theo Fairweather-Johnson and former Thamesmead Town attacker Daniel Beszant off for a weekend with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo after Christmas.
The aptly named International FC are world beaters and are being flown out to Dubai later this month where they will attend the Global Soccer Awards alongside greats like Zidane and Maradona.
Not that it will be the first time they’ve met Real Madrid sensation Ronaldo. Before the World Cup they won and all-expenses trip to Portugal to see him in action for his country against Greece.
“We travel all over the country to play in Power Leagues and tournaments,” Leggett told The NLP. “We’re quite successful. We’ve won at least one major tournament a year for the last three years. We’ve played against some good Non-League players. We’ve got a couple of ourselves and then the rest just play five-a-side.
“This is called ‘The Game by Ronaldo’. Anyone can enter a nine-man squad. You go all over the country playing matches. We’re actually 31 games unbeaten at the moment. After the first round we went to watch Greece v Portugal before the World Cup.
“We met Ronaldo for about 20 minutes. We had a chat with him, he’s a really nice guy and welcoming. You see people in the gym and they look toned but he was like a machine!
“We’re the team of the year overall, so we’re going to Dubai just after Christmas. Our manager Terry Riley works so hard for us. We’ve travelled all over the place, but we’re mates so we love it.”
Leggett, who was Lewisham Borough assistant manager earlier this season before joining Southern Counties East League outfit Erith, is also the UK mini soccer home nation teams’ scout.
“I’m really enjoying it at Erith,” Leggett said. “We’re trying to get out the rut we’re in, but the manager Ennio Gonnella is great and I’m learning a lot from him.
“I’ve just got back from Montenegro. Scotland didn’t have a manager and I know some of the players because scouted them. So they asked me to manage them. They’ve not been able to get out of the group before but this year reached the quarter-finals – further than England, who have Non-League players like Scott Cousins, Ben Long and Paolo Vernazza.
“On the first night we played in front of 4,000 people against Montenegro and our player Joe Andrew finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
“They’re pleased with how it went so I’ve just been appointed manager permanently.
“I’m very fortunate. I work in a disabled school, Charlton Parks Academy, as a Learning Support Assistant. The headmaster Mark Dale-Emberton and everyone really help me out with letting me have a bit of time off when I need it.
“There’s mini Euros every year and a World Cup in America next year so there’s always things to aim for.”
