If you are wondering about if there will be ever be another win for your local football team, cheer yourself with the thought that there could be still be some silverware coming to a Leicestershire team at the end of this season. | "The ambitions of this team now changed from winning the tournament to West Ham styled damage limitation.听" | | Tim Sansom |
It had been on a cold November Sunday afternoon I enjoyed the football wizardry of FC Tabuk, and the Leicester University Islamic Society (ISOC) eleven-a-side football team. On a cold March Saturday afternoon, I was now finding myself watching the Leicester ISOC five-a-side team compete in the Midlands heats of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) National Football Tournament at Nottingham Trent University. Like their eleven-a-side compatriots, this squad consists of enthusiastic, opinionated, yet committed players who play some enterprising, energetic, and exciting football. However the Leicester team for 2007 recognised that their predecessors had won the national tournament in 2003 and been runners up in 2005. A Chilly Atmosphere As the arctic air whistled across the desolate Clifton campus, Leicester drew their first match against Nottingham Trent A.
 | | A tactical discussion? |
Despite the gaining of a priceless point, all was not well in the Leicester camp. Ubayda Wadee looked a forlorn goalkeeper and the charismatic twins of Sajeed and Abdul Waheed Sheikh appeared close to coming to blows. There was considerable anger that not much "sexy football" being played. It was good to see passion, but the passion had to be directed in a constructive way. The mood did not improve when the next game ended in a 0-0 draw with the Nottingham Trent B team. The ambitions of this team now changed from winning the tournament to West Ham styled damage limitation.听 It was during the third match that the Leicester team dispensed with their internal arguments and decided to focus on letting their football do the talking. A team of plucky and skilful eighteen year olds from Solihull College were dispatched with a 3-0 brutality with Hamza Wadee, Safwaan Hafez and Aikeel Mulak both providing some penetrating and persistent passes and searching runs. The momentum was now with Leicester. The arguments stopped and 1-0 and 2-0 wins were achieved in the final two matches against Nottingham University teams.听 No "I" In Team
 | | The game in action! |
As darkness descended from a crisp red sky, Leicester found out that they had won the tournament with eleven points! You have to be pleased for them, and Zain Mushtaq encouraged the squad to start looking forward to the national finals in April. If Leicester can play as a team in the FOSIS national tournament, and focus their energies on their football, rather than rows about trains and buses in a busy Saturday shopping parade, this team could be the tournament winners! However, at the risk of sounding like Jerry Springer, this Leicester team has to realise there is no "I" in team and the events of a Saturday afternoon proved that you will only be successful in any sport if you work for each other. | 
