Imagine I was a Footballer (Soccer Player)

As the Football World Cup kicks off, I want you to suspend your disbelief* and imagine I am a footballer.

Imagine I am a footballer at the top of my game, my club have won everything this year, and I’ve been a big part of that.

Like every other footballer, I dream of playing in the World Cup. I’ve played in many tournaments before and done really well so when I didn’t get called up for this World Cup I was devastated.

It is said grief comes in five stages and yes I've been through them all.

denial - Oh why not? Surely it’s a mistake, I am at the top of my game!

anger - yes I got angry so very angry

bargaining - I'm not beyond begging after all this is the world cup!

depression - I feel so alone, everyone is talking about being part of the event

acceptance - I can't change it

The reason I’m so upset is my passion for the game and for this tournament, it hurts, it really hurts and I can’t watch my team without it hurting more. I can’t look at my social media and see them arriving, enjoying the local sites, the hotels and then there’s the matches themselves, so I’m switching off my social media and I’m going into self inflicted hibernation until it’s all over. 

But underneath my hurt, I’m still passionate about the game and I want my country to do well and to succeed even if I can’t be part of it, so I wish them success.

OK, I’m not a footballer, but I am a speaker, a successful speaker and ACED director and recently had a very successful Oracle Cloud World so I was devastated not to be successful in getting a place or a session at UKOUG's BREAKTHROUGH event. 

I’ve been through my stages of grief, and I finally arrived at acceptance, but it STILL hurts and so on Saturday I’m going to indulge my other passion, taking myself away for a week diving to cushion the blow, (well hibernation is a bit boring).

Just like myself the footballer. I still wish for a successful UKOUG and that everyone who does attend has the most wonderful experience and for me there’s always next time.

*The footballer analogy came to me as the World Cup is everywhere I look, but if you attended the recent ERP Today Awards  you know this is possibly an analogy too far.