Interview from December 2010
Interview with Antony Ebelle Ebanda. Antony played for BAA reserves in 2002-03 finishing as top goalscorer that season. He was with the 3rd team for the 2003-04 season and played in the county cup final of that season. His one game in the 2004-05 season ended in serious injury.
How many seasons did you play for BAA?
Two or three seasons
How did you come about joining the club?
My colleague Trevor Bishop asked me to come along.
Do you remember your debut?
My first game we played and lost 6-4 versus RAFA Uxbridge. I scored a hat-trick 9 left foot, header and right foot )
What was your most memorable moment with the club?
Winning a cup game against a very tough opposition
What was your lowest point with the club?
Breaking my knee on the football pitch (in the friendly game between BAA 3rds and 4th teams)
What was your best performance for BAA?
Playing with Eddie in the middle of the park. It was a league game and we bossed it from start to finish. (The game was a 3-2 defeat to The Spotted Dog in Harefield)
What was your favourite game for BAA
see above.
Which players stood out for you during that time (good or bad) and for what reasons?
Eddie Tucker – very skillfull centre midfield player. George Gordon, amazing striker, Danny Ritchie – just awesome, and Jason Ravenhill saved so many games for us; brilliant goalkeeper. Others were good too but these ones were a cut above.
Pick your all-time starting eleven and up to 3 subs
Too contentious.
What awards/trophies did you win and do you have one that means more than any of the others?
I won the trophy for best striker / top goalscorer I think
What was the best goal you scored for BAA?
Beating two defenders for pace, keeper coming out and just lifting the ball over his advancing body. Sweeet. (Against Technocolor)
It was a great achievement to make it to the Middlesex County Cup final in 2004, what are your memories of the previous rounds before the final? (Rayners Lane, Northmet Riverside, Greenford Galaxy etc)
I loved all the cup games because we were not supposed to make it that far. The team spirit was awesome.
The team lost the final 3-2, what are your memories of that day (good & bad)?
We scored a perfectly valid goal – a great strike by Mark McCormick – that got disallowed. Changed the whole course of the game. Also, a few players froze on the day; maybe we were not strong enough mentally.
You were suffering from knee problems in the weeks leading up to the final, and you made a very last minute decision to go on subs bench after you were due to start, Any regrets about not starting the game and spearheading the attack as you caused the opposition problems with your physicality when you came on as a sub? Could this possibly have changed the way the game went if you had started?
No regrets, as I said above, if our goal had stood, we would be holding the trophy rather than the other team. I think that my decision was the right one. I couldn’t lie to my teammates pretending that all was ok. I don’t think that I could have played the 90 minutes.
You were in the dressing room when Paul Bennett had a big argument with Player Manager Trevor Bishop after being named only as a sub? Could you elaborate on what was said? What was your take on Paul being dropped?
Every player wants to be involved in big games. Paul’s frustration can be understood in that light. This being said, when the manager makes a decision, we just all have to pull together and make sure that when our chance comes to play, we perform. To be fair to Paul, when he came on the pitch that day, he was the best player, by a mile. Trevor’s decision was the correct one. He brought on a player who had a point to prove and nearly turn the game for us. Great coaching.
During the final we lost three players to injury, Mark McCormick, Steve Jones and Danny Ritchie. Bad luck?
We create our own luck. On the eve of a big final, players should rest and not indulge in nightclubs and parties. The injuries shouldn’t be an excuse.
Someone once claimed the preparation leading up to the 2004 cup final was poor, what do you think of that comment?
The preparation leading up to the final was good. We had an additional coach to help Trevor, we were told what to expect on the day. If anything was wrong prior to the final, it’s the individual attitude of each and every one of us. More was required in terms of introspection and desire to be ready on the day. We didn’t grasp just how much was asked of us. As mature adults, we failed our fans and supporters on the day but most of all, we failed ourselves.
From what I can recall I thought we were capable of winning the final but we never got going, maybe the occasion got to us, what do you think?
True, some people got scared by the occasion.
The Cup final program said that you have represented France in Athletics? In what event was this?
Triple jump
You did not return after the 2004 season and there have been various rumours why you did not return. Would you care to elaborate?
The whole atmosphere at the club changed. It wasn’t friendly anymore. I missed the guys but I also have principles and those couldn’t sit with what I was witnessing.
After the 2003/04 season the manager stepped down, despite getting the team to the County cup final and a respectful league finish, do you think he should have stayed on?
Yes, but in order for him to stay, he should have got the backing from senior people within the club so that he could help the team move forward. This didn’t happen. His position was henceforth made untenable and he had no other option but to go.
When you was with BAA there was 4 or 5 teams, how did you feel about the whole club set up, would you have liked to have seen anything different?
Set-up was good but might have been good to get the various teams to mingle with one another once in a while.
As mentioned there was a falling out between the manager and a player before the game, there were also issues with some of the subs and the manager, is it possible to keep all the players happy or are some players just like this?
Everybody wants to play. If people were happy sitting on the bench then there would be something fundamentally wrong. A manager can’t keep everyone happy but this being said, he needs to be strong enough and charismatic enough to ensure harmony within the team. A very difficult thing to do….
With all the arguments over team selection, players not returning after the cup final, players playing with injuries, do you think there were players putting themselves before the team?
Definitely. I am sure that in the Cup final, some injured players were on the pitch when the decent thing would have been to step aside.
Any funny incidents you have seen on a pitch that you recall?
No answer
What is the best team you have played against?
Greenford galaxy
Who is the best player you have played with?
Danny Richie, Eddie and George
What is the best goal you have seen in a game, for or against BAA?
George overhead kick. (versus Bessingby Park Rangers 2002-03)
What are you doing nowadays and are you still playing football?
Live in NYC and play 5 a side from time to time.
You were with the club for two seasons, the first season the team struggled for players, had some heavy defeats. The following season the team performed much better and had a cup final, what was it that made the two seasons so different?
Consistency and luck with injuries. Also the coach plays a massive part.
The following season after you left the team went on to finish runners-up in the league and win a cup with mostly the same team from 2003-04. Do you think the 2003/04 team underachieved?
No, I think the team built the platform for others to benefit.
A lot of players seem to leave BAA Heathrow on bad terms, would you say you left on good terms?
I hope so, it was a great time and I did meet a bunch of interesting people.
Why do you think so many players leave on bad terms?
It would be best to ask them.
You came back for the team in the 2004/05 season for a friendly, how did that come about?
Trevor asked me to play and I wanted to see if I could still move about.
What differences were there with the team when you came back to when you left?
EGOS the size of the room.
In the game you got injured and ended up needing an operation, what injury did you have?
I broke my kneecap, tore my reticulum and my patella tendon.
How did it happen?
Someone kicked me on the knee; all accidental. Nobody to blame.
Since that injury have you ever considered returning to BAA?
I now live in NYC so it might be difficult to come and play on a Sunday morning. A cameo appearance is not out of the question though.
BAA Heathrow FC 