Post by Macmoish on Jun 16, 2010 7:08:02 GMT
I was going to post this in the off-the-field World Cup thread, but this is nice/worthy of its own. And for the whole Spurs team.
Nottingham Evening Post
Football: Dawson sees another side to life in South African village
Wednesday, June 16, 2010,
FORMER Nottingham Forest star Michael Dawson admits his "eyes were opened to the real world" after the England defender met the 12-year-old he sponsors for the first time at a village near Rustenburg.
The Tottenham defender is hoping to be part of Fabio Capello's side for the World Cup meeting with Algeria in Cape Town on Friday.
He received a late call-up into the squad after captain Rio Ferdinand was forced to withdraw with a knee injury.
But Dawson took time out from England's training camp to meet Aubrey, who greeted him in a Wayne Rooney Manchester United shirt.
The SOS children's village comprises ten family houses to take in up to 100 children, and a community-based child care and support programme for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS has been set up.
Dawson said: "It's certainly different. It opens your eyes to the real world and, when you look at the smiles on the children's faces, it's great.
"It's scary with kids being affected by HIV but we've come here to try to put a smile on their faces.
"Tottenham have sponsored a house and the FA have as well.
"If people like ourselves can do it (help), we hope many more people can do it as well.
"The Tottenham players all agreed to sponsor a child at the start of the season and fortunately enough I got to meet mine. When you come here and see how happy they are, it's great. If we can do that, and help them have a better life, that's great."
Dawson, 26, added: "Aubrey knows I play for Spurs but if he's a Manchester United fan you can't change that.
"We've given him an England shirt so I'm sure he'll be happy with that.
"He certainly said he was watching the England game the other day and cheering us on."
On the football front, Dawson admits it would be a dream to face Algeria.
He said: "We'll just have to wait and see. You'll have to ask the manager.
"For me, it would be a dream to play but we're just concentrating on training.
"Hopefully I'll do the best I can and we'll see. I'm excited for Friday and hopefully we'll get a win under our belts.
"We got a point against the USA, we would have liked to get more but it wasn't to be. The mood is positive."
Dawson is not paying much attention to the attack on England by German legend Franz Beckenbauer who claimed their football had gone "backwards".
He said: "You can't really take too much notice. Everyone's got an opinion.
"You look at our players in the England squad and it's world class so we'll just concentrate on ourselves for the moment."
www.thisisnottinghamforest.co.uk/news/Dawson-sees-life-South-African-village/article-2312436-detail/article.html