It's a jolly holiday for Uwe

Aren’t they?

I remember a few during my rugby days and ours were spent drinking, playing the odd game, doing a bit of training and generally spending a bit of quality time with your new team-mates.

Funnily enough, The Beatles’ hit Norwegian Wood is about John Lennon’s extra-marital bedroom activities .

And, while there was no bed hopping from the Bees in Scandanavia this week, judging by the mood on Twitter, the boys enjoyed themselves.

With the exception of Myles Weston, who got fed up with the flies, all seemed to love the place – apart from the prices.

Spare a thought for former Bee Ryan Dickson, who was caught up in a freak storm in Sweden that battered Southampton’s hotel.

The whirlwind failed to arrive in Norway and even if it did, it had little effect on things on the pitch as the Bees kicked-off the pre-season programme with a 0-0 draw at Strommen.

Although the performance merited much more by all accounts.

Worryingly, Clayton Donaldson kicked-off his Griffin Park career with a missed penalty and had a goal disallowed. Lets hope that is not a sign of things to come.

As if to crank up the pressure, it seems Bees boss Uwe Rosler is after another loan striker with Jeffery Schlupp seemingly fitting the bill, as Brentford bid to get the Leicester City man back to Griffin Park.

Elsewhere, Karleigh Osborne seems to be attracting some trasnfer attention, but I would guess it will take a lot to tempt the Bees to let him go.

The arrival of Marcel Eger means the Bees have some high-quality centre backs and only two spots to fill, but hopefully players remember it is a long season.

And so it is to Tonbridge Angels, where the Bees get pre-season preparations in England underway – slightly less glamorous, but no less important.

There are starting spots up for grabs, so even if the Bees have found friends for life in Norway, it is time to put sentiment aside and let battle commence.

As published in the Richmond & Twickenham Times on July 15, 2011

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