Substitutes

Dear Shinji Kagawa**,

Aren't humans funny things?  The world is left open for interpretation and it is often my privilege to get it completely wrong.

When I found out that Makoto had been taken out in the 117th minute for a person that I had never heard of, I got a little worried.  Especially when I saw this:

I love the Korean's reaction; I can just hear him say, "It wasn't me.  Honest!"
Is it possible this Korean man is none other than my favorite head patter from the World Cup?

So I fretted and worried and wondered what injury Makoto had sustained (besides an elbow to the face in the first half).  It wasn't until today that I found out that he was still struggling with those recurring leg cramps, which I should have guessed from the picture above but didn't.  Because apparently, I was ready to expect the worst.

But then we come to you...

I didn't think anything of it when Hajime Hosogai came on for you in the 87th minute of play.  I just assumed that we were moving into a more defensive game for the last few minutes.

I didn't even stop to think about the fact that Hosogai made a goal and that that could have been you.

I didn't even think about the fact that later comments were made about how your reaction time had been slower than we needed it to be.

I did wonder why you hadn't participated in the penalty kicks.  (I mean, Yuto Nagatomo is a rock star but not my first choice in PK) But I assumed it was because they were holding you off for last as an anchor man (although that never made sense in my head either).

I never dreamed that all of this happened because you BROKE YOUR FOOT.

We all make mistakes and jump to the wrong conclusions.  And sometimes our concern is misplaced.  Please know my heart is in the right place even if my head is not.

Forgive Me?

Love,
Me
**And by Shinji I mean, anyone that I have misunderstood and hurt unintentionally by my often blunt and not helpful words.

All images from Tumblr.