Avoiding the Drop

Dhorasoo. Vikash Dhorasoo.

As I predicted last week, the challenge wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be and as a result we had what I believe was a record number of participants- all of whom submitted the correct answer!  The usual suspects- Andrew M., Andrew B., and Harry J.- chimed in, but they were joined by two new players!  Bev. G- known to all of you as long-time commenter “Sculptor”- took part for the first time and she was joined by Jerry S., who is not only knew to the website, but also may be our first self-professed Blackpool fan!  Click through and we’ll not only take a look at the clues, but what it was about each one that should have led you to the man above.

• The city of my birth played a major roll in a Shakespearean play.

Dhorasoo was born in Harfleur, France.  The Siege of Harfleur- depicted in Lego awesomeness last week- took place during the Hundred Years War and was a main feature in William Shakespeare’s Henry V.

• My current place of employment is served by bus route #138

Dhorassoo is currently chairman of L’Entente SSG, who play in the fourth division of French football.  The club’s stadium, Parc des Sports Michel Hidalgo, is located in the Paris suburb of Saint-Gratien and served by the #138 bus.

• Since my retirement I have had a successful side career as a poker player.

Dhorassoo has been playing professional poker for four years and has earned almost $500,000.

• I won two top-flight championships, two league cups, and one cup.

As a player Dhorasso won the Ligue 1 championship twice with Lyon, the Coupe de la Ligue with Lyon and Bourdeaux, and the French Cup with PSG.  He also won the Trophee des Champions (France’s version of the “Community Shield”) while with Lyon.

• I am of Indo-Mauritian descent and was capped 18 times by my country- though that country was neither India nor Mauritius.

Dhorassoo is a descendant of people from the Telugu Prajalu people (an ethnic group in India) who emigrated to the island of Mauritius during the 19th century.

• I have a Champions League runners-up medal.

Dhorassoo was on the A.C. Milan team that lost the final to Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League.

• I played in a World Cup.

Dhorassoo was in the French squad that competed in the 2006 World Cup.

• I played in top flight leagues in two countries

France (Le Havre, Lyon, Bourdeaux, and PSG) and Italy (A.C. Milan and Livorno- sort of).

• I was fired from one club because I criticized the manager in an interview, I signed with another club but never played for it because I refused to join the youth team so that the club could assess my fitness, and my international career came to an end after a spat with the manager.

A.  Guy Lacombe at PSG.  B.  Livorno  C.  Raymond Domenech- who is a crazy person anyway.

That’s it, thanks to every one, I’m back tomorrow with a new challenge!