The Paradise Powerhouse of Paradiso Football?

Calista Marquez meets Lady Danay Grey - Part 1

So far, I have had the privilege of talking to the brains behind two of Paradiso’s news football teams; The enigmatic Chief Warden Gladstone Dias and the double act of Cacique Agüeybaná and Cacique Yahíma. As I don my jacket for another day uncovering Paradiso, I’m going closer to home but further out of my comfort zone. A Private interview with arguably one of the most dangerous people on the Islands; The Grey Lady of Paradiso
Out of El Presidente’s inner circle there are fewer people with more notoriety and mystique around them than of the Head of the Grey empire. A young and ruthless woman with consortium of business and political networks at her beckon call. El Presidente fears no man but that woman… she is to him like a Lioness that even the strong Lion in the pride takes care to step carefully around.

Livin’ in a conductor's paradise

Just a short trip from the dusty polluted streets of Brendantown is a place that professes to be a Paradise; Preston-on-sea. Affectionally/mockingly named Preston (in) Paradise this large district on the outskirts of Brendantown was built by Govener Hermin Hernandez as an experiment in Communism rendered in brutalist concrete. Today it’s the play-ground of Paradiso’s mega corp; Paradiso Bus Service. Lady Grey’s Paradiso Bus Service.
The massive bus station that the complex pivots around is undergoing a transformation into a football stadium capable of bringing in fans from all across Paradiso utilizing all of PBS’ infrastructure and the bus station’s ambitious capacity. On a scale Tropicana Maximum Security Penitentiary to the secluded paradise of River’s Birth, the Bus Station Arena is certainly more towards the Penitentiary end of the spectrum - its imposing concrete figure blocking out the hot Paradiso sun.
For all it’s concrete there is a degree of swagger around the place; the complex is being renovated with shiny glass windows and state of the art lighting. The roof is home to solar panels. A 10-year project is underway to transform the whole place into one of the biggest stadiums in the Caribbean. Where the money is coming from for this is various NGO’s and UN sustainability grants. The days of Paradiso being isolated from international capital are over – at least in Lady Grey’s world.

Figure 1 - Logo of the Conductors Union
I am welcomed by a gruff man in a conductor’s uniform, he shows me inside opening the door with one hand, Kalashnikov in the other. We Brendantown residents know conductors don’t just collect fares but keep the ‘peace’ on the roads. The heavily armed Conductors Union is one of the many tools at Lady Grey’s disposal rumoured to have killed off many of her opponents including her own father Hennrick Grey who was famous shot on the 747 bus.
The interior is modelled on the luxurious entrance plazas of Wall Street/FTSE 500 companies. Exotic plants flank sued sofas upon marble floors. A blue suited receptionist smiles to welcome me in. There are paperwork checks and after going through a metal detector I am ushered into a private lift. To my surprise the armed guards that litter the complex don’t accompany me inside the lift and nervously I rise up multiple floors alone, in silence. To my surprise the door opens me up directly into Lady Grey’s office.

The Soccer Señora

The Lady Danay Grey looks up at me from behind her mahogany desk. She is dressed in a tight-fitting suit perfectly measured to her contours, it is rich grey, deep in colour and trimmed with lapis pigment. She half smiles with her tight lips and eyes me up and down through her designer glasses. “Calista, I assume?” she queries.
“A pleasure to meet you” I retort, extending my hand instinctively though I am across the room from her. She stands up and glides around her desk to firmly shake my hand. I am struck by a sense that there is purpose and grace behind everything she does. She gestures me to take a seat and then returns to her desk.
“An air loom of my grandfather.” She says running her manicured fingers across the desk. Her hands are far from dainty, though her nails are ornate and set with tiny diamonds (real or otherwise), her fingers have clearly seen graft in the past.
“I hear you are fond of your grandfather” I remark, unfolding my notepad.
She smiles a fuller smile now. “Mendo Grey was a great man. Helped to reshape our family and this island.” Her eyes narrow ominously before she relaxes again. “I like to do my work here, though it’s not necessarily to my taste. I owe it to him, though.”
I see an opportunity cut to the point.
CM: “Do you seek to emulate your Grandfather? To reshape Paradiso?
A moments pause hangs in the room.
LDG: “Don’t we all wish to reshape things how we see fit?”
Again there is only the sound of our breath. CM: “I am the interviewer... I see to report on things…”
The Grey Lady chuckles softly. LDG: “Any what would you like to report on?”
CM: “You… Preston Paradise BS FC.”
LDG: “Now that is an acceptable topic of conversation.”

Figure 2 - Leaked early sketch of the stadium design for Preston Paradise
I look up to a photograph mounted on the wall behind the Lady Grey. It is a picture of her from her university days in Scotland in full football kit, hair pinned back, body in motion, the ball placed perfectly between her gaze and the inside of her right foot – all the world around her a blur. I gesture to it.
CM: “You look like you have some skills yourself?”
LDG: “I was good enough. When the women’s league arrives, I could turn my hand to it if I pleased.”
CM: “I have heard a rumour you have expressed displeasure to the Paradiso FA and the El Presidente about the lack of women’s football. Is there truth to that?”
LDG: “You are wilier than I expected, reporter. What myself and the Presidents of Paradiso discuss is far away from the pages of your paper.”
CM: “Then is it your interest in the sport that has you involved in Paradiso Football?” LDG: “Purely. The game is beautiful. It deserves it’s place among our beautiful islands.”
CM: “Can you tell me how Preston Paradise FC came into being?”
LGD: “Of course. As football fever gripped the island several staff 5 aside teams formed. With so many staff based here they were using the parks here to play. I corrected a few of them on the rules of the game. The Conductors Union and the Union of Drivers & Mechanics were looking to form teams, so I approached them and offered to make a formal PBS team. We thrashed it out a bit and I agree to fund and facilitate most of it. I leave the day to day mostly to them. It is more of a German model really. I sit on the board of the club but I am not the club.”
CM: “Was there not a temptation to be more involved? Why not simply own the club?”
LGD: “I have found there is strength in unity. When we work together we add to our collective strength. One person’s influence is limited, a dynasty, a Union, a Company… a football club… that is how one leaves a legacy.”
CM: “Words from your grandfather’s mouth perhaps?”
LGD: “He unified Paradiso transport. I ensured we had one football team. More players. More reach. Stronger branding.” CM: “Does Preston Paradise benefit from your football experience as well as your business experience?”
LDG: “Of course, when I’m asked I will help. I don’t have much time to get involved in training but I have been known to. They call me Soccer Señora sometimes…” CM: “I have spoken to many people involved in Paradiso Football, including two other club owners. Everyone is aiming high but as the league nears it’s inception the bookies fancy Preston Paradise more than most. How does that feel?”
LDG: “We can’t be too sure until things start. I am in no doubt we deserve our place in the top tier. I want to see us go toe to toe with Brendantown.”
CM: “Is there a degree of competition between Brendantown and yourself? They say Brendantown is El Presidente’s team.”
LDG: “Perhaps… not everyone in Brendantown chants Clubby Club… Preston-on-sea has always attracted non-conformists to some extent. It would be nice to win.”
CM: “Is there a sense of rivalry between your family and El Presidente’s?
LDG: “It is… friendly.”
CM: “What are you ambitions for Preston Paradise?”
LDG: “I want us to be strong domestically but the aim for me is to help the league. To bring in high reputation players. To put us on the map. We are starting very isolated, as close to the bottom as you can be really… we must drive our profile up. I would see Preston Paradise as a vehicle to do that.”
CM: “Pun intended?”
LDG: “You tell me.”
CM: “Can we talk more about your wider work supporting Paradiso Football? I know PBS is involved in supporting more than just Preston Paradise.”
LDG: “Of course. That’s why I asked you here.”
Read Part 2 here