The unsung hero...

“We’re in a shock!!” says Jens Lehman after the Final. You could see their ‘unbelieving faces’ after the final whistle. You bet you are, Pak Leman. “Nahhh.. baru kamu tau!!”, “kotoh” et al.. and I stop short of using more extreme abusive language to the “Jolomon”.

Spana Jaya, you made my days, viva!!!

Right after the end of the EPL season 2007/08, my good friend Henry told me how boring it will be waiting for the new season to start. Of course, he is still celebrating the double winning season of his (I hate to mention this.. arrgggghhh). (Yea, yea, he’s a Mancs, allright). In club football, we are sworn-enemies, but both of us support the same national team, England. When Steven Gerrard and co. crashed out of Euro ’08, Henry spoke about the ‘b’ words. Well, I said, what to do lah… we have to live with it.

So, a couple of weeks prior to Euro ’08, I was ready face bleak months without footie. I said to myself, I don’t want to have anything to do with Euro ’08… I guess I was wrong. Totally wrong. A weird feeling tells me that I don’t have to live a miserable life during EPL’s off-season. As if some one spoke to my head saying “Why don’t support Spain? Torres, Pepe Reina, Arbeloa & Xabi Alonso is there. Or the Oranje for that matter since Dirk Kuyt & Ryan Babel is in the team?”. (well, Babel was out a few weeks before Euro due to injury).

I never liked the Dutch though (although I like Dutch Lady – not THE lady, but the ‘susu’.. no, not what you think it is ya!). So it was obvious I ‘adopted’ Espana – or Spana Jaya, as what I call them. And they didn’t disappoint me… hey, they won, didn’t they.

So here I was proclaiming my allegiance Spana Jaya throughout Euro’08. They started brilliantly by demolishing Russia and of course there was the Final. The crowning glory after they won it 40 years ago… hooorrayy to the Spaniards.

Of course, during the games I always want to look for Torres and the Liverpool contingents in each games. But of course there was David Villa, who is also rumored to be linked with Liverpool, including the nippy David Silva. But the player that really caught my eyes is Marcus Senna. He was the ‘Protector’ of the centre-backs. He played brilliantly throughout Euro’08. He was, in my opinion, one of the factor that won Spana Jaya the Cup. He was reliable and very strong, breaking up attacks from the opposing team. He reminds me of Javier Mascherano of Liverpool.

Initially I was angry at the Old Man Aragones because he didn’t play Xabi Alonso. But after the first game, I have forgotten about Xabi (I’m sorry Xabi!!). Senna is cool and composed throughout his games and I would say, he is the unsung hero. He didn’t get much publicity like Torres, Villa, Fabregas or Silva.. but he did caught the attention of many people, including me. Too bad he didn’t connect to Iniesta’s cross in the Final, otherwise he would have scored. Marcus Senna – you’re the man!!

Spana Jaya - you made my 'EPL holidays' great...

Fernando Torres - I told them that you would score in the Final

Marcus Senna - you're the man!!!

How to convert your spouse to love footie...

Here are five things you should do to convert your spouse to love football like you do:-

1. Ask her to watch a live football game on TV
(Well, I tried once but the ‘lovely’ response I got is “I better sleep or do something else than

watch 22 men chase after a ball around the field..)

2. Purposely put on the sports channel when a game of football is on, eventhough you are not watching it
(tried a dozen times and she says this “Tiada channel lain kah?” and with that I quickly change the channel to something else… huhu)

3. Shout loudly when your team scored a goal or won the game, just to influence her how fun the game you are watching
(total stupidity!!! got kicked from behind once when I was watching the Champions League final in 2005. Hence, I perfected the art of my ‘muted roar’ or ‘muted curse’ everytime I watch a football game until today)

4. Turn the TV volume loudly when a game is on, just to attract her from whatever she is doing and join you ‘watching 22 men chasing a ball’..
(another stupid thing to do… got scolded once and never done it again)

5. Buy her a jersey of your favourite football team or ask her to wear your own jersey
(simply.. she don’t want to. Either it’s too big or that she don’t like it)

Hmmm… I think I got the title wrong, maybe it should have been “Five things NOT to do..”.

Well, at least my wife agreed for me to buy her a shirt with “Liverpool FC” and “Gerrard No. 8” written on it. Huhu… a small ‘victory’ there (muted ‘hooray’ with fist up in the air – don’t tell my wife..shhhh..)

Now.. I plan to buy a Liverpool jersey suitable enough for my son to wear (still looking though, hard to find one).. it’s the no. 6 strategy to influence my wife. Maybe 2 against 1 will do it. hehehehehe…(muted laugh)

Stupendous Spain

Yes yes yes… Spana Jaya is through to the Final of Euro ’08.. viva Espana!!

I was watching in ecstasy at 2.30am in the morning (though my son is fast asleep, tired maybe from outing in City Mall earlier, and unable to join me for the match..again). So, again when Espana scored the first goal by Xavi Hernandez, I raised my fist and roared a ‘muted’ hooray.. as I don’t want to annoy and face the warth of my sleeping wife and also the neighbours so early in the morning. But I am used to this ‘muted’ and ‘animated’ actions of pure joy when my team scores (Liverpool that is…). Nice goal from Xavi – a poke from his leg and through Akinfeev legs.. yes!!!... what a stupendous goal that is!!

The Russian was actually very threatening in the first half and solid in defense. They forced a couple of great saves off Iker Cassillas, but he is up to the job. Well done Cassillas!! There were a few but dangerous chances for Espana also eventhough the Russians are man-marking Torres and Villa. Not one but two the minimum when Torres, Villa or Silva gets the ball. In my point of view, Guus Hiddink’s boys strategy is maybe to unshackle the Spaniards by using hard and rough tactics, so that they won’t be able to play their usual game of slick passing. The very same tactic used by the Russian against England some time ago in the qualification. Credit to the referee who is able to control the game and its flow, although there are a lot of tackles, especially from the Russians flying around. That works for the first 50 minutes..

I believe that when Spain scored early in the second half that took off the Russians spirits as their game becomes dodgy after that. Gone are the dangerous attacks seen in the first half.. their passes gone wayward most of the time. They tried to come back I believe but the damaged is done.. Torres seems to be able to make many chances near the goal as the Russians defending become very dodgy.. OOhhh, how nice if Torres had scored, only to be taken out and replaced 20 minutes before time.

In my point of view, Torres is still unable to adapt to Spain’s (or rather the Old but Magnificent Aragones) style, because at Liverpool, he is used to the fast attacking works employed by Benitez. He gets fantastic support from Gerrard and co. As for Spain tactics, they like to play around with the ball to open up chances, I would say a ‘calm and pateint’ type of play, just like Aragones himself. You could see that when the team try to use a fast game, you would see Aragones in the sidelines saying (maybe) ‘calm down, calm down’. Well, whatever it is, it doesn’t matter as long as Espana wins. Though I would love Torres to score many goals in the tournament. I hope he do it in the Final against the Germans.

Spain was actually very patient throughout the game and that paid off. Credits to Guiza and Silve who scored the other two goals and Cesc Fabregas cool passing, but I believ the harm is done when they got the first goal. The Russians unable to come back and that helped themselves to kill off the game.. Well, we saw the last of Arshavin’s blue tongue in the Final, eh?

So, we wait for the Final and hope spana Jaya beat the Germans.. at least that is the hope of many Espana people, fans, myself including Lab Papa and Rin-chan… yeah!!

Unscrew the Germans Spana Jaya!!! Score goals Torres!!!

(pics courtesy of Euro08 official website)

The most expensive item in my wardrobe...

This is about the very, most expensive item in my wardrobe – yes, it’s my beloved Liverpool FC’s top a.k.a jersey, season 1996/98, in which point of time that my favorite player, Robbie ‘God’ Fowler rules and scorched the goals of opposing teams… (though we never won the EPL title… many thanks to the mancs..). Until today, more than 10 years later, this very jersey is still, and (maybe) will always be the most expensive shirt I ever bought..

I bought it, if my memories don’t fail me, sometimes middle of 1997. at that time, we can get original branded jerseys at around RM150 only. Nowadays, it’s almost double that price!!! At that time, I was really in love with this famous football club... that I sacrificed my lunches; dinners and suppers, just to save the money to get my hands on this top. But it took me quite a some time to save because I was studying at that time and money is also needed to buy materials for assignments, reports, every day activities, visits etc… but I never stopped saving and finally did manage to buy it (a big thanks to my sisters and brothers who supported me all through my university days.. without them, I would have never survived. So I am sorry I used some part of the money you all sent me to buy this jersey..!!)

After making sure I got my budget correct, one afternoon, I went off alone to Jaya Shopping Centre (but we usually call it Jaya Supermarket though), section 14, PJ. I think the name of the Shop was Sportstation. Got into a bus from H.U. and I am on my way to buy my most ‘expensive shirt’. My heart is thumping hard, excited that at long last, I will get my hands (or body, rather) on this dream shirt.

When I arrive at Jaya Supermarket, I thought I was actually running and not walking because it felt like I arrive at the shop in no time. So here I was at the entrance of the said shop and what luck!! They’re on sale... so I got a 10% discount on my, yes ‘MY’ very first Liverpool top. I bought the home (red) jersey and purposely took the XL size though I am not that ‘big’. (Something in my head tells me that I will get ‘bigger’ in few years to come). So, yes, at that moment of time I looked like a ‘hip-hop’ guy with this big Liverpool jersey on me (and I don’t like hip-hop). But, I don’t mind that, because, my dream has come through.

Since then, I always wear this Liverpool jersey anywhere, anytime because not only that I love this shirt very much but for being proud to show that I am a Liverpool FC’s supporter. I think I wear it almost every time, to lectures, to activities, to shopping malls, etc. I believe this makes most of my friend remember me as the guy who always wear a Liverpool jersey anywhere, any time (even until today I still wear my Liverpool tops most of the time). But don’t get me wrong, if the shirt needs to go to the laundry, it needs to go to the laundry..hehe (I am never comfortable of unwashed clothings..).

Well, that’s my story of my most expensive shirt ever bought at RM150 more than 10 years ago. Nowadays, although I am working, I can’t afford to buy original Liverpool tops because it costs almost RM300!! Besides, I have other commitments like paying bills, family etc.. Therefore, I resort to buying ‘replica kits’ a.k.a ‘ciplak’, which many of us may call them. But I usually get the ‘Grade A’ ones, which is about 99% almost similar to the original thing. Last year, I bought all of Liverpool tops at RM50 apiece. Imagine that if I buy the original ones, I can only get half-a-shirt!!

At the same time, I also think that a shirt is only a shirt if the wearer only wears it as a shirt to cover the body.. For me, wearing Liverpool top is a proud thing and it also gives a testament of my utmost support to Liverpool.. through rain or shine. I am proud to say that ‘I live and breath’ Liverpool FC!!! The cost of the jersey doesn’t matter or whether it is original or not… the ‘soul of the wearer’ is… IMHO.

So, my Season 96/98 will be my most expensive shirt ever… (though if I can afford it some other time.. I will get my hands on the new kits..huhu)..

(will post hombidai’s most expensive shirt picture later…)

Dancing Portuguese...

No wonder they lost.. they only know how to dance. Just look at the picture, C. Ronaldo, the goalie and the defender are dancing in tandem... just what are they thinking?... 'Well, if you want to dance," Ballack said, "I just go an score some header!"....

Bye bye Scolari and C. Ronaldo... off you go and have a good holiday before you come back to the English Premier League...

(Picture from Euro 2008 official website)