The Beautiful Game

Soccer.

Soccer as what the Americans called it, and Football as what some British call it.

Is it just a simple ball game where 22 people chase a stupid ball just to put it into the back of the net? That’s what people who do not appreciate the game would say.

Or is it a more complicated, complex and graceful game, where people who appreciate the game of soccer, would call it the ‘Beautiful Game’.

Me, Myself, I appreciate the game of soccer, and to me, its more then just 22 people chasing after the ball. Well, after all, the goalkeeper does not chase after the ball, and it would make it just 20 people chasing the ball, if you still insist on calling it a ‘ball-chasing game’.

Sometimes, this goes to show how ignorant people are, when they do not understand the game of soccer and they just use, to me, a ‘nonsensical definition’ to describe the game.

Yes, it’s a game where the players try to put the ball into the back of their opponent’s net, playing through different tactics, through their own strengths, through exposing weakness that the opponents have and not forgetting through the tactics and instructions that the manager gives to the team. On the contrary, players, manager, the fans and supporters, tactics, the owner and staff of the clubs and the referees all play very important parts in the game, It is not a game that is settled on the pitch, it’s the preparation that every player and staff have to go through, the whole build up to the match on match day itself, where they will see if all their preparations would pay off. A simple fact that you may not know. Its not a meaningless game to many soccer fans out there. To some, it may mean having the bragging rights in their own city. I shall use the Barclays Premier League, since its broadcasted the most in Singapore, on cable television and most people are familiar with the team names, as an example.

For instance, in the city of Manchester, there are two soccer clubs. Manchester United and Manchester City, and for now, Manchester United own the bragging rights in the city, as they are obviously better and more superior as compared to Manchester City. Another example would be the city of Liverpool, where its home to Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club, where Liverpool has the bragging rights, due to their distinguished history. London is another example, as its home to three football clubs, with bigger status. Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham. In this case, it would be tougher to say who has the bragging rights, as all three are all established clubs. The derby matches, however can solve this, where the winning team would have the bragging rights, jut for that season. Maybe I will elaborate more on soccer the following week, and I will explain how soccer plays a part in my life, as what I have mentioned in my introduction  post.

 

I have been playing soccer ever since I was 11 years old, in Primary 5. No, I wasn’t the best juggler around, neither I had good skills and technique with the ball. I could not dribble properly, and my ball control wasn’t that fabulous. I relied on my pace and acceleration to get past my opponent in any match. Thus, the position that I played was winger, where I was in the wide areas, and delivering crosses for my teammates. That was in primary school, when we played in the field and there was enough space for me to run into.

But it wasn’t to be when I went to secondary school. Even though my primary and secondary school were in the same compound, the primary school was going through ‘Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing Schools’; otherwise known as PRIME, and the field was being used by the primary school, where their temporary canteen was being built. So it meant that we had no field to play in, and my friend and I resorted to playing on the basketball court and volleyball court, where it’s fenced up. It also meant that I did not have the space that I could run into, and it became a more technical game, where ball control was essential, something, which I did not really possess. But I had the chance to improve my technique, trying to put the ball into the gate of the volleyball court while at the other side of it. Something which I managed to accomplished, and one of my friends commented that it was really like a ‘David Beckham trademark free-kick’ as I had to curl the ball over the volleyball net, in which was like a wall in soccer.

I also adapted a new position. A position that most people would not want to play at, as the player in that position would see very little of the ball. If you have been guessing ‘Goalkeeper’, you have got it right. Surprising isn’t it, that such a small size player like me would end up playing as a goalkeeper. But yes, that is the fact. I can still remember clearly what happened.

It was during recess, and as usual the guys were playing soccer, at the basketball court and no one wanted to play goalkeeper for my team, and I thought to myself.’ Maybe I should play playing in that position.’ That was exactly what I did. And I have been playing in that position ever since. But the change in position was not a ‘pleasant experience’, because during a soccer match, I got knee-ed in my jaw, causing me to have a cut in my inner lower lip and it could not have come at a better time, as my O level Mother Tongue Oral exam, and after I got the cut, I could not pronounce words properly such as probability, hibiscus etc. I could not even close my mouth properly, could not bite solid food and I did not have any proper meal for quite a few days before my cut got better. All I had was soya milk, mash potato and porridge, and with all these already soluble food, I had trouble eating them. The lucky thing was that I did not have to stitch up my cut, as it wasn’t very deep.

It was a norm for me to be playing soccer, at least once a week, sometimes maybe twice. But that was to be changed as major examinations were just round the corner. Having played my way into have ‘wonderful results’ for my O levels in the first time, it would be a long time before I would touch a soccer ball again, while I will retake my O levels. As a matter of fact, prior to the O levels, I did not touch a soccer ball for almost four months, other then playing soccer for my Physical Education lessons in school.

Now that I’m in polytechnic, I have the time again to start playing soccer. With my uncle organizing soccer every Tuesday night at East Coast Park, where the old tennis court used to be, ‘soccer every Tuesday night’ is stuck to my weekly timetable already. However, what I am playing now is Futsal; which means playing in a smaller sized pitch, meant for a 5 versus 5 match. In this game, it can be played either fast or slow paced, and my team would play to different game plans, depending on the opponents, as we play a ‘winner stay’ type of game, which means that there are more then three teams at least; sometimes mounting up to 5-6 teams when lots of people would turn up. However, we do have our ‘dry season’, which means that sometimes only three teams will turn up. On those types of days, the people who come would get to play more, something which every footballer wants.

Playing with other people who are better is the only way to improve in today’s game, and it kind of reminds me of last Tuesday when I wasn’t playing to my best ability, lacking the composure to score goals at the crucial moment, lacking the ability to keep out the goals, when it was my turn to be in goal and its something that I am determined not to let it happen again on this Tuesday night.

I am looking forward to it.

6^th of May, 2008

8pm-11pm

Soccer awaits me.

 

 

Huang Yixi Vicson

S10059493B

T1B2