RACONTEUR-ESQUE SCRIBBLINGS

On Thursday night, men clad in red and blue dotted the green field of Bukit Jalil, their sole purpose to be in possession of an elusive ball, just so that they can : i. Score a goal and defeat the other team ii. Keep it in possession so that the other team doesn't score. I don't really watch much sports, because I think it's much better if you go out and play the sports yourself, so my sitting in front of the TV hugging a cushion on Thursday night waiting in anticipation for the Malaysia vs *Singapore FIFA World Cup Qualifying Round was surprising even to me. I suppose I got influenced by my colleagues who actually left the workplace that evening clad in the Malaysian team colours headed straight to the stadium. Throughout the day, I kept hearing snippets of conversation about the match later that day, and rightly so, as compared to just three years ago, the Malaysian team had improved tremendously. So much so that at the end of last year when we won a rather important...

And let's throw in the referees. So, later tonight football fans over here will be headed to catch the match between Chelsea and Malaysia at Stadium Shah Alam. I personally know at least 2 people who will be joining thousands (maybe) of fans at the stadium to cheer for their favourite team and to see up close the faces that so often grace our television sets on Saturday nights. Football to Malaysians is like salt to soup. It's essential. Ask anyone you know, and they will definitely have a favourite team, either from The English Premier League, or La Liga Espanyol (where the players are sometimes a tad bit too good looking for anyone's good ) or the Italian League and people will sacrifice their sleep (nevermind the consequences) just to keep score of the exciting going ons in EURO, or the World Cup because the live matches are mostly aired late at night due to the time zone differences. Sadly, we ourselves do not have as many talents in the field out there these days...