didn't make it..

sad, sian & disappointed to not even get a mention.

poof.

i can only hope..

.. that the TNP peeps have time to read the latest developments on soccernet.com before tomorrow's issue of TNP goes to print..

the article read and i paraphrase: Benitez has signed Ukranian striker Voronin on a free transfer. He's due to arrive in June. That means that Fowler could be leaving, it was reported. Also, Voronin was also touted as a possible replacement for Bellamy but it's said Benitez may look into buying a 20-goal a season striker too..

i actually wrote all these in reply to the "dear Postman" forum in TNP this week!! results are out tomorrow.. i just hope if they aren't already won over by my entry at first reading, that after reading the soccernet article, they will change their minds..

i wanna win those football prizes.. ooh what should i ask for.. the ball and the 2 tshirts? or the boots? the running shoes?

maybe i shouldn't get ahead of myself..

oh no!! i received a missed call at about 7 plus during dinner.. it was listed (no number). don't tell me TNP tried to call me but i missed the call.. and they decide to give it to someone else.. and i miss the chance to win...

aaahhhhhh!!! noooooooo!!! pls no! pls no!

its been a rough day.

1. commercial law module in the morning.
2. a short discussion with a schoolmate about our law assignment left me more confused.
3. add that to the fact that i noticed he didn't seem too keen to share his thoughts about his conclusion. (c'mon man.. it ain't gonna be a bell curve at the end.. it's you against yourself.. don't be childish.)
4. packed photocopier room at school. closed photocopier room in NgeeAnn poly.
5. Perenial long line of cars parked on one side of the road opposite my house over the weekends. (it just makes driving difficult and cramped. don't make me call the cops)
6. Near accident while thinking about my "problems".
7. Forgot to take my change of clothes to my aunty's place to shower.. so i had to drive home to get it.
8. And see those idiotic line of cars once more.

add all these to my increasingly tight schedule for the month of March, two upcoming tests and a law assignment to finish by march.. and i'm not even including commitments outside of school and what do we get?

an over-worried and stressed-up me.

still, i thank God for these things:

1. i was able to finish part of my revisions tonight.

2. i'm able to finish the rest during the whole of monday.
[God was amazing here: i was very very tempted to continue studying throughout tonight into Sunday.. which i usually don't as i try to not work on the Sabbath. And so i thought.. it was 1130pm. i won't be able to finish revising today's class in half an hour.. gotta be realistic. then i looked at my timetable for next week.. okay so i don't wanna study sunday.. which means i have to finish econs and comm law revisions on monday. diana usually goes home on monday.. we don't meet. if we do, then knowing procras-me sure won't be able to finish by the time she arrives.. Guess what? She has orientation this monday! so i've got no distractions!! (nothing negative attached to her though) and i've got more time to finish my stuff! thank God for sorting that out for me. think about it.. i would never have got to experience God's planning at work if i chose to study into and on Sunday..]

3. there's football tomorrow. i've been itching to play. and i seriously think i need a good workout to get all the bad stresses out of my system.

4. man u won tonight. thanks to a late ronaldo goal..

5. i get to rest and relax tomorrow.

6. He allowed me to put all my problems into perspective on two seperate occasions today.

First was during YFM.. like how i felt a few days back, i felt genuinely at peace being a part of a gathering with His people that my problems didn't matter at all.

then i thought: how does my problem(s) compare to that which is in the world concerning the destiny of many of mankind? seriously, how does it compare?

it doesn't.

Secondly, while i was at my aunty's place and we were all seated at the dining table, i glanced across and saw my grand-aunty (whom i affectionately call "fat-ah-poh") seated in her wheelchair, staring down at her food through her thick glasses, her right hand grasping her chopsticks as she ate, her hair all straight and combed back (it is usually permed), her sagging face due to drastic weight loss after a nasty fall fractured her hip bone, looking like a scene straight out of an old folk's home..

And then i thought: how does my problem(s) compare to the state she's in?

it can't be compared.

i'm feeling a lot better getting this off my chest, sharing it with two people via email and especially after God worked out my little clutter of work for the next few days.

i don't know how i'd cope without His help.

Glory be to God.

Who compares to You?
Who set the stars in their place?
You who calmed the raging seas
That came crashing over me.

Who compares to You?
You who bring the morning light,
The hope of all the earth
Is rest assured in Your great love.

You are magnificent,
Eternally wonderful, glorious.
Jesus, no one ever will compare
To You, Jesus.

Where the evening fades,
You call forth songs of joy.
As the morning wakes,
We Your children give You praise.

You are magnificent,
Eternally wonderful, glorious.
Jesus, no one ever will compare
To You, Jesus.

a heavy heart & welled-up tears.

sighting in tnp..

Since ditching a future career with the media and journalism, I have restricted my takes on football in the EPL and the afc cup to my somewhat "unpublicised" blog entries, if you know what i mean.. Actually I have always wanted to write at the sports desk for The New Paper.. but that ambition was later on met with the realisation of the need to provide for my own family in future and thus did not materialise.

I chanced upon an opportunity for my OWN piece to finally appear in The New Paper last week in the "Dear Postman" column. Well, they were asking for the fans' take on what we thought was a fitting footballing finale to the National Stadium in Kallang.

So spurred on my nationalistic pride (only during Singapore football matches and esp. so after the recent AFC triumph) and the prizes on offer for the wining entry, I decided to send in my own ideas. I was waiting eagerly over the CNY weekend for this tuesday's TNP and the results.

Flip flip flip.. "eh.. this winning entry looks like mine leh.. is it? is it?"

(looks at winner's name)

"haiyah.. never win. (accusingly) eh but this guy wrote about the same as me what!"

(glances over to the facing page: "Other Letter Highlights")

"EHH! got mine!!"

(mother looks at me with disbelief.. we were on our way out to aunty betty's house..)

"really lah!!"

okok. I was disappointed to have not won the prize with my debut entry to "Dear Postman". I suppose one can't always win. I'm glad to have still got a nice little spot on "Other Letter Highlights".. Aah well.. try harder next time. here are the pictures in case you missed it.

p.s. the winner truly deserved his prize. he had 2 other winning suggestions.. no complains.

past & present of the Singapore Lions.

that moment in the spotlight. heh.

the carrot that i missed out on. i later realised that the winner doesn't get all of the above items if i'm not wrong..

Matthew 19:24-26

".. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?"

And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

how true. was thinking about my future earlier and my reluctance to put attaining and storing monetary wealth below God.. and this verse came to mind.

well there's more meaning to this verse than the way it struck me.. what does it mean to you?

Psalm 51:1-4

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge.

sorry, God.

what a time to pile on the fats..

.. reason being having not exercised for more than a year!!

well i don't consider the weekly soccer kickabout exercise anyway..

to worsen this mini-crisis, cny is just round the corner.. meeting relatives that'll go..

"Wah.. you look bigger ah" (read: wah!! you've put on quite a bit of weight ah?)

i think the only reason i'm keeping the fat-additions to a slow is down to my reduced take-in during meals.. it ain't easy.. perhaps i should just go exercise.. then i can eat a little more freely.

for now.. i'm off to breakfast.. my grandmother bought roti prata.

i think i'd rather get by on people commenting about my un-chiselled jawline than miss out on my favourite roti prata.

heh.

a day in the shoes of a broke man..

well not the entire day that i was broke.. only the last part.. that was bad enough.

it started out with me withdrawing money from mobil to go to 7-eleven to top up my ezlink card (they don't accept nets for this transaction AND they charge a nominal $0.30 for the service. lame.) and being told that there was a "card validation" error. okay.

so i've got $20 bucks in notes but no coins. They wouldn't break my note unless i purchased something. poof. so i bought a mentos.

got on the 51 to Queensway to alter my jeans (yes i bought another pair cos the previous Levi's one the tailors lost it.. they reimbursed my lah of course..) ezlink card had enough balance to afford me another trip before my balance went negative..

gave the tailors my alterations and went walking around window shoppin' and also scouting for the 050307 gift. had a better idea after walking through certain shops. then i collected my jeans.. paid the fella $8 but not before i tried it and inspected their work.. such shops.. you just have to lah.. they expedited my alterations.. the aunty was still feeling bad for losing my jeans.. i actually thought of going to another tailor.. but they were just plain rude (although they charge $7) and simply would take too long..

the dumb atm at queensway wouldn't dispense any cash (which would contribute to a mini crisis later on..) so i had to settle with the remaining $10.75 to get me to my old house hawker centre.. buy food for me and diana.. and then home. well i only realised i had $9.85 (after the basic $0.90 bus ride from queesway to pasir panjang food centre) when i was at the food centre ready to order a feast to da pao home.. with NO atm nearby.. just had to call diana and tell her that we had to settle for the famous rojak ($6) and some chicken wings ($3) (which she didn't mind.. i'm thankful for her being so adaptable..)..

walked back to the bus stop.. the bus took ages to come.. then i just happen to glance at one of those wooden info board from SBS that we so often ignore.. and i was just looking and thinking about how much i would usually spend if i take bus (using ezlink card.. it's cheaper by the way..) from home to school and back.

THEN my eyes ran over this fairly important detail which on other days i would have readily ignored: Air-Con, Cash, Adult, Below 4 fare stages, $0.90

?!!?!?!! (and guess what? after waiting for so long, the bus finally came.. when i was about to check whether i had enough $$.. so i missed that bus..)

HUH?!

Wah! $0.85 only!! only then did i realise and regret not keeping and valuing those 5 cent 10 cent coins.. Having that extra 5 cent (or not having it in this case) meant I was staring at the possibility of walking all the way home.. not ideal.

so i looked around on the floor hoping to find that elusive 5 cents or maybe even a stray 10 cent coin.. no chance.. last resort.. had to explain to this lady and beg her to spare me 10 cents.. she did. And i got my BUS ride home for dinner with Diana..

best part is.. when i got off and crossed the road to where she was waiting.. there she was.. laughing at me..

God proved Himself faithful once more..

.. in the management accounting test i took yesterday.. as usual i would be looking at my notes, revising and reminding myself of all i studied.. and once more yesterday, just like in the past during my polytechnic tests/exams.. God led me to key points in my notes that I later would find out were crucial to me doing well for that particular assessment.. this time round.. it was on Product Costs..

Thank you, God.

i still remember those dark days..

..especially the night before i enlisted and the trip down to pasir ris and on the ferry terminal towards tekong..

they weren't easy..

thanks once again to all who were there for me..

Funny how..

.. and i've been observing for quite some time now.. some people think their lives have been changed, enhanced or superior-ied just because they have been inducted/initiated into or hanging around some group new..

Funnily but not unsurprisingly enough, some lurve the attention, while others crave it and desire more. To get there, some ditch their old friends, some get hitched, some snitch on others, while some (excuse the words with the same terminal sound..) literally dress like a witch (or dare i say.. b****).

(no i wasn't using the b word in its vulgar sense.)

well to each his or her own i guess..

certain comments and statements made here may seem pointed, apparent, vindictive and reeking of sour grapes to some.. I'm not so sure that that's what it's supposed to be.. at least from my perspective.

i can already see certain people up-in-arms over what they've just read.. heheh.

Funny how.. isn't it?

Singapore - Champions 1998, 2004, 2007..

yes, you might already have heard or watched.. Singapore have been crowned AFC champions for the third time after a 1-1 draw in Bangkok and a 3-2 aggregate win over Thailand.

Funnily enough, over this weekend, a number of people have come up to me and asked why am I not in Bangkok for the second leg.. i got so siao meh? actually, if i could, i would have wanted to be there..

Singapore played badly. Didn't deserve to win. There were moments where the Lions threatened and bossed the game.. but those were very much the minority. The Thais were given time and space to pass the ball just outside of the Singapore penalty box.. And for that.. the Lions got punished. Aide was caught out.. not the first time in this whole tournament.. Thonkaya got behind the defence and muay-thai kicked the ball in for the lead.. as much as this tournament is Subramani's last, i think it's time Aide step down and let Baihakki take over and build an understanding with Precious..

The Thais apart from threatening the goal with mazy runs down the flanks, were reduced to long shots which rarely troubled Lionel Lewis.. Lionel did well on a number of occasions to save the Lions.. and when he wasn't there.. Noh Rahman cleared off the line.. if Thailand had scored and gone 2 nil up then they'd probably have won it.

Other than that.. the Thais continued their Hollywood auditions, going down at the slightest touch from a Lion. They, especially the no.19 and Datsakorn, were just further dragging the Thai brand down the drain, especially after the furore of the past week. Datsakorn, hailed as the playmaker, was disappointing. When decisions didn't go his or his team's way, he started acting stupid again. Just like in midweek. He rightly earned a yellow card by kicking the ball at Noh Rahman.. and should have earned a straight red when he attempted to headbutt Khairul Amri.

I think the only Thai who made sense was team manager Thavatchai. His sensible comments "i think Singapore deserved to win. Football is like this. You win them all" certainly helped to redeem the nosediving Thai reputation and sought to reassure the world that the people from the Land of Smiles are not all childish, irreverant of officialdom, petty kids.

This brings me to my next grouse - another weak referee.. he didn't stamp his authority in the game on many occasions. And i'm not even mentioning the goal he disallowed earlier which should have stood! that would have made watching the game easier.. When are we going to see a good strong one from this region.. I'm sure Shamsul Maideen would have been selected had Singapore not made the final.. what to do.. best ref.. best team.

Second half and Thailand were still 1 nil up. Not that their fans were enthused by it.. Their Mexican wave was nothing compared to the superior Kallang Wave. I was predicting a late goal by Singapore.. and right on cue in the 81st minute.. the ball broke to Khairul Amri who carried the ball forward.. the Thais backed off and backed off.. inviting Khairul towards their goal. Sorry man..

Khairul decided to go for it.. and boy did he GO for it.. arching his body forward to keep the ball low, Khairul stretched every sinew in his right leg back and with one swing of the boot.. slammed the ball past a rooted Kittisak and into goal. I went crazy again.. I initially thought it went out.. but then saw the net bulged and the ref signalling a goal.. i felt Khairul justified his donning of a pair of YELLOW boots with that shot. One all.. singapore wound time down and then the ref blew for full time and with that, crowned Singapore champions once more.

I think overall, the Lions' play has improved though they are guilty of going to sleep and at times self-destructing. Apart from that, we have shown that we can handle big and rowdy crowds, big match tensions and also the ability to come back from one goal down to equalise on many occasions. well building a football team takes time and playing experience, so i applaud the FAS for sending the team to tournaments.. and Raddy for drilling into them belief in themselves. Playing China, Iraq and Japan over the years has proved vital to the progress of the Singapore national team.

So the Lions then went on to lift the trophy in front of a near empty Suphachalasai stadium, with Noh Alam Shah bagging 2 individual awards. One i'm sure was for Top Scorer.. maybe the other was for MVP.. Singapore poster boy Indra received a yellow for his protesting efforts on the bench when Datsakorn headbutted Khairul.. :P whatever lah..

ASEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP
CHAMPIONS 2007: SINGAPORE

C'MON LIONS!!

the decision didn't go their way..

.. so the Thai team decided to behave like kids in a playground..

what's more, the Thai media is glorifying their coach for hauling his players off. ?!!?!

this tops the lot.. the Thai coach is ACTUALLY claming that he hauled the players off the pitch cos' they were all heated up and he wanted to cool them down. You think what? basketball or volleyball ah? got timeout.

heads should roll for this. the m'sian ref was weak enough to not enforce the law of the game. the coach and i believe the thai no. 21 should be sent off for instigating the walkout.

what a farce it would be if they go on to win the tournament this sunday.

Kallang: The last hurrah..

The day has finally arrived. The 1st leg of the Asean Championships Final between Singapore and Thailand. But before that, it was a small, well not exactly small, matter of finishing up my revisions for management accounting first. That done with about half an hour before eng soon would arrive.. i logged on to yahoo pool for a few games to unwind. it was much needed.

Eng soon popped by about 3-ish and we just chilled till what about.. 345pm before we set off for Seah Im Hawker Centre opposite harbourfront to meet tim.. and for some sumptuous chicken rice..but i was careful not to eat too much.. less that problem came back. On hindsight, thank God the Lychee drink didn't do any damage..

I only realised how big tonight's game was when we were on the ECP before Fort Rd and saw the electronic notice board which read, "Asean Cup, 5pm - 11pm. Expect jam near stadium". Well, big enough for the authorities to attempt to steer traffic clear of the home of singapore football, the National Stadium.

Dropped by the Esso to get some sweets to soothe the throats during the game and fooled the counter lady into thinking we were playing later on. pfft. arrived at about 450pm.. fans were already outside the stadium.. with painted faces and flags draped over their shoulders. The gates open at 5.. headed in and took some shots of the empty stadium for one last time.. the stadium's gonna be knocked down later this year.

was supposed to do some work.. but ended up not feeling nor wanting to do it.. instead we just hung around the Lions Fanclub section, where we sit every match, and was soon roped in to help with carrying the drinks and the boxes of clappers. The highlight certainly was distributing the clappers.. i'd never seen so many people rush to you, asking, cajoling, begging you to give them a clapper. Most were polite albeit insistent on getting what they want.. which is understandable and acceptable.. others were downright pushy and lacked respect and courtesy. Didn't bother with them.. some tried to snatch the thick stack from under my arms.. i just held firm and told them to back off. i mean people were waiting and here they were.. doing something sneaky. that was poor.

Went out to pick Koh & Jeff.. not an easy feat.. locating both of them.. finding Koh was tougher.. he was in the big crowd.. all inching their way towards the bottleneck entrance.. Looking for him was like the game book, "Where's Wally?".

by the time i got settled down at my seat, it was about 740pm.. and kick-off beckoned. The first half was alright.. singapore playing well enough.. and even took the lead through, who else? Noh Alam Shah. After a human pinball game took place in the box with 2 other Lions firing long-ranged shots towards the Thai goal, the ball broke free to Alam Shah who swivelled on the spot and sidefooted the ball past the Thai keeper.

half time came and went. without me getting my nasi lemak nor amy currypuff. ggrrr. but the Lions fanclub peeps, Sunny and his wife, were kind enough to give me a packet of nasi briyani.. definitely good. They didn't have to.. i wasn't registered with the fanclub.. i guess sitting there with them the whole tournament got us familiar with each other. Oh, we helped ourselves to the mineral water too..

second half. i remember this half for 2 incidents - the Thai equaliser and the Thai walkout. Of course interspersed were some other highlights like the penalty that never was for a foul on Khairul Amri and umm.. that's it i think. hah. Oh! The thais really can act by the way.. dropping down at the slightest touch.. disgusting. don't think they were interested in winning the game.

I thought aide was at fault for the thai goal. committed himself.. then the entire Lions defence were static.. as though rooted to the ground. then Lionel, oh Lionel.. he just dropped to the ground when one on one.. think he was trying to psyche the Thai player.. but the thai simply went past him and slotted home.

Fast forward to the 83 min i think.. A cross in, Alam Shah went down.. ref blew for a penalty! Thais decided that wasn't fair and decided to take matters into their own hands.. they walked off the pitch!! How unsportsmanlike! for 17 whole minutes, the fans entertained themselves with songs like "Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye", "Why are we waiting?", "Ole, ole", and many others.. and of course some good old Kallang jeering and the classic 11 airhorns followed by a malay vulagrity. i thought they were trying to stall time.. the longer the penalty taker waits.. more pressure builds up.. but i guess mustafic fahrudin showed nerves of steel when he stepped up and planted the ball in the top right corner of the goal. Well struck, nothing to say.

the ref added some more time on and at the end as the whistle blew and the fans went "ole, ole" again, i just held up my Singapore flag, looked around the stadium one last time, and just soaked in the moment. The first ever match singapore played at this stadium, we beat the thais 1 nil.. at the last international match to be played here.. we beat the Thais 2-1. Could there have been a better script? i know the critics would say we should have scored more.. but let's give credit where it's due.. we haven't beaten the tom yam brigade in regulation time for decades.

Today was the day to do it.

Tonight was the night we did it.

Thanks Lions.

P.S. My cousin Lynette smsed and Linda called to say they saw me on TV!! i hope i wasn't doing anything embarrassing then man..

P.P.S. Tim, Eng Soon, Jeffrey and I are now officially Lions Fanclub members. We put our names down. They promise to call us the next time.. maybe when the new stadium's up. Meanwhile enjoy the pics.

Come on Lions!!

the massive gallery stand..

think it was behind this entrance where i sat during the malaysia cup days with uncle tong and aunty betty.

right there.

alam shah's autographed ball after the Laos win.

at 5pm, pretty empty..

at 8pm, packed once more.

the north stand.

from the top of the east stand.

what a shot. what a backdrop. what an apt setting for the last match at the National Stadium.

Kui Jien, Me, Jamie Yeo.

Missed Sheihk Haikkel, Andy Penders, PJ Roberts & Sharkee Tan. Think they were getting a bite.

i know he's an actor. prolly a singer too. but i don't his name. i only know the face. :P

Koh, Me, the Lion Mascot during half time.

we drove to amara hotel. yes we did. groupies. Raddy and I.

Was Baihakki's birthday. Soon, Me, Baihakki, Tim. Eh tim and i played against him before leh. dun play play. (No, we didn't make that signboard)

Tim, Khairul Amri, Me. He played okay only lah. I missed Alam Shah and Indra! All we got was a handshake..

Us with Shi Jiayi & Lionel Lewis. On the right is Sunny, Lions Fanclub member.

thai winger, sutee suksomkit. he's cool. that's why we allowed him to take a pic with us.

daniel bennett and us.. i actually asked him for his boots. he just gave me a stare.

is there a better way to bid farewell to the National Stadium, Kallang?

thanks for the memories.