Reflections of a Singaporean after a soccer match

Hi Friends,

I answered the call of duty (from a radio announcement) to go to the National Stadium to support the national team as it plays Uzbekistan in its World cup qualifying match tonight. For me this match outing was memorable for more than a few reasons.

It had goals (10 in all including a penalty- photo left); noisy and boisterous fans ;a half-time marriage proposal (photo right) and … memories.

Memories

I watched my last live-match involving the Singapore national team more than 30 years ago.

Weekend Malaysia Cup matches were what many teenagers looked forward to in the 1970’s. We enjoyed watching Quah Kim Song, Mohamed Nor, Dollah Kassim, Eric Paine, Robert Sim, Seak Poh Leong, Syed (break a leg) Mutalib, Hasli Ibrahim, S Camel Rajagopal and others beat the stuffings out of minnows like Perlis,Sarawak,Negri Sembilan,Malacca. The only teams who provided some competition were Selangor , Penang and maybe Pahang.

The Kallang roar then was formidable and the football fever red-hot! I even remember being in a stampede during the Singapore versus Penang ( or was it Pahang?) match when due to an unexpectedly large sell-out crowd of more than 65000, riot police had to intervene and prevent disaster as crowds queuing for tickets at the back were lunging forward and pushing many of us towards the metal gates. To avoid getting crushed, some of my friends had to climb over the gates even though police and VC’s (Vigilante Corps) were swinging truncheons at them.

There was one unfortunate fatality of a fan who suffered a heart attack in the excitement. I cannot remember whether we won or lost but after that weekend, all match tickets had to be bought before match-day from community centres etc.

I thought tonight would be a golden opportunity to show my son what the Malaysian cup era soccer matches meant to my generation. Almost like National Service, it was a rite of passage.

So there we were seated at the grandstand at 7.30pm.

The Match

I am no masochist but I enjoyed the match. Yes, we lost. And yes ,the score was 3-7. Hand on my heart- Singapore played well (really!). But the Uzbeks played better. Their overlapping fullback ran through our defence like a hot knife through butter (ala Ryan Giggs of olde). I hate to say it but it was like taking candy from a child.

We were outclassed. Period.

There is no shame in losing to a better team. FYI, Uzbekistan beat Saudi Arabia 3-0 ( I am entitled to some sour grapes). Suffice to say that our attack was better than our defence.

Our goal-keeper Lionel Lewis kept out another 3-4 certain goals! We missed about one or two other chances. So the score could have been much worse- like 4-11! Thank God it was only 3-7!

The Singapore team ran itself to the ground and had no answer to offer and at the end, I was pleading with the ref to please blow the damned whistle to end the misery quickly.

Just in case you think I am less than qualified to comment on the quality of the game, let me state my credentials. I was my class goal-keeper during recess breaks (almost by default as I was not good at kicking); and still am a loyal supporter of Leeds United (can name most members of the famous team under Don Revie) ( Harvey, Hunter, Gray, Charlton, Madeley, Bremnar, Clarke etc)

The Aftermath

There was no sadness nor regrets. Just numbness.

With a halftime score of 2-6 ( or was it 2-5? ) the final score was almost immaterial. It was about trying one’s best in extremely difficult circumstances. And I think the Singapore Lions almost succeeded. The papers tomorrow may perceive this defeat differently but I hope that the reports are not too scathing!

I think I speak on behalf of the Singaporeans in the crowd that we felt proud to be Singaporeans tonight. I also sense that for the duration of the match, none of us begrudged the many

foreigners who wore the all-red strips to play for their adopted country. Whether they be from China, UK, Eastern Europe or Africa, we rooted for them as much as for those born and bred on our own shores.

Singapore, the nation, has not arrived yet but is an experiment very much in progress.

Singapore is not perfect but it is not as bad as portrayed by the Chee’s and one ex-Singaporean.

Perhaps watching a soccer match would change their minds – but knowing them, maybe not.

Cheers

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan