MALAYSIAN vs EUROPEAN fever soccer flavour

MALAYSIAN vs EUROPEAN FEVER SOCCER FLAVOUR

Asia Tour 2009 launched by Manchester United football club. This event roughly seems to be to attract interest asian soccer fanatic fan closely watch their superstar playing in front of them. But indirectly, they want to generate their club financing, who knows by the ticket price and the big income, merchandise. When they (Manchester United) came to Malaysia, the malaysia soccer environment turn to change the climate. The media aggressively promoted the advertisement to tell all citizen that the big jumbo club or richest club in the world will come to Malaysia!.

Organizing by ProEvent, the ticket price stated 28-300 Ringgit Malaysia. But the Malaysian soccer fanatic, in malay called “kipas susah mati” struggle to buy the ticket even the price is too expensive. They came from all places. I am sure Malaysia Football Association, FAM surprised that the National Stadium fully seated for every ten years or something. Even Piala Sumbangsih between Malaysia versus asian country, the seat not totally full by supporters.

Fortunately, I bought the ticket from the seller in Plaza Kotaraya Johor Bahru. It was an excited week in my life. It was the last days remaining to reach 18^th July 2009, I got the ticket 3 days before the game start!. I bought for two (not for my girlfriend but my real fan soccer partner, my brother in law). Guest, the tickets not RM300 or RM28. It was RM58, the moderate price. The cheapest ticket you buy, the far seat you got. The 18^th July was Saturday, so by Friday I take a bus to Kuala Lumpur to my sister’s house.

When I arrived in Pudu, I saw 1:10 persons wear a red shirt. Doesn’t matter the type or printed in their shirt, but the colour must red. I feel like this is the way the European show their fanatism in soccer. But the condition was so hot in Pudu, it make me wake up from dreaming. In my way to Gombak, also the same situation in KL Sentral and in the train. There were foreigners wears red shirt, Indian, Chinese and Malay. But I wear blue Japan National Football Team shirt, I think they don’t know me we have same soccer club fan.

The Kick Off-Day was come. After lunched, we start to prepare. I wear an orange shirt while my brother in law wear MU jersey. The reason is, I support both team, so I wear orange. Red(MU)+Yellow(Malaysia)=orange. The kick off start at 1730h. I told him to go Bukit Jalil by his bike, he refuse and he told me to go by his mpv. One mpv only for two?. What I am thought came, traffic jammed. But he knows the shortcut but still jammed. The clock show 1630h, the pressure came.

Suddenly, in the traffic jammed, we heard police siren, when I turn my head to left, I saw an Audi SUV with black tinted beside our mpv, I still can to see inside, and then we saw David Gill and Alex Ferguson!!! Who knows we are lucky to see them, the big director and coach for MU! They pass thru us.

And the big moment in my life was, the bus that bringing MU players just behind the Audi SUV!. We saw the players inside, they so close. We can see them!. Before this, we can see them only in media, but at that time, God knows. My brother in law screaming, I don’t know who older at that time. He told me to open the window. We saw Micheal Carrick, Micheal Owen, Scholes, the shine head (I think their coach) and the lastly Rio Ferdinand. I told Rio that MU is great, thumbs up, and Rio reply with thumbs up also, God knows, we screaming again, I just scream, I don’t believe it. The bus pass thru us, suddenly an escort with fully black suit plus shades, scolded us because take a MU players picture, we not scared. We take a breath after screaming.

Then, we arrived at National Stadium Bukit Jalil. 99.1% wears MU shirt, seems like at Old Trafford Manchester! I don’t saw a Malaysia shirt. Until entered the collected ticket gate, I saw only a few supporters wears Malaysia shirt. Where is the patriotism? Are we in Europe or Malaysia? I ask myself.

We got third floor in the stadium, the National Stadium crowded by the Red Shirt giant. Only one side about 20 supporters that wears Malaysia jersey. We have no seat! Just stand up and seat at floor, still can see the field. MU players were took a stretching with shooting and passing whiles the crowded screaming when Rooney take a mock penalty.

The game start, man utd red and Malaysia in a blue shirt. I don’t want to tell about my feeling at that time, only the person at that place can only feel the passion, pressure and excitement. Malaysia lost with honour, 2-3. The supporters didn’t believe that Malaysian players can score 2 times. Although there were sound bite told that Amri Yahyah (Malaysia Player) just take an advantage for the goalie error, I think that Amri Yahyah was a great player and Man Utd goalie was over confident.

I don’t want too much explain on Man Utd game. They already great. They played with slow mode because Malaysian players were too much time to think when to pass the ball. I remember that, after Malaysia, they played against FC Seoul. The game was so energetic, like Barclays Premier League. The Korean play with full of energy within 90 minutes.

I don’t want to underestimate Malaysian footballer, just to remind me and all Malaysian to upgrade our Football game. Bosnia Herzegovina wake up after war can build up their team because of patriotism. Iraq within time their in war, they can build their team to pass the preliminary world cup qualification. I love Malaysia, my country, I just want to see one of our player be the asian best footballer beating Park Ji Sung (Korea), Nakamura (Japan), Cahill (Australia), Mohamad Zidan (Egypt). Amri Yahyah can do it for us.

This is the way that I can differentiate between Malaysian and European soccer fan. In Malaysia, they just scream and scream, they did not sing a club song or something that encourage the spirit of the players. In Europe, they can synchronize automatically to sing a spirit song like “glory glory man united 3x, and the rest go marching ho ho ho!”. I only heard “owen! owen!”, the supporters urge SAF to bring Owen on the pitch. That’s all from my lucky moment in my life. I hope my classmate and especially lecturer Miss Fazita feel my passion about this moment. I was enjoying all the day with fully hearted!! Thank you. FROM MAN UTD DIE HARD FAN: MOHD HILMI BIN MOHD TAHRIR FEC09010180