:: euro 2008, football and me ::

:: me with my last soccer team...i've blurred the rest of my friends for their privacy and the fact that they don't' look like that any more now :-)::

surprisingly that this may sound - i do actually like soccer (or football...depending on which part of the world you are living). i was never good at it...just basic 'ball sense' but with no goal-scoring instincts, i was always a defender (because i have the stamina to run 90 minutes since i was a runner, and tackled other guy's leg to steal the ball, or a goal-keeper (because i am not afraid of speed balls going to my face (or balls!) since i was a volleyball player too).

and yes, i've been hit by a fast zooming ball at a free kick right up my own balls! serve me right for forgetting to 'shield' my family jewels, but i am happy to say that my 'two boys' are as good as new now :)

i grew up with 2 brothers who are fans of the opposite english teams (liverpool versus manchester united) and a dad who is neutral (arsenal) - but somehow, they all dislike everton for some strange reasons. as the youngest son, i learnt how to play it diplomatically of not taking any sides, even though i do like liverpool (partly because of ian rush when he was a player there, now coach :))

on the world soccer arena, my brothers are fans of germany, holland, brazil and england. no suprises there....since i remembered they watched almost all the live matches television in the wee morning hours in the 70s, 80s...and less by 90s since they are all married and moved to their own houses.

and without my brother's bickering and hogging the television, and having 3 TVs at home didn't help,watching football at home is no longer an activity that i used to do. on special tournaments like world cup and euro, my friends and i will watch them at a bar, pub or even a disco like ministry of sound....how bizarre. but i like it best at a coffeeshop where i could just wear my flip flops, shorts and t-shirt in the open air with all the fellow fans (or more likely soccer punters) :-)

now, in Holland, i had relieved those moments somehow...in 2006, there was a world cup and being true and integrated to my 'adopted new land', i am all orange and all for the dutch team (even though when i returned during the quarter finals in singapore)