does it really matter?
so, as everyone knows by now, england lost and now i understand that what it means when Bill Shankly said (albeit slightly misquoted) 'Football isn't a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that'.
I always found that quote slightly funny until i sat and watched england play germany today (well, germany really ended up playing england if you think about it). This is not to say, I'd never watched england play before, or that I had never watched all 90 minutes of a football match but it was the first time I had watched a team play for a game that mattered in the country in which the team was from. What I am trying to say is I've never watch England play in England before, or Germany play in Germany before etc.
throughout the game, i just couldn't stop thinking that this was MORE than just just 22 men kicking a ball around. the cliche 'a nation's hopes' is a cliche because it's true. when the teams lined up to sing the anthem, and the whole pub sang along too, the hairs on my arm stood up on end, because as daft as it was, these people were hoping that the team would do well because they all wanted to be proud of their nation. It was as simple as that- they might hate the players in the team (let's face it infidelity, drug abuse, violence are part of a day's work in the english team) but they wanted them to do well, because they were English and they were representing England. this was more than life and death. this was patriotism, guts, glory, pride, identity and culture all rolled into a football match.
i guess i could be told that if i wanted to experience the same thing, all i had to do was watch Singapore play in the SEA games or something (and i have done that) but i think we're slightly cynical about Singapore and sports. maybe it's the culmination of a being told all our lives that sport was a waste of time, coupled with the foreign talent scheme. When we do well, there seems to be a bitter after taste to it all because let's be honest- what or who do we identify with? what glory are we slugging out for? maybe i am being unfair but if you don't feel the same way then tell me why.
perhaps the question is- at what cost do we want sporting success?
maybe england aren't the best example to bring up. they are after all a bunch of overpaid people who have a talented right (or left) foot, who might, who knows, if offered enough money, go play for another country (though seriously can you imagine that ever happening?) you might even say, come on- you can't compare Singapore with its population of 4.5? 5? million to England where Greater London itself is bigger than Singapore itself. But then you hear of players like Andy Barron, from New Zealand, population 4.5 million who had to apply for no paid leave to play for the World Cup because he works full time in a bank! Would it be too much to say that here was someone who was playing it because football is more than life and death for him, it's the pride, the guts and the glory (they beat italy but didn't make it to the last 16)?
honestly, who knows why people play? all i know is, it was definitely an experience to watch a game where people were emotionally invested because it was more than football game, it was their country at play. i understand now.
I always found that quote slightly funny until i sat and watched england play germany today (well, germany really ended up playing england if you think about it). This is not to say, I'd never watched england play before, or that I had never watched all 90 minutes of a football match but it was the first time I had watched a team play for a game that mattered in the country in which the team was from. What I am trying to say is I've never watch England play in England before, or Germany play in Germany before etc.
throughout the game, i just couldn't stop thinking that this was MORE than just just 22 men kicking a ball around. the cliche 'a nation's hopes' is a cliche because it's true. when the teams lined up to sing the anthem, and the whole pub sang along too, the hairs on my arm stood up on end, because as daft as it was, these people were hoping that the team would do well because they all wanted to be proud of their nation. It was as simple as that- they might hate the players in the team (let's face it infidelity, drug abuse, violence are part of a day's work in the english team) but they wanted them to do well, because they were English and they were representing England. this was more than life and death. this was patriotism, guts, glory, pride, identity and culture all rolled into a football match.
i guess i could be told that if i wanted to experience the same thing, all i had to do was watch Singapore play in the SEA games or something (and i have done that) but i think we're slightly cynical about Singapore and sports. maybe it's the culmination of a being told all our lives that sport was a waste of time, coupled with the foreign talent scheme. When we do well, there seems to be a bitter after taste to it all because let's be honest- what or who do we identify with? what glory are we slugging out for? maybe i am being unfair but if you don't feel the same way then tell me why.
perhaps the question is- at what cost do we want sporting success?
maybe england aren't the best example to bring up. they are after all a bunch of overpaid people who have a talented right (or left) foot, who might, who knows, if offered enough money, go play for another country (though seriously can you imagine that ever happening?) you might even say, come on- you can't compare Singapore with its population of 4.5? 5? million to England where Greater London itself is bigger than Singapore itself. But then you hear of players like Andy Barron, from New Zealand, population 4.5 million who had to apply for no paid leave to play for the World Cup because he works full time in a bank! Would it be too much to say that here was someone who was playing it because football is more than life and death for him, it's the pride, the guts and the glory (they beat italy but didn't make it to the last 16)?
honestly, who knows why people play? all i know is, it was definitely an experience to watch a game where people were emotionally invested because it was more than football game, it was their country at play. i understand now.