twist-irony-surprises

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Football!

The last time I watched a football match when I was 13, so the idea of watching another football match again is very hard to turn down, except the first football match I watched was between Manchester United and Malaysia and this time around it's only Malaysia against Iran. Nevertheless, I still had fun. Serious fun! It was a pretty good choice of bringing me to watch a football match for a first date. Good job Merhdad!


: The Bukit Jalil Stadium and the Iranian people.

What captivated me was the undying spirit of the Iranians! I was simply enthralled when I stepped into the stadium entrance. The excitement builds up slowly. It started once I got into the right StarLrt station (I got lost, wet, on the wrong platform, and on the wrong train) that night. I was heading to Bukit Jalil station and the train was flocked by Iranians. Hard core Iranian football fans. Their faces were painted green, red and white stripes symbolising their National Flag. Some brought horns and some brought flags and what not. I can also see Iranian of all ages in the train! Grandma, Grandpa, papa, mama, sister, brother and every member of the family there. It was very impressive to see how patriotic they are.


Once I got out from the train and out of that thingamajigy ticket machine, people behind me started to blow out their horns and cheered "Iran" together. They had claps, cheers and everything. They cheered all they way to the stadium. When I stood outside the stadium entrance I felt an intense excitement stirred by all the noises and cheers within the stadium wall. There were drums, whistle, and mostly there were noises emitted by the Iranians. They shouted a cheer instructed by three old bearded men. One of them shouted something in Iran and everybody started cheering in unison. They had all kind of cheers in hand. It was awesome looking at their spirit and unison.

:The Iranian crowd that I was sitting with. Look at how eager the old man is! So engrossed!

The organizers segregated the Malaysian and the Iranian. It never occured to me that they would, yet again I do have a small brain. I was pretty mad looking at the lazy malaysians. They sat there and only cheered occasionally. Funny thing was, they brought in clowns. Ironic. Is that why you bring the clowns so that they could cheer up the lazy and languid Malaysian fans? It occured to me that clowns seemed to be their mascot to represent the clown-ish performance by our footballers too. Muahaha I don't wanna be so mean (but i have been very bitchy lately anyways), but I DO SUPPORT MY NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM OK? I was the only one standing among all the Iranians to cheer for Malaysia! I was also the only standing among them to sing our national anthem loudly! I had to bear all their ridicules! haha

Unlike the Malaysian fans, the Iranians never stopped cheering and fueling up their footballers' spirit. They would have break in between cheers just to catch some air, but they would never stop for 20 minutes or more like the Malaysians!!! Haiyoo...I can't be the only manic malaysian shouting on top of her lungs rite? Besides I was surrounded by hundreds of Iranians, so I wouldn't want to be beaten up by them. Hehe Lame excuse..
:People waving after a goal scored by the Iran footballers. They were pretty good.

I also found out that some of the Iranian, took a seven hours flight from Iran to Malaysia just to spectate the match. Talking about undying support. I wonder would we Malaysians take a 2 hours flight or more to support our Malaysian footballers in international matches? Most people would answer no. So I guess everyone has a fair share of blame for the ever deteriorating performance by our national football players. Blame on the government, politicians, the coaches, the players, and the people. Our team is so torn by everyone...

However I do have to say, Malaysia put up a good defence. Thumbs up to the goal keeper. He got bulled by one of the Iran player in the stomach but he put on a strong face and played on! He saved so many potential goals. Even when I say that, people will say " Haiyaa..they know they were going to lose, that's why they played defence only!" True or not true? I don't know!

At the end, Iran won by 2-0. The most interesting part was, the iranians waited for everyone to gather at certain sport just to DANCE! They were deejays and everything. They put on a song and everybody started dancing. Even mums were dancing and I tell u one particular mum was rocking! Amazingly, every Iranian knows every Iranian. The whole Iranian in Selangor and Kl were there. There won't be any chance of walking around without being stopped by few Iranian people. Don't you just admire their spirit? By the way, I had a shock in my life when I saw Iranian guys gyrating their hips and belly dancing (ok fine, they were not belly dancing but it was something like it). I found out that was their Iranian dance. The guys would shake and gyrate their hips like nobody's business. But it was cute seeing them so comfortable doing it.

At the end of the day I asked Merhdad a stupid question; "When is your national day'? He gave me a quizzical look. I rephrased my line by saying "When is ur independence day?". He gave another confused dumb look. Then it dawned on me they have never been colonised. They are not a commonwealth country in the first place..... I think. Then Merhdad asnwered my queston with " I don't know. I think there is one but I don't know when." Smart -.-

: Redza and Merhdad. I dun understand why Merhdad has to keep that misai kuching!

Not to be forgotten, I got on the last train back and it was packed by Iranian people. 98% were Iranian and 2% non Iranian. I AM NOT KIDDING YOU! I AM DEAD SERIOUS! They had a small party in the train. Everybody took our their horns and filled up the train with the blasting sound of the horns. They clapped and cheered. Some even made a circle to recite poems and dances. Merhdad was somehow embarrassed by the outward craziness of his people. How can he be shy of his people when they are so zany and proud to be themselves? They were so comfortable being in their own skin. It was hell of a party in the train. There was even one time when everybody kept on blowing the horn incessantly that it made the train driver blew the the train's horn to shut them up. Everybody in the train cracked into laughter. I was smiling ear to ear.

: The crowded train. All packed by the Iranian. They wore either red, green or white.

by Zephyr at 7:14 AM |