CHAPTER 59: 08/04/2006 - Frantic Futsal & Attending Syahid's Wedding

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” - Henry David Thoreau

On the above mentioned date, two events took place.

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Played and participated in the APIIT Sports Carnival Futsal tournament. Calling ourselves the Grove Street Gang (San Andreas influence), it consisted of the brotherhood with fellow classmate and friend Ricky Su.
Ricky played keeper. Me and Shoun defenders. Harvin the lone midfielder and Afzal the lone striker (2-1-1 formation).
Played in a pool called Group B, with 3 other teams (can’t remember their names, except for one, they call themselves ‘ABC’). Among the teams (that we fought in order) was the first one had all Chinese guys, and they had Andrew (from our HCI class) in them. The other team was a team with Punjabi guys (we call ‘em that day as ‘Punjabi Clan’, although their keeper was Chinese). The third team was a mix, among their players were they had Surya (APIIT SARC’s sports coordinator), and also Abu.

At the end of the day, we lost 2 matches (4-0, 3-1), but won the final one (0-2). Got third placing.

It was a frustrating and badly passionate affair from our team, ‘cause in the first two matches we desperately and valiantly played up our efforts into trying to win those matches, but it just didn’t happen. Plus, our defeats also was due to the rough and tough tumbles we had to endure from all the opposition that we fought. As we thought that there was to be no rough tackling permitted in Futsal (as according to the sport’s rule), so our team, took it light on tackling and winning the ball. Instead, our muthfu-kin’ oppositions, they all play and made tackles as if it was a real football (not futsal) match, like nobody’s business. And it’s not just from our oppositions that day that fu-kin’ played like that, we saw that the other teams from the other pools were also playing futsal like football. Played liked ruffians desperate for victory. Hell, there was this one moment from a match from another pool that had a guy collapse on the court! Don’t really know how it came about, ‘cause so many people then rushed on to the scene, but it seemed that the unlucky guy got tackled bad, seemed that he broke his leg or something like that, seriously (and he had to be carried out by lot of people). I just watched from a distance.

Here’s my analysis as to why our team lost that day:

First time we played together. Well…..it is actually the first time that Afzal, Harvin, Ricky, Shounak and I played futsal together as a team. We all couldn’t find time before this to practice together (as all had difficulty in finding time to play with each other due to each one’s own agendas). So it was difficult to coordinate and gel together into a compact and tight unit. We sort of failed to understand each other’s movement and actions.
No experience. A point that sort of relate to the first one above. Me and Shoun, it’s definitely our first experience in a different, high-tempo and official competitive futsal tournament that we participated in. It’s the first for Ricky too. Harvin had played before in this kind of stuffs (with his brothers), not sure about Afzal though. The lack of experience really showed though, as through the way our team got suckered in our first two matches. For instance, in our first match against Andrew’s team, they all scored their goals from long range shots, through the open spaces left by us and Ricky’s inability of making quick-reflex action (which will be discussed after this). In the second match, the Punjabi guys also scored from long range, but there was this goal they scored due to a miscommunication between Shoun and Afzal (who were defending at that time) in clearing a ball with again another let-in from Ricky’s slow movement.

Ricky as keeper. I’m not going to bash Ricky, or held him sole responsible for our team’s early exit. But doubtlessly, Ricky could not cope with the action of the game. It must be said that this is Ricky’s first venture into playing futsal, and furthermore, he’s not one (I presume) with knowledge on what football is all about (and futsal derived from football). So, he didn’t have the football spirit and football passion, and football maneuvers inside him (this is how I would describe him regarding football/futsal…..although I can’t really say much about Ricky as I’m not that close of a friend to him). So it’s difficult for him to play the game in such high charged environment, and trying to make saves or kick the ball out. Ricky tried to capture the balls with his hands too much, not really knowing that he sometimes gotta use his legs to stop the ball from entering his goal. Plus, Ricky’s a big size guy, so it’s clearly hard for him to move about (and more importantly move quickly), and that was clearly an advantage for the other teams.

It had to be mentioned too that in our final match, Ricky didn’t play as keeper. Instead William did. ‘Taiko’ played for us as he wanted too since his team (Isra’s team) got eliminated early from the other pool. The difference that William provided to our team was insignificantly huge compared to that when Ricky played with us. William was stopping all the shots the last team gave him. Also, in some situations he was unorthodox as numerous times he would charge out from his goal area just to kick the ball out of danger before the opposition gets hold of it. Our team kept a clean sheet in our last game thanks to William.

Once again, I’m not criticizing Ricky Su. It’s just that he couldn’t make it that day. Unlike William, he’s not as mobile, quick and active (and there’s the experience factor as well). But hey, things like this happen. Our team’s grateful enough that Ricky became our team’s keeper, as when the brotherhood decided to form a team for the tournament, the four of us couldn’t find anybody. We asked Ricky, and he dutifully agreed to join with us. And because of that, it’s great ‘cause we were able to have a team of our own. Ricky couldn’t make it that day, but I’m sure if he regularly plays futsal, he’ll pick up the tricks and tips of the game, so next time he can improve on his own repertoire. He’s a nice guy after all.

Plus, I saw that some of the other teams also had big sized keepers, and one or two were bigger than Ricky. So Ricky can take heed and come up big time when next time comes around.

There’s only five of us. That’s right. Our team consisted of only five players. Just five. No subs at all. This point I gotta make since it’s equally important as winning. Although we managed to finish each game with our players intact, it was still dangerous as at any moment any of us could go out of a match injured or sent-off, and there’s nobody to replace (that would really be a fu-ked-up situation). In the second match itself, Shoun received a yellow card due to rough tackle. He himself was then walking on a thin line of caution and suspension in the remaining matches.

Apart from that, the fatigue took it’s toll on us too. No subs to put in fresh legs in to the matches. We had to bring ourselves up strong in each game, played like there was no tomorrow…

After losing the second match, it was evident that our team was going to be eliminated (since we lost the first one, no points collected). By the time the third game was on, it was just for fun, no tense and hunger left in us, it was primarily for fun.
As the group stages of the tournament ended, the brotherhood made our out, heading to Arena Green. Harvin went back his own way.
As we left Arena Green, I felt so much anger and frustration inside, but I couldn’t do much about it, and tried as best possible to contain them within me. As we were inside the lift, heading to car park, I gripped my teeth with my lips sealed tight and fists clenched closed, thinking about what happened and thinking what coudda’ve been. It sucks to lose, and I hate to lose, hate losing.
But my mind wondered, wondered to what would be come next year. Would we still get a chance? I wondered and contemplated the unknown possibility, the unknown possibility that this tournament will return and we get another chance, another chance to redeem ourselves and make better showing and game. And it’s difficult ‘cause we all be going into our final year ending into the middle of next year.
All of our group players felt sad and disappointed this day. But that’s sports. There can be many teams in it, but there can only be one winner.
And victory didn’t cross its path with the Grove Street Gang that day. Alas, if the opportunity of victory comes again, I hope we’ll be there waiting with full earnest and desire, to try earn it again.
Guys, my friends, the brotherhood especially, I hope we’ll be back.

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After the futsal tournament, Afzal, Shoun and I made our way back to Arena Green, to Shoun’s crib. We refreshed ourselves, as we were going to Ampang to attend the wedding of Syahid, one of our seniors at APIIT. We were later joined up by Faiz.
I had mention before in my previous post (CHAPTER 39) when I first got notified by Syahid. After that, I decided to bring along Afzal, Shoun and Faiz.

We left Arena Green at ten to 4pm (it was blistering hot) and reached the destination around 4:30pm (by the period of the journey, it already rained).
Parked at the mosque’s compound near Syahid’s place. As it was raining (not so heavily), and as we arrived at the camped location of the event, the ambience and atmosphere was not that of a wedding. Not many people were around, only a few. And the food,….. well, not much left (not much variety), but still plenty enough for me and the guys to indulge. Of course, it was nearing 5 pm, what can you expect? Due to the futsal tournament earlier, we couldn’t come earlier.
Nevertheless, we managed to come.
And when we saw Syahid, we say a guy standing tall, proud and happy. He was wearing a golden yellow, full set of baju melayu, siap dengan kain sampin special ngan tenggolok. Che, macam pahlawan/wirawan bangsa Melayu beb! Even had a keris with him.
Syahid, at all times, had a smile on his face that was as bright as the rays of sunlight. A man in an important point and crossroad of his life (no joke). And he was very, very friendly and open to all guests that were there.
As Afzal, Shoun, Faiz and me ate what food was left (nasi minyak, ayam goreng, rendang, some kuih-muih and air sirap), we listened to Syahid as he talked to his guests.
What was talked was how he got himself married.

Before, when he told me that he’s getting married, I was really shocked! I mean, this guy’s midway through his final year of completing his degree, and he had his FYP midpoint a couple of weeks after he gave me his wedding invitation! I was thinking how the hell is he getting married amidst all of this?
When I told Shoun and Afzal about this (when inviting them along), they too were surprised about it.

Anyway, when he talked to us, he explained about it.
Syahid met his wife at his wife’s office. As he was doing freelance working, that’s how he met his wife. His wife is a Kelantanese if I’m not mistaken (Syahid didn’t exactly said that, but I figured out as he had told other guests that his wife’s kampung is at Kota Bharu). And if my memory serves me correct, his wife’s involved in architecture.
But here’s the astonishing fact.
Syahid met his wife for the first time, and he proposed to her in just 7 days after they first met!!! They got to know each other in that period of 7 days on 3 occasions. Syahid told us that he’s not one to be involved in being in love for long. He rather makes it official as soon as possible as he’s not comfortable being in love (pre-married) mood for too long. So he proposed to his girl (to whom she also dutifully agreed to him), their respective families agreed to their matrimony, and they were set on getting married.
Incredible.
But what’s another bizarre fact (regarding number 7) is that Syahid’s wife is just 7 days older than him! How ironically oddly bizarre.
Later Syahid talked to us guys regarding FYP. He gave some advices that we all took noticed. And he also gave his own insight and advices on enduring FYP in Level 3. (Perhaps I will talk about Syahid’s FYP advices on a future post……….remember this…….)
As we guys had conversation with the man of the moment, Shoun was sort of ‘enchanted’ with the keris held by Syahid. He was like comparing it with a dagger. We all discussed about it (haha).
We didn’t get to see his wife, who he said was sleeping. But after all the talk and food, we had to make our way back. Berangkat balik dan pulang ke halaman masing-masing.
5:30pm, we bid Syahid farewell and wished him all the best.

Dropped both Faiz and Shoun at KL Sentral. Dropped Afzal at SKBD.

I reached home, tired and restless, and reflected upon the whole day with a weary mind.

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