Tiger - Our Hero

23^rd September 2007 is a sad day for Songbo FC. It wasn’t the defeat. It wasn’t that we conceded 4 goals. It wasn’t the way we ended our 11-match unbeaten run meekly. And it was definitely not the rain.

It was the day we saw the amount of excruciating pain, the horrendous agony, the feeling of helplessness, the groaning of disappointment and the faltering spirit left in the eyes of Tiger Yan, supposedly the fittest player we got on the park.

Apparently, the stage was set. The script was written. All was going according to the plan we all had hoped for. Tiger, scoring an all-important equalizer upon his long-awaited comeback as a striker, was to be the hero of the day. The hero who would maintain our unbeaten run.

The bumpy pitch did not read the script. Neither did his knee. There were signals sent to him after his goal. With his never-say-die attitude, they were ignored. He wanted to lift the team. He wanted to help his comrades. Leaving his brothers on the battlefield never came across his mind.

The dream soon turned into strategy. Fighting for the ball, fighting for his team and closing down his enemies were all too much for his recently-injured right knee. It did not want to snap. It did not want to let his owner down. But all was too much for it to take.

One stretch, one uneven patch and there it goes. With a snap of a second, our dear Tiger was down. Those who were near will never forget the expressions on his face and the shouts of pain and disappointment. This was the Tiger who strikes fear into the toughest of defenders. This was the Tiger who scored countless of important goals.

Here he was. Lying there. Not knowing when he will ever be good to run around again. The Tiger has been shot. Not by the hunter but the fire within him who pushed him to carry on the match.

We shall be in mourning for the wounded Tiger. Fly our flag at half mast.

Sparrow with a broken heart. (@ Australia)

Match 58 - Defeat

TigerYan(GK) NBA Star (LB), C Cup(CB), Kenny(CB), Lusty(RB), Looney (LM), Leg Cramp(DM), Sparrow(CM), Kelvin(RM), Ah Lam (FW) and PapaSoh(FW)

Match at Fuhua Secondary. Pitch was full of holes. Drizzling but lucky the watchman allowed us to play. We ear red but opponents wear maroon. Poor job by referee again.

Match started within 10 min and Captain Sparrow was being penalised for bringing down the opponent and penalty awarded. Tiger guess the wrong direction and 1-0.

Second half, Tiger Yan on for papasoh. Within 20 minutes, Tiger chased towards a through pass by Captain Sparrow, being sandwiched by 2 opponents, Tiger struck the ball high just outside the penalty box and it chipped over the short GK and scored the equaliser. 1-1.

Not long later, a corner from the left was not cleared away by the defenders and the opponent saw a chance and first time volley into Songbo net. 2-1 down.
Songbo was anxious for a equaliser. 5 minutes later, Tiger was running and landed his knees in a awkward position due to pot holes and torn his already injured ligament. Was carried out and match continues.

Due to bad luck, Songbo concede 2 more goals in the dying minutes of the game with one contributed by Kelvin. NBA Star missed a clear cut point blank chance to minimise the gap.
Final whistle 4-1.

Things to learn: Its mind over body.....if we dun give up....we wun give up. Provided ur body has no defects. In the case of Tiger, its body over mind at that moment. Maybe we are tired of winning, thats y a defeat may be a good thing for us in the long run. Lets take a 1 week break and hopefully our fire will be back stronger.

Match 57 - Draw

PapaSoh(GK) NBA Star (LB), C Cup(CB), Kenny(CB), Lusty(RB), Thief (LM), Leg Cramp(DM), Sparrow(CM), Looney(RM), Ah Lam (FW) and Kelvin(FW)

Playing against the recently defeated green globins suggested that the referee is simply taking us as 3 year old kids. Paying to play against opponents just 2 weeks ago. Match was held at the long forgotten but still deeply remembered....Home of Songbo....NTU field!!!

Green globins were nothing except their foreign import CM which was lungless and fit. The match started with no clear sight of scoring. Rather funny is the left mid Green globin which provide entertainment for the audiences with crybaby rantes and sore loser comments and actions. Unfortunately, Looney was kicked in the anke and was phased out throughout the game. Midfield was busy, cos 3 players(ah lam, legcramp and sparrow) were rotating shifts to man mark their key man.

First half ended 0-0, and Papasoh was on for the striker role and the halfly fit Tiger Yan was the GK. Second half started with lots of scares and jitters. Tiger Yan due to his knee injury could not kick goalkicks well and most of the time the ball falls to the opponent legs.
One of the highlights of the match was our precious C-cup was elbowed in the left chest by the crybaby green globin. C-cup nearly fainted on the ground. Reports has shown that currently his left cup is 0.2 cm smaller than his right cup.

The only scare for Songbo was the opponent broke the offside trap and was 1 to 1 with GK tiger Yan. Tiger Yan sees no point in running forward to cover the shooting angle, stood his ground and the opponent simply tap the ball to his arms. A close shave for Songbo.
Match ended 0-0.

Things to Learn: We should be more adaptive to different playing grounds. Because we are too comfortable in smaller fields, we kinda lose our direction when going to a normal size pitch. It requires soley on the mentality of each individual.

Match 56 - Win

PapaSoh(GK) NBA Star (LB), C Cup(CB), Kenny(CB), Lusty(RB), Thief (LM), Leg Cramp(DM), Sparrow(CM), Looney(RM), Ah Lam (FW) and Kelvin(FW)

Match 56 was played at Riverside Secondary. We had a good record over there. 100% win. The opponents were not to be looked down, mostly in their 30s and some 40s, made up of thais, malays and indians. Though they had 2 chinese in the squad but they were 'Ba Ka', one being the striker. One thing to note is they had a close to 6 foot tall GK, though looks old and still dye his hair, his goalkeeping skills were to be praised.

SB controlled most of the game and they had quite alot of good chances but could not finish. Fortunately Kelvin had a good chance and he strike the ball low, and the GK was not flexible enough to dive for it. 1-0.

Half time, SB still continue to be holding the game. Looney has a few shots but all were easily saved by the GK. Ah Lam had a few clear cut chances inside the penalty box, but he choose to pass instead of giving it a shot. A throw in from the right sideline towards Sparrow inside the penalty area, he head the ball in such an acute angel that the GK had no chance to save it. 2-0!

10 minutes before the match ends, Papasoh swoop for LegCramp. Legcramp upon doning the gk jersey made a fine punch from a free kick. But not long later, he was caught off position and concede a goal to the left bottom. 2-1.

Full time. SB won 2-1.

Thing to learn: SB had no 3rd choice GK. Playing in a shorter field indeed plays to SB strength. There is no 50 cents teh in singapore, the last one has been bought by Tiger Yan.

Match 55 - Win

Tiger Yan(GK) Jun Ming (LB), C Cup(CB), Kenny(CB), Lusty(RB), Sui Quan (LM), Looney(DM), Sparrow(CM), Mervin(RM), Ah Lam (FW) and Kelvin(FW)

Just to clarify......it is the authentic Match 54. The one with the stupid hotspur logo written by the Looney, was supposed to be Match 55. It was up late due to some mourning ceremony for Man Utd and also Tiger Yan busy and heavy schedule. Tiger Yan contributions to the blog far surpassed anyone, he even took up the trouble to write the blog and is the all-time photographer for SB. Lets not be pissed with him.

A day with 2 imports and virtually no substiutes. Jun Ming and Sui Quan(C cup elder brother). Match started within 10 min, Jun Ming inability to swipe the ball out of the field instead trying to dribble the ball, gave the opponent a chance to rob him of his ball and granted him a chance to slot to an empty net. Keeper Tiger was running upfront prepared to clear the ball if Jun Ming ever pass back. 1 down but all was not lost......Looney dribbling ball on the right side of the penalty box, cuts in to the centre and unleash an unstoppable left foot shot towards the left goal post. 1-1!!!!

During the second half, Tiger was hitting the mosquitoes. Somewhere in the middle of the half, Kelvin was entering the penalty area and he was tackled from behind by the opponent GK. PENALTY!
Haha....if its not an important chance, the penalty taker would be Lusty. Looney takes up the responsibility and he scored from the spot. 2-1!!!!!!!

Some minutes later.....kelvin had a disagreement with the opponent, he gave the opponent a push and the opponent push him back and he added a shove on Kelvin head. The referee gave Kelvin a yellow and the opponent a red.
Match ended 2-1.


Things to learn: Winning is not important.....the biggest winner is the one that learn the most. Playing with imports is not easy, its glad that SB showed character. Dun get complacent.