Match Cancellation

ESMSCC's match against Ahmad's Friends on Saturday was cancelled due to international call-ups. Apparently Ahmad's Friends are all international players who were called up to their national squads on a non-FIFA-sanctioned date. This postponed the plans of ESMSCC to snap their losing streak and to get back to winning ways. Some also questioned the legitimacy of the cancellation as the person cancelling it, Hatta, was spotted playing soccer at Chinese High during the time of the game. Is it possible that Hatta would actually want to cancel the game so that he could play soccer with the "other friends" that he claims he has?

In light of the cancellation, the ESMSCC manager, clearly worried by the prospect of his players losing match fitness, sent many of them out on loan again for 1 week. The players on loan played a match on Sunday against unnamed opponents in farcical conditions. Playing on a pitch which had more water then grass, the players were unable to display their full range of skills. Although he was his usual driven self, Hatta was let down by poor equipment management. He knew his boot was falling apart yet took no pre-emptive measures to avoid it. What left a bad taste in the mouth was Hatta using his 'Indispensable Player' status to force Ashrof to literally become his boot boy by taking Ashrof's right boot thus causing Ashrof to hobble around somewhat ludicrously in socks and slippers.

When the equipment was finally restored to its rightful owner, Ashrof came onto the pitch to show that his performance on the left wing last week was no flash in the pan if you know what I mean. He made a few promising runs, fooling defenders by making a fake pass and then running onto that pass. The defenders were bamboozled as they did not know who to mark.

Nasir, also known as 'Midfield Monster Madness', was his nickname personified. He was pretty much everywhere, sliding at every ball, whether loose or otherwise, even when there were legs and other body parts in the way. The swimming pool of a field suited him to a tight-fitting T. He was everywhere, constantly cajoling and reprimanding, regardless of age, friendship and brother.

Abu seems to have grown into the midfield role. Such is his speed of thought that he can even change a situation where his feet were caught in the mud into one where he successfully faked the defenders. Pure flashes of brilliance. He was even seen covering for an exhausted Nasir at times. Now if only football was played in periods of 10 minutes.

Huzer, the third right-back of the game, was also the most physically imposing. The conditions suited him well as attackers were unable to take advantage of his lack of pace as the ball was always stuck in the pitch. When they were foolish enough to try, Huzer just put his talents to use, placing his considerable body in the way and at times going in for some hard but fair challenges. It was perhaps indicative of his presence on the field that most of the attacks came from the opposite flank. 'Perhaps' being the key word.

Zarir proved to be the bravest player on the pitch, showing that he was perfectly at home in mud. Wearing clothes that helped to camouflage him, Zarir used all his Army training to fool the opponents to make them shoot right at him without seeing him. Questions still linger over the goalkeeping position that no seems to have been able to claim, although Zarir must be given another chance as conditions in this game were of no help to him.Questions also still linger over Zarir’s state of mind as he was quoted saying, “I like it wet.” Perhaps he had other things on his mind during the game. Since it’s Zarir, we probably do not want to know.*

In the dressing room, Dedi's appeal to limit dressing room talk to football was unequivocally rejected by the powers that be as there would be no fun then. Abu also expressed his disgust at Dedi's pathetically lame attempt to defend him, saying, "Jangan buih ah Ded. Kau rabak ah. Kalau kat mulut jer bukan kat hati, kau tak yah bual ah." Dedi was so distressed by this comment that he chose to take Huzer's car over Abu's. Eyewitness accounts of Abu's driving also suggest that he was right to do so. If only Abu's speed of thought applied to his driving.

*zrz has edited this,abusing his right as self-appointed moderator. zrz has also pointed out slander is actually a bad thing=)