I have an indemable propensity of watching football matches at viewing centres. This does not necessarily suggest that I can’t enjoy the beautiful game from the comfort of my closest. No, not at all.
Infact, my attempt to watch the last champions league final between Spanish heavy-weight Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid led to an unwanted experience which forced me to switch off my television and head straight to a public viewing center. Hardly had the much anticipated clash commenced than I had dozed off. It was quite unusual for me to sleep while a football match was on, let alone of such a massive duel between two teams from the same city flexing muscles on the European state.
As anticipated by soccer enthusiasts, the match was not dhort of drama, guts and intrigues, if you like.
Marcelo’s entrant into the fray sparked an instant turn around in fortunes for
Carlo Anceloth’s side. He ran riot from the flanks and was a constant torn for the stubborn Atletico defense led by the calm but steady Miranda and the no-nonsense Godin.
He became a nightmare to the Atleti back line with Christiano Ronaldo largely ineffective Gareth Bale firing blank and Karim Benzema looking out of sorts as he got shoved aside by the tireless defensive ethic of Diego Simeone’s men. With the clock reading 90 minutes, it took a brave leader from defense ace Sergo Rames with two minutes of additional time to spare to equalize for his already distraught mates sending the capacity Lisbon starium into wild ecstasy.
He became a nightmare to the Atleti back line with Christiano Ronaldo largely ineffective Gareth Bale firing blank and Karim Benzema looking out of sorts as he got shoved aside by the tireless defensive ethic of Diego Simeone’s men. With the clock reading 90 minutes, it took a brave leader from defense ace Sergo Rames with two minutes of additional time to spare to equalize for his already distraught mates sending the capacity Lisbon starium into wild ecstasy.
The tie was put beyond Atletico Madrid when Angel De Maria broke free on goal but saw his well taken shot punched away by the ever impressive Thibaut Coutois but the ball fell to the on rushing Gareth bale who nodded in with aplomb to seal to tie.
Atletico Madrid saw their stout collective resistance shattered when further goals from Christiano Ronaldo and the rampaging Marcelo put the tie beyond doubt. It was indeed a sad end for Atletico Madrid who have had a fairy tale season which saw them crowned La Liga champions while bracing the odds to reach the champions league final. One must give kudos to their crach Diego Simeone for his spirited leadership and instilling a winning mentality in the team. He has been instrumental to the team’s rise in club football while not failing to acknowledge his ‘dances’ and theatrics in his technical area. For once, football have seen Jose Maurinho’s carbon copy or his superior. Someone is a tactician par excellence, a cheer leader and a man with uncommon swagger. He may be temperamental, which came to the fore when he made his way into the pitch to confront the recalcitrant varane before being calmed by his players.
On the whole, congratulations to Atletico Madrid for winning La Liga, snatching it from the magnetic grasp of Barcelona and Real Madrid and announcing their arrival on the European stage with a small budget. If this team keeps it players and maintains their cohesive intelligence and defensive prowess, they will go places. For Read Madrid, it was their 10th European title and they thoroughly deserve it following years of massive investment in world class players. But they now have to, alongside a fading Barcelona contend with Atletico Madrid in Spain, I digress.
The public viewing centre provides a lively ambience and an avenue for both positive and baseless arguments. It is not uncommon to hear fans delve into discussing matters not associated with the match being played.
At other times, these arguments generates heated debates that in some instances culminates in exchange of fisticuffs by passionate football argumentators.
It is worse in a beer parlour that also doubles as a viewing centre. Some folks, who feel out witted in arguments, frustratingly deploy the use of bottles and other dangerous weapons to argue their positions.
Infact, some viewing centres have become notorious for violence and other ugly activities leading to such centres losing patronage. One feature in viewing centres that more often than not spark wild argument is that it is no respecter of persons.
There’s no special place for anybody regardless of age or societal standing. Viewing centres thrive on equality of persons. It is not uncommon to sight the presence of young boys who should ordinarily be at home doing their school assignments, helping out in domestic chores, or going to bed early in order to be in school on time the next day shouting to the high heavens when the team they are rooting for scores, misses a begging opportunity or weighing in their opinions outright in arguments being engaged in by those old enough to be their fathers.
Another unique feature in viewing centres is for fans to intermittently delve into the history books to reel out statistics that surrounds the match being played, the profile of a player terrorizing defenses, the rich resume of a coach, a particular time a player started his football career, the number of caps he has earned in his national team, the club he plays for and all that. But one funny aspect to these history as put forward by enthusiastic fans is that some of them are pure lies that can only be uncovered by another fellow equally grounded in history.
I recall with nostalgic feelings one fan vigorously arguing that no African has ever won the World Footballer of the year award except Kanu Nwankwo! He stoutly maintained his position in spite of a sea of voices drumming into his ears that it was George Oppong Weah of Liberia who won the world best player award while playing for AC Milan with the person in question not willing to toe the path of the majority, the argument naturally died down with the majority of those propagating the theory of George Weah as winner of the 1997 world player of the year collapsing into a fit of laughter at the ‘lone voice in the Wilderness’ guy maintaining his stance. It is not funny or one of those fictions we hear and read everyday. Viewing centres have also led to the untimely death of some persons owing to fights that ensued in the course of heated arguments. In 2008 when Chelsea lost in the most painful of circumstances the champions league final to Manchester United on penalties, soccer loving Nigerians beholden to either side were berserk as they hit the streets, drinking, fighting and destroying valuable items. Others who were unlucky lost their lives. there have been many instances of death in viewing centres arising either from arguments on the part of opposing fans or detonation of bombs by the much maligned Boko Haram insurgents.
It is high time we stopped this ugly show of passion for football and see it as a game that unites and brings joy to all. One thing about those from this part of the world is that we like doing things in the opposite way. We always want to bend the rule and dismantle the long established order. If our viewing centres must be safe for the numerous soccer fans who troop in there to watch their teams, those whose stock in trade is to cause confusion an mayhem must desist from such acts forthwith and allow the beauty and allure of the game to be fully savoured by the viewing public. This piece is timely in light of the 2014 world cup that begins on June 11.
As we root for Nigeria to better their previous showings in the competition, it is vital at a time like now for football lovers to shirk the toga of violence and put on the cap of peace and brotherhood. Football, without doubt is about the only thing that unites us in this country; hence, with this in mind, it will be detrimental for us to needlessly launch into rage when arguing out positions. Let’s support the Stephen Keshi led Eagles so that they can do the nation proud in the Samba enclave. If we must tell ourselves the truth, Nigeria have a very slim chance of winning the World Cup.
The world cup is a different ball game entirely compared to the African Cup of Nations. That’s why we must at least go to the event with our best legs. One still finds it difficult to understand the cruel decision to leave out Ikechukwu Uche from the squad to Brazil. Stephen Keshi has advance the theory of tactical indiscipline as the reason for overlooking Uche. One still wonders if that’s good enough reason to leave out a player who led our charge to the 2010 world cup but was halted by injury. Our coaches must learn to accommodate the players’ foibles if they must hold their own in the comity of top managers. World cup is too big a stage to parade half-fit players and perennial bench warmers in their various modest club sides.
The recent friendly match against Scotland revealed our deficiency in attack. Relying solely on Emenike will be detrimental to our quest in Brazil. Nwofor may have spared our blushes, the fact that we were out played by Scotland is not a topic for debate.
Keshi and his team of assistants must use the remaining games to plug the holes seen in the matches against Scotland, Greece and USA. We must not fail like we did in 2010. Don’t remind me of that
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