Theatre of Dreams

Prologue: Admittedly, its been over 10 days since returning from Britannia, but some blog worthy topics still remain to get out of the way. Over to the real post now.

Real post: I had never been inside any sporting venue, not counting the streets of Monaco as a sports venue (yes the very same venue where cops felt the overwhelming need to play a hand in aiding the war on "global terror") till 14th June, 2008. Though I did pay my respects to San Siro, Parc des Princes, Santiago Bernabeu, Olympic Munich among many others from the outside. Just as well, that Old Trafford had to be the one to break the duck.

As always, I shall briefly digress. Three years back, if you (yes, that means you) told me that I would visit both Old Trafford and Strawberry Fields by the tender young age of 25, I'd have thought you'd gone as mad as a sea bass with goiter. Thats why its somewhat overwhelming that I actually visited both within 24 hours of each other. Admittedly, I still haven't gotten over that weekend, which explains this belated post.

So, back to Old Trafford. I had no idea that a stadium visit would actually let you see so much. At best, I was expecting a slap dash visit to the stands and back, but no, it was far more.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me elaborate.

You can sit in the stands.
and ogle at the Stretford End.

You are taken to the home team's dressing room. In fact, even to the player's lounge, which is the only part of Old Trafford where Sir Alex is forbidden from entering (and yes, you can go there)

Run down the tunnel...

...into the pitch

and to the trophy room.

Other highlights which aren't represented photographically are
The player's bench (with seated heats)- apparently since Diego Forlan couldn't tolerate the Manchester weather. Given how much time Señor Forlan spent on the bench, I don't particularly blame him.
The Munich tunnel and clock. A whole lot of visuals in various Bangalore quizzes (a lot of which I myself am guilty of unleashing on the quizzing public) over the years have now been added to the "I've seen the original"* category.
The Red Cafe: Which incidentally is run by a bunch of Tams. Lancashire Tams at that, not the Chennai variety. That basically means names like Periasami, Shanemougamanathane but sporting accents more suited to a Collingwood or Sidebottom.
Quite hilarious. **

*: Copyright for that can be claimed by Kodhi.
**: If ever you encounter a guy named Venkatesh saying "Hey Senthil ol' chap, could you please be so kind as to get the fine young gentleman in table 14 a pint of Heineken" in a Cockney accent, try and not find it hilarious.

The magical mystery tour took me away

Just when I have tonnes to blog about, a busy patch (in other words, project winding time) appears. For now, these two photos will have to do. And no, unlike other times, the photographic prowess isn't what I am boasting of this time. Just that finally, the highest altars of both my religions were worshiped at last weekend (go figure). All in the matter of some 24 hours. It might be some seven lifetimes before such ecstasy is experienced again.

Till then, living will have to be (easy) with eyes closed

More 'you row' notes

Keeping in line with my quest to catch the Euro 2008 from various pubs across London, the Holland-Italy and Sweden-Greece matches were dutifully followed live. This achieves two purposes.
1) It sounds cooler in retrospect.
2) Since I don't have a TV at home, I don't have any other way to see it.

The Holland-Italy match was so good, it had to be fattening. This time for a change, I was less cheap and I actually ordered something in the pub. And also for a change, this was a highly partisan crowd I was part of. Apparently, orange wigs were outlawed at World Cup 2006 due to the fire hazard. But the way they scream "I am a Holland supporter" is rivaled only by the way being fat, loud, boorish and shorts-clad screams "I am an American tourist". If only my shocking orange Holland football shirt wasn't languishing in some closet in Bangalore, it'd have been put to good use now.

As for England's non-qualification (yes, more on that), the completely lackluster performances by Russia and Croatia have only further fueled the tabloids into a "If this is what we lost to, how pathetic must we be" spree. I can't imagine that lone figure who answers to the name Steve McLaren and is spewing his footballing wisdom in ITV radio will be having the time of his life.

Sadly now, for three consecutive days (Tuesday to today), the better game is the earlier kick-off, and I can't watch.

More as and when required.

Euro MMVIII is here!

The Euros are here. Its the first major football tournament where I am not a student (and consequently could watch every single game without a concern). The last 3 Euros and last 5 World Cups, I always wished that I could actually follow it from Europe (or the scene of the action, as the case may be). Now that the aforementioned case actually seems to have fructified, I find myself in a country whose football team weren't good enough to make it to the Euros. Snicker...

The standard English reaction to the Euros is to simply pretend that England's non-qualification isn't an issue. Given that typically, the British are hardly sentient to the presence of a large landmass called Europe 20 miles away, their reaction is most convenient. Given the page long coverage by the tabloids on "How London stars are doing at the Euros", ("London" stars referring to the likes of Luka Modric, Fredric Ljunberg, Michael Ballack etc) you'd be forgiven for thinking that last night's game was between Tottenham Hotspur (Luka Modric) and Middlesborough (Emmanuel Pogatetz) rather than Croatia and Austria. (Ob la di, ob la da), life goes on, as they say.

But then again, London being London (read multicultural), each of the 16 squads have ample support. Last night being a case in point- Half the pub going delirious every time Podolski or Ballack got the ball, and the other half going berserk each time Boruc saved (which was quite a few times, mind you). Add to that scenes of celebration where arbit Croatian fans were hugging arbit German fans after the second game got over. I'd like to see those same fans on the day of the Germany-Croatia game! Looks like arbit pubs in Liverpool Street and/or Victoria are going to be seeing a lot of me.

So, back to England in the Euros. Or should that be, England not at the Euros. Some jobless (and geeky) football pundits estimate that the financial loss to England due to the non-qualifications is a Billion pounds, presumably in lost advertising revenue, loss of revenue to airline companies, travel agents, pubs etc. On the other hand, I don't know if it estimates other associated losses such as lesser English plastic flags sold etc. And I am pretty sure it doesn't count the financial gains- like not needing to employ billion policemen overtime (Okay, I am being ridiculous).

But one man won't be making any financial losses due to non-qualification since he has just been handed a very lucrative deal to commentate on the radio during Euro 2008. His name is Steve McLaren. Yes, the same guy who is responsible for the one billion loss. I would love to hear half-time discussions bordering on "Ya, all they now need to do now to beat Croatia/Russia is...". Yes, he would know all about beating Croatia or Russia. Sadly, I don't listen to radio. I don't think the rest of England will tune in either.

Finally, Italy begin their much-awaited Euro campaign. Donadoni has very effectively kept the world guessing as to what squad or what formation he will employ. Especially the as yet unanswered question on whether del Piero will start or not, after his excellent Serie A campaign. A hint of irony there. The first time del Piero was dropped from the Azzuri's starting 11 was in Euro '96, when he was supplanted by a midfielder named Roberto Donadoni.

So, over at 19:45 to that excellent pub in Bishopsgate which lets me watch the match without having anything to eat or drink there!

Home side ?

After following the English Premier League for some 13 years now, it appears that I finally have a real "home" team. Now if home team is defined as situated closest geographically, my home team is (grimaces) Chelsea.

Based on office location, the "home" English side is definitely Chelsea, Stamford Bridge being barely 2 KM away. But based on residential location, it could be either of Chelsea or Queens Park Rangers. Google maps has been inconclusive in determining which of QPR and Chelsea are my "home team". If the discussion is restricted to Premiership sides, then undoubtedly, Chelsea is still the "home side", even from residence point of view.

Which brings me to what I was trying to say- Chelsea being my new found "home team" has only heightened my dislike of Chelsea further. Nothing against the locality (I'd love to live there actually, but more like a heightened dislike of the football club).

But oh yes, there is a limit to the number of times you can open your daily newspaper (tabloid, rather) and see Avram Grump's face staring back at you. Also, in spite of being one of the pseudest areas in London, a constant whine in the papers is how expensive the fans are going to find it to travel to Moscow. Makes you wonder where all those billions (the owners as well as the fans') go.

Come Sunday afternoon, I'd love to be smirking outside Stamford Bridge.

PS: A lot of pubs in London ban football colors being worn for obvious reasons. Just as well I propose. If results on Sunday go as hoped for (also as expected), I wouldn't make my way out of any Chelsea pub alive.

Club Futebol de Manchester Unido ?

I foresee interesting times for ManU. For one, there are 4 players currently in the squad who are native Portuguese speakers- Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani (Portugal), Anderson (Brazil), and Manucho (Angola), plus a fifth in the youth team- Evandro de Carvalho Brandao (Portugal), another striker. Add to that Carlos Tevez who is Argentinian (and Spanish is for the better part, mutually intelligible with Portuguese).

Summer transfer rumors notwithstanding, Miguel Veloso, also Portuguese, is a very likely ManU transfer target this summer. Potentially, we could have a situation next season where the entire midfield (Ronaldo, Nani, Anderson, Veloso) and the forwards (Tevez, Manucho) can all communicate to each other in Portuguese. Of course, that makes it difficult for the English speaking minority to communicate to the Portuguese speaking attackers. Essentially a very similar situation to Arsenal (French) and Liverpool (Spanish).

The way ManU are playing right now, who's complaining of the Portuguese connection?

Though I do foresee a potentially interesting fallout of this come 2010 when it seems Fergie might actually retire finally. Jose Mourinho for the manager post, anyone ?

Update: In the dying hours of the transfer window, ManU signed Brazilian teenager Rodrigo Possebon from Inter. I wonder how that escaped the radar of the footballing world. Another Portuguese speaking footballer in the kitty. No wonder Carlos Queiroz is more at home in Manchester than Madrid.

Cricket vs Football

This started off as a random discussion recently between me, Kodhi and Kanti which I extrapolated. The fortunes of cricket teams and international football teams seem to have some parallels.

Australia = Brazil. Strongest by far, and consistently been that way for a while now. Way too much talent in all departments of the game, and even a B side would be amongst the top 8 in the world. A lot of players from here would find it easier to make it to a "World 23" than a "Brazil/Australia 11". And both arguably produced the greatest ever player in the game.

India = Argentina. Lot of passion, huge crowd support, very entertaining teams, but underachieve when compared to their potential. Have had the occasional big wins, but still falter against the top team(s). And both arguably produced the player who can be considered as equal to Bradman/Pele.

West Indies = Uruguay. Had some past glory in the ages gone by. Nothing much to show for in recent times, though both seemed to promise a revival in the 90's/2000's but that was a damp squib.

England = England. Need I say more! Invented the game, but cant play it for squat. Highly overrated, only they think they're good, too much media coverage. But lots of money and excellent domestic setup nonetheless.

Pakistan = Holland. Lots of stars but no results, big underachievers, and too many injury prone players. Holland produces strikers the way Pakistan does with fast bowlers.

Sri Lanka = France. Some very entertaining stuff again, sometimes unconventional style, emerged as serious contenders out of the blue in recent years.

South Africa = Italy. Big time chokers, some bad luck. And could have won far more than they have done so. Falter against some really weak times at times, and also quite inconsistent.

New Zealand = Sweden or Mexico. Have barely ever come close to winning a world cup, and probably will never win a world cup, but will possess way too much talent to be counted among the lower rungs of their respective sport. Yet, they never seriously challenge the top guns either.

The last few are somewhat force fit.

Kenya = Ghana or Senegal. Lot of spirit, from a continent with not much sporting infrastructure, but well capable of a big upset once in a way.

Bangladesh = South Korea. One moment of glory, and for some reason, they seem to think they deserve to be amongst the elite purely for that. They can consistently be walloped by any of the top teams.

Zimbabwe = Cameroon or Nigeria. Had their best lot of players in the 1990's, played almost as equals with the big guns of the game, caused their share of upsets, and then faded out. Lot of mismanagement in the national game too.

Canada = Ukraine. Both qualified for a single world cup, largely on the basis of an individual talent, had some fun, and gracefully exited. Not much expected of them once said individual talent retires, and will probably never do anything of note again.

PS: Abhay strongly disagrees with the India = Argentina analogy, and suggests that India = Holland or India = France is a better analogy. Any comments?