Twice I've written eulogies for the Grand Old Lady, but it was all a little premature. This time, they tell me, its for real. Its sad to see her go, after all these years. The SEAP/SEA Games, school competitions, National Day Parades, and of course football; she's seen it all. Quah Kim Song, Dollah "Gelek King" Kassim, Eric Paine, David Lee, Fandi Ahmad, "Mr Razzle Dazzle" V. Sundramoorthy, Malek Awab, Abbas Saad, Lim Tong Hai... the list of greats to have played for Singapore in international and Malaysia Cup matches in her domain could go on and on, and yet, even if we do, it wouldn't do justice to the great things these guys did that she witnessed. How could mere words ever describe Sundram's magnificant bicycle kick goal against Brunei in an 8-0 trounching in the Malaysia Cup semi-finals? Or the spirited battle put up by the boys in beating China 1-0 in 1980? Or stunning Malaysian football by prising the Cup that year? No, words won't ever do justice. I wonder then, what it would have been like to have been with her, witnessing those historic events, to feel the emotions that reverberated around her in victory and in defeat. I've not seen enough of her beauty, her majesty. I've not known the taste of sweet glory whilst by her side, only the sting of bitter defeat. And it pains me to know I'll never see another day of glory for our boys with her. I wonder what would have been had I been born a generation earlier, to experience the rush of the Cup, to feel the energy of the Roar at its peak. But alas, it will now be confined to simply being a thought, and nothing more. Dad's stung too I suppose. Unlike me, he had the good fortune of being around to be with her in her most glorious days. He still remembers queuing up for tickets under the unforgiving Sun, just to watch, and will, the pride of the nation to beat the buggers up north. He remembers her well, of the "DRINKS, KOROPOK, EPOK-EPOK!" guys, of roundly abusing the opposition, and of cheering on our boys. He still remembers those great moments, and although he didn't say it, I sensed the lament in him that final day.But that was not the only thing I saw, for there was pride too. Pride that his son got to be a part of the National Stadium, the Kallang Roar, the Kallang Wave, even if it was for one last time. The National Stadium will be missed.
i heard the crickets at 12:42 am
--------------------
|
|
|
