Today was a totally different experience for me. I've been playing football since I was about 7. Back then, we played on the front porch or on the streets, something like what you see on tv about south american and african kids, except that our surface was tarred. Back then, I played with siblings and cousins, and I was the youngest male out there, and would often be bullied off the ball. That didn't stop me from playing though and it sort of forced me into compensating by having slightly better technique or something like that. It wasn't enough as things get scrappy but it was a good start.
Fast forward to secondary school and we still played rather scrappy football but there was more space. It was still mixed up and everyone was just on the field, ranging from 13-17 year olds. Being 13, I was of course no match for the rest but it was where you were forced to have better touches and to put a decent ball in when you got your chance. And then, there was always matches between different year levels and I always looked forward to that. We had trouble finding people in our year, as most played basketball but we did eventually and since then, I've had the position of the best player on the field, someone who the team looked to to conjure something to win games. We didn't play too many games but when we played we didn't lose too many either. I can't actually recall losing a single one in secondary school. I also didn't take losing too well either.
Except for that one time in Form 4, where I joined this team for a few weeks for a competition where there was a guy in there who was part of a state team, I was usually seen as the top player in my team, and I was getting used to it. Even then, I knew he was a year older, and when you are younger, a year makes a lot of difference technically, so I was happy to let him do his thing. After leaving secondary school, it continued on for another 5 years that way. Until today.
Playing with this Spanish-Italian guy who rejected a football scholarship to be here, I knew he was going to be something. It took some getting used to to have someone else there who the team looks to. It's like he's taken some of the burden of me and took it in his stride. The team looks to us now to control that centre midfield area and I'm happy to let him take the plaudits. I mean when you see someone better than you, you just put your hands up and admit he's better. It's usually not easy but he is something. He's European and I'm Asian. Scrap that actually. He's a mix of two of the big guns of Europe and I'm a South East Asian. I have no right to be beating Australians or anyone else in football and yet it's happening and football is supposed to be his DNA. But then again, for a South East Asian to get that close technically to someone like him, I gotta say I did us proud. He was even asking me to take some shots 25 yards out at a 'keeper in a lacrosse goal. That's something.
That goal that I scored wasn't put on a plate either. He crossed the ball in from the kick-in and I had to control it with my right foot, turn my man, and finish it with my right. Doing that, with my weaker foot required some confidence, and as you can see my ego can't be deflated that easily just because I've got that amount of confidence. We could have scored a few more, if I haven't lost that shot in me. I've gotten worse in taking long shots now, but I'm sure it'll come back, seeing that I used to bang them in for fun. And, I set up 2 one on ones that weren't scored today so I'm still happy with my overall play. But he just brings this composure to our team and I see a successful partnership coming up. I can see us winning the season this year. I like this game. It's more than just 22 guys chasing a ball. It's all the flicks tricks that make up this game. =)
