This is a tale of a magnificent friendly only a handful witnessed
late July, 2012, a few weeks after the Euro2012 final. Pardon the pictures.
They were taken discreetly with a cellphone to avoid influencing the game
because of an observer (Read "Hawthorne effect").
BEFORE
kickoff, 2 players had this little chat…
“Sinong paborito mo, Chelsea o
Manchester United? (Which team’s your favorite, Chelsea or
Manchester United?),” asked one to the other.
“Manchester! Nandoon si Rooney eh.
Diba nandoon dati si Ronaldo? (Manchester! Rooney’s
there. Didn’t Ronaldo play there before?),” replied the friend.
“Hindi! Dati nasa Madrid siya. Ngayon,
Portugal na” (No! He used to be with Madrid. Now,
he’s with Portugal.)”, said the first.
For
football fans, the last line would sound very stupid and laughable. Only children are
excused to say uninformed statements like that. Yet on that July afternoon, the
players for that epic friendly were kids. Most were grade school students ages
7 to 12, while a notable few were young teens. They were oblivious to the
complicated world of football, only working with the few highlights they saw
from the recently concluded 2011-2012 season.
It
can be said that grassroots training has a deeper origin in the games on the
streets. In a country where basketball is a staple in every community, finding
an informal football match is a flash in the pan.
The
venue for this fixture was in a small street of a barangay in Mandaluyong city.
The pitch—a concrete stretch of pavement—was a slanted road that favored the team
attacking the lower end of the incline. Humps served as goal lines, sidewalks
were sidelines, and parked cars became obstacles to be avoided at all costs.
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| Football in the streets - AlexX Concepcion |
Spectators
included passers-by, drivers, the manang
at the sari-sari store, a few tambays (idle hands), and me. The
official match ball was a cheap, worn-out, but well-used sphere that had seen
better days – though based on this alone, I sensed I was in for a good show.
The
children did a quick draft to choose teams, and kickoff immediately followed after.
The
match was horrible to say the least. Tactics were thrown out the window as the
kids pressed whoever had the ball. Passes were misplaced and usually
intercepted. The ball often hit the parked cars, which panicked the players as
if angry fans are throwing flares on the field. The keeper didn’t have much
protection as the defense allowed goals to fly in one after the other. After 10
minutes, I believe the score was already 3-2 for the downhill side. Considering
how messy the game was, I was surprised, and thankful at the same time, no one was injured with
from the players’ careless challenges here and there.
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| Reception by foot, head, or chest? - AlexX Concepcion |
If
this was a televised game, I would’ve immediately changed channels after a few
drives. But what hooked me in was the enthusiasm and effort that solicited everyone’s
participation—from the players to the spectators—in this “beautiful” game.
The
kids played with so much joy and vigor as they tried to score. What’s cute
about watching the kids play was that most of what they did was based on how the
superstars on TV played. Remember that these are kids with limited
access and young exposure to anything football. Everyone still considers basketball
as the primary sport; as most players wore hoops shorts and top. It was amazing
to see the kids attempt headers, chest-receptions, feints, and diving tackles.
Even their free kicks included the mandatory discussion between two takers and
a fake kick that tricked the defensive wall into jumping. Runs and overlaps
were made, and everyone tracked back to defense with little effectiveness when necessary. There weren’t
any defensive or bad fouls. Their innocent minds weren’t tainted with the evils
of diving. Teams invited and transferred players without complicated negotiations.
For me, it was football in one of its purest forms: played simply for the sake
of having fun. The energy was overflowing it seemed like the kids felt liberated
in the open air after being confined to the basketball court for so long. If only
they realized sooner, it was clear that it was possible for them to play a ball
game without the need for makeshift hoops.
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| Through on goal - AlexX Concepcion |
The
same awe and amazement the kids had towards the sport was also evident in the
crowd. We had big smiles on our faces as we enjoyed the show the children were
putting up. Whenever somebody new saw a glimpse of the action, he/she paused to
observe what was actually going on. To their surprise, they found themselves
hooked to the game as well to savor the moment.
Nobody
kept tabs on who scored, who assisted, and who fouled who. Statistics like offsides,
possession percentages, and shots taken weren’t counted. There are no permanent
records of this bad but magnificent friendly. The only take-home from this match
was the pure joy everyone had. It didn’t matter if it was a bad game by
international standards (besides, most people there didn’t even have an idea of
said international standard). It didn’t matter that they were using humps, or
that the playing area wasn’t flat and forgiving. What mattered was that
everyone present wanted a piece of football.
In
a country where basketball reigns supreme, this is a monumental step in the
advancement of Philippine football. I personally saw this comparable to the
country’s upset-win during the 2010 AFF Challenge Cup and the games that
followed when Younghusband became a
household name. This is just one small street in one barangay in one city in
the Philippines. How many other streets out there are playing a similar game?
The
minutes leading to the full time-whistle were very interesting. First, the
absence of floodlights to push the game into the night signaled 90 minutes, and
the game trickled into extra time. 5 minutes later, it was already dark, but
the players played on. The unquestionable full-time whistle came as parents
called the players for dinner, favorite cartoons went on air, or somebody
forgot to do their homework. The players shook hands and called it a day. Maybe
the following days would be the return-leg’s fixture.
Full-time:
7-5 to the uphill side?
