Winning isn’t everything;
it’s the only thing
by Towheed Feroze
World Cup is almost here and for one whole month all around the globe life, work and even affairs of the heart will revolve around football. This year, media has taken up the hype well in advance and with so much available to us through satellite, all the tit bits and all the facts of the cup are within our grasp. Naturally, the topic of conversation is football and in an adda the common question is, ‘who do you think will win?’ Well, some say it’ going to be Brazil, others put their faith on Argentina and then there are those who keep on believing that the cup will go to England. Well, something in me tells me that whoever it is, it’s not going to be England. Did I break a few hearts? Hey when the English are playing a team apart from an Asian one, I will also support them but at the end of the day, you must admit that they are just not good enough. This team is perhaps better than quite a few squads of the past but then again, in a time of total football and on a crucial day when a single mis-pass can seal destiny England always loses out. Somehow, they just can’t take the pressure. Oh well, what will happen if such dismal predictions boomerang back at me with the England team standing with the trophy on the last day? Hey, I will be happy but then again, the practical me tells me that chances for that are slim.
In fact, England team both in 1982 and 1986 had the potential to win the cup. In 1982, it was a bizarre statistics that saw them go out and in 1986 it was Maradonna’s hand of God goal which saw the English lions go back crestfallen. ‘It’s not cricket,’ some may have shouted but you see the idea of a game with all moral aspects in tact is unheard of. Get the upper hand, whatever the rule and so, no one is ashamed of capitalising on a rough charge within the penalty box to obtain a corner. They should say, everything is fair in love, war and sport.
Anyway, here in Bangladesh like anywhere else in the world the pre-tournament frenzy has reached tremendous heights and already, draws and lotteries are going on to stir up the emotion. But, as we prepare to see the world cup, we have come face to face with a truth that hurts me and perhaps others a lot: we will never play in the world cup. I know some of you must be laughing at my delayed realisation but once, not too long ago my rather incredulous hope was even voiced in our national parliament. That was the year 1990 and the BKSP team had just won the DANA and Gothia Cup in Denmark. In that tournament our boys (a little overaged) blanked teams from major soccer playing nations and in the final the Brazilian team conceded about seven goals as far as I remember. Naturally, we were overjoyed but even in our delight we had to admit that the boys from Brazil were actually boys and not men trying to appear boys. Be that as it may, at that time Iranian football was not too ahead of us and in Tehran we lost to them by a solitary goal. Here, in Dhaka, Mohammedan beat Pirouzi Club of Iran and took the revenge and Bangladesh could be named among the second best Asian teams list. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand were below us and in the age level tournament we even drew with South Korea, a World Cup playing nation back then. So, hopes were not merely based on fantasy; Naser Hezazi, the goal keeper of the Iranian national team that took part in the 1978 World Cup was the coach for the national team and international players of class like Ameka, Borhanzade, Naljegar, Taheri and Samir Shakir played in the local leagues. So, we did have hope that perhaps in the next ten years time we just might make it. But, now that possibility does not even thrill the most irrational of minds. It’s a fact that we are so far behind that even making to the Asian level is now beyond our reach. Blame it on reported corruption, blame it on the lack of a proper infrastructure and whatever you want but the bottom line is, as far as soccer expectations go, we will never be able to get out of the South Asian cycle of mediocrity. India, the South Asian champions lost six nil to Japan recently and that is enough to tell us where we stand. As for Bangladesh, just venturing out of the region means defeat by at least three goals. But any way, let’s not flog a dead horse. From now on we will merely look at the World Cup as spectators without any hope of playing in it.
Come back to the matter of supporting and we see that sports shops are already selling flags. By the time when the tournament starts the whole country will be filled with the colours of Brazil and Argentina. I wonder if the players of these teams know of their popularity in a country which perhaps, is unfamiliar to them?
Anyway, centring the World Cup there will be all night parties and late night adda sessions and for one whole month all politics and all petty differences will be relegated. As for me, well, I want to buy a flag but the flag I want is not available in the market. I have always supported an unusual team and this time my cheers will be for Iran. In fact, the most memorable and passion filled World Cup game in my life after the 1986 game between France and Brazil was the match between Iran and the USA in the 1998 World Cup. We gathered in front of the TV with drums and other instruments to cheer the team but it was only after the game started that we realised that we were supporting Iran as if it was our own nation playing. Every Iranian attack was met with roaring approvals while every attack from the other side saw us biting our nails. The game at one point was 1-1 and when Iran scored the winner we jumped to the ceiling screaming in a way we had never done for any other team. At that moment in unrestrained ecstasy we realised what we would have done if Bangladesh had played in the cup. One of my uncles even went into a verbal overdrive to say, ‘it was not a game, it was Jehad’.
Well, this time I shall be supporting Iran once again and along with them my support will be for Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan. Go and them Asia!
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