Aku suka main bola. Have I told you that? Maybe I have. But yeah, aku suka main bola. I am not particularly good at it, although people sometimes think I know more than I really do. I am keen to learn more, but keeness does not translate into action, sometimes.

There is one gang of football players who generally play within the same futsal pitch as I do (when I am in Malaysia lah) and these players are really good. I mean, they are pretty awesome; and it is a given really – considering that they had formal training, a proper coaching system and all that. Not like me, I’m just a bit player. I enjoy it, but not particularly good at it, you know?

Ball boy

Anyway, this Terel gang, they like to help us in their little ways. Sometimes they watch us play, and they tell us we’re not opening wide enough on the left.. or our marksman isn’t making full use of the offside trap. Handy little hints, with the idea, I suppose, to teach us how to play a better game. I sort of appreciate their input – they are better players after all, but I do get annoyed when they refuse to physically teach us what to do. It’s one thing barking orders at me and my team, but come sit down with us with a blackboard and some chalk and show us the rationale; come and join us on the pitch and show us how it’s done, you know?

So yeah, that’s me and my footballing gang. We’re not really all that good, but we get by. But there’s also this other team, who are quite good at what they do, but I think they come from a different background. Hockey players maybe, or rugby. And then they joined our football playing crowd because it seemed to be a natural progression as they got older. Harder to organise hockey games I guess, and rugby takes its toll on the body.

So they play against us sometimes, but they play quite differently. For one thing, they think nothing of sticking their feet into our paths as we’re dribbling so we’d trip; or when we’re on the ball, they think it is valid to bodycharge us or kick our shins or ankles. It is quite annoyying, because it sure as hell hurts when you fall or trip; but also because it leads to injuries. We’re older now, 24-hour injury recoveries don’t work as well. I call this group the Newbies. I know it’s quite demeaning, but sakit lah jatuh diorang takik. Lagi-lagi aku tengah lari laju.

Sometimes the Terel group ni, sound jugak the Newbies. You shouldn’t do this, you must do that.. but the Newbies I think were very good at hockey, or rugby, or cage fighting ke apa that they used to do. They don’t take it too kindly, and want to play football their way. More people at our local pitch actually play to the rules, but the Newbies are pretty well linked. One of them is related to the futsal centre owner or something like that, so when it comes to the centre’s organised friendlies, they get a foot in. Literally. But ini Malaysia bai, crony baek punya.

I wish the Terels would do something about it, because these dudes are the best lah. But they only talk and bitch behind the scenes. They don’t really want to play with the Newbies. Nanti kena takik. Leceh, senang injured main dengan diorang. Dah la tak reti bahasa. Yelah, sape nak main dengan orang tak terror. Lagi-lagi kau dah star.

The other day one of their ‘stars’ panned over to the Newbies, nak meet them halfway. Nak teach them dirty tackling or something, I dunno. Ceritanya.. apparently the dude trained in the US, not like the other Terels; and he played with some interesting Brazilians. You know.. of the duck and dive variety. Gaduh besar. Pening kepala aku.

Because after that the Terels macam kena fire a bit with the owner, angkuh, kata ownernya. So they don’t play as much, and I think my team loses out a bit. We don’t get to learn as much anymore. Even if the Terels teach us halfheartedly, I do think my skills have improved, somewhat. But now it seems to be takik football all the way. Sakit dowh. Skinned knees and all that jazz.

The Terels takpelah, they can play anywhere. They don’t need to train like us, play often like us. They have all the basics. But yeah, kesian I think my team, and others that we often play with. Star gaduh, kitorang jugak rugi. I wish they’d patch things up.

Aku bukan apa. Nak main bola aje.