Sneak Peek

Apologies to those who will not be able to make it or are not going for the game. But for the rest, here is a preview of the view and what is to come man... Naise!

1st ever SUFI FC intra team game (Hopefully a soon-to-be annual affair)

Match Details: (4th Dec 2010, Saturday)

SUFI White FC vs SUFI Yellow FC

Time: Be at the field by 230pm SHARP. Do not be late as we have exactly just nice in numbers for both sides.

Venue: Bowen Secondary School (Astro Turf)

(Link to venue: http://www.espzen.com/pitches.asp?pitch=99)

Attire: If u have no idea which team u belong to, do check the list at the bottom and just follow accordingly.

Teams:

SUFI Yellow (Manged by WeiSheng)

Phileo (GK)

Farhan

Jason

Huijie

Alaric

HoeGuan

Liang

WeiSheng

Syafiq

AhCool

Jufri

SUFI White FC (Managed by Jassie Boy)

Allan (GK)

SianWei

Hizam

Anders (Guest player, my friend)

Mok

Kassler

Alan (Latest and final signing, Mahdi's friend)

LianQuan

Rudee

Mahdi

Dinie

The intra game will be a proper game in the sense that a referee will be there as well. Please just go out there and enjoy yourselves and no worries about stepping on the toes of your team mates man! What happens on the field will and should stay on it. Hopefully we will have sufficient time after the end of the game to engage in a penalty shootout for us to be involved in as well.

And once again, another reminder for those ill-advised... SUFI FC will be playing a friendly game on the Marina Bay Floating Platform on the 8th of Dec, Wed at 8pm against St Andrews Society FC (A Sat league division 1 team). Its probably gonna be a once in a long long time opportunity so make yourself free if you guys can. See ya!

In 5 days...

Sufi White (Predicted Formation)

VS

Sufi Yellow

Your support is much appreciated

Hi peeps, something a little different here today. Cat has just opened a blogshop and I decided to use our blog to do a little advertisement to gain more recognition since any advertisement is always good.

This blogshop is just for girls and thus it caters mainly to the wags in particular or any other unknown female fans that visits the team blog. The clothes may or may not be to your liking so spread the word regardless! And o worries, i will not discriminate against you guys if u decide to purchase some for yourself to cross dress in! So do help to spread the word and more importantly do provide some support please! Thanks thanks...

Link: http://wontonfactory.livejournal.com/1775.html#cutid1

Efficient performance leaves the wolves empty handed

Farrer Park Pitch 1, 1500 hrs

SUFI FC 4 Aang Wolf FC 2

(AhCool x1, Juf x2, Syafiq x1)

So... The mokster is back to writing duties again however this time round I seem to be dreading it quite abit. I guess it must be the sunburn from the fickle-minded weather that is cramping my creative juices. Therefore, i will try to churn out something decent as a summary for the weekend's game.

Arriving at the venue well before the stipulated time, it seemed as if we had found ourselves in a wrong location as a decent sized crowd has gathered at the boxing federation located right beside the field at farrer park. The mood for a game of footie probably wasn't there yet and it got far worse when the referee decided to arrive a full 45 mins late for the game. Talk about being a bummer...

Thank god the weather eventually held up after looking at one point of time like it would unleash its tears of stinkiness on us. A good sized squad of 16 against a group of approximately 24 guys?! Damn, our opponents must have been reading up on us cause they beat us at the numbers game. =(

The game eventually did kick off (thank god and perhaps also due to my constant pestering) with phileo in goal, farhan, ronald, huijie and birthday boy jason at the back. Me, syafiq and law formed the midfield trio that was flanked by the most balanced boy in the team, ahcool and shit-ster rudee. The goal machine jufie boy took his place up top. Our opponents who were clad in some cool looking germany jerseys started the game with plenty of possession footie and it was probably against the run of play when Rudee swung in a corner which reigning player of the year, syafiq connected with albeit only partially. As with the perks of being super balanced, ahcool in what i would call 'picked up shit' found himself right in front of goal and he just couldnt miss with a simple toe poke into the net. 1-0 after 5 minutes.

After conceding a relatively sloppy goal to the dismay of phileo, we soon scored a second when shit-ster rudee delivered a good cross from the right that eluded the concussed keeper and found the head of the delighted goal machine who finished into an empty net. 2-1 with the flow of the game being pretty obvious by now. The Sufi boys were threatening with every attack with the speed of the front trio and the wolves attempting to counter attack with every opportunity. On the half hour mark, it became 3-1 when our goal machine was upended in the box and he dusted himself off to expertly slot home the penalty. Looking good here...

Well, I'm not too sure if it is a mark of champions but we seem to enjoy doing things the hard way as we conceded another sloppy goal from a corner for the wolves although the finish was quite superb i must say. 3-2 at the break and I was wondering how the hell we had not converted more.

The 2nd half was a rather dull affair as the sun sapped the energy out of our bodies which had been deprived of 2 weeks without footie. We did however put the result somewhat beyond doubt when once again a superb cross from rudee found the head of an unmarked syafiq. Our player of the year hardly had to jump in order to nod the ball home from inside the box. 4-2 and that concluded the goal scoring for the day.

My MOTM: The name that was mentioned most often in this report and the man who troubled our opponents with not only his pace and off the ball running, but also his crosses that created hell lots of problems. The man played the percentage game and we were rewarded 3 times. Rudee is the man of the day although i have to mention Juf, ahcool and syafiq who were outstanding IMO. Well done peeps.

Gaffers thoughts: I'm not sure how u guys feel but i guess the upcoming intra game would be a good break from our pre season games which are beginning to feel rather monotonous and dreary at times. More fun please! And thanks to all who turned up today. More importantly, dinie and syafiq please take care and get well soon guys. Oh and there were some guys who didnt wear shin pads today, i can't exactly remember who but please do so next week! Getting used to it is important by the time the league starts. Thanks!

Expected Personnel:

Allan, Phileo

Farhan, HG, Jason, Huijie, Alaric, Ronald

Rudee, AhCool, Mok, Liang, Syafiq, Ws

Juf, Dinie

Fans in attendance:

Suzie, Liza, Aisyah, Fatin, Fadilah and Jassie boy (Thanks girls! And yes that includes u jas)

Pre-Season Friendly 8

Match Details: (27th Nov 2010, Saturday)

Time: Be at the field by 230pm thanks.

Opponents: AANG Wolf FC (Sunsports Sat League Champs)

Venue: Farrer Park Pitch 1 (Grass Pitch)

(Link to venue: http://www.espzen.com/pitches.asp?pitch=64)

Attire: Yellow top, black shorts and black socks (Dont forget shin pads too!)

Final pre-season game before our intra-game and then the start of our league season. A new venue and pitch for us plus relatively unknown opponents aside from the fact that they were the champions in the sunsports league. Expect a good fight as my knowledge of the league is that it has really good teams in it. We may still see some absentees as the exams are not over for some as yet. Go out there and have fun boys.

Latest news: I just spoke to the espzen organiser and they are anticipating a 4 division structure for the sat league. After our recent spade of decent results (which includes the narrow loss to FCFC), the boss of espzen feels that we are competitive enough to play in division 1 with International Soccer Academy and Tuan Gemuk Athletic Social FC. According to them, FCFC would easily be champs of division 1 sat league if they were to play.

But anyway, ive appealed for us to be given a chance to compete for honours and as such, we are likely to be placed in division 2 for next season first. I will update you guys further when i get more news.

P.S: It would be Jason's birthday this saturday and HuiJie's birthday would be on the sunday.

Expected Personnel: 15

Allan, Phileo

Farhan, Jason, Ronald, Huijie, Alaric

Rudee, AhCool, Liang, Mok, Syafiq, Ws

Dinie, Juf

SUFI Intra Game!!

Match Details: (4th Dec 2010, Saturday)

SUFI White FC vs SUFI Yellow FC

Time: Be at the field by 230pm.

Venue: Bowen Secondary School (Astro Turf)

(Link to venue: http://www.espzen.com/pitches.asp?pitch=99)

Hey peeps, the squads will be determined by drawing lots after this saturday's game at Farrer Park.

And this is more or less how it will work, Weisheng will be taking charge of SUFI Yellow and me (Mok) will be taking charge of SUFI White. This is the breakdown of the players and their 'specific' positions. This is to facilitate a fair dividing of the team and also to allow both sides to have adequate players in each position. The players listed below have confirmed their attendance for the game:

Goalkeepers:

Phileo

Allan

Defenders:

Farhan (RB)

Sianwei

Jason (LB)

HG

Hizam (CB)

Alaric

Huijie

Anders (Guest player)

Midfielders:

AhCool (LM)

Mahdi

Rudee (RM)

Yasin

Ws (DM)

LQ

Mok (CM)

Syafiq

Liang

Kass

Strikers:

Dinie

Jufri

The venue has been confirmed as the astro turf of bowen sec and barring any last minute pull outs, the game should be a 11 a side game. I will announce the squads as soon as we get them this weekend and hopefully you guys enjoy the experience of having fun and playing with each other. We will also try to have some fun with taunting via the blog and some blog posts to indicate the 'crucial' matchups in the game. Well enjoyment is the name of the game eh.

Oh an there will be a referee as per normal but guys, go easy on each other and no deliberate tackles to injure pls. Our league kicks off the following saturday so just take it as a chance to relax and get to know each other better yo.

4-5-1 Season 2 Episode 1

Back by popular demand, the season 2 of player feature promises to offer more enlightening and quirky interviews with Sufi FC’s very own players! For this weekend’s bonanza, we will have a gaffer’s special and interview both our gaffer and assistant, Mok and Ws.

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Much has not been said about Mok, mainly because 99% of the time he is the only one writing on the blog and it would be extremely weird for him to write about himself too much. But we know. Mok is the heart and soul and the bona fide manager of the team. His dedication on and off the pitch is unrivalled. On the pitch, he commands the players and pulls the strings with his passes. Left foot or right, he delivers the long balls with pin-point accuracy. Off the pitch, he studies the opponents and dictates the tactics of the team. At home, he types on the keyboard and updates the team blog with a vengeance. His passion and energy for the team is truly commendable and is a benchmark for all of us to achieve. I sit down with him today (in front our own computers) to find out more.

Hi Mok. How are you today?
Hey, im feeling alright man. Been shag from too many late nights recently.

You recently bought a Puma Powercat. What makes a good boot to you?
Erm, probably something that has a good feel to it which explains why most of me boots are leather.

Any boots you eyeing next?
Always eyed up the ctr 360 maestri boots man. Wanted to get it from the just keepers website but i was 10 seconds too late in getting it online at only 150 bucks. When i finally decided to get it, someone else had bought the last pair already. F. And yeah i was jealous when i saw yours. *Its a hint dude* 31st march is the date

About yourself, who are your football idols growing up?
Cantona for sure. Charismatic and although i dont play anything like him, ive always adored the french oomph that he brought to United’s play in the past. For now, i am my own idol man. If i dont have trust and faith in my own ability, i would not have the confidence to run this team man.

Can you briefly describe your style of play?
Reading of the game has probably been my biggest asset and it helps that i have 2 good feet albeit having had a reconstructed knee on one. People say i play like beckham cause i tend to take only set pieces and deliver long balls and i guess to some extent that is the truth. But to the many detractors of my speed, i will prove myself this season! *I hope*

What are your expectations of yourself for the upcoming season?
Assists. Good link up play with the team. More communication between our guys and hopefully to chip in with a decent number of goals. The euphoria of scoring goals is like a drug man. You just keep wanting more.

What is your pre-match routine like?
I tend to wake up early and hope that it does not rain. Basically, get excited about the game and countdown to prep time. Kindf like a psycho actually as i think about nothing but the game. Not good for my psychological well-being i guess. Will try to self-treat myself as i learn more about disorders from school.

What do you usually eat before a match?
To be perfectly honest, nothing much. A quick nibble at a curry puff or 2 or at best a small meal. I usually get too excited to be hungry enough to eat. Baaa

Do you have other hobbies outside football?
Damn, the answer is going to make me sound like a freak. To be honest, even Cat says that im a football freak. Too much footie in my life.

How do you think the team did last season at D2D?
Fantastic and yet disappointing. We set the bar too high with our start to the league with 5 wins and a draw in 6 games. Cant question the commitment of the guys last season though and i would have taken 2nd place if you’d have given it to me before the season. And of course, i think its rubbish losing a title based on the number of yellow cards. Oh well, thats just what i think. A sore loser somewhat but the table does not lie in the end.

What about this season? What do you aim to achieve?
All i hope for is a good strong season whereby the guys in the team stick together all the way. Nothing beats good team spirit. Winning with even 1 player feeling unhappy is not good in my opinion.

What are the areas do you think the team can improve on?
For sure, communication. We are like a robocop that is in its parts and unassembled at the moment. The parts are not talking to each other and we are not unified enough. We will be a freaking machine once we start gelling. And im sure of that. The FCFC game was enough prove of that. We lost because we were not poorer individually, but we were just not as good a team thats all. Hopefully with time that would improve. And seriously, it is something that everyone has to start doing on the field. Talk to each other.

Who do you think will win the BPL this season?
Machester united who else. Bebe will score the winning goal on the last day of the season to force all the critics to eat their own words. But if i were not dreaming, i would say the red devils as well. Its just a funny old season as the cliche goes. And for the many out there, i do love cliches yo. That aint gonna change one bit. Cheers!

------



Although Ws’s obsession with me (Xabi Alonso) brinks on the edge of extremity, it cannot be denied that he is blessed with a cultured right foot like me. He is able to put the ball where he wants it with consummate ease. (The only thing that he lacks is my good looks.) Sadly, he has failed to live up to expectations last season, being troubled by a litany of injuries and illnesses. However, having picked up a series of games in pre-season, things are looking up for him. Let’s speak to the man now and see what he has to say.

Xabi Alonso: Hi Ws. How are you today?
Ws: Hi Xabi. I’m fine, thank you.

You recently spent $400 on a boot! Even I don’t spend so much on a pair of boots. Tell us more about it. Is it worth it?
It was a bit of an impulse purchase but then again, it’s nice to wear such a nice boots. I could have gotten 2 top-tier boots with that amount of money. If I have the choice again, I’d just stick to adipures, which is what I wore last season and what you wear too. And excuse me, you get your boots free.

What boots do you wish to acquire next?
I’ll probably get a Predator X or Adipure. I’ve always been an adidas fan. I think Adipure. The white one is dope.

Who are your football idols growing up?
Cantona and Beckham. Now you, Xabi.

Can you briefly describe your style of play?
If you compare me to a car I’ll probably be one that has only one gear. But I think I have a decent touch and right foot so I always look to release my teammates for them to do their magic. I’ll just sit back, keep it simple and try to scrape the loose balls. Hopefully you can see some Xabi Alonso in me.

What are your expectations of yourself for the upcoming season?
Just to be fit and injury free. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t really get things going last season but if I’m healthy I’m confident of having a good season and some goals. Oh ya, I definitely hope to score some free kicks.

What is your pre-match routine like?
Just some simple stretching at home, drink a lot, make sure I have everything in my bag, wrap my left ankle, relax or maybe listen to music.

What do you usually eat before a match?
Just random food from the coffeeshop. Most of the time, fish soup and rice I think.

Do you have other hobbies outside football?
Ya, slack. I watch a lot of American drama (mostly those about crime). I’m very free now, as you may know. I also try to run everyday. I used to work out everyday but now I’ve replaced it with running. Hope it helps my football.

How do you think the team did last season?
Great. It’s amazing how things fall into place so perfectly. Of course a lot of work has been done behind the scenes but I think we did really great. It’s a pity that we didn’t win the title. Nevertheless I think we can be proud of what we have achieved over such a short time.

What about this season? What do you aim to achieve?
I don’t know about the level of the division we’re entering but I certainly hope we can be at the top-half of the table.

What are the areas do you think the team can improve on?
Because we have such a big squad, I feel that it is sometimes hard to the players to click perfectly due to the squad rotation. So I hope we can improve on our communication and understanding.

Who do you think will win the BPL this season?
Are you trying to insult me? I don’t think, I know. And you know my answer. It’s Real Madrid. Eh?




-Xabiws

1st ever match for YSOSRS FC

Hi guys, this is more of a nostalgic lookback at the significant moments in the short but eventful history of SUFI FC (Formerly known as YSOSRS FC). From time to time i will probably look through our past blog entries and repost them here. This was on the day where YSOSRS FC was born. Enjoy the pics and short match report!

Canberra Sec School , 15:00Hrs

YSOSRS FC 7 Schwarz Star Competitive Team 0,

Scorers: Jufri x3, Dinie x2, Law x1, Mok x1

In officially the 1st ever match for YSOSRS FC, a good number of 16 guys turned up. Decked out in white, we faced perhaps a more organised team in our schwarz star friends.

Fast forward to the events of the game. Dinie put us ahead when he pounced on a mistake by the opposing keeper to deflect the goal-kick into an empty net. There was perhaps more disbelief at the mistake rather than joy at the goal, as our star forward looked sheepish in his celebrations too. The link up between our forwards was excellent with dinie and jufri threatening at every opportunity. With lq and syafiq forming a solid base in midfield and wong and law threatening on the wings, it was always going to be a case of whether we could convert the chances into goals. Juf put us another goal up mid-way through the 1st half and could have added another when his shot from another excellent run bounced off the post.

It finished 2-0 at half time.

With the defence hardly troubled, and the impressive farhan and hizam commanding the backline well, the team held steady. Subsequently, the goals went in fast and perhaps quite furiously as mok, juf, dinie, and then juf again plummeted the opponents goal to give the team a healthy lead. The fullbacks wenhao and huijie were solid in their game play as well, together with the ever-present energiser bunny, lq shielding the backfour. Finally, a special mention as law wanted to announce to the world about his left-footed strike of a goal. It is only his 2nd goal scored with his not so awesome left foot, but well, im sure all of us would give it to him that it was a sweetly struck shot. 7-0 as ysosrs closed up the game in solid fashion.

My man of the match: Jufri (Excellent poaching abilities, well deserved hat-trick)

A few words from me:

1) Though it is the 1st time many of us have even met, not to mention play together, the performance far exceeded my expectations even if the opponents were not the best.

2)There were stand out performers but i would much rather like to concentrate on the fact that we showed we could link up with each other well in most areas of the pitch. Well done.

3) For the guys who are already definitely sure that they are staying in the team (which are the majority of the guys today), i look forward to more enjoyable weekly sessions with u guys on the field.

4) It is a work in progress, but the potential of the team definitely excites me. See you guys at the next game then.

Players Present:

Zack (Gk), Ernie (RB/GK)

Huijie (LB), Wenhao (RB), Hizam (CB), Farhan (CB), Hoe guan (CB)

Lian quan (DM), Syafiq (CM), Wong (LM/RM), Law (RM), Mok (CM), Thiang (LM)

Dinie (Fw), Jufri (Fw)

-mok-

What goes on in a week of Mok's life

*Screen shot of my desktop background

Huijie asked me one question yesterday that prompted me to write this post. He asked: 'Eh mok, you dont have to study one ar? How come u can organise games for the team, organise compression wear sprees and etc and still have time to meet Cat or even study?' My reply was: 'haha i dont know, i guess i just have time for the team.'

I would just like you guys to know what encompasses my weekly routine for the team.

Monday: Lias-ing with organisers the details of our game for the upcoming weekend. I have to make a decision on whether venues are decent and opponents are worth playing. Once confirmed, i will then put up a blog post citing links of directions to the venue and hopefully also of our opponents background. This will then include some words of encouragement at the end of it.

Tuesday: I will have to send out mass messages to 24 of our guys citing the details of the game. Hopefully, i get 24 replies swiftly. However, this is not always the case. I will then try my best to update team strength on the blog so as to allow the team to have an understanding as to who may be missing and who will be playing. I will also have to pay the league organisers in advance usually doing ibanking before doing the necessary accounting to ensure that the sums tally.

Wednesday: Usually a day where nothing much happens. However, i continue to have trickles of smses about player unavailability due to certain reasons and etc. There comes a time whereby I have a rough idea as to player positions that we may be lacking in for the weekend, and I will try my best to reach a compromise with the player to see if he can make it for the game after all.

Thursday: I try to make at least one additional blog post to ensure that the blog remains fresh and worthy of being read. Recently, it has included the organisation of the compression wear spree where our guys get excellent prices for their stuff. Though being the exception, I did have to do lots of co-ordinating in terms of sizes, prices, transferring of money and etc in order to eventually accomplish the orders. Done.

Friday: I will start sms-ing or calling the guys who have not confirmed their availability for the weekend to see if they would be there for the game. Each and every player will have their reasons and in order to get the necessary info, this is what i have to do. Furthermore, on friday night after my weekly dates with cat, i will sit down with the expected personnel list to plan out tactics and formations that will hopefully benefit us. I will also try my best to allocate adequate playing time for each and every player that is expected to turn up.

Saturday morning: Never has a week gone by where I have not received smses of last min pullouts. The reasons have more often than not been perfectly reasonable however this creates a problem as i have to mentally readjust plans for playing personnel and playing time. Then, i will have to do the what everyone does, which is to hope and pray that it does not rain cats and dogs.

Saturday early afternoon: Preparation for the game as i have to wrap my weak ankles to ensure that they dont give way during the game. I also have to ensure that equipment such as jerseys, shinpads, pumps, balls, captain's armband and every other thing is brought. Like everyone else, i will make my way down to the venue hopefully by the stipulated timing.

Saturday just before the game: Seeing players stream into the venue and with the sky being nice and bright, i feel a sense of anticipation for the game. Whether is it a big game or a friendly, this is what i have been looking forward to all week. Like everyone else, i prepare myself for the game and also mingle with the guys that i meet only once a week. As game time approaches, we gather and admist the joking I have to organise everyone by explaining my ideas and thoughts as to how we should play during the game. Assurances are then given to those who do not start that ample playing time is available. On weeks where playing personnel are in the excess, I will have to let everyone know that sacrifices have to be made to allow everyone to enjoy some playing time.

Game time: The game kicks off and whether I am on it or off it, I am busy organising and fully focused on whatever happens on the pitch. Just like any other manager, I am animated. Frustrated when things do not go our way and elated when we do well. In my mind, i continually try to process the ongoings of the game to ensure that we keep improving in the 2nd half. Finally, i get my chance to play and like everyone else, I can only give 100% for the cause of the team. Eventually, I rejoice when we win, feel frustrated when we draw, and sad but determined when we lose. I will then gather everyone to have a quick briefing after the game, nothing fanciful but just enough to summarise the day's events.

Saturday night: I sit down in front of my computer and process my thoughts to ensure that a decent report that is worth reading is typed out before i even bathe. I choose the man whom i believe is most worthy of the MOTM and also type out my thoughts about the game. During the time where Cat was taking most of the pictures, i will upload the pictures onto my laptop and then facebook before i assist in tagging them. I will then update the blog in terms of goalscorers, results and etc. My mind continues to reflect on the game and possible ways to improve for the rest of the night.

Sunday, aftermath of the game: Nothing much happens but most of us use the blog to review and joke about the game and stuff. I'm just like everyone else. I will scour the usual local football websites to see if excellent fields are available for usage and if so, i will email to see if the venue can be secured for us to play on for the following week. I will also try my best to gain feedback on what we can do better for future games and to also assure specific players whom i noticed feeling demoralized during the game that it is all good and there is always a next time to prove yourself. Morale is important for team spirit and throughout the time that we have been in operation, there have been many instances whereby individual morale have been waning and it is necessary that i keep these guys motivated.

Extras:

1) Lias-ing with thorb to create our 1st jersey. Collection.

2) Creating a 'business proposal' for huseyin to obtain our 1st ever sponsorship. Working hard with rudee to ensure that we both seal the deal with the boss. Frequent visits during weekdays to SUFI whereby schoolwork piles up to meet and discuss with the boss. Once the deal was closed, i had to lias with weston to create our jerseys. Team logo and sufi logo's were not done and saved on the computer by the boss, so i had to ask cat to help out to rush out the designs in order to get the jerseys done asap. Selection of jerseys. Plenty of screw ups along the way. Finally, collection.

3) Planning in advance for games and league matches so as to ensure that excitement remains around the team and that we will know who is likely to be missing in upcoming weeks.

4) Countless spreadsheets of player stats that i update every week and also of player details.

5) Seeking players who are suitable for the team in terms of playing ability, character and their will to win. Liasing with them to appear for games and also having to reject some of them when they are deemed unsuitable, quite simply... The dirty work.

My purpose of posting this is to let u guys know that behind the scenes, this is the amount of work that i willingly do for the team cause yes, i do have passion for the team quite literally flowing through my blood. I am not paid to do this and I have my own life outside of football to lead just like everyone else. School work, family life (parents) and also my beloved gf, cat. Yet i try to ensure that the team keeps rolling on and everyone is excited to play, week in and week out.

I would hope that everyone is appreciative of the effort i put in solely for the team and to not take anything around this team for granted. One day our sponsorship with huseyin will be gone and we may just very likely have to go back to paying for our own jerseys and games. Are we going to disband cause of that? For as long as I am around, that will not happen. Will we keep winning week in and week out? No. But i will ensure that no matter what happens, we will always be fighting. 7 months since the day where this team was just another plan on paper. Look how far we have come, and look how much further we can go. Would just like you guys to look or ask around to see if the blogs or websites of other teams are continually updated and refreshed to such an extent. I may not be the best writer in the world, but i know that new posts on the blog keeps you guys entertained during mundane moments of your week. And that is what i hope to continually achieve.

Each and every player just simply has to turn up for games hopefully by the arranged time, understand that sacrifices has to be made at times in order to achieve collective contentment from the entire team and hopefully enjoy themselves at our weekly rendezvous on the field. There will be misunderstandings and discontent along the way, however before you submerge yourselves in these feelings of frustrations, take a step back and think about what u have around u with this team. Brotherhood, competitiveness and an avenue to simply fulfill your weekly needs for footie all for free. I myself, am human and i have my own emotions too. I understand what each and everyone feels. My only wish as we approach our 8th month together as a team is that we do not let ourselves be derailed spirit wise and to be contented with the luxuries that we have. Cheers.

A lesson to learn..

Old Jurong Stadium, 1500 Hrs

SUFI FC 1 Fighting Cocks FC 2

(AhCool x1)

For a long while, i tried to think hard for the reasons as to why it seems as though we were unable to put FCFC to the sword and as i type these words now, i continue to be baffled. The opponents were restricted to 3 shots on target for the entire match and truth be told, they hardly troubled our backline and goalkeeper. The large pitch definitely did test their physical resolve but it is undeniable that for majority of the game, they kept possession of the ball and worked our boys into moving left and right nonstop. Thing is, they moved from side to side without much danger for a large part of the game. Clinical finishing definitely gives u 3 points in tight games i guess.

A brief summary of the game is as such:

Allan started in goal with the defenders being Jason, Kass, Huijie and Ronald.The midfielders were Mok, Law, Vic, AhCool n Rudee with Juf being the lone man up front. The tactic was simple, and that was to soak and strike. We can go on about how the opponents started with 9 men and that we were giving them too much respect. I can only reply you with this, the fact is that they kept the ball better even when it was 9 vs 11. As a team, there is not a shadow of a doubt that they were more collective and solid than us.

However, the SUFI boys kept to their roles as well as shape well with the only chance for our highly illustrious opponents being a mistake from a corner which led to an open chance for their number 6. Thank god he blew it. Not to be outdone, we did have our moments as well with Rudee sprinting on to a long ball from yours truly early in the game, only to miss with a combination of bad luck and desperate defending. The best chance of the half though definitely fell to our top marksmen, Juf who raced onto a through ball after some mass orgy-ness in the middle of the park. With Mr Botak closing down fast on him, Juf unleashed a snap shot that.... to the disappointment of the group, fell within inches of nestling into the bottom corner. It finished 0-0 at the half, with SUFI holding its own against FCFC who were supposedly not at full strength. (To the ref, if man city has its full strength team week in and out, they'd probably be on top. Are they?)

The 2nd half started with the SUFI boys hoping to continue to soak up pressure and to strike on the counter. Unfortunately, FCFC drew 1st blood after their main man n captain played a floated cross in from the right and it was poorly dealt with. Despite that, their number 20 SMU striker (I'm pretty sure wong knows him), swiveled and turned past some desperate lunges just outside the box before unleashing a peach of a shot past Phileo and into the net. The groans of the men in white were quite audible amidst the relatively quiet atmosphere in the stadium. It was probably deserved on the surface of their possession for the stats would probably have read FCFC 80% - SUFI FC 20%. (Well, if games were won on possession, barcelona would be runaway leaders this year. Are they? Once again, NOT...)

With heads falling faster than u could say Fighting Cocks Football Club, a moment of brilliance was conjured by our in-from wing man, AhCool. Yasin picked up a loose ball by the opposing keeper after some hard work in closing down the keeper by Dinie. Yas the man released da man with the flashy yellow boots who was stationed out on the left flank. With a first touch that oozed quality, he got pass his marker and subsequently curled it into the opposite side of the goal. The bench erupted into cheers as the boys celebrated a goal of real class against quality opponents. The move and the goal probably caught some of our opponents off guard however one famous manager (I guess i would use my own name here since i cant remember who it was) once said that the most dangerous time for a team that just scored is right after scoring a goal itself. Well, we failed to heed the warning of 'CONCENTRATE!' as the very same SMU striker danced his way on the left into the box before unleashing a smashing shot that was too hot to handle for Phileo approximately 5 minutes after the equaliser. Demoralising but once again finishing of the highest quality. Kudos to the man. 2-1 the score at this point. And that was how it finished with some SUFI boys feeling more contented than others.

My MOTM: The standout performers on a day where the team worked hard for each other were HuiJie and Ronald whom in my opinion, quashed anything that was thrown at them. Very Vidic and Ferdinand in terms of the defending with the goals that we conceded were an unfortunate blip for the defense on the day. However, the award definitely has to go to the man with those flashy yellow boots as he was a constant thorn in the viets side all day with his amazing pace and constant hustling. Well, if it is any consolation, his marker that was skinned for the goal did confirm AhCool's quality when he went straight through ahcool with one of his robust challenges. A dirty tackle, but in my opinion it was validation from our opponents of the man's performance on the day.

Gaffer's thoughts: Most of what had to be said was exchanged at the end of the game and we shall just leave it as such. There were good performances and not so good ones, however in a game where we had to be contented with relinquishing possession for much of the game, we did WELL. I did play back in my head what i would say if we were spanked 5-6 goals but at the end of the day, even though it was not easy, we held together and surprised me with our solidarity. We are still a young budding team and i did overhear the ref telling one of the FCFC players that we were a tough team to break down and the man agreed. The irony is that the FCFC player was also the one who scored twice against us. Bleh. Haha. Excellent experience against a good quality team. Definitely a learning curve for us and after a short break, we will be back... Hungrier and hopefully more united as a team after today's lesson. Thank you to all who fought hard for the team.

Take note that whatever advise we give to each other, it is always constructive. Do not interpret it as unreasonable criticism. From our throw ins to our positioning to our lack of discipline at times in maintaining our shape, let us internalize them and seek to improve as individuals. We only want what is best for the team and that is what we will continue to strive to do. Peace out peeps and cya in a fortnight's time.

And once again, a very happy birthday to birthday girl Aisyah!

Personnel:

Allan, Phileo

HG, Kass, Jason, Alaric, Ronald, Huijie

Rudee, Yas, AhCool, Mok, Law, Vic, WS

Dinie, Juf

Fans in attendance:

Aisyah, Fadilah

SUFI Yellow VS SUFI White

VS

Date: 4th Dec 10, Saturday

Venue: TBC

Time: 3pm kick off

I will be attempting to organise an intra-team game to allow our guys to relax and get to know each other even better just before our 1st espzen league game on the 11th of dec. Of course, this game will be more than just a friendly game as we are expecting bragging rights to be up for grabs. It could be the perfect opportunity for players within the squad who feel the have been stifled for too long and overshadowed unfairly. This would be the right time to unleash the inner beast (on the field of course) and prove themselves. Excited now?

Do know that we have a 25 men squad but with Jasmond and Wong out injured for a considerable period of time and with Vic not being available on that day, we will have just nice 22 guys. Worse come to worse, we will just make it a 9 aside game or a 10 aside game depending on our eventual numbers.

Thus, I would like you guys to confirm if u can make it on the day so that i can notify the espzen organiser in advance and secure a decent field for our usage.

Details of how the teams will be selected are to be released once we can confirm the availability of our guys.

Pre-Season Friendly 7

Match Details: (13th Nov 2010, Saturday)

Time: Be at the stadium by 230pm.

Opponents: Fighting Cocks FC (ESPZEN Sun League, Div 1 team)

(Link: http://www.espzen.com/teams.asp?teamno=385&leagueNo=82)

Venue: Jurong Stadium [Yay!]

(Link to venue: http://www.espzen.com/pitches.asp?pitch=45)

Attire: We will be wearing our White top, white shorts and white socks. (Do wear shin pads as per normal)

Hey peeps, an excellent venue for the coming weekend, more so for those who were unable to make it last time round. This stadium pitch should be miles better than the serangoon stadium one. Furthermore, we have got a top notch Sunday league, Division 1 team to face this saturday and with the large pitch, it will probably be our toughest test in pre-season. Fighting cocks are a very speedy vietnamese team with a huge reputation for being a top notch outfit, so let's go out there and give a good account of ourselves.

P.S: We will be taking a break from footie action next saturday, 20th. Thus, i hope especially that the defenders who will be having exams soon will turn up for this week's game cause we may be lacking in terms of numbers there for this sat. Take it as a special appeal by me to make it for those 2 hours on the day aite. Thanks.

Expected Personnel: 17 (Thank god for a big squad)

Allan, Phileo

Kass, HG, Jason, Ronald, Huijie, Alaric

Yas, AhCool, Rudee, Law, Vic, Mok, WS

Dinie, Juf

Roman inspires SUFI

Serangoon Stadium, 1500 Hrs

SUFI FC 4 New Team FC 2

(AhCool x1, Juf x1, Dinie x1, Rudee x1)

A day of oddities as a massive squad of 23 gathered at the arena-like Serangoon Stadium which disappointingly harboured an arena more befitting of a weekend beach footie session at sentosa. A combination of massive areas of sand plus rock hard mud peppered the central regions of the field, a far cry from our amazing experience at the pristine pitch at jurong stadium. Ahhh, dont we all crave for more of that.

Admist the onlooking fans today, we had our esteemed VIP guest in Huseyin (I hope i got his name right) who was watching his new creation in flesh for the 1st time. The pressure was on the team to show the man what we were made off. However any nerves were quickly dispelled as the team began proceedings to the game with what is fast becoming our customary pre-match song and dance session, finished off by our cheer! Sweetness!

To the events of the game itself, Schemichel began in goal with a defense made up of Farhan, Huijie, Hizam and HG. Wong, Rudee, Kassler, Syafiq and Weisheng made up the midfield and Juf was the man up front for the 1st half. A niggly start to the first half was dampened when wong was badly hurt in a crazy lunge from behind from our opponent. I highly doubt the opposition knew that he was playing footie and i do not think that Wong would be the last player that he seriously injures. An atrocious challenge and all he got was a yellow. AhCool, the man in form replaced Wong and took his place on the left. Chances were aplenty in the 1st half as we pressured our opponents who hailed from the loftier regions of the Espzen Sunday League, Division 7 into frequent mistakes. With allan hardly troubled, Ahcool soon opened his and our account for the day with a neat finish from just inside the box. Pace was obviously an asset to have especially today. 1-0 to the SUFI boys.

One soon became two as Jufri joined the party after some sweet interchange of passing that involved Ahcool in particular. The man tucked home the ball from just outside the box, leaving the keeper with no chance and to rapturous applause from our fans and our owner. My memory of the 2nd half was one of chance after chance which we spurrned. The defense held its own whilst the midfield was first to every challenge. Syafiq, Kass & Juf in particular, hit the frame of the goal with speculative shots (unlucky!) while Rudee had a great opportunity which he failed to convert after a lung bursting run. 2-0 it finished at the half with the SUFI boys in a strong position.

As expected, the entire set of players were changed at the half with Phileo in goal, Jason, Ronald, Alaric and eventually Sianwei were in defense. Yasin, Vic, Law, Mok and LQ made up the midfield 5 n Juf remained up top. The order at the half time team talk was to keep it tight and to take our chances when possible. With Dinietov finally appearing at the venue, the man with magic in his boots soon proved his worth to the team with a rather fortuitous goal following a scramble in the penalty box from a corner. It probably took him 2 minutes from coming off the bench to being a goal scorer. With the team motoring forward, the assumption was that we would push forward and look for more goals. 3-0 soon however became 3-2 when in quick succession, a less than inspiring defending allowed our opponents to sneak a goal and then a long clearance from New Team took 2 bounces in the middle of the field off the rock hard surface and turned into an excellent through ball. The opposition striker however has to be credited for the pace he showed and clinical finishing. 2 chances, 2 goals for our opponents. I guess this falls under the oddities for our normally reliable team.

With a potential nervy end in store and a rather glum look on our owner's face (for added drama), returning flying winger Rudee decided to put an end to the uncertainty. After some strong running from Law down the left that saw him beat his marker, the man sent an inviting ball across the face of goal. Coming in from the right with eyes lit up brighter than the headlights of his bat mobile, the man slammed the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle. 4-2 was how it ended at the end of a topsy turvy day of footie.

My MOM: The honour in my opinion has to go to one half of our dynamic african duo, Rudee who has been SUFI's answer to Chelsea's Malouda. His direct running and searing pace left his marker with constant difficulties throughout his time on the field and if not for the lack of confidence in his finishing, the man would probably have got more than just that goal to show for his efforts. Well done dude.

Gaffer's thoughts: Once again, we showed our mettle when the going got tough. It could be said that we should have done alot better and avoided conceding those 2 goals, however at the end of the day the result doesn't lie and we should be proud of what we achieved today. The performance of the team especially in the 1st half left me cooing in disbelief as we were superior in probably all aspects. We will learn from the lessons today I am sure. Furthermore, the feedback from our owner was one of a satisfied man. Should he be reading this, i would also like to thank him for the drinks that he got for the entire team. We are indeed a lucky group of social footballers. Last but not least, my thoughts goes to Wong and his swelling knee. Hopefully that horrific tackle does not put you out of the game for too long and we hope that it is just a false alarm. Take care dude. I will see the rest of you SUFI boys next week then. Cheers!

Personnel:

Allan, Phileo

Farhan, HG, Jason, Sianwei, Alaric, HuiJie, Hizam, Ronald

Rudee, Yasin, AhCool, Wong, Vic, Liang, Mok, Syafiq, Weisheng, Lianquan

Dinie, Juf

Fans in attendance:

Huseyin, Suzie, Liza, Aisyah, Zufar, Jassie boy!