baby, what's in that satchel?

world cup fever has struck this blog, but in a really small way so it's more like a head cold and a sinus. aaanyway .. socceroos are coming home but it's ok !! it's one step up from their previous attempt.

what i'd really like to know, is what's become of singapore's "world cup 2010" dream. does anybody even remember besides me? and then again i'm not even that sure anymore because nobody talks about it.

i haven't read this on any other blog before, so i guess i'll just open this little can of worms right here.

how is it that africa, arguably the poorest continent on earth has managed to send four countries to the world cup? yet the only way that singapore is going to qualify (at this rate) is if they host the world cup. and then again, will people be too embarrassed to support the home team?

you can't even say singaporeans don't like soccer because they do! judging by what's on cable, people watch the spanish la liga and the english premier league religiously. but ask if singapore has a league (i'm pretty sure they do), but i think people will be really flippant about it. last i read we have foreign imports for that too.

i'm no sports-girlie. the only thing that interests me is the result, because i can't really be bothered watching a game/match/tournament the whole way through. but that doesn't mean i live in a hole.

australia is not a soccer-crazy country. aussies watch footy, cricket and rugby, and sometimes only soccer but that's because they really like sport. in fact, they've never even won a world cup match 'til this year. their last attempt at the world cup ended in the group stages and that was 32 years ago! guus hiddink has been saying in every interview and press conference that if australia wants to do better in the future, they have to focus on training up young players. i think singapore should too! young local players please, not young-ish cannot-make-it-in-brazil-brazilian-players. thanks.

of course, i'm saying all this assuming that singapore actually does harbour world cup dreams. i'm sure big brother would be thinking about it especially at this time. they've already sent a man to mount everest (twice) and sent the same guy to swim the english channel (failed, but at least he tried).*

so anyway, i'm not all hot air. i actually have a suggestion. first of all, find promising young soccer babies through some kind of screening process. then send them overseas for exposure, but don't forget to make them sign a bond so they come back and play for singapore. at the same time, hothouse more players in that little sports school, and make them play in local leagues for their ECA. sorry i mean CCA. then when the time comes for everyone to train for world cup qualifiers, call back your soccer scholars and train them with the non-scholar ones, and train PROPERLY. like maybe even pay them a salary or something so they don't think that it's not a complete waste of time.

it's not even like singapore lacks the money to do so. in fact, i'm pretty sure it's more worthwhile than investing CPF money *koff* in fall-on-your-face schemes in india and china *koff*. furthermore, i'm pretty sure singaporeans will be generous if there was a fund-raiser to help these guys. hell, i'd donate! and if you made it to qualifiers, i'd support team singapore. and if they made it to the group stages, i'd support them too !! even if they lost every single match and had to go home without hitting the round of 16. and if they did make it, i'd support them 'til they got kicked out by some fancy pants african team.

don't you think it would be nice to actually have something to be proud of about singapore?

* incidentally, he isn't even singaporean, he's malaysian. but as long as people are willing to do it for singapore, then it's ok.