::welcome to slow rock::

Saturday, February 17, 2007

I'm back... finally! It's been more than 2 weks since i set foot in the compounds of one of Singapore's most famous landmarks, known not only for it's sheer size, but also for being the birth place of the Kallang Roar. Yup, the National Stadium! I've been there a couple of times before, but not in a setting as hyped up as it was on the 25th January. And there are many good reasons why Kallang is so famous.
#1 The Kallang Roar
The sheer magnitude of the roar leaves the stadium rumbling with each go. And with the passing of each one, it leaves you with an appetite for more..... yum yum

#2 The Kallang Wave
Before it even comes within close range of you, you can already sense its presence. A supersonic surge and there you go! A part of this wave and a part of history. Because this wave never fails to come out of hibernation when a major event comes knocking, and all the more so on a stage such as the Asean Football Championship Final. For 32 years it had called Kallang its home, and for 32 years, it faithfully served the stadium, spicing up the atmosphere when it calls.

#3 Fanfare
The good ol' chants of "referee kayu" and "we want goal!" didn't forget to reveal itself on that occasion. I recall when i was young, i had turned up for one or two S-League matches at Tampines Stadium, cheering on the Stags. It was all these chants which had gotten me mesmerised by local football. All the passion and undying love for the game shown by supporters really ate into me. Close to a decade later, i found myself at Kallang, and not only that, but a part of this voice to cheer the Lions on.

#4 Singapore Truly
As the national anthem plays majestically, you finally understand what it truly means to be a Singaporean. When the whole of the 55 000 strong crowd join in to sing this song schoolkids are all well familiar with, you know it is no ordinary song. Deep down inside, you feel your heart burning - burning with pride so overwhelming. Then, do you realise that this Grand Ol' Dame is the place where national pride is born. National Day, Seap Games of old, and the AFC. It never fails to evoke such feelings within the hearts of all Singaporeans. Never.

Of course, there are many other reasons which have been part of Kallang's success story. For that, i left my dad to do the explaination. Haha. The stamping of feet, "currypuff uncle", the Malaysia Cup days.... all a part of Singapore's sporting history. And if there's any sport in Singapore that can bond people together, thre's only football. Because no other sport here has such a rich history, no other sport here has the ability to get everyone talking, no other sport here has given the Kallang Roar and Wave much chance to show herself during competitions, and it is for this reason that the names of these 2 icons are such. Henceforth, we got to change our perpective of Singapore's soccer scene. No doubt Kallang saw a sell-out crowd of 55 000 that Wednesday, however what is 55 000 compared to the 4 000 000 in Singapore? It is not my motive to convince all 4 million to indulge in this sport, but rather, to see more Singaporeans taking pride in local soccer. Not to view it as a road leading to a dead end, but instead, one that opens up to a whole world of possibilities. Winning the AFC twice consecutively is a good signal on the Lions side.

How about you, Singapore?

Scenes just before the game(above)

45mins before kick-off

Labels: soccer

Entered by platinum at 4:34 AM