Rooting

Gli Azzurri - 2012

What makes you rooting for a sports team? Especially, a football team. Sometimes it happened because of personal reasons, for example you spent part of your life living in that particular country, or you married a guy from certain country, or maybe, your ancestor had come from that country. Those are the things that naturally made you connect with a country, and eventually, with its football team. (Although in my case, that didn't happen, since I have spent a year in Netherlands, and even had a grandma who practically a Hollander, but still, rooting for the Oranje team was not appealing for me).

But mostly, the story about why you root for a team is more personal than the above reasons. It's not in your blood, not in your family history, not related to any part of your life, but you just happened to fall for this particular team. It's like falling in love with a person, without knowing exactly why it happened.

And I guess it's more interesting with Indonesian people, maybe since we never had a chance to root for our national football team in international event, so each of us choose a team, and root for them fanatically, maybe even more fanatic than the original fans from that country.

My story had begun about 15 years ago, when I started to like watching football. My brother's favorite team at that time, Juventus, was playing in TV, and I had nothing better to do so I watched the game with him. One of the players caught my eyes (and my heart), and I learned that his name was Filippo Inzaghi. That was the beginning of my love for football, and I placed him (and his team) as the top reason for watching the games.

Pippo moved to another team, but my love for him was never changed until he was retired from football. I was rooting for him wherever he went, although Juventus has always been my first love =) But because of Pippo, I also rooted for Italy team, Gli Azzurri. And my love for them just keeps growing no matter what, even when all my favorite players had retired from the team. I don't know why I loved the team so much. Maybe because there were never boring moments every time they played, from all the dramas to the controversial goals, everything was beyond crazy =)

I remember vividly when I was cheering with the Italians in Berlin, the night of World Cup Final in 2006. How crazy it was, especially because Italy had always been an underdog so nobody expected them to be in the final, and won the game for that matter!

the glorious moment =)

I also remember how sad it felt when I watched my Azzurri stumbled and fell in the next World Cup (2010), not even getting through the first group elimination. Most of the players were too old to play anyway, and Italy needed regeneration and came up with new formation desperately. But still, I rooted for them in spite of their degradation. I could recall one of my fellow tifosi who was so dedicated to Azzurri in 2006 but suddenly didn't want to have anything to do with them in 2010. Why rooting for a team if you can't stick with them through thick and thin?

So I had mixed feelings when we entered EURO 2012 last month. I wished for the best for my Azzurri, despite the mocking and sneering from the haters, especially because Italy just had the scandal about scoring in their national leagues. But still, I've rooted for them for years, and it's not gonna change, no matter what they've been through.

And I was quite surprised because Azzurri played pretty well... Fighting back Spain in their first game, winning the penalty round against England, and even beating Germany, one of the most favorite teams this year. I love seeing the regeneration finally kicking in the team, we still have great experienced players like Pirlo and Cassano, but the new players like Balotelli spiced things up.

It's too bad Azzurri couldn't beat Spain in the final and collect the trophy they've been waiting for 44 years... But I still cherished the moments I watched them played (Pirlo's brilliant penalty? Balotelli's yellow card for taking off his shirt after making a goal?). This is just a beginning, I'm sure. And I am so freaking proud of them. So I just sent them my love and I'll be patient for Brazil =)

ps: and I can't understand why there are so may haters out there. Even the fans of Espana kept mocking Azzurri after they won the game, instead of just shutting their mouth and enjoying the moment. I felt sorry for them, because what good is that, when your team is winning but all you wanted to do was talking bad about the other team?

Reality Bites!

Watching Italy played in this world cup was a total agony for me. The team lost its touch without a good playmaker and a creative leader. Andrea Pirlo was still recovering from his injury (although he's playing in the last match), and there's nobody around to lead the game.

The other thing is, the players were too old to play in the world cup. Maybe Lippi was still living in the past (in 2006, this formation was pretty amazing). But he forgot one important thing: people's getting older every year. And four years made a big difference.

It was very heartbreaking to watch Italian players running slowly in the field, always being catched up by their (young) opponents. The energy level was very low, and the deffence (which used to be very good with Cannavaro there), was very dissapointing.

I can't help but feeling sad for them. Most of them (including Canna and Lippi) are going to retire after the World cup. And the end of their career, was not a good one for them. The most frustrating game was the one with Slovakia. Very dramatic, lots of blunders, and lack of spirit. I miss my old Azzuri.

The big lesson of the year is: you can't count on your past victory. I will always love Filippo Inzaghi (my forever hero!), I will always remember Fabio Cannavaro, I will always admire Papa Lippi, I am gonna miss Alessandro Del Piero, and I will always think about Gennaro Gattuso with a smile.

But, it's time to move on. Regeneration is the main agenda for Azzuri. I can't wait for the "new" team to make a come back. And I am gonna have the same faith, the same passion, and the same love for them. See you in four years, my blue heroes. I'm sure we'll rock in Brazil!

Masih tetep....

Piala Eropa memang nggak segereget Piala Dunia...Yang main timnya gitu" aja, jarang ada kejutan" berarti seperti tim" underdog dari Afrika atau Asia yang suka tiba-tiba berjaya di Piala Dunia...

Tapi tetep sih, bela-belain begadang juga, karena ketidakberuntungan zona waktu Indonesia yang memaksa para penonton untuk terkantuk" setelah semaleman berusaha melek terus..Untungnya gue lagi berada di masa-masa ngantor dari rumah, dengan kerjaan-kerjaan freelance yang menyenangkan, jadi bangun siang bukan merupakan sesuatu yang tabu buat gue =)

Dan biarpun sempat dikecewakan sama tim favorit gue (iya, masih inget sama kecintaan gue dengan tim Azzurri duonk...hehehe), yang kalah 3-0 di pertandingan pertamanya dari tim Oranje (iya, negara kecil tempat gue menuntut ilmu S2 gue...damn damn damnnnn)...gue tetap menikmati permainan mereka...dengan drama-dramanya, Gattuso yang super iseng, Luca Toni yang emosi tinggi, Buffon yang tetep cool, sampe Cannavaro yang menjadi pemandangan paling heartbreaking sepanjang pertandingan, karena hanya bisa termangu" dari bangku cadangan...Gue memang nggak berharap terlalu banyak sama tim Italia di Piala Eropa tahun ini...Pasalnya, nonton Italia dengan beban gelar juara dunia memang lebih nggak asyik dibanding Italia yang hanya memiliki predikat "tim drama, tim diving, tim offside", dan predikat sejenis yang sama konyolnya...

Penuh beban, apalagi dengan cederanya Cannavaro, pelatih yang belum teruji kecanggihannya (we missed you Papa Lippi!!!),dan pemain yang memang lebih tua dari rata-rata usia tim lainnya...menjadi hambatan tersendiri dari tim berseragam biru ini..Makanya gue expect for the least aja, meskipun tetep sedih juga sih, nggak nyangka dibantai segitunya di pertandingan pertama...hiks...

Tapi eniwei...ternyata rasa cinta itu masih ada (nggak kaya beberapa temen gue sesama pencinta Azzurri yang langsung ngeles, "Gue nggak dukung Itali kok di Piala Eropa...lemah!!!!" atau "Itali sih payah, gue ngejagoin Jerman sekarang ini"...Halah. Bisaaa...aja dehhhh).

Dan sempet terhibur juga sih karena jagoan nomer dua gue, Spanyol, berhasil menggilas Rusia 4-1 dengan cantiknya...Way to go!!!

*hmmm...seandainya ada Pippo...mungkin ceritanya bakal laen....* (eits! dilarang protes!!!) =p

Heroes

Bukan Peter Petrelli, Hiro Nakamura (although I'm a fan of him too..), apalagi Sylar si penjahat cemen...
Bukan juga Spiderman, Batman, atau Superman yang semuanya klise..
Buat gue, Superpippo tetep jadi my number one hero..
Udah telat, mungkin, karena kegilaan liga Champions dah lewat, dan sekarang lagi heboh-hebohnya nyambut Piala Asia..
Tapi biarinlah..sekarang bisa melepas masa pensiunnya dengan tenang...Sukur-sukur kalo bisa ngeliat dia main sekali lagi di Piala Eropa taun depan..

Tentang seribu julukan dari orang-orang..."dilahirkan dalam posisi offside", "raja diving sedunia", "pencipta gol-gol hoki"...bahkan kritik golnya di Piala Champions kemaren yang dihujat sebagai gol semi-handsball...Hmm..buat gue, julukan yang paling tepat tetep superpippo =)

*Maaf ya, postingan kali ini memang seratus persen narsis..hahaha..*

Super Pippo

Inzaghi birthday strike gives Milan narrow lead
MILAN, Aug 9 (Reuters) - AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi celebrated his 33rd birthday with the goal that secured a 1-0 win over Red Star Belgrade in their Champions League third qualifying round, first leg match on Wednesday.

Despite Inzaghi's 22nd minute strike the six-times European champions still have a lot of work to do in the return match in two weeks' time in the Serbian capital.

Milan, who originally finished runners-up in Serie A last season, found themselves in the Champions League qualifying round after being demoted to third place by an Italian sports tribunal that examined a match-rigging scandal.

UEFA cleared Milan to face Red Star due to a lack of legal grounds to exclude them but European soccer's governing body scolded the Italian club in a statement that spoke of the damage they had "already caused to European football".

Red Star gave the home side an early scare when Blagoj Georgiev was picked out unmarked inside the area but Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper Dida saved well.

Brazilian Kaka then went close for Milan before providing the pass that allowed Inzaghi to confidently strike home from inside the area to put Carlo Ancelotti's side ahead.

Milan had chances after the break but Red Star keeper Ivan Randjelovic was in top form as he twice foiled Alberto Gilardino and kept out an effort from Dutchman Clarence Seedorf to ensure the Serbians have everything to play for in the second leg.

Happy b-day Pippo...One of my favorite players, ever...=)

Azzurri, Cinta yang tak Berbalas

Piala dunia usai sudah. Harap-harap cemas, perasaan excited karena tim favorit mau bertanding, dan rasa kesal yang amat sangat melihat pemain kesayangan dikartu kuning dengan semena-mena oleh wasit.

Banyak kenangan piala dunia tahun ini buat gue. Yang paling luar biasa dan nggak diduga-duga, tentu aja kemenangan tim azzurri sebagai juara dunia. Seumur-umur gue mengidolakan tim italia sebagai favorit, belum pernah sekalipun mereka meraih kemenangan. Paling banter masuk final. Itu pun biasanya diakhiri dengan tragis dan ironis, menyisakan air mata buat gue.

Jadi, betapa sangat bahagianya gue yang dari awal sudah menerima celaan-celaan seputar prospek tim italia di piala dunia tahun ini, ketika akhirnya italia berhasil masuk ke putaran final, setelah memenangkan pertandingan luar biasa seru melawan jerman sang tuan rumah.

Saking berlebihannya, seorang temen gue yang asli dari italia berkomentar, sepertinya gue malah lebih bersemangat daripada dia. Gue jadi agak malu sendiri sama kelakuan gue.

Dan kebahagiaan itu semakin berlipat ganda berhubung gue sdah memesan tiket kereta ke Berlin sejak beberapa bulan yang lalu, demi bisa menonton final piala dunia lewat widescreen di tengah kota Berlin. Nggak nyangka, ternyata fans Azzurri membludak di sana, lengkap dengan berbagai atribut gilanya. Gue langsung merasa ada di tengah teman senasib sepenanggungan. Bahkan sempat beberapa kali diminta foto bareng sama gerombolan fans gila itu, mungkin karena mereka heran melihat gue ikut bersemangat, komplit dengan modal atribut gratisan dari pihak sponsor.

Dan begitulah. Finalnya sendiri nggak semenarik yang dibayangkan sebelumnya, apalagi kalau dibandingkan dengan pertandingan semifinal antara italia melawan jerman. Italia kembali main bertahan, dengan passing-passing atas yang sering berakhir dengan terbuangnya bola ke tangan Perancis atau bahkan keluar lapangan. Menyebalkan sekaligus bikin gregetan. Dan menjelang akhir babak perpanjangan waktu, terjadilah insiden itu, yang membuat orang-orang semakin panas. Entah terprovokasi apa, Zidane menanduk dada Matterazi, disusul dengan dikeluarkannya kartu merah untuk Zidane. Gila. Semakin mirip sinetron.

Drama berlanjut kembali saat adu penalti dilakukan. Trezeguet, pemain Perancis yang saat final Euro 2000 berhasil menjadi pahlawan kemenangan melawan Italia, kini malah menjadi penyebab kekalahan Perancis karena tidak berhasil menyarangkan bolanya ke gawang Italia yang dijaga oleh Buffon. Tragis, dan dramatis. Karma, kalau kata orang-orang.Kebetulan yang menguntungkan, kalau menurut gue.

Dan begitulah. Italia akhirnya menjadi juara, diiringi sorak tidak puas dari pendukung Perancis (terlebih setelah insiden dikeluarkannya Zidane dari lapangan), dan gemuruh kemenangan dari fans Azzurri. Gue larut dalam perayaan kemenangan pendukung Italia. Akhirnya, penantian gue terbalas sudah. Meski Inzaghi tidak juga main sampai detik terakhir...tapi kekecewaan gue cukup terbayar.

Tapi, melihat gerombolan Italia menyanyikan lagu kemenangan dalam bahasa nenek moyang mereka, lengkap dengan bendera merah-putih-hijau yang berkibar-kibar, dan sebagian malah dililitkan ke tubuh mereka, membuat gue merasa terasing. Cinta gue sama Azzurri adalah cinta tak berbalas. Sampai kapanpun, gue nggak bisa disamakan dengan pendukung asli Italia. Gue bukan orang Italia, secinta apapun gue pada Azzurri.

Dan tiba-tiba, gue merasa rindu. Rindu dengan hadirnya tim sepakbola negara gue di ajang internasional seperti ini. Rindu menyanyikan lagu kemenangan dengan bahasa Indonesia. Rindu melihat bendera merah putih yang berkibar, tanpa embel-embel hijau atau biru.Rindu mendapat cinta yang berbalas, dari sebuah tim bertajuk PSSI. Mungkinkah?

Underdog

n. person,etc thought to be in a weaker position, and so unlikely to win a competition

Mungkin karena punya rasa empati yang terlalu besar, gue selalu merasa sedikit sedih kalo nonton pertandingan yang melibatkan tim yang tidak dijagokan. Dan biasanya, tanpa disadari, gue jadi mendukung tim underdog dalam hampir setiap pertandingan.

Termasuk dalam piala dunia kali ini. Seneng banget ngeliat tim debutan seperti Trinidad dan Tobago berhasil menahan imbang Swedia yang menyerang bertubi-tubi. Atau juga usaha Ivory Coast yang berusaha mati-matian melawan raksasa seperti Argentina.

Apalagi kalau baca sejarah sepak bola di beberapa negara debutan dari Afrika, seperti Angola yang merasa bisa memulihkan kembali negaranya lewat keikutsertaan di Piala Dunia 2006 setelah menderita perang sekian lama. Miris.

Jadi...selamat berjuang tim-tim underdog..Tetap semangat!

ps: hanya saja, kalau sudah berhadapan dengan Italia, gue nggak bisa menyangkal. Cinta gue tetep sama Azzurri (Biarpun banyak yang protes sama gaya bermain mereka..Divingnya, sandiwaranya, dramanya...Hahaha....Justru itu yang bikin tambah seru!) Maaf yaaa.... =)

Part of My Dreams...

Gue, seperti juga setiap orang di dunia, punya banyak mimpi...Dari mulai yang standar dan mulia seperti lulus kuliah dengan nilai bagus, bisa ikut ngajar keliling Indonesia, membahagiakan orang tua, dan punya rumah di tepi pantai, sampai yang sedikit gila seperti jalan" keliling dunia, bisa ketemu sama orlando bloom dan punya peternakan anjing (huehueheuheu...it's true!)

Kemaren, salah satu mimpi gue yang masuk kategori "mengkhayal", sempet jadi kenyataan. Nonton liga champions di stadion ArenA...

Gara"nya juga kebetulan. Seorang temen gue tiba" nelfon dan ngabarin kalo dia punya satu tiket lebih karena temennya ada yang mendadak batal nonton. Dan gue, serasa dapet durian runtuh, langsung menyambut gembira ajakannya buat beli tiket nganggur itu.

Biarpun sebelumnya gue udah pernah ke stadion arena dan ikut tur keliling disana, rasanya tetep aja beda banget. Puluhan ribu orang menuhin stadion, lebih dari 90% nya adalah pendukung ajax yang membawa berbagai macam atribut, mulai dari bendera sampai spanduk super besar.

Lebih seru lagi, gue nonton sama rombongan dari Italia, tapi alih" duduk di daerah suporter Intermilan, kita malah kebagian tempat di tengah para pendukung Ajax. Yang ada, hanya bisa menahan diri setiap kali para penyerang Inter melakukan serangan" berbahaya atau justru mengeluh dalam hati waktu pemain Ajax mulai memberi umpan" bagus. Itupun masih harus menerima nasib setiap kali ada suporter Ajax yang lempar" sesuatu ke arah kita, mungkin karena familiar dengan raut muka khas italia yang menguasai deretan gue.

Anyway, it was a good game. Biarpun hasilnya seri, tapi permainan Ajax nggak jelek" amat kaya biasanya. Inter yang pas babak satu masih melempem, bisa menyamakan kedudukan dari 2-0 jadi 2-2. Dan yang pasti, berada beberapa meter saja dari Luis Figo tentu beda rasanya dibanding hanya menonton di televisi...

Not every dream is impossible though...=)