Live, Laugh, Love Football!

What is it about football that gives it precedence even over cricket for some members of the Indian community?

BY PREETI JABBAL

A football tragic once wrote that Football is an action game where art, science, physics and magic all collide in a wonderful spectacle. As the world’s largest sporting event, the game has a formidable and often fanatical following, including many fans from cricket-loving India. As 32 teams from across the world gear up to compete in the FIFA World Cup in to be held in South Africa this month, we talk to some members of the Indian community to find out why they love football, or soccer, as it is called in Australia!

The Football Family

For Manasi and Sachin Mishra their love for football is not confined to screaming themselves hoarse as their son Joshua kicks a goal. They have taken parent involvement to the next step by volunteering to help as team manager and coach. Wesley College student

Joshua plays for Glen Waverley

Junior Soccer Club under 11-Eagles (Kangaroo league).The club is one of the many family-run football clubs affiliated to Football Federation of Victoria. The FFV provides training, guidelines and code of conducts for clubs, officials and players and offers support as an umbrella body for clubs like GWJSC.

Joshua started playing football at the age of 5 with goal kick in Sydney. The Mishra family then moved to Melbourne, and Josh joined goal kick in Melbourne. Over time he transitioned from playing small sided games to playing well on the bigger field. Said mum Manasi, “We felt that football had a bigger profile in Melbourne because of the large European population that has settled here. Football is a global game now but has always enjoyed a huge following amongst Europeans, especially Italians and Greeks, who form a large chunk of the multicultural population of Melbourne.”

Joshua and his dad Sachin believe that being happy, healthy and rested is a prerequisite for every game. They ensure that they have had a good night’s sleep before every match. The Mishras avoid late nights, especially Saturdays. This limits their socializing to a large extent as matches are generally held on Sunday mornings. “Our priority is to create an atmosphere where Josh can play and excel, if that involves giving up socializing, so be it,” declared Manasi.

“Josh is a confident kid however he can be almost superstitious when it comes to football,” claimed give him clothes that he may have worn in a match that they lost. It is amusing to see him fret so much about these trivial matters before a game,” revealed Manasi. “But we know Josh takes his game seriously and so does Sachin, because he offered to coach the team last year,” she continued. Sachin had played football in India through school and college, and also participated in the popular Santosh Trophy games in Jabalpur. Sachin volunteered to coach the team and put in several hours every week in training and improving the players. “This year Sachin stepped back due to work commitments, but I put my hand up to be the team manager,” said Manasi.

Manasi’s Sunday mornings begin very early as she picks up cakes and bread rolls from the bakery, opens the canteen, gets the oven ready and defrosts the sausage, pies etc. in preparation for the team. As manager she looks after parent helper rosters, fixtures, fundraisers, does fruit and food duties… the list goes on. “I’m not complaining, I quite enjoy the role and can be a bit of a Hitler to make sure things run smoothly,” she confessed. “I like the multicultural aspect of the game. It is cohesive in a sense that it brings the whole world together in enjoyment of a simple, yet spectacular sport. My favourite team in this World Cup will be the one that has most good looking players!” she added, tongue in cheek. Josh, on the other hand, goes for Chelsea and Sachin thinks England and Spain have a real chance this year.

Fanatical about football

Year 11 student Vihan Muthanna from Manly Selective Campus, Sydney says, “I love football because its attractive, the action involved in the game and the movement of the ball creates a great visual, the atmosphere it generates is amazing and it is exciting to play.” Vihan and his friends intend to watch some of the World Cup games on the big screen at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. “Watching the games there will be more fun because of the great atmosphere generated by thousands of football fans who will brave the elements to support their favourite team,” he said.

Vihan’s favourite team is Spain. “I really like the team and although they have failed to win a World Cup in the past, their confidence will be high following their Euro 2008 championship. I will be supporting the Australian team as well, but the Spanish team has all my votes,” said Vihan who plays Division 1 football for the North Sydney Bears. According to Vihan, the Indian team is improving, but will take another 8-10 years before they get into the top league.

Vihan began football in the Under 8s due to peer pressure. Many of his friends were involved with the game and he decided to join them. “Originally it was just a social game for me, but by the time I got to the under 12s, I started getting serious and became more competitive. For the last few years football has become a major part of my life. I practice four days a week for at least a couple of hours each day, sometimes more,” said Vihan as he described his football schedule. “We recently competed in the States knockout competition and made it through to the quarter finals,” he added proudly.

Vihan’s parents Vidya and Vinod Muthanna fully support his involvement in football. “It is a lot of driving to and from matches and practice sessions, as well as countless hours spent in waiting for his game to finish, but it is definitely worth it!” claimed Vidya. “He loves the game and a lot of his passion has rubbed off on us. We are looking forward to the World Cup as much as he is,” she added.

This winter, thousands of Australians will snuggle up with friends and family to watch the action unfold in Johannesburg and it won’t be long before we will know who is a likely winner of the coveted World Cup. In the meantime, fans have invested in lucky solo undies (to support the Socceroos), got their slabs of beer stocked up and barbies ready to be fired up. Let’s collectively hope and pray that elements like the weather, terrorists and controversies don’t mar this wonderful event.

On with the game! And may the best team win!