If there is a reason why I am afraid of failure, it's because I had been through way too many times. I thought I had the world at my feet but, it came crashing down on the day I received my Mathematics paper when I was in Primary Five exactly a decade ago. I had already expected not a decent score but, the score right in front of my eyes says this - 40. Out of 100. Fail (50 is the minimum score). It was my Continual Assessment One result (the kind you took in the first-half of the first semester). I actually cried on my pillow that night before finally shutting my eyes.
I had always passed my exams. Sometimes with flying colours. My parents were always happy. When they saw my Mathematics results, they didn't say much. At that stage, I was starting to hate the subject actually. So maybe it's a mystery to many why I studied Accounting after my O Levels. I know I studied Accounts back in secondary school and the results influenced my decision given I had never always get good grades. It's always a big deal when I am among the highest in class even for class tests. But then later as I realised, it's a very different method altogether. I kind of struggled, but always managed to scrape through. Not in my second and final year. Almost came close to failing a few modules.
What does my own personal experiences have to do with the concluded Euro 2008? The German national team's Euro 2008 campaign. Also having ups and downs and in the end, fell at the final hurdle. Like how I used to be love Accounting in secondary school but ended up telling my father early this year I don't have the interest to study Accounting anymore. The interest just died. I was saying this yesterday - I had been through many ups and downs before in life and I might had grumbled at times and even to the extent at times wondering if I am still worthy being on Earth (before remembering I was on the brink of death more than once), I still get on with my life. I may not be a Christian but, God put me in this world for a reason. I hope it's the same for the German national team. Just take it as a lesson learned, guys. Sometimes one have to learn to accept defeat and know that it's, life. By German standards, losing can be a disgrace. Losing in the early stages is even worse. The country's so used to winning in sports.
Take Germany's 2-1 loss to Croatia in the group stages for example. The English media (especially the tabloids) were delighted. Their biggest rival losing to the team which is the reason why their boys are not in the tournament. It was a shock back in Germany. The fear of exiting in the group stages is returning again. 2000 and 2004 were two editions Germany rather forget. At least England did better than them in 2004 - quarter-finals. I had read somewhere that football is all about seeing the opposing team loses and your team winning. Ah, every reason for the German media to snigger at the fact that their old rival England is not in the tournament. Every reason for the English for not wanting to see their old rival win another title again, though secretly wondering how their old rival always win it (though not always in the prettiest of fashion).
I may have my personal impressions of the group stages on an earlier entry but, I didn't expand on impressions of the quarter-finals due to space constraints. Regarding the first quarter-final match between Germany and Portugal, it came in the wake of something...well, let's just say even the FIFA President Sepp Blatter felt was unjustified. I don't want to argue anymore. It's just tiring me out. I will let the preview of the first quarter-final match speak for itself. It made me changed my view on the powers that be since. But, the match was quite exciting. The first time since the start of the tournament my father and I 'pitted' against each other given both our teams are facing each other. Mine was Germany while his was Portugal.
In the end, it was the next best match I had ever watched from Germany since the qualifier away at the Czech Republic in March 2007. Anyone watching the match till the end might had noticed what was going on in the executive box towards the final seconds of the match. When my father told me after the match on what he saw, I secretly smiled to myself. It confirmed what I used to read all along. Whatever the 'banished' (and wine-loving) Germany coach Joachim Loew was doing before the final whistle - here. Enough to make me go 'tsk, tsk!'. Still, someone can be 'badass' like Croatia coach Slaven Bilic. Or Italy's new coach, same as the old one, Marcello Lippi. I could have almost gone 'tsk, tsk!' because of my late paternal grandfather who died when my father was still in primary school (Dad was among the youngest in his family and he already has siblings who were married then) because of constantly, well, yeah (so whatever memories of my grandfather is through relatives, my father himself and a photo of my grandfather in his younger days). Good enough my father never inherited it.
I'm not kidding. Not the time to joke on this kind of issue. Anyhow, I just pretend it never happened. Ah well, who asked my non-football fan mother once made a comment which made me almost wanted to fell off from the sofa - You know what my mother was saying as I was watching the highlights of the Group B action this morning? I had to confirm with her before feeling amused. I could had almost giggled. I was just watching the highlights of the Germany-Poland match and she commented that Germany coach Joachim Loew is...handsome. Saying it in Mandarin actually. Given her comment came seconds after Loew was being shown on the TV, I asked her if she was referring to the coach. She confirmed it. I purposely add in the 'non-football fan' part. Now if anyone can tell me what is 'handsome' in German...
Not many thought Turkey will advance to the semi-finals after what happened to them in their final group match against the Czech Republic. Back then, that was a high-stake match given only one from that match will be able to join Portugal in the quarter-finals. Many will have thought given the coaching pedigree of Croatia coach Slaven Bilic (who also happened to be the youngest in the tournament with being 39 years of age), it's a shoo-in. Me too. But, ouch. Just like the commentator - 'I cannot believe this!'. Coach Slaven Bilic was saying this after the match - The last two minutes are something I can't describe – they'll haunt me for the rest of my life. He was referring to the final two minutes in the added extra-time. When it looked like Ivan Klasnic sealed the deal, Turkey strike back a minute later. I was almost silenced. I had already imagine a re-match between Germany and Croatia but, out of the window. After the penalty shootout win for Turkey (it was also their first as well), it's all over for Croatia. From the perennial dark horses to a serious contender after the group stage win to Germany.
Then the comeback kings Turkey did it again like they did against the Swiss and the Czechs in the group stages. Turkey actually equalised at literally the last kick before it's time for the penalty shootout to decide the winner. In the next quarter-final match between Holland and Russia which was deemed as the match for the neutrals in the quarter-final given of the way the two sides play. Holland's famous brand of 'Total Football' (which first began in the 70s and there were people like Johan Cyruff who led the way at that time) returned in the group stages and excited many. Many (especially those back home in Holland) thought this will finally be Holland's year since the only win 20 years ago in the then-West Germany. Holland's performance in the group stages brought back a lot of memories for my father who was still studying in the 70s when he saw Cyruff and co. in action and the Oranje became his unofficial second team after England. No reports of the infighting that often dogged the national side in major tournaments and the guys in orange did their stuff on the pitch (with even arguably the best Dutch footballer around, Johan Cyruff always a presence at the Oranje matches). With having in my eyes, some of the most enthusiastic fans around.
I know about the Dutch-German football rivalry (that indirectly went back to the war years) but I have to admit in the group stages, Holland really fascinated me with how they play. So when it was known that they will meet one of their own in the quarter-finals in the form of Russia's Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, I know it's going to be interesting. Russia may have a slump in their opening group match against eventual champions Spain but they managed to get their act together in time with their playmaker Andrei Arshavin back from suspension to play their final group match against Sweden. People were expecting nothing but the goals when the Dutch and the Russians meet but in the end, Russia really dominated and they advanced to the semi-finals.
And if the match between Spain and Italy has anything to tell us, records are certainly there to be broken. Imagine what faced Spain ahead of their Italian encounter - The curse of June 22 (given somehow they always exit at that date in major tournaments and the date which they face Italy, also June 22), the curse of the quarter-finals (given in recent times, that is the most furthest they can go since their 1964 European Championship win), the curse of not able to win on penalties (given the last three attempts ended in tears and one of those notable cases was when they were up against another team who don't have the luck in penalties at the Euro 1996 quarter-finals, the host nation England), the curse of not able to beat Italy in 88 years in competitive matches. The Spanish media were actually in horrors when they realised whom their quarter-final opponents will be given Italy has been their bogey team. What was 'worse', wearing yellow jerseys given in Spanish society, the colour yellow is cursed (and that goes back to history why it is so). But then, Russia will be wearing red when both met in the semi-final and it's their home jersey colour as well. Many thought Guus Hiddink's Russia will steamroll Spain...but, Spain did a double. It was 4-1 in the group stages and 3-0 the second time round. Both times, three-goal margin.
Then the semi-finals. Germany-Turkey, Russia-Spain as I said earlier. Spain has good memories of playing against the then-Soviet Union especially during the 1964 final. Even with Russia as an independent state since the breakup of the former Soviet Union, this is actually Russia's best performance in major football tournament so far. Even before Russia came into this tournament, Hiddink has been given many nicknames in Russia over his work in the past with other nations (South Korea, Australia). So a semi-final appearance in a tournament has really went beyond many's imagination back in Russia. And to think Russia almost could not make it to the tournament until the final day of the group qualifying given they qualify at the expense of England being beaten by the already-qualfied Croatia.
The Germany-Turkey match was dramatic in more ways than one. For once in the tournament, comeback kings Turkey actually took the lead and in the second-half especially, TV transmission was broken down three times at different timings. It looked like Mother Nature (given there was thunder which struck in Vienna and happened to hit the International Broadcast Centre over there which transmit the feed to all around the world, whatever it may be showing the match...including here) wanted a hand in it too. Because I later found out and watching the highlights and the repeat (given UEFA handed out repeat of the match in full to the broadcasters affected), the action in Basel 'chose' to happen when Mother Nature strikes. That was when I depended online commentary even more. I was almost stressed out, all the more as a Germany supporter. I felt hopeless when the living room TV (where I watched all the matches from the cable service) showed no images.
Then the day of the final. I thought I will be 'lucky' again given the Premier League I support Manchester United won the Premier League title (on the final day of the season even), then winning the Champions League on penalties (when back then many went for a Chelsea win). But then again, the ending was just as expected as Spain won. When I re-think, re-analyse the whole match, the Spainards were just very good. They deserved the win. The Germans didn't really show up. Almost wherever I read, I was not surprised that the reactions to the perfomance of Spain and Germany were almost the same. When people always thought that Spain would crumble again (given they have the unwanted tag of being 'chokers', 'perennial underachievers'), they showed everyone why they want to their 44-years of trophy drought. They came so close in 1984 if not for a France side led by a certain Michel Platini. If they can do it, why not England in the near future? After Spain, England is the next perennial underachievers (so far only the 1966 World Cup trophy to show for it). In fact, after Spain managed to end their quarter-final hoodoo (given England in recent times, always exit at that stage), I was thinking about England's case.
Throughout the course of the tournament, I have my fair share of favourite moments (and not-so-nice ones but I rather don't mention it), favourite goals (I think for me, my most favourite was the cracker of a free-kick Germany captain Michael Ballack took against Austria in the final group match and I still remembered what the commentator said - 'That was an absolute screamer!'), favourite quotes. In the quotes department, plenty! UEFA spokesperson William Gaillard (I think it's him) saying something about that 'this is not Hollywood' when commenting about co-host Switzerland's early exit in the tournament. Croatia coach Slaven Bilic saying that football is still the best thing (and not women) in this world. Poland coach Leo Beenhakker saying during the group stages that his side will go 'tra-la-la'. Germany's Bastien Schweinsteiger saying after the quarter-final that it seemed that Portugal is his most favourite opponent (given his goals two years ago in the World Cup's 3rd/4th playoff was also against Portugal). Switzerland stand-in captain Ludovic Magnin saying somehing he always talks a lot to even his wife cannot stand him. Turkey coach Fatih Terim revealing what kept him going (a message which was being hung in his wall saying - "Nothing is impossible, but miracles take time"). Germany's Torsten Frings saying this ahead of the final (given he has rib fracture but declaring himself fit for the final) - "Coach Frings would play Player Frings in the starting line-up.".
France coach Raymond Domenech actually proposing to his long-time girlfriend TV presenter Estelle Dennis on TV after France bowed out in the group stages of the tournament. Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel (always a regular at Germany's Euro 2008 matches...she's a football fan herself too) had to catch her breath when watching the quarter-final between Germany and Turkey. Germany's Christoph Metzelder on beating the comeback kings Turkey - Today we beat the Turks at their own game. Spain King Juan Carlos (he and his wife Queen Sofia were in Vienna at that time to watch Spain play Italy) declaring after the quarter-final win over Italy that "We have broken the hoodoo". Germany's Miroslav Klose on his Bayern's Italian team-mate Luca Toni that Toni has a problem with his 'best friend' (the football, that is...given Toni has not been scoring and Klose did and both actually have a bet among themselves on who will score more given the loser will have to give a treat). And probably my most favourite quotes (in no particular order) - 1. After the loss to Croatia and speaking about their final group opponents who still have a fighting chance to advance to the quarter-finals and their opponents wanting another Cordoba (the location of the 1978 World Cup which the final score was Austria 3-2 Germany and eventually became the 'miracle' in Austria, 'shame' in Germany), Germany coach Joachim Loew - "I know as the group stands the Austrians will run for their lives. They have a one-off chance to make themselves immortal in the public eye.", 2. What he told the players after the final whistle which confirmed Spain as the Euro 2008 winners - I had a quick word with every one of my players. I told them not to feel down. Yes, we lost the final and that's a disappointment for us all, but the fact we made it to the final is an achievement in itself., 3. What his Spanish counterpart said in the final - Many people will look at this Spain team because it has been a model for playing football. I think all football lovers want people to make good combinations, to get into the penalty area and to score goals. At the beginning I said that if we managed this squad well, we would be champions. The team just thought I was trying to give them confidence. I just hope Spain carry on in this way and have many more victories.
Phew. The best moments and the 10 best goals of the tournament before I finally sign off. The two links are originally from ESPN's Spanish-speaking service. So much more I want to add but, I think that is about it. My team may have lost in the final but, it was still a great tournament. What a crazy ride of all proportions!
