Friday, 14 Sept 2007
What an evening it has been! First I received an approval for one of 5Cs by Singapore living standards. Then, I played my first game at The Cage with and against my favourite radio jock, Glenn Francis Ong Sukar!
It was great to finally meet up with Glenn again. And to play footie together? Awesome! Then came the next best thing, I met up with Glenn's wife, whom I have also known for years since my radio listening days when she was still available. She's none other than Jamie Yeo! She's still as gorgeous as she was, especially her wide friendly smile.
Jamie: I've known Chii Huan like forever~.
Colleague: He's our youngest.
Jamie: Ya, I know. He's always like a boy. (teased)
Finally get to catch up with Glenn and Jamie. We talked about footie, radio and life. What an evening it really has been!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, July 07, 2007
KOP 10: FOWLER MOMENTS
We conclude our Fowler week by looking back at 10 of Robbie's most memorable moments.
1. Four-minute hat-trick
This was the afternoon a young Fowler wrote himself into the record books with a phenomenal scoring achievement. Kopites basked in the early season sun as Liverpool's newest striking sensation emphatically reaffirmed his mantle as one of the hottest goal-poachers in the game by scoring the fastest ever Premiership hat-trick against a shell-shocked Arsenal defence.
2. Supporting the Dockers
Fowler never forgot his roots and in March 1997 famously went public with his support for the Merseyside Dockers during a European Cup Winners Cup tie against Brann Bergen. A hot political issue at the time, the 'Growler' helped put the plight of the 500 sacked Dockers on the map when, after netting at the Kop end, he proudly pulled up his top to reveal a t-shirt supporting those who had been fired. He was later fined 2,000 Swiss Francs by UEFA who stated that their regulations prohibit players from displaying any political logos at matches.
3. The famous five
In the autumn of 1993, 18-year old Robbie breezed into the Liverpool first team like a breath of fresh air and confirmed his arrival on the big stage with a stunning five-goal demolition of Fulham in the 2nd leg of a 2nd round Coca Cola Cup tie at Anfield. The Reds had been struggling for goals until the then boss Graeme Souness unleashed his highly-rated rookie and it paid off handsomely as Fowler became only the fourth player in the club's history to score five in one game. A star was born.
4. Honest a God
Controversy seemed to follow Fowler during the late '90s but on this occasion he hit the headlines for all the right reasons and earned himself a UEFA Fair Play award in the process after admitting that he had not been fouled by Arsenal keeper David Seaman after a penalty had been awarded at Highbury. His honesty could have proved costly for Liverpool but goals from Collymore and McAteer ensured everyone was a winner.
5. Singing the Blues
Robbie loved nothing better than putting one over our Mersey rivals and the club he supported as a boy. In 17 games he netted a total of six goals and it all started in March 1994 when he struck the winner in what was to be the last derby in front of a standing Kop. He'd just come back from a two-month lay-off with a broken ankle but returned with a bang, racing onto a through ball from John Barnes and firing past Neville Southall.
6. The second coming
To say the Kop was pleased to welcome Robbie back to the club following his time away at Leeds and Manchester City would be a gross understatement. Talk of him returning had occasionally popped up in the sports pages but was always shrugged off as pure fabrication. Until January 2006 that is when Liverpool's prodigal son sensationally returned to a hero's reception. His free transfer capture from City delighted everyone of a Red persuasion and Fowler himself admitted it was a dream come true.
7. Upstaging Cantona
On what should have been Eric Cantona's big day, the 'Toxteth Terror' stole the show on a memorable Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford. Having been out the game for nine months following his infamous kung-fu attack, Cantona made a much-hyped return against the Reds and managed to net a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw. However, the abiding memory of this game will always be Robbie's perfectly-executed brace of goals.
8. UEFA Cup Final goal
Fowler shrugged off the disappointment of being omitted from the starting eleven for Liverpool's first European final in 15 years and almost emerged the hero. Midway through the second half he came off the bench with the score tied at 3-3 and made an immediate impact, restoring the Reds lead with a sublime solo effort. Unfortunately, Alaves amazing hit back with a last-gasp equaliser but the treble was secured thanks Delfin Geli's golden own goal and Robbie had more than played his part.
9. We've won it five times
Even when he wasn't wearing Liverpool colours, Robbie could still be relied upon to wind up our major rivals and put a smile on Liverpudlian faces. Despite his royal blue upbringing, there was no doubting his status as a rabid red and whenever the opportunity arose he'd take great delight in reminding Manchester United supporters of how many European Cups we've won. Just in case they'd forgotten, obviously.
10. The final goodbye
On 13 May 2007 'God' bid the Kop an emotional final farewell when he graced the hallowed turf of Anfield one last time. Charlton Athletic were the visitors and everyone was willing him to score. Sadly, there was to be no fairy-tale ending – he was substituted just minutes before the Reds were awarded a penalty – but that was quickly forgotten when he embarked on an emotionally-charged lap of honour with his four kids at the end. The entire ground stood as one to applaud and an unprecedented display of adulation swept down from the stands to salute a true Liverpool legend.
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156310070706-1354.htm
We conclude our Fowler week by looking back at 10 of Robbie's most memorable moments.
1. Four-minute hat-trick
This was the afternoon a young Fowler wrote himself into the record books with a phenomenal scoring achievement. Kopites basked in the early season sun as Liverpool's newest striking sensation emphatically reaffirmed his mantle as one of the hottest goal-poachers in the game by scoring the fastest ever Premiership hat-trick against a shell-shocked Arsenal defence.
2. Supporting the Dockers
Fowler never forgot his roots and in March 1997 famously went public with his support for the Merseyside Dockers during a European Cup Winners Cup tie against Brann Bergen. A hot political issue at the time, the 'Growler' helped put the plight of the 500 sacked Dockers on the map when, after netting at the Kop end, he proudly pulled up his top to reveal a t-shirt supporting those who had been fired. He was later fined 2,000 Swiss Francs by UEFA who stated that their regulations prohibit players from displaying any political logos at matches.
3. The famous five
In the autumn of 1993, 18-year old Robbie breezed into the Liverpool first team like a breath of fresh air and confirmed his arrival on the big stage with a stunning five-goal demolition of Fulham in the 2nd leg of a 2nd round Coca Cola Cup tie at Anfield. The Reds had been struggling for goals until the then boss Graeme Souness unleashed his highly-rated rookie and it paid off handsomely as Fowler became only the fourth player in the club's history to score five in one game. A star was born.
4. Honest a God
Controversy seemed to follow Fowler during the late '90s but on this occasion he hit the headlines for all the right reasons and earned himself a UEFA Fair Play award in the process after admitting that he had not been fouled by Arsenal keeper David Seaman after a penalty had been awarded at Highbury. His honesty could have proved costly for Liverpool but goals from Collymore and McAteer ensured everyone was a winner.
5. Singing the Blues
Robbie loved nothing better than putting one over our Mersey rivals and the club he supported as a boy. In 17 games he netted a total of six goals and it all started in March 1994 when he struck the winner in what was to be the last derby in front of a standing Kop. He'd just come back from a two-month lay-off with a broken ankle but returned with a bang, racing onto a through ball from John Barnes and firing past Neville Southall.
6. The second coming
To say the Kop was pleased to welcome Robbie back to the club following his time away at Leeds and Manchester City would be a gross understatement. Talk of him returning had occasionally popped up in the sports pages but was always shrugged off as pure fabrication. Until January 2006 that is when Liverpool's prodigal son sensationally returned to a hero's reception. His free transfer capture from City delighted everyone of a Red persuasion and Fowler himself admitted it was a dream come true.
7. Upstaging Cantona
On what should have been Eric Cantona's big day, the 'Toxteth Terror' stole the show on a memorable Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford. Having been out the game for nine months following his infamous kung-fu attack, Cantona made a much-hyped return against the Reds and managed to net a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw. However, the abiding memory of this game will always be Robbie's perfectly-executed brace of goals.
8. UEFA Cup Final goal
Fowler shrugged off the disappointment of being omitted from the starting eleven for Liverpool's first European final in 15 years and almost emerged the hero. Midway through the second half he came off the bench with the score tied at 3-3 and made an immediate impact, restoring the Reds lead with a sublime solo effort. Unfortunately, Alaves amazing hit back with a last-gasp equaliser but the treble was secured thanks Delfin Geli's golden own goal and Robbie had more than played his part.
9. We've won it five times
Even when he wasn't wearing Liverpool colours, Robbie could still be relied upon to wind up our major rivals and put a smile on Liverpudlian faces. Despite his royal blue upbringing, there was no doubting his status as a rabid red and whenever the opportunity arose he'd take great delight in reminding Manchester United supporters of how many European Cups we've won. Just in case they'd forgotten, obviously.
10. The final goodbye
On 13 May 2007 'God' bid the Kop an emotional final farewell when he graced the hallowed turf of Anfield one last time. Charlton Athletic were the visitors and everyone was willing him to score. Sadly, there was to be no fairy-tale ending – he was substituted just minutes before the Reds were awarded a penalty – but that was quickly forgotten when he embarked on an emotionally-charged lap of honour with his four kids at the end. The entire ground stood as one to applaud and an unprecedented display of adulation swept down from the stands to salute a true Liverpool legend.
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156310070706-1354.htm
Friday, July 06, 2007
FOWLER WEEK: IAN RUSH ON ROBBIE
In the latest instalment of Fowler Week, Ian Rush recalls the first time he saw Robbie play and assesses where he stands in the club's list of all-time greatest strikers.
When was the first time you saw Robbie and what did you think?
I actually first saw Robbie when he was 14 in training. I had come back early for pre-season a few days before the rest of the first-team squad and I was training with the kids. Robbie was one of them and the thing I noticed straight away was he had a great goalscoring sense. I remember talking to Steve Heighway and he told me Robbie Fowler could be something special. He came through the ranks and when Graeme Souness gave him a chance in the first team he was just incredible. He was a great goalscorer and he was good at free-kicks as well, which people don't realise. And he was also good in the air. When he first came into the side I helped Robbie, simply because that was the Liverpool way. When I first got into the side Kenny Dalglish helped me.
Do you feel like you played a major part in his development?
I feel I played a part in it but at the end of the day I'm a great believer that you've got to do it yourself. People can point you in the right direction like Kenny helped me, but they can't score goals for you. It made me very happy when I read Robbie's autobiography and he said that I helped him. As I say though, that was the Liverpool way and we were brought up to do that. Yes, I most probably did play a part in his development, but Robbie Fowler played the most important part and that was putting the ball in the back of the net. The lad had everything. If it wasn't for the injury he was capable of breaking all of my records.
What did you think when Robbie knocked in five goals on his home debut against Fulham?
It was just one of them incredible nights when everything went right for him. It takes a special person to do that and I was absolutely made up for him. What I liked about Robbie was he was hungry for more. I remember that game when he had about five or six chances and scored five! He wasn't just content with five goals though - he wanted to score six or seven. That for me was the sign of a great striker.
Excluding yourself, have you ever seen a better finisher than Robbie?
Probably not. If you go back to his first time at Anfield when he had come up through the ranks, he was scoring goals for fun in the first team. Robbie was just a great finisher. That left foot of his was just incredible and then he started scoring with his right foot as well - and that's what makes a quality striker. The thing about Robbie was he knew when to place the ball - he didn't just blast it. A lot of strikers in the game, especially today, just blast everything. His timing was exceptional.
What was he like to play with?
He was great. Robbie is a lovely lad, really down to earth. He just loved playing football and scoring goals. If you told him to do something, he would do it. He wasn't one of them that questioned why you were doing it. As the years went on you saw Robbie becoming more of an all-round player. He was always working hard for his teammates. When Robbie first came into the side his job, like mine, was to score goals. Then as you get more experienced other things come into your game and you become an all-round player. What people don't realise is when the likes of Stan Collymore and Michael Owen came into the team Robbie's role was to help them. He did that and he was doing their running for them and giving his all to make the partnership work. He was never given the credit he deserved for how much work he put in when he partnered Stan and Michael.
Do you feel it was slightly unfortunate that Robbie's talents were never rewarded with a title winner's medal at Anfield?
Yes, it was unfortunate. He was very unlucky and it was just a case of being there at the wrong time. When Robbie came into the side they were revamping the team and a lot of changes were happening. He did deserve to be part of a title-winning side because he was a great player. I know he was desperate to win a Champions League medal and he was disappointed to have been left out of the squad for Athens. It would have been a nice way to bow out of Liverpool but it wasn't to be.
How did you feel when Rafael Benitez brought Robbie back to Anfield?
I was made up, simply for the lad. I knew Robbie could still do it. When Robbie left Liverpool in 2001 he never did as well at Leeds and Manchester City because his heart was still at Liverpool. When Robbie came back he wasn't bothered about the money and he would have come back for nothing. He was just happy to be back and I think when he first came back he was probably fitter than when he left the first time. Such was his determination to do well and his happiness at being back in a red shirt again, he got himself fit and we saw a Robbie Fowler ready to go. He wanted to prove he could still do well at Liverpool and I think he did that. He didn't play a lot but when he was called upon he gave his all and he scored some important goals.
Were you sad to see him go?
I'm very sad to be honest but all love affairs come to an end sometime in football. I think Robbie would have liked another year at Liverpool but Benitez wanted to move on and look for the future. I still feel Robbie could have done a job and helped the young kids out as well. In saying that, the good thing this time was Robbie was able to say thank-you and farewell to the supporters. When he left the first time he didn't get the chance to do that. I know he is grateful to Benitez for bringing him back to the club and giving him the chance to say a proper farewell to the Kop. It was sad but at the end of the day you have to move on.
Do you think we will see Robbie scoring goals for another club this season?
I was speaking with him the other day and he was talking to me about his future. You do have to move on but it's always hard to leave such a fantastic club as Liverpool. I think Robbie still has something to offer but people will always see him as a Liverpool player. It's the same thing that happened to me when I went to Leeds and then Newcastle. Clubs might be thinking: "Well, if Robbie came to us would he be as good because his heart is still at Liverpool?" I think Robbie has got to play for the right team and one that will suit him. If that happens, I think Robbie Fowler will be a bargain to anyone who gets him.
Where does Robbie rank among the all-time LFC strikers?
He has got to be right up there with the best of them. Robbie has had a great career and for me, before he got his injury, he was most probably the best striker in the Premiership. He was a bit unfortunate when he got the injury but he was made up when he got the second chance to come to Liverpool. I thought he conducted himself very well. Robbie is one of the best strikers to ever wear a red shirt.
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156297070705-1321.htm
In the latest instalment of Fowler Week, Ian Rush recalls the first time he saw Robbie play and assesses where he stands in the club's list of all-time greatest strikers.
When was the first time you saw Robbie and what did you think?
I actually first saw Robbie when he was 14 in training. I had come back early for pre-season a few days before the rest of the first-team squad and I was training with the kids. Robbie was one of them and the thing I noticed straight away was he had a great goalscoring sense. I remember talking to Steve Heighway and he told me Robbie Fowler could be something special. He came through the ranks and when Graeme Souness gave him a chance in the first team he was just incredible. He was a great goalscorer and he was good at free-kicks as well, which people don't realise. And he was also good in the air. When he first came into the side I helped Robbie, simply because that was the Liverpool way. When I first got into the side Kenny Dalglish helped me.
Do you feel like you played a major part in his development?
I feel I played a part in it but at the end of the day I'm a great believer that you've got to do it yourself. People can point you in the right direction like Kenny helped me, but they can't score goals for you. It made me very happy when I read Robbie's autobiography and he said that I helped him. As I say though, that was the Liverpool way and we were brought up to do that. Yes, I most probably did play a part in his development, but Robbie Fowler played the most important part and that was putting the ball in the back of the net. The lad had everything. If it wasn't for the injury he was capable of breaking all of my records.
What did you think when Robbie knocked in five goals on his home debut against Fulham?
It was just one of them incredible nights when everything went right for him. It takes a special person to do that and I was absolutely made up for him. What I liked about Robbie was he was hungry for more. I remember that game when he had about five or six chances and scored five! He wasn't just content with five goals though - he wanted to score six or seven. That for me was the sign of a great striker.
Excluding yourself, have you ever seen a better finisher than Robbie?
Probably not. If you go back to his first time at Anfield when he had come up through the ranks, he was scoring goals for fun in the first team. Robbie was just a great finisher. That left foot of his was just incredible and then he started scoring with his right foot as well - and that's what makes a quality striker. The thing about Robbie was he knew when to place the ball - he didn't just blast it. A lot of strikers in the game, especially today, just blast everything. His timing was exceptional.
What was he like to play with?
He was great. Robbie is a lovely lad, really down to earth. He just loved playing football and scoring goals. If you told him to do something, he would do it. He wasn't one of them that questioned why you were doing it. As the years went on you saw Robbie becoming more of an all-round player. He was always working hard for his teammates. When Robbie first came into the side his job, like mine, was to score goals. Then as you get more experienced other things come into your game and you become an all-round player. What people don't realise is when the likes of Stan Collymore and Michael Owen came into the team Robbie's role was to help them. He did that and he was doing their running for them and giving his all to make the partnership work. He was never given the credit he deserved for how much work he put in when he partnered Stan and Michael.
Do you feel it was slightly unfortunate that Robbie's talents were never rewarded with a title winner's medal at Anfield?
Yes, it was unfortunate. He was very unlucky and it was just a case of being there at the wrong time. When Robbie came into the side they were revamping the team and a lot of changes were happening. He did deserve to be part of a title-winning side because he was a great player. I know he was desperate to win a Champions League medal and he was disappointed to have been left out of the squad for Athens. It would have been a nice way to bow out of Liverpool but it wasn't to be.
How did you feel when Rafael Benitez brought Robbie back to Anfield?
I was made up, simply for the lad. I knew Robbie could still do it. When Robbie left Liverpool in 2001 he never did as well at Leeds and Manchester City because his heart was still at Liverpool. When Robbie came back he wasn't bothered about the money and he would have come back for nothing. He was just happy to be back and I think when he first came back he was probably fitter than when he left the first time. Such was his determination to do well and his happiness at being back in a red shirt again, he got himself fit and we saw a Robbie Fowler ready to go. He wanted to prove he could still do well at Liverpool and I think he did that. He didn't play a lot but when he was called upon he gave his all and he scored some important goals.
Were you sad to see him go?
I'm very sad to be honest but all love affairs come to an end sometime in football. I think Robbie would have liked another year at Liverpool but Benitez wanted to move on and look for the future. I still feel Robbie could have done a job and helped the young kids out as well. In saying that, the good thing this time was Robbie was able to say thank-you and farewell to the supporters. When he left the first time he didn't get the chance to do that. I know he is grateful to Benitez for bringing him back to the club and giving him the chance to say a proper farewell to the Kop. It was sad but at the end of the day you have to move on.
Do you think we will see Robbie scoring goals for another club this season?
I was speaking with him the other day and he was talking to me about his future. You do have to move on but it's always hard to leave such a fantastic club as Liverpool. I think Robbie still has something to offer but people will always see him as a Liverpool player. It's the same thing that happened to me when I went to Leeds and then Newcastle. Clubs might be thinking: "Well, if Robbie came to us would he be as good because his heart is still at Liverpool?" I think Robbie has got to play for the right team and one that will suit him. If that happens, I think Robbie Fowler will be a bargain to anyone who gets him.
Where does Robbie rank among the all-time LFC strikers?
He has got to be right up there with the best of them. Robbie has had a great career and for me, before he got his injury, he was most probably the best striker in the Premiership. He was a bit unfortunate when he got the injury but he was made up when he got the second chance to come to Liverpool. I thought he conducted himself very well. Robbie is one of the best strikers to ever wear a red shirt.
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156297070705-1321.htm
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
FOWLER WEEK: PAUL TOMKINS ON THE SECOND COMING
At first I didn't believe it. Who did? Robbie Fowler return? Go on, pull the other one.
Anyone who surfs the internet will have heard dozens of such ludicrous stories over the years, as well as all sorts of even crazier left-field rumours. So many people claimed to have seen Thierry Henry at Melwood last month you had to wonder if the club was employing him as the new groundsman. And in years gone by Zinedine Zidane was spotted in almost every restaurant in the city. (Presumably even eating a burger with Elvis Presley.)
Except the Fowler one was true. He really was returning, as unlikely as it seemed.
For a while in 2005/06 it looked like Fowler really was rolling back the years. Five game-winning league goals followed once he broke his duck –– fittingly against Fulham –– in mid-March. His form propelled the Reds to their highest league points tally in two decades –– 82 –– although he could only watch in Cardiff as an ineligible player as another FA Cup was won.
While he couldn't replicate that form in his limited outings last season, his presence at the club was still a beneficial one. He was an important character in the squad, and his finishing in training remained an education to the other forwards, but Benítez openly wished Fowler had the pace and running power of Craig Bellamy, to create his own chances and finish them off.
I felt at the time, in January 2006, that snapping up 'God' was a great gamble to take, particularly as it cost only his wages. He was never going to be the player he was, but perhaps the magical mix of Fowler and Liverpool would give both player and team a boost.
In those first few months, Fowler justified Benítez's decision. While last season was different, and anti-climatic as far as Fowler was concerned, it could still have been so different had the other strikers been injured. He was little more than an insurance policy, but what insurance he provided; had he needed to have been called on, and thus had regular games to get into the swing of things, he wouldn't have let anyone down.
When I first got my season ticket in the mid-90s Fowler was at his pomp; the most natural finisher I'd ever seen. Without the legendary Ian Rush's pace, height or incredible stamina, he relied on finding the corner of the net from nothing more than a half-chance.
There's a difference between goalscorers and natural finishers. Quicker players and taller players will get chances by virtue of those physical attributes. For someone like Fowler, at 5ft 9ins and only ever medium-paced even at his quickest, it had to be in his thinking and in his ability to strike a ball so cleanly.
For me, a natural finisher is someone who makes it look effortless; Alan Shearer, a great goalscorer, may have scored more goals, but so many were based on power, both in his running and in his shooting or heading. With Fowler, it was about timing, stroking a ball with inch-perfect precision.
A lot of being a natural finisher is about positioning, and reacting quickest, but that is true of most goalscorers. Perhaps what separates the two is improvisation: the ability to conjure a piece of magic.
A goalscorer with pace, when faced with a one-on-one with a keeper, knows he has to just drop his shoulder and he can go past him. Indeed, some don't even bother with such subtleties –– knocking it ten yards and catching it up on the other side. A natural goalscorer will chip the keeper in an instinctive act, or curl it around him, and make it inch-perfect.
Whereas players like Rush and Shearer were obviously deadly finishers, Fowler just had that extra ability to do something out of the ordinary.
While his second spell at the club didn't highlight the prowess of his first eight years, the left-foot finish against Reading in the Carling Cup encapsulated his genius: it's hard to think of another player who'd have taken such a chance with the outside of his left foot and curled it into the left-hand corner as he faced the goal. Most would have used the inside of their left foot and gone for that side of the goal, or, if they did use the outside of their left foot, used it to curl it around the keeper in the more natural arc towards the opposite corner. But not Fowler. It was impossible for any keeper to read, let alone stop.
With someone like Shearer, you always knew what he'd do; he just hit the ball so hard few keepers could do anything about it. Why Fowler transcended Shearer during the mid-90s, in my eyes, was in the sheer artistry and unexpectedness of his finishes.
From a manager's point of view, a goal is a goal: yes, he wants to see good football, but if a goal wins a game, that's what matters most, not the aesthetics. But from a fan's point of view there's the issue of entertainment, of being thrilled. We all differ on how we balance out the need for points with the need to be entertained, but no fan could resist a showman like Fowler.
He was impish, and even appeared impudent at times, but his desire was always to score goals. He never wasted a good chance by trying to be too flash or clever; instead, he turned half-chances into sitters with his vision.
Fowler never lost that gift, but a combination of injuries and the massive speeding-up of the English game – and with it so many quicker defenders – meant that a player who was not a natural athlete, nor a big bruiser, was always going to struggle.
Rafa Benítez is not an overly sentimental man. He proved this by omitting Fowler from the 18 in Athens. However, ten days earlier he had given Fowler 89 minutes on his Anfield farewell, only replace him, in an act of kindness, for a standing ovation. Typical of Fowler's luck in his second spell, it was just seconds before the Reds won a penalty, which he would otherwise have taken.
But while Benítez in some ways broke Fowler's heart twice over –– first in Athens, then by releasing him –– the boss had already repaired the biggest break of all by granting Fowler his wish to pull on the red shirt again, and have a chance to properly close the one chapter in his career that really meant something. And in that heart, broken or otherwise, he would have known this time, at 32, that his Liverpool career was finally over, and been able to accept the decision.
Also, in notching a further 12 goals for the club he edged past Kenny Dalglish in the Reds' all-time goals ranking, and that will be something he can look back on with great pride.
While Fowler's second coming will not be remembered with the fondness of his scintillating first, it gave both fans and player alike the chance to say their proper farewells. And that's something that cannot be measured by statistics or by trophies.
Sometimes being a fan is about something beyond your team winning and losing. It's about identifying with someone in the team, and appreciating the unique memories they provide.
In that sense, we all owe Robbie Fowler a big debt of gratitude. His heyday did not coincide with much silverware, but the memories are priceless.
Sources: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/NG156276070704-1214.htm
At first I didn't believe it. Who did? Robbie Fowler return? Go on, pull the other one.
Anyone who surfs the internet will have heard dozens of such ludicrous stories over the years, as well as all sorts of even crazier left-field rumours. So many people claimed to have seen Thierry Henry at Melwood last month you had to wonder if the club was employing him as the new groundsman. And in years gone by Zinedine Zidane was spotted in almost every restaurant in the city. (Presumably even eating a burger with Elvis Presley.)
Except the Fowler one was true. He really was returning, as unlikely as it seemed.
For a while in 2005/06 it looked like Fowler really was rolling back the years. Five game-winning league goals followed once he broke his duck –– fittingly against Fulham –– in mid-March. His form propelled the Reds to their highest league points tally in two decades –– 82 –– although he could only watch in Cardiff as an ineligible player as another FA Cup was won.
While he couldn't replicate that form in his limited outings last season, his presence at the club was still a beneficial one. He was an important character in the squad, and his finishing in training remained an education to the other forwards, but Benítez openly wished Fowler had the pace and running power of Craig Bellamy, to create his own chances and finish them off.
I felt at the time, in January 2006, that snapping up 'God' was a great gamble to take, particularly as it cost only his wages. He was never going to be the player he was, but perhaps the magical mix of Fowler and Liverpool would give both player and team a boost.
In those first few months, Fowler justified Benítez's decision. While last season was different, and anti-climatic as far as Fowler was concerned, it could still have been so different had the other strikers been injured. He was little more than an insurance policy, but what insurance he provided; had he needed to have been called on, and thus had regular games to get into the swing of things, he wouldn't have let anyone down.
When I first got my season ticket in the mid-90s Fowler was at his pomp; the most natural finisher I'd ever seen. Without the legendary Ian Rush's pace, height or incredible stamina, he relied on finding the corner of the net from nothing more than a half-chance.
There's a difference between goalscorers and natural finishers. Quicker players and taller players will get chances by virtue of those physical attributes. For someone like Fowler, at 5ft 9ins and only ever medium-paced even at his quickest, it had to be in his thinking and in his ability to strike a ball so cleanly.
For me, a natural finisher is someone who makes it look effortless; Alan Shearer, a great goalscorer, may have scored more goals, but so many were based on power, both in his running and in his shooting or heading. With Fowler, it was about timing, stroking a ball with inch-perfect precision.
A lot of being a natural finisher is about positioning, and reacting quickest, but that is true of most goalscorers. Perhaps what separates the two is improvisation: the ability to conjure a piece of magic.
A goalscorer with pace, when faced with a one-on-one with a keeper, knows he has to just drop his shoulder and he can go past him. Indeed, some don't even bother with such subtleties –– knocking it ten yards and catching it up on the other side. A natural goalscorer will chip the keeper in an instinctive act, or curl it around him, and make it inch-perfect.
Whereas players like Rush and Shearer were obviously deadly finishers, Fowler just had that extra ability to do something out of the ordinary.
While his second spell at the club didn't highlight the prowess of his first eight years, the left-foot finish against Reading in the Carling Cup encapsulated his genius: it's hard to think of another player who'd have taken such a chance with the outside of his left foot and curled it into the left-hand corner as he faced the goal. Most would have used the inside of their left foot and gone for that side of the goal, or, if they did use the outside of their left foot, used it to curl it around the keeper in the more natural arc towards the opposite corner. But not Fowler. It was impossible for any keeper to read, let alone stop.
With someone like Shearer, you always knew what he'd do; he just hit the ball so hard few keepers could do anything about it. Why Fowler transcended Shearer during the mid-90s, in my eyes, was in the sheer artistry and unexpectedness of his finishes.
From a manager's point of view, a goal is a goal: yes, he wants to see good football, but if a goal wins a game, that's what matters most, not the aesthetics. But from a fan's point of view there's the issue of entertainment, of being thrilled. We all differ on how we balance out the need for points with the need to be entertained, but no fan could resist a showman like Fowler.
He was impish, and even appeared impudent at times, but his desire was always to score goals. He never wasted a good chance by trying to be too flash or clever; instead, he turned half-chances into sitters with his vision.
Fowler never lost that gift, but a combination of injuries and the massive speeding-up of the English game – and with it so many quicker defenders – meant that a player who was not a natural athlete, nor a big bruiser, was always going to struggle.
Rafa Benítez is not an overly sentimental man. He proved this by omitting Fowler from the 18 in Athens. However, ten days earlier he had given Fowler 89 minutes on his Anfield farewell, only replace him, in an act of kindness, for a standing ovation. Typical of Fowler's luck in his second spell, it was just seconds before the Reds won a penalty, which he would otherwise have taken.
But while Benítez in some ways broke Fowler's heart twice over –– first in Athens, then by releasing him –– the boss had already repaired the biggest break of all by granting Fowler his wish to pull on the red shirt again, and have a chance to properly close the one chapter in his career that really meant something. And in that heart, broken or otherwise, he would have known this time, at 32, that his Liverpool career was finally over, and been able to accept the decision.
Also, in notching a further 12 goals for the club he edged past Kenny Dalglish in the Reds' all-time goals ranking, and that will be something he can look back on with great pride.
While Fowler's second coming will not be remembered with the fondness of his scintillating first, it gave both fans and player alike the chance to say their proper farewells. And that's something that cannot be measured by statistics or by trophies.
Sometimes being a fan is about something beyond your team winning and losing. It's about identifying with someone in the team, and appreciating the unique memories they provide.
In that sense, we all owe Robbie Fowler a big debt of gratitude. His heyday did not coincide with much silverware, but the memories are priceless.
Sources: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/NG156276070704-1214.htm
As Robbie Fowler Week continues on Liverpoolfc.tv, we've chronicled the great man's Anfield career in numbers.
11,000,000 pounds, the amount David O'Leary paid to bring Fowler to Elland Road in 2001
12,541 fans at Anfield to witness his 5 goals during his home debut in 1993 against Fulham in the Coca Cola Cup. Just 3 players had scored 5 in a single game for the Reds previously: Ian Rush, Andy McGuigan and John Evans
1,519 days away from the club between November 2001 and January 2006
712 friends on his unofficial myspace site, compared to 125 for Ian Rush and 20 for Michael Owen
369 appearances for Liverpool
273 seconds to score a hat-trick against George Graham's Arsenal in 94/95
183 goals for Liverpool, putting him 5th in the club's all-time scorers' chart
165 games needed to score 100 goals – one fewer than Ian Rush
129 consecutive games between March 1994 and September 1996
92 appearances for Man City, with 27 goals
36 goals in the 95/96 season, Fowler's highest ever total
33 appearances for Leeds United, with 14 goals
29 League Cup goals for the Reds
26 caps for England, with 7 goals
23 appearances under Graeme Souness, the man who handed him his Reds debut
23 was the first shirt number Fowler wore at Liverpool
20 out of 26 penalties scored. One of those missed came in front of the North Bank at Highbury in 1997 when referee Gerald Ashby awarded a spot kick even though Fowler admitted David Seaman had not brought him down
18 years old when he made his Liverpool debut against Fulham
17 goals scored in the treble season 00/01
14 European goals for the Reds
14 goals against Aston Villa, Fowler's favourite opponents
11 was the shirt number initially worn by Fowler on his return in 2006 until Djibril Cisse left on loan, vacating the number 9 shirt
10 hat-tricks for Liverpool, the same as Michael Owen. Only Gordon Hodgson (17), Ian Rush (16) and Roger Hunt (12) have scored more
9 is God's number
8, or L8. Fowler is Toxteth's most famous son
6 goals against Everton
5 trophies won with the Reds: 2 League Cups, 1 FA Cup, 1 UEFA Cup and 1 European Super Cup. Fowler was cup tied during the 2006 FA Cup run
5 fingers shown to United fans during the Manchester derby in 2005, a reminder of the number of European Cups won by his former club
3 minutes to score his first goal for England Under-21s on his debut versus San Marino
2 sendings off for Liverpool, both in 1997 against Everton and Bolton
2 PFA Young Player of the Year awards
1 Robbie Fowler
FOWLER WEEK: TONY BARRETT ON ROBBIE
The first time I set eyes on Robbie Fowler he was just 11-years-old and his surname wasn't even Fowler.
As a kid he was Robbie Ryder and everyone involved in kids football in Liverpool had heard of him. There was a huge buzz about him. He played for a team called Thorvald - a team which no other team in the city could live with - and Robbie was the star player.
I have to admit though that the first time I saw 'God' I was a non-believer. I was watching a mate of mine playing an under-11s game on Botanic Park and Thorvald were playing on the next pitch.
At half-time in the game I was watching, I walked over to have a look at Thorvald. Just to see for myself if this Robbie Ryder kid was as good as people were saying.
As usual, Thorvald were administering a hiding to some poor team who simply couldn't get near them. But it was their right winger, a lad called Franny Tierney whom I'd played with in Liverpool schoolboy trials, who really caught my eye.
Franny was electric - probably the most talented young footballer I've ever seen - and as was always the case, he was pulling the opposition leftback to bits. Ryder, by comparison, wasn't doing much. He just seemed to be loitering in and around the box, not getting too involved in the build up and, at times, he looked too small and weak to make a big impression.
Thorvald ended up winning 4-0 and Ryder got two. Both were tap-ins from about a yard and I can remember saying to my mate that I didn't think he was anywhere near as good as people were making out.
Thankfully, Liverpool had scouts who knew quite a bit more about what makes a top class centre forward than I did.
A couple of Sundays later I was back at Botanic Park and my mate's team were playing Thorvald. It turned out to be a massacre as Thorvald won 26-0. And that's not a misprint; they really did score 26 goals without reply.
Ryder got 16 of them and my mate blamed me.
"Thought you said he was no good?" he shouted at me as he trudged off the pitch.
"He's alright," I replied. "But he doesn't get to play against you every week, does he?''
I'm pretty sure Robbie was already training with Liverpool by this time and he was definitely a fixture in the Liverpool Schoolboys team. Clearly there were those who hadn't needed to see him score 16 in a single outing to realise what a class act he was.
It would be another six years before I saw Ryder in action again and, by the time I did, he had become known as Robbie Fowler and he came with a very, very big reputation which had been forged with Liverpool schoolboys, England under-18s and Liverpool reserves.
Graeme Souness picked Fowler for the Liverpool first team in a Coca Cola Cup tie at Fulham and those of us who made the trip to London on a cold night in autumn were given a taste of what was to come as the 18-year-old scored a typical poachers goal.~
It was his performance in the second-leg which made the rest of the country sit up and take notice though. Fowler struck five times to leave the Fulham defence looking like a kids' team's back four on Botanic Park.~
After that he was asked if he'd ever scored more than five and he said: "Yeah, I scored 16 once."
The newspapers set out to find the team he'd scored 16 goals against and one of the Sundays ended up tracking down the lad who'd been in goal that fateful day. They got hold of him and took him down to Melwood to be reunited with Robbie. True to form, Fowler gave him a bit of stick when he got there, but he also gave him a load of training gear and made sure the newspaper looked after his 'victim' with a few bob for his troubles.
It's impossible to overstate just how popular Fowler was with the Liverpool fans at this time. His love affair with the Kop was so intense that only the one with Kenny Dalglish stands comparison in the modern era.
And it wasn't just down to his goals. There was a cheekiness about Fowler that most local fans could identify with and that endeared him to us even more. Even when he messed up, he did so for the right reasons. His infamous goal celebration against Everton may have been ill-advised but most Liverpool fans would love to do something similar given the opportunity. And his abuse of Graeme Le Saux may have been immature and out of order but at least he'd picked the right target to wind up.
Then there was the time he scored against Brann Bergen in a Cup Winners Cup tie at Anfield and lifted his Liverpool shirt to show off a t-shirt displaying his solidarity with the sacked Liverpool dockworkers.
True to form, he was fined by UEFA for his actions but it was a price well worth paying for Fowler as not only had he raised awareness of the disgraceful way 500 workers had been treated by their employers, it also inadvertently led to his status as a local folk hero being set in stone.
It wasn't just about public displays either. Speak to dockers who manned the picket lines during their lengthy dispute and they will readily tell you about Fowler and his great mate Steve McManaman regularly helping them out with donations.
Both Fowler and McManaman kept it quiet. They weren't doing it for publicity but Liverpool being the village that it is, word soon got out and they got the respect they so richly deserved for doing the right thing by their working class comrades and for not forgetting their roots.
Another thing that endeared Fowler to Kopites was he was so hated by fans of our biggest rivals, largely because he had a knack of scoring against them and then celebrating in front of them. Even after he left Liverpool he was still doing it.Who can forget the five fingers he raised to Man United supporters in honour of Liverpool's quintet of European Cup wins when he scored for City in the Manchester derby? Or the head smacking celebration he did as he ran the length of the Bullens Road after scoring at Goodison?
The more they hated Fowler, the more we loved him.
Hero status can be too easily awarded in modern football but in Fowler's case he undoubtedly earned it - through his goals, his genius, his generosity and, not forgetting, his pranks.
There are those who say Robbie Fowler is the greatest natural finisher they have ever seen and the highest tribute I can pay him is to say there is nothing to choose between him and Ian Rush.
Had Fowler been lucky enough to play alongside Kenny Dalglish he would no doubt have added another 100 or more goals to his Liverpool total. He really was that good.
In his prime, before injuries took their toll, he pretty much guaranteed goals. Right-foot strikes, left-foot shots, headers, volleys, scorchers from distance, tap-ins from a yard out and flukes off his backside - Fowler could do the lot.
Not bad for a kid who started off on Botanic Park and didn't look that good!
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156263070702-1648.htm
The first time I set eyes on Robbie Fowler he was just 11-years-old and his surname wasn't even Fowler.
As a kid he was Robbie Ryder and everyone involved in kids football in Liverpool had heard of him. There was a huge buzz about him. He played for a team called Thorvald - a team which no other team in the city could live with - and Robbie was the star player.
I have to admit though that the first time I saw 'God' I was a non-believer. I was watching a mate of mine playing an under-11s game on Botanic Park and Thorvald were playing on the next pitch.
At half-time in the game I was watching, I walked over to have a look at Thorvald. Just to see for myself if this Robbie Ryder kid was as good as people were saying.
As usual, Thorvald were administering a hiding to some poor team who simply couldn't get near them. But it was their right winger, a lad called Franny Tierney whom I'd played with in Liverpool schoolboy trials, who really caught my eye.
Franny was electric - probably the most talented young footballer I've ever seen - and as was always the case, he was pulling the opposition leftback to bits. Ryder, by comparison, wasn't doing much. He just seemed to be loitering in and around the box, not getting too involved in the build up and, at times, he looked too small and weak to make a big impression.
Thorvald ended up winning 4-0 and Ryder got two. Both were tap-ins from about a yard and I can remember saying to my mate that I didn't think he was anywhere near as good as people were making out.
Thankfully, Liverpool had scouts who knew quite a bit more about what makes a top class centre forward than I did.
A couple of Sundays later I was back at Botanic Park and my mate's team were playing Thorvald. It turned out to be a massacre as Thorvald won 26-0. And that's not a misprint; they really did score 26 goals without reply.
Ryder got 16 of them and my mate blamed me.
"Thought you said he was no good?" he shouted at me as he trudged off the pitch.
"He's alright," I replied. "But he doesn't get to play against you every week, does he?''
I'm pretty sure Robbie was already training with Liverpool by this time and he was definitely a fixture in the Liverpool Schoolboys team. Clearly there were those who hadn't needed to see him score 16 in a single outing to realise what a class act he was.
It would be another six years before I saw Ryder in action again and, by the time I did, he had become known as Robbie Fowler and he came with a very, very big reputation which had been forged with Liverpool schoolboys, England under-18s and Liverpool reserves.
Graeme Souness picked Fowler for the Liverpool first team in a Coca Cola Cup tie at Fulham and those of us who made the trip to London on a cold night in autumn were given a taste of what was to come as the 18-year-old scored a typical poachers goal.~
It was his performance in the second-leg which made the rest of the country sit up and take notice though. Fowler struck five times to leave the Fulham defence looking like a kids' team's back four on Botanic Park.~
After that he was asked if he'd ever scored more than five and he said: "Yeah, I scored 16 once."
The newspapers set out to find the team he'd scored 16 goals against and one of the Sundays ended up tracking down the lad who'd been in goal that fateful day. They got hold of him and took him down to Melwood to be reunited with Robbie. True to form, Fowler gave him a bit of stick when he got there, but he also gave him a load of training gear and made sure the newspaper looked after his 'victim' with a few bob for his troubles.
It's impossible to overstate just how popular Fowler was with the Liverpool fans at this time. His love affair with the Kop was so intense that only the one with Kenny Dalglish stands comparison in the modern era.
And it wasn't just down to his goals. There was a cheekiness about Fowler that most local fans could identify with and that endeared him to us even more. Even when he messed up, he did so for the right reasons. His infamous goal celebration against Everton may have been ill-advised but most Liverpool fans would love to do something similar given the opportunity. And his abuse of Graeme Le Saux may have been immature and out of order but at least he'd picked the right target to wind up.
Then there was the time he scored against Brann Bergen in a Cup Winners Cup tie at Anfield and lifted his Liverpool shirt to show off a t-shirt displaying his solidarity with the sacked Liverpool dockworkers.
True to form, he was fined by UEFA for his actions but it was a price well worth paying for Fowler as not only had he raised awareness of the disgraceful way 500 workers had been treated by their employers, it also inadvertently led to his status as a local folk hero being set in stone.
It wasn't just about public displays either. Speak to dockers who manned the picket lines during their lengthy dispute and they will readily tell you about Fowler and his great mate Steve McManaman regularly helping them out with donations.
Both Fowler and McManaman kept it quiet. They weren't doing it for publicity but Liverpool being the village that it is, word soon got out and they got the respect they so richly deserved for doing the right thing by their working class comrades and for not forgetting their roots.
Another thing that endeared Fowler to Kopites was he was so hated by fans of our biggest rivals, largely because he had a knack of scoring against them and then celebrating in front of them. Even after he left Liverpool he was still doing it.Who can forget the five fingers he raised to Man United supporters in honour of Liverpool's quintet of European Cup wins when he scored for City in the Manchester derby? Or the head smacking celebration he did as he ran the length of the Bullens Road after scoring at Goodison?
The more they hated Fowler, the more we loved him.
Hero status can be too easily awarded in modern football but in Fowler's case he undoubtedly earned it - through his goals, his genius, his generosity and, not forgetting, his pranks.
There are those who say Robbie Fowler is the greatest natural finisher they have ever seen and the highest tribute I can pay him is to say there is nothing to choose between him and Ian Rush.
Had Fowler been lucky enough to play alongside Kenny Dalglish he would no doubt have added another 100 or more goals to his Liverpool total. He really was that good.
In his prime, before injuries took their toll, he pretty much guaranteed goals. Right-foot strikes, left-foot shots, headers, volleys, scorchers from distance, tap-ins from a yard out and flukes off his backside - Fowler could do the lot.
Not bad for a kid who started off on Botanic Park and didn't look that good!
Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156263070702-1648.htm
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I went to a kindergarden to give a talk to the kids today. Gosh were they enthusiastic!?!
Me: Hello boys and girls! Do you know who I am?
Kids: Mr Policeman! Mr Policeman!
Me: Correct!
Kids: You are handsome!
(Kindergarden burst into laughter)
Me: ... ...(stunned)
I proceeded to give them talk about policing, the gadgets we use, simple explaination on crime, consequences for criminals, how they can protect themselves, how they can identify Police, etc.
When I showed them my walkie talkie, their hands sprouted out for my mic, each greeting 'hello' into it. Well, kids are naive. Greeting into the mic when my walkie talkie was actually off. How can we blame them? That's what make them so adorable.
When the handcuffs were shown, they were in awe. They know only bad guys are cuffed. One of the kids cried when he saw it. Kids being kids, they all want a feel of how it is like to be handcuffed. So, I softened and allowed them to try it. But their hands are so small, they can slip both their hands in and out of the cuffs effortlessly. How easily satisfied kids are when they are young and ignorant?
Then I went on with Q&A session, and gosh, they were active! When giving away presents to these kids, their appreciation and delight warmed my heart. The ability to share and give for these kids is really extraordinary. That's why this is an extraordinary career!
As the talk neared an end, a pleasant surprise was thrown to the kids. They were given a chance to take a seat and take a photo in the police car. So my partners and I carried them into the back seat. The kids were excited when I carried them. As I carried them, I felt like Arnold Schwarzenegar in the movie, Kindergarden Cop. It was really a feel good time.
Finally, the visit to the kids came to an end. They raised their hands up demanding for high fives before the teachers could bring them back for lunch. It was a great connection. As the kids bid their goodbyes and waved. they were holding their steps back. The teachers had to demand them to get back into the building to wash their tiny limbs to get ready for lunch.
Kids: Bye bye policeman! (Greeted with smile and glitters from their eyes)
These kids made my day despite a hectic schedule ahead. What a gift from God! A true piece of masterpiece - A child of purity.
Me: Hello boys and girls! Do you know who I am?
Kids: Mr Policeman! Mr Policeman!
Me: Correct!
Kids: You are handsome!
(Kindergarden burst into laughter)
Me: ... ...(stunned)
I proceeded to give them talk about policing, the gadgets we use, simple explaination on crime, consequences for criminals, how they can protect themselves, how they can identify Police, etc.
When I showed them my walkie talkie, their hands sprouted out for my mic, each greeting 'hello' into it. Well, kids are naive. Greeting into the mic when my walkie talkie was actually off. How can we blame them? That's what make them so adorable.
When the handcuffs were shown, they were in awe. They know only bad guys are cuffed. One of the kids cried when he saw it. Kids being kids, they all want a feel of how it is like to be handcuffed. So, I softened and allowed them to try it. But their hands are so small, they can slip both their hands in and out of the cuffs effortlessly. How easily satisfied kids are when they are young and ignorant?
Then I went on with Q&A session, and gosh, they were active! When giving away presents to these kids, their appreciation and delight warmed my heart. The ability to share and give for these kids is really extraordinary. That's why this is an extraordinary career!
As the talk neared an end, a pleasant surprise was thrown to the kids. They were given a chance to take a seat and take a photo in the police car. So my partners and I carried them into the back seat. The kids were excited when I carried them. As I carried them, I felt like Arnold Schwarzenegar in the movie, Kindergarden Cop. It was really a feel good time.
Finally, the visit to the kids came to an end. They raised their hands up demanding for high fives before the teachers could bring them back for lunch. It was a great connection. As the kids bid their goodbyes and waved. they were holding their steps back. The teachers had to demand them to get back into the building to wash their tiny limbs to get ready for lunch.
Kids: Bye bye policeman! (Greeted with smile and glitters from their eyes)
These kids made my day despite a hectic schedule ahead. What a gift from God! A true piece of masterpiece - A child of purity.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
1st May
I, the true believer, caught the webslinger in action. Webbed to the screen at Cathay Orchard in the early morning timeslot at 9.30am. The much anticipated movie, Spider-Man 3. Being a fan of the comic, I say S.Raimi did a pretty good job. The movie did what Stan Lee would have hope like he did in his creation. To make the audience feel like they are in the story with Spidey.
As usual, Stan Lee was in the movie. However, this time, he got to speak with P.Parker. What a great moment for the comic fans to see Marvel's comic genius playing cameo in the movie. It is a movie above the hype. Emotions run deep like it should be. A Marvel comic on screen with Spider-Man showing why he is the greatest creation in the Marvel universe. Simply because he, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, is Marvellous! Venom and Sandman just made him even better. These supervillians are great! And what a brilliant move to the twist when Goblin fight alongside Spidey! Simply MARVEL-lous!
2nd May
After the enjoyable movie with Spider-Man 3, I prepared myself for another entertainment - Liverpool vs Chelsea. Chelsea coming to Anfield, protecting a 1 goal lead. But I, the loyal supporter, once a Red, always a Red, believed that Liverpool is on the way to the 6th European Cup glory. Indeed! Liverpool scored early in the game through Agger at the 22nd minute, hung on through the final whistle. A penalty shootout determines the outcome.
Zenden 1, Robben (saved), Alonso 2, Lampard 1, Gerrard 3, Geremi 1 (saved), Kuyt 4
Liverpool wins 4-1 on penalties. This time, Jose can't say that the ball didn't cross the line.
Liverpool! We're off to Athens!
I, the true believer, caught the webslinger in action. Webbed to the screen at Cathay Orchard in the early morning timeslot at 9.30am. The much anticipated movie, Spider-Man 3. Being a fan of the comic, I say S.Raimi did a pretty good job. The movie did what Stan Lee would have hope like he did in his creation. To make the audience feel like they are in the story with Spidey.
As usual, Stan Lee was in the movie. However, this time, he got to speak with P.Parker. What a great moment for the comic fans to see Marvel's comic genius playing cameo in the movie. It is a movie above the hype. Emotions run deep like it should be. A Marvel comic on screen with Spider-Man showing why he is the greatest creation in the Marvel universe. Simply because he, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, is Marvellous! Venom and Sandman just made him even better. These supervillians are great! And what a brilliant move to the twist when Goblin fight alongside Spidey! Simply MARVEL-lous!
2nd May
After the enjoyable movie with Spider-Man 3, I prepared myself for another entertainment - Liverpool vs Chelsea. Chelsea coming to Anfield, protecting a 1 goal lead. But I, the loyal supporter, once a Red, always a Red, believed that Liverpool is on the way to the 6th European Cup glory. Indeed! Liverpool scored early in the game through Agger at the 22nd minute, hung on through the final whistle. A penalty shootout determines the outcome.
Zenden 1, Robben (saved), Alonso 2, Lampard 1, Gerrard 3, Geremi 1 (saved), Kuyt 4
Liverpool wins 4-1 on penalties. This time, Jose can't say that the ball didn't cross the line.
Liverpool! We're off to Athens!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Happy belated lunar new year!
After one year of shiftwork, I can tell how time flies, and how hard it is to catch up with friends. It is like I'm working when peeps are on their off days having fun, or when peeps are slogging out at work while I spent a boring day alone at home on my off. However, after this chinese new year, I'll be working irregular shiftwork no more!
I've been transferred to working office hours which requires lots and lots of OT. That means that I'll have a schedule that looks easier to plan ahead, however, having more work cramped within 8 short hours. If not, it only means OT, OT, and more OT!
Despite the heavier workload which the management bluntly informs, I'm gonna be taking this as a new challenge which many had rejected. Colleagues are shocked to know that I accepted the transfer, and that I'm courting death and stress. All they could offer is sympathy and well wishes, with their disappointment to see me leave the team. Well, as the newest and youngest officer, I've been transferred twice in a matter of 2 months. But, glad am I to hear the impact I have made that makes it seems as though those were years. Well, it's all about how we see things in perspective. There are always the good with the bad, the happy with the sad, the highs and the lows, the pros and the cons.
So farewell to shiftwork for now, and back to boring office hours on Mondays to Saturdays. It's now a matter of flying or sinking, I guess...
After one year of shiftwork, I can tell how time flies, and how hard it is to catch up with friends. It is like I'm working when peeps are on their off days having fun, or when peeps are slogging out at work while I spent a boring day alone at home on my off. However, after this chinese new year, I'll be working irregular shiftwork no more!
I've been transferred to working office hours which requires lots and lots of OT. That means that I'll have a schedule that looks easier to plan ahead, however, having more work cramped within 8 short hours. If not, it only means OT, OT, and more OT!
Despite the heavier workload which the management bluntly informs, I'm gonna be taking this as a new challenge which many had rejected. Colleagues are shocked to know that I accepted the transfer, and that I'm courting death and stress. All they could offer is sympathy and well wishes, with their disappointment to see me leave the team. Well, as the newest and youngest officer, I've been transferred twice in a matter of 2 months. But, glad am I to hear the impact I have made that makes it seems as though those were years. Well, it's all about how we see things in perspective. There are always the good with the bad, the happy with the sad, the highs and the lows, the pros and the cons.
So farewell to shiftwork for now, and back to boring office hours on Mondays to Saturdays. It's now a matter of flying or sinking, I guess...
Friday, January 05, 2007
Year: A.D. 2007
1 more year towards the future... The future for better or for worse.
1 more year nears the destruction of Earth.
Mother Nature takes on another year of battle against the Human race. Global warming edges closer. Fossil fuel depletes yet another level. The ozone layer thins. The techtonic plates drifts and readjust their positions. Green forests cut down to plots of empty lands. Empty lands turns into wastelands. Wastelands becomes brown sandy deserts. Evolution progresses unnoticed. The newborn replaces the dying. New challenges arises, with old ones unsolved.
What are we celebrating about? Deep beneath the surface...
ARE YOU READY?!
1 more year towards the future... The future for better or for worse.
1 more year nears the destruction of Earth.
Mother Nature takes on another year of battle against the Human race. Global warming edges closer. Fossil fuel depletes yet another level. The ozone layer thins. The techtonic plates drifts and readjust their positions. Green forests cut down to plots of empty lands. Empty lands turns into wastelands. Wastelands becomes brown sandy deserts. Evolution progresses unnoticed. The newborn replaces the dying. New challenges arises, with old ones unsolved.
What are we celebrating about? Deep beneath the surface...
ARE YOU READY?!
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