Don't you find my blog boring?

My blog is all about football and football and more football! If it is not about the school's football team, then it is Liverpool! Haha... no wonder so few people and even none is tagging in my tag box! But that's really what only happen to me now. It's work or my interest. Life is routine, most of the time boring. Isn't life like this? You got to find small joy in the small things that you do everyday to make everyday less boring isn't it? But sometimes, you get so tired that you rather move along like a zombie. Everyday, I have to get to work and worry about whether I'll fall sick and accumulate medical leave again. Everyday, I received letters telling me the deadline of all my credit card bills, internet bills, taxes, etc. Everyday, I scold and scold pupils who don't do their work and misbehave. Everyday, I look forward only to Friday night and Saturday. 1 week-7days and I only live happily and freely for only about 30% of the week. I tell you, especially all my ex-pupils, it is definitely more exciting being a student than a working adult. Even though you have to study and study, get nagged and nagged by your parents and teachers, you do have lots of fun hanging around with friends, anticipating an admirer's reply, longing for that first love, styling the coolest hairstyle, following the latest trends. I can no longer o all these. Damn! I'm getting old! Where's life?

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 10:22 PM

UEFA Champions League Semi Final
1st Leg at Anfiled
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea

With Hope in Our Hearts...
We Will Walk to Moscow Together!

Even at 1-0, I didn't feel safe knowing that the second leg will be played at Stamford Bridge next Wed. When 4 minutes of injury time was played, I thought we still can get 1 more goal on the break as Chelsea was looking to equalize. I was so wrong. It turned out to be a disaster. Riise scored a disastrous own goal in the 4min of injury time. Totally devastated. Yes all fans in Reds are feeling terrible. I couldn't sleep after that. It took me about 1 hour later to fall asleep. The sight of Riise putting the ball into our own net kept repeating in my head. I can imagine how Mr Riise would feel for the rest of his life if Liverpool were to go out of the Cup next week because of his injury time blunder. Once again, Liverpool v Chelsea was played cautiously and the stubborn Chelsea's defence and Petr Cech proved to be the stumbling block again. I'm seriously feeling frustrated over this. The only time when Chelsea's defence and Cech looked seriously vulnerable was the 20mins after half time. The other time, it was almost quite boring with Liverpool's defence handling the Chelsea well and the Chelsea's midfield not allowing Liverpool to penetrate attack. Same story always for the past few encounters. But I must have hope, so does the other Redders. It will be the first time one certain Fernando Torres will be playing at Stamford Bridge. It will be the first time Stamford Bridge will be witnessing the power of the Gerrard-Torres combination. And it will be the first time Benitez get a victory at Stamford Bridge. Stamford Bridge will fall down just like London Bridge! Again! Haha...

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 9:52 PM

Tiring April

With no holiday to look forward to in April, it seems everyday is a drag... haha...but life still has to go on isn't it? So everyday, I have to look forward to the little thing that can help me to relax. Nothing beats resting on my bed, just lying down and not thinking of anything. That's already pure joy for me these days! These days, don't know if it is because I'm sick of life, too tired or what, I don't talk so much. Sometimes, my silence maybe mistaken for me being frustrated or having bad mood, but true is, I just don't feel like talking.

Yesterday, my colleague jio me to go Kukup during the Vesak Day long weekend. Wow, I just realised there's a long weekend holiday in May! Great! But ever since married, you just don't feel good when you are out there enjoying with another group of people while your spouse are left at home. Whenever my colleagues talk about going somewhere, I will move away, scared that they will jio me. Then I have to reject them even though i maybe interested in joining them. I am enthusiastic towards most thing, but ever since I'm tied down, I just feel that I should stay t home. I think the only time when i maybe defiant is only when my buddies jio me to watch Liverpool's match! haha...Well, anyway, i don't think I will like Kukup, heard people only go there for seafood (i'm not the biggest fan of seafood lah) and i think it is dirty and unhygienic there.

The school soccer team has continued to progress well. They are in the Nationals and after 3 games, they won 2 and lost 1 and have qualified for the next round. They are that good lah. But I must admit we are blessed to have a good coach in Swandi Ahmad. He is currently the head coach of Gombak United too. But now most of the coaching is done by Talip. He is also another very good coach even though he doesn't coach any S-League team.

So please take a look at the rest of the 2 games that GESPS played in the Nationals. Enjoy the second half of April and start looking forward to the MAY DAY HOLIDAY!

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 7:38 PM

UEFA Champions League
Quarter Final
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 2
(agg : 5-3)

Oooohhhh! What a match! Arsenal started so explosively. They were passing so well and my beloved Reds was chasing shadows...struggling. But once Hyypia equalised to make the score 1-1, Liverpool's confidence was restored. They had more possession for the rest of the first half, Arsenal perhaps has moved a gear too fast and was fast losing steam. Certainly, no team can play at a high tempo throughout a game and Arsenal showed us last night.


The second half started almost the same as the first half started. Arsenal, again, was slicked in their passing and moving the ball well. But honestly, they didn't pose much a threat to Reina's goal. As Arsenal started losing their imagination in the final third of the half, Liverpool's midfield started to gain more control and was creating half chances. Torres, who was relatively quiet throughout the game, exploded and show his class once more. Taking the ball from Crouch's head on, he took two touches before executing a superb right-foot volley into the top right hand corner, leaving Almunia stranded. The ball travelled at such a pace that even the best keeper in the world couldn't prevent. I was overjoyed. I know my team can maintain this lead. I trusted the defence.


Alas, it was not to be. 83minute, our attack broke down, Walcott ran 70metres passed Alonso, Riise, Mascherano, a last ditch lunging tackling Sami Hyypia, before squaring the ball for Adebayor to coolly slot the ball beyond Reina's reach. Gone... that's the end of my team's Champions League adventure.

But as soon as the TV was done with the replays of Arsenal's second goal, Ryan Babel suddenly tumbled down in the penalty area. PENALTY! I was in dreamland. How could we have lost the lead the suddenly gain a chance to restore it in a space of a minute? Up stepped Steven G. I couldn't bear to watch. I was thinking... he may just sky it... Shucks! But I decided to open my eyes, have faith and believe. Gerrard runs up... into the top left hand corner! What a coolly taken penalty! The replay shows that Srktel and maybe Reina weren't even dare to watch the penalty being taken. 3-2. Yes, Gerrard has brought Liverpool back to life!

With 5 minutes to go, it was still not safe. Arsenal was pouring men to attack. The Liverpool defence was defending quite high up, trying to catch Arsenal's frontmen offside. Scary! One Fabregas pass can split the whole defence up. C'mon, close him down! Then into the 1st minute of injury time, Kuyt cleared the ball high up for the second time in a space of 2 minutes. This time, it found Babel in acres of space. Who was with him? Fabregas! What was he doing in the defenders' territory? Nevermind, Babel ran with great strength, showed lots of composure, shooting the ball passed Almunia. Yes, we are now safe! Victory's in our hands! Semi-final here we come!


Another fellow Reds ask me, can we handle Chelsea as they are now managed by Grant (even though we have beaten Chelsea twice in the semi-final, both times were victories over Mourinho), I replied- In Rafa, Gerrard, Torres, Carragher, Srktel, Hyypia, Babel, Kuyt, Mascherano, Alonson, Aurelio and the rest of the Reds I TRUST!

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 11:01 PM

GESPS playing in the Nationals

It has been a busy period for every teacher in GESPS. There's the Healthy Lifestyle Fortnight, the Sports carnival coming up this Sat, the SYF competitions and of course for me, the soccer team's participation in the South Zone and National Tournament. My PE class from P4 was the champion of the Healthy Lifestyle Fortnight Captain's Ball competition. Guess I chose the right players for this competition! Haha... The Sports carnival will be held in school instead of stadiums, and this year the competition will be totally different! If you want to witness what's the whole Sports carnival about, come down to GESPS on Sat! (But I don't know if ex-pupils can come into the school or not...hehe) The school's Indian dance has got a Gold with Honors in the SYF competition. The Basketball Junior Girls won the South Zone title are playing in the Nationals, so are the Badminton Senior Girls. Overload with activities in GESPS. Suddenly, a school has become a place for CCA and competitions. I wonder if these will affect the pupils academically. I guess teachers who are not involved in any CCA will be annoyed by their pupils' endless participation in CCA and it's competition. But what to do? This is MOE's direction for schools, providing a holistic studying environment for all pupils. I hope our society won't place as much emphasis on academics but placed equal importance on other aspects which our younger generation can excel in.

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 10:20 PM

GESPS is the Champ!

Yes! Finally! Gan Eng Seng Pri Sch Senior Soccer Team is the South Zone Champion for 2008! It has been a long journey for the team. The semi-final was postponed from before the school holiday to school reopen because of rain. Then the final was postponed 3 times also because of poor weather. But all the wait has been worthwhile. Next Monday the team will start playing in the National Tournament. This year most of GESPS CCA has done well. But none of them got champion besides soccer. That's why I am extremely proud of this soccer team. Hope they continue to do well not only in soccer but also their PSLE in Oct!

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 9:37 PM