3 August 2012 READ MORE >
19 July 2012 READ MORE >
14 July 2012 READ MORE > | 1 note
I feel the pinch (too) when I saw this online article – young futbol talents, hampered at the start of his futbol-ing career by national service duty back in Singapore. Not only me, I believe many futbol hopefuls reading these would understand how much impact the national service had caused especially when you were at the peak of your futbol career.
Just when you were done with a few thousand pieces of jigsaw puzzle using the past 10 days, someone came and messed it all up. You would be having this dilemma, questioning yourself if you should redo the few thousand pieces of jigsaw puzzle or should you just stop and carry on with other things? Some might argue with me on this example but let’s face it, put the agenda of doing the jigsaw puzzle aside, not all but many, or most of us would not re-do it the second time. I want to put this example back to the unfortunate reality which Singapore futbol is facing. Please do not get me wrong, I am a Singaporean and I went through the mandatory 2 years of national service and in fact, in another 2 years’ time, I will be officially ROD (save your time of searching the meaning of this ROD, it simply means finally I am off from the government’s book for good!!).
My national service called-up came when I was at my futbol peak. I traded my futbol jersey for the army green unwillingly, in despair to be exact. Unwillingly accepted the fact that one of my feet was on the professional futbol pitch and now I am stepping out totally and indefinitely. 2 years passed, I am not anywhere near the standard where I used to and eventually gave up that futbol dream which I was holding on passionately for years. I can still remember making the same wish, to be a professional futbol player, every year prior to blowing the birthday candles in front of all my friends and family.
I do not want to give readers here an impression that I am blaming national service for my misfortune - national service is a futbol-dream dasher. I just feel that something can be done to give this lot of young futbol talents an opportunity to shine and to continue improve without any distraction or unnecessary pressure. All of us know that the crucial age for futbol development is between 18-25 years old and unfortunately many local talented players are enlisted during these age. Honestly, how many can make it to Home Utd or SAF? Or I should say, how many slot the clubs have to accommodate thousands and thousands of gifted youngsters?
I enjoy reading the comments on facebook on this topic. Is it true that South Korea has this arrangement where a man can be enlisted to army at any time before 30 years old? Talk about this, I ever did hear that some Korean artists such as famous Rain, only went into the army when he’s near 30 years old! If this is true, then I think that special “allowance” will be very helpful for our futbol players here! National service is mandatory and crucial but we hope that certain flexibility can be practiced to compromise the national service vs futbol-issue. Even our legendary striker, Fandi Ahmad, hesitated if he should allow both of his talented young boys who caught the eyes of Chelsea’s and AC Milan’s scouts, to take up Singapore citizenships. Don’t get it? Means he’s aware that national service will put a halt to his children’s European futbol career development!
If anyone who’s reading these, and have the capability of influencing the top government officials, like children, cousins, nephews, nieces of Singapore’s Ministers’, Prime Minister’s or Mr. President’s, do me a small favor… show this write-up to them, on behalf of Junpiter Futbol, thank you very much!
1 February 2012 READ MORE > | 1 note
Yes, futbol is a sweating sports which some ladies might associate that with shampoo on water-dripping hairs, body foam on sweat-filled chest and filthy wet towels. No, not anymore for the new generation. Take a look at the photo above, in replacing the sweat on the healthy clean-looking skins is the make-up brush!
Futbol in this new era is associating itself with famous brands like Giorgio Armani, Dolge & Gabbana, Calvin Klein and a lot more which could cause ladies, to certain extend, guys too, to scream!
Futbol has been linked with fashion. One of the earliest fubol stars to ever hit the news headline for his unique fashion sense will have to be David Beckham. His traffic-stopping Armani garment ad was iconic till these days. There is no doubt that he is the earliest and most successful futbol player to launch this futbol fashion trend. If this short write-up about Beckham did refresh that memory of yours which pictured Beckham in a “sarong”, its really an outstanding attire in that part of the world. It’s encouraging as far as fashion is concern - fashion is more like do you dare to wear, isn’t it!
More established brands went searching for their ideal futbol stars for endorsement. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed up by Armani to model in their ad campaigns for Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans. Previously, other than David Beckham, they have also endorsed Kaka, Thierry Henry, Fabio Cannavaro and Luis Figo. Calvin Klein went knocking on the doors of Freddie Ljungberg’s and also Asian-famous Hidetoshi Nakata’s. And for the french luxury label, Louis Vuitton, they signed on famous photographer, Annie Leibovitz to snap photos of Diego Maradona, Pele and Zinedine Zidane for an ad campaign.
In May 2011, Dolge & Gabbana (D&G) launched a coffee table booklet, Milan Fashion Soccer Players Portraits, for AC Milan where the players put on D&G tops for an unique black and white shot by young photographer, Marco Falcetta. For fashion conscious and the adorers, these are a set of intimate shots which is obviously new to the players and us. Among the models-players featured, some of the most outstandings were Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Robinho and Pato.
D&G is known for his love for Italian futbol players. After successfully transformed Milan’s players’ hard-tackling side to the slight softened using fashion, it prompted me to do more research on the net. One of another fashion + futbol combined work was Leslie Osborne, a women’s professional futbol player for Boston Breakers being endorsed by a Andrea Kim, a South-Korean designer. There you go again, fashion does not applied to ladies exclusively but mens’ too. In terms of sports fashion, its a highly sought after trend development. To all ladies who are reading this, futbol is never the same sweating sports anymore! Embrace the new fashion style!
