The Soccer Revolution

I'm late on this article, but for good reasons. I was at the Singapore National Stadium, cheering my head off, and my heart out, to watch the Lions lift the Tiger Cup trophy for the first time on home soil. It was an electrifying moment. It was even more magical that we managed to pull this victory off without a single defeat, and a MVP in keeper Lionel Lewis. It has been a long long time since i've witnessed such euphoria first hand. Goal 2010 may be distant, but it's inching closer and closer. Indeed, i think an Asian Cup Finals place may not be that all distant in the next couple of years! Those fellas were solid today, and the F***ing referee is down right Kayu! He sent off our Captain for a half challenge and not the Indonesian defender with a block on Indra while through on goal. I was downright upset with the way the game was refereed, but heck, it doesn't matter at all! We won, and that's enough.

Somehow i felt that 65000 people could have cheered alot better. The last match with Myanmar was truly hardcore cheering man, where passions were running hot! And that was only with 30000 die-hard fans. There, that says it all - Die-hard Fans. I would say that this victory is the culmination of a series of fiercely fought international friendlies and progressive training. Welfare is indeed first class training.

Talking about training, i've received my fair share in SAFTI MI this week; a real hectic but satisfying week on the Company Tactics Course. We attended an Organisational Learning Workshop where we discovered the tools of effective communication, team building, goal setting and motivation. I've developed my own vision in the process: To Lead My Life in Excellence, guided by Democracy, Integrity and Inner Harmony, thus Positively Impacting the Lives of others. It is a vision i've actively strive to achieve, yet had never put down in concrete words. This workshop, facilitated by COL Ishak - Commander of Army Officer Advance School, really helped in clarifying the many aspects of life that i have questions about.

Learning takes an open mind, a passionate heart and a listening ear. Something that many of the guys on course lacks i think. They are seriously there just to pass time, which is a shame because there tonnes of things out there for them to learn. Knowledge, to me, is the part of me that is time-proof, that grants a certain level of immortality. We have got to take it while we have the chance.

I've got a few meaningful quotes to share from the last week but i'll spread them over the next few weeks for you to ponder upon. Vision without action is merely a dream, Action without Vision passes the time. Vision with Action would be the change in the world that you want to see.

We know what we are; we are Lions. There is immortality beyond those shores of ignorance and procrastination, take it!