I was seriously caught in 2 minds as to whether i should blog. This is a stark contrast to the previous few tournaments where i had been blogging almost at regular intervals but this time round, it was partly contributed by the time constraints that had limited me to blogging. However, i realised that there is a fairly good chance that i may not be in the right frame of mind after tonight to blog and thus i should blog first... (although i know that on paper, its still 50-50)
Rewind back to the day 3 weeks ago, where i had just booked out after the 10 km RM. I had put on my 6-month old jersey (yup, increased financial means had meant that for the first time in 18 years, i was actually able to buy my Germany jersey the moment it came out, before the tournament even began ^=^) and went to take a walk around Suntec City. The location wasn't important. I just loved the way they printed the years of which the team won tournaments on the collar. It was like wearing history and having it all behind me. I was so happy that i was going around telling everyone that this is the jersey of the champions elect come end of June! Hahahahahhaahahaahah
After 3 weeks of ups and downs, highs and lows, we are now finally at the final stage. It is without a doubt that things worked in strange ways and i had initially thought that I would be unable to catch my beloved Germany in action for the first time in 14 years in a major tournament (I can still remember that game, quarter final of USA 94 where i went to sleep at half time with the score still at 0-0. Few hours later in the day, all i know was that they had been eliminated 1-2 by a certain botak called Letchkov whose bald head was plastered over the New Paper the following day). And hence, imagine the elation that i had felt on each of the 3 days where i realised on the day itself that i actually would be able to catch the match at home!!!!! It was like a godsend gift (but i also prayed for the souls of the unfortunate events that had happened to allow me such a surprise) and thus i found myself on the day of the final, still able to watch Germany in their 5th final since 1990.
But it is also precisely that i had been them at every stage of this tournament that my hopes are not high. The match against Croatia absolutely drowned my confidence. It was reminiscent of their performance in 2000 where they totally sucked from defence to attack, goalkeeping included. It was a hemoptysis inducing performance that i simply can't fathom. Subequent performance against Austria, Portugal and Turkey did nothing much to dispell my belief.
Nevertheless, i will stick with this German team as i had always done through the yeats. I mean what can be worse than the dark years of 2000 or the humiliating 3-0 loss to Croatia in 98 where a stupid Worns had to get sent off. Or even the helplessness and misfortune against Denmark in 92, Brazil in 02 and Holland in 04. But it is also with this thought that i put on my jersey again tonight as i prepared to savour the mass. Be it for Glory or for Tears, i will still be in the Germany jersey come tomorrow morning =)
