Manchester United

Manchester United

Photo Credit: amazonaws.com

 It wouldn't be an absurd statement to say that Manchester United is probably one of the biggest and most famous sports team in my life time.

 The year was 1999 and I became a Manchester United fan. It didn't happen overnight of course. Rupert Murdoch, former CEO and Chairman of News Corporation, bought Manchester United in 1999, and the back pages of most newspapers in the world were obliged to carry at least a half page of Manchester United news, if not a whole.

 As a 15 year old in Malaysia at that time, I had nothing much to pay attention to other than the mass advertising and consumer lifestyle. Having a team to support and be a part of a social group, made me important among my peers. It made me feel cool.

 As years went on and I grew in to my twenties, my relationship with Manchester United developed. The availability to internet and the launch of YouTube in 2005 further aided the development. I moved to Canada in 2004 when I was just 20 years old. I had no family, but a lot of friends from all over the world. I was lucky that soccer was truly a global sports. It was a new language to speak to my new global friends.

 I was quickly known among my peers as the “Manchester United” guy. Wherever there was a Manchester United game shown, I was there to watch it. I wrote articles to the campus newspaper explaining the inevitable coexistence of soccer players and soccer hooligans. I woke up every Saturday for the last decade at 6:00 a.m. to watch my team play. I wore a Manchester United jersey to one of my first dates. She wasn't impressed, and I didn't get it.  I was just too in love with my team. For some reason, 22 men running after a ball for 90 minutes made my week.

 As silly as that sounds, there is indeed a deeper meaning to my relationship with Manchester United. I have three younger brothers and no older siblings. Since, I left my home young, I never had a mentor. So, the whole Manchester United was my travelling family. I dressed like how the team dressed. I looked up to all the players as my older brothers, and most importantly, I admired and respected the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

 In times of trouble, I would ask myself, “What would Fergie do?”. I learned leadership, team management, shrewdness and the confidence of getting what I want through him. My grandpa was my all time hero. But, when I am away from my family, Fergie was there for me with the entire team.

 I organized my life the way Fergie organized the team. If I am asking a girl that is very introvert out, then, I will prepare myself to be more talkative and initiating conversations during our date night, quite like how Fergie would field an offensive team. But if the girl is more of an extrovert, I will resemble Fergie's defensive model and give her more space to assert her self.

 What started as a bragging right to a team and a silly association ended up being a lifestyle. I have often thought about the capitalistic aspect of Manchester United, but I cannot let go of my Manchester United 'family'.

 I don't even believe in religion, but I believe in Manchester United. I hope, both the club and I will be in touch for another 15 years.