An encounter with Football

Baichung Bhutia, David Beckham, Pelé, Leonardo and Messi are the maximum number of football players I can count on my fingertips. Baring few park games, my foot has seldom touched the ball. However my curiosity to find why millions across the world, love the game so much compelled me to dig deeper. Thus began my journey to the Manchester city's Etihad football stadium as a novice, with little knowledge of various football teams nor a huge fan of any player or clubs.

For someone from a non-sports background, I was overwhelmed by just seeing the stadium from afar. The vast space, huge floodlights and enormous seating capacity with Manchester City - 1894 written everywhere, left me spellbound. The blue arena looked flashing and glamorous with all the hard work hidden under the world-class co-ordinations between the staff in the vicinity. The nearby Academy stadium looked even bigger but was not accessible to the general public. We received a warm welcome from our tour guide, who explained the tour and the site details. Thus started our tour, with a few enthusiastic kids in blue eager to race through the door.

The guide briefed us that the teams playing were stationed in the nearby 4-star hotel a day before the match. They practice in the academy stadium away from the media and the common public. Traveling a short distance by bus to the

stadium, the Manchester-city (home) team and the waiting team (opposite) receive a grand welcome in the waiting restaurant before the match. The restaurant, no less than any 4-star place, offers light snacks and time to chitchat with others for a few minutes. Since time is money, they quickly dash to their respective dressing rooms to get dressed for the match.

The guide took us to the waiting team's dressing room which was large enough for two teams with basic infrastructure - walls and furniture in grey color, a cabinet and baggage for each player, and a water cooler. Not very exciting to look at beyond a few posters. It's a part of sports psychology, explained the guide. A deliberate attempt to dampen the spirits of the opposite team even before they are on the field. So that the home team might gain an advantage whatsoever in the match. The waiting team also has to walk a long distance to the tunnel/entrance through the laundry, kitchens, and office spaces to distract them from the match. I was taken aback by such psychological strategies. It's already a mental pressure to represent your team/state/nation on opposite grounds on top of that, going through these tactics adds to the players' stress. I now appreciate all the guest teams across various sports, playing and winning the games more than the home teams.

After a few more rooms, we came to the home team's dressing room which was nothing like what we had seen earlier. It was huge in blue and white to give a calming sense. Each member had a dedicated area and a common area. Designed to encourage team bonding, sharing and respecting differences and uplifting spirits before the match. We then saw short video clips on how the Manchester-city team uses this room pre-match. It was interesting to see how players are encouraged by their coach and channelizes everyone's energy to focus on the match. The quote on the wall caught my attention ' Some were born here, others are drawn here, but we all it home' by Mancunian poet Tony Walsh. Isn't that true for all of us in any part of the world?

The guide then showed us the most dreadful thing in the room, the buzzer on the wall that rings exactly one minute twenty seconds before the match to warn the players to get ready. The second one goes just soon, as all the players move towards the ground. This one minute and twenty seconds is the most costly time for any match, as the media advertisements for this slot sell in billions. And if the team is late, there is a huge penalty to pay. That explains the pressure on the players and the authorities to follow the clock to the last seconds. I suggest we could have it in many places, especially parliaments and government offices, for things to move faster.

We then arrived in the tunnel where the players' lineup to set foot on the ground. They played preppy background music of drums rolling the crowds cheering, showing the love of their supporters, the pressure to perform and win on the players and the euphoria around the match. As we walked towards the ground, my eyes slowly went first to the vast expanse of fresh green grass, then the front seats and finally the entire stadium. It was spectacular. Never before I had seen a football pitch so near I could feel the pressure of the players, the excitement of the audience and everyone involved just by the look of an empty stadium. The grass was perfectly manicured, cut to the scale. They informed for every match, the length of the grass may vary depending on the teams and weather. Maintenance of the grass is the costliest thing for any stadium. They have engineering teams, regular maintenance teams, and many more to look after it day and night. And so we were not allowed to touch it, but I was happy at the sight of it. The guide informed us where the whos-who of the sports world, media and even the Royals sit in the stadium and how the TV and media coverage happen. I was overwhelmed by my surroundings and all the information in a short span.

I was reluctant to move inside, glancing at the last few views of the greens. We were then ushered to the post-match media rooms, again sparkly clean and well kept. We did a little photo-ops movement for each of us to get the feel of how the coach and the captains of both the teams field the tough media questions. Here the players battle more than on the fields, dogging tricky questions and watchful eyes of the journalists. They have to demonstrate true team spirit and sportsmanship to the millions watching far from their homes. Sitting on the coach's chair gave me a glimpse of how they feel in front of the media, I would not much enjoy sitting there for sure.

We were then taken back to where we started it all. It was a fantastic experience. The enormous efforts that everyone puts in for just one match are beyond comprehension. Besides the players, the coach, and the sponsors, many who put in more sweat go unnoticed, yet everyone continues to work, even if it is a win or loss for a few. Indeed, sport is as much a physical game as it's that of the mind. But the good part is it brings all of us together, irrespective of any differences.