Post by narko on Feb 7, 2013 13:44:48 GMT 8
Can't help myself and got to chip in with this luck issue. First off, congratulations to the Azkals for the win.
Now about luck. One of the reasons I love football is because the element of luck and one simple mistake could decide a match. A matter of inches could spell the difference between a win, loss or draw. That's why upsets are possible in football, and weaker teams get cinderella moments.
In the world of competitive football there are 2 different environments: league competitions and cup tournaments. In league competitions clubs play around 18-38 matches a season depending on the size of the league. The part or role luck plays in this environment is very limited, your team has to perform. In league competitions, it is the best team that wins the championship, no doubt about that.
In cup tournaments, it usually has a 3 match group phase followed by knock-out round which are sometimes two-legged home and away ties (Champions League, Suzuki Cup, etc.) or single knock-out (World Cup, AFC Challenge Cup, etc.). And that's the beauty and magic of cup tournaments because in these tournaments, the best team doesn't always win. In tournaments, underdogs have a chance. If they are lucky, they get an even chance of going far into the tournament or even winning it. Not convinced? Here are some examples and scenarios:
Chelsea - survived 180 minutes against Barcelona in Champs League semis (1st leg, one shot on goal leading to one goal), then edged out Bayern in the finals in a penalty shoot-out. Chelsea get derided a lot for their ugly style of play - park the bus, long ball, lucky that their only shots on goal went in but guess what? They got a Champions League trophy in their cabinet and I bet their fans don't mind. This season, they don't even make it out of the group stages.
Inter-Milan - parked the bus and long balled Barcelona to get through to the Champions League final which they end up winning. I don't think Interistas are complaining about the way their team played against the better team which was Barcelona given what they won at the end of the competition.
Greece is a European champion. You think the Greeks care that many think the Greeks didn't deserve to win that tournament given their negative style of play? Portugal, Croatia and England have still yet to win a Euro Cup.
Let's consider the what ifs:
In WC 2010, Spain loses its opening match to Switzerland 1-0. What if that was the knock-out stage already?
EUFA Champions League this season, Celtic FC holds powerhouse Barcelona to a draw at the Camp Nou and defeats them at their home ground. What if that was the knock-out stage and not the group stage?
What if Philippines scored just one goal against Singapore in the second leg of the Suzuki Cup semi-finals?
National teams play in cup tournaments. Luck will always be a factor. Having a strong team, a good system and coach will improve your luck. Let's not forget that there are 2 teams always in the field. Our team has improved a lot, but it doesn't mean our opponents haven't. We're the ones doing the catch up here and we still have a way to go. So I will take any lucky win anytime of the day, though preferably in the matches that matter.
This isn't club football. National teams don't have the luxury of training their players day in and day out to achieve the cohesion and fluidity evident in good club sides. National teams are about getting the job done with whatever resources is available. In Myanmar, they got the job done with that threadbare line-up. In the AFC CC Qualifiers next month, I hope they will get the job done as well.
Now about luck. One of the reasons I love football is because the element of luck and one simple mistake could decide a match. A matter of inches could spell the difference between a win, loss or draw. That's why upsets are possible in football, and weaker teams get cinderella moments.
In the world of competitive football there are 2 different environments: league competitions and cup tournaments. In league competitions clubs play around 18-38 matches a season depending on the size of the league. The part or role luck plays in this environment is very limited, your team has to perform. In league competitions, it is the best team that wins the championship, no doubt about that.
In cup tournaments, it usually has a 3 match group phase followed by knock-out round which are sometimes two-legged home and away ties (Champions League, Suzuki Cup, etc.) or single knock-out (World Cup, AFC Challenge Cup, etc.). And that's the beauty and magic of cup tournaments because in these tournaments, the best team doesn't always win. In tournaments, underdogs have a chance. If they are lucky, they get an even chance of going far into the tournament or even winning it. Not convinced? Here are some examples and scenarios:
Chelsea - survived 180 minutes against Barcelona in Champs League semis (1st leg, one shot on goal leading to one goal), then edged out Bayern in the finals in a penalty shoot-out. Chelsea get derided a lot for their ugly style of play - park the bus, long ball, lucky that their only shots on goal went in but guess what? They got a Champions League trophy in their cabinet and I bet their fans don't mind. This season, they don't even make it out of the group stages.
Inter-Milan - parked the bus and long balled Barcelona to get through to the Champions League final which they end up winning. I don't think Interistas are complaining about the way their team played against the better team which was Barcelona given what they won at the end of the competition.
Greece is a European champion. You think the Greeks care that many think the Greeks didn't deserve to win that tournament given their negative style of play? Portugal, Croatia and England have still yet to win a Euro Cup.
Let's consider the what ifs:
In WC 2010, Spain loses its opening match to Switzerland 1-0. What if that was the knock-out stage already?
EUFA Champions League this season, Celtic FC holds powerhouse Barcelona to a draw at the Camp Nou and defeats them at their home ground. What if that was the knock-out stage and not the group stage?
What if Philippines scored just one goal against Singapore in the second leg of the Suzuki Cup semi-finals?
National teams play in cup tournaments. Luck will always be a factor. Having a strong team, a good system and coach will improve your luck. Let's not forget that there are 2 teams always in the field. Our team has improved a lot, but it doesn't mean our opponents haven't. We're the ones doing the catch up here and we still have a way to go. So I will take any lucky win anytime of the day, though preferably in the matches that matter.
This isn't club football. National teams don't have the luxury of training their players day in and day out to achieve the cohesion and fluidity evident in good club sides. National teams are about getting the job done with whatever resources is available. In Myanmar, they got the job done with that threadbare line-up. In the AFC CC Qualifiers next month, I hope they will get the job done as well.