Written by: Izzat Rashad B Rosazizi Edited by: Choa Zhao Xiang and Leung Lok Heng Photos by: EusoffWorks
Football at its heart, is a very simple sport to explain; a game played with 2 teams of 11 players each, with both trying to get the ball into the opponent’s net as many times as possible within 90 minutes. As a game that literally bases itself on kicking a ball into a net, there is little wonder why it is the most popular team sport on the planet. The conundrum that Eusoff Football faces then, is playing this extremely popular and simple sport in a way that is a cut above the rest, beyond the capabilities and wildest imaginations of our opponents.
Rena and Wen Hao helm this year’s gold-hungry teams.
The mens’ team in particular, has already clocked in several hours of pre-season practice even before the IHG Banner Revelation kickoff, with their participation in the GEAFL. The tournament provides them with ample gametime to tweak tactics and master gameplans, so that our boys can hit the field running once IHG season eventually comes around.
Leading EUnited’s charge into the IHG season is our men’s captain Wenhao. The task of commanding one of the most talent-stacked teams in recent IHG history takes a lot of mettle and tenacity. Undoubtedly, the mild-mannered Wenhao seems to be the most qualified man for the captaincy job. When asked on when he started playing football, he took a rather long pause to recount all his years on the field, before finally settling on an admirable “18 years ago”. Playing in the centre-back position, Wenhao is the buttress of the Eusoff defensive line, ensuring that no opposing attacker gets even a sniff of the Eusoff goal with his well-timed tackles and ball-winning headers.
The humble man that he is, Wenhao did not hesitate to heap praise on his fellow teammates; describing them as men of good character who demonstrate fighting spirit and a willingness to train hard and for each other. The dedication of this team cannot be denied; no usual football team would start training even before the caterers start serving breakfast at the DH.
Wen Hao takes charge on and off the field for his team.
Wenhao also took the time to highlight a fresh face in the team that he believes is one for the future. Described as a “midfield maestro” and a “leader of men”, Kay Shin’s broad smile and soft-spokenness belies his ferocity on the football pitch. He makes up for his no-shows at block suppers by showing up on the field with his silky footballing skills, sharp playmaking abilities and astute tactical awareness. It is evident why Wenhao has high hopes for this rising prodigy come IHG season.
After the heartbreak of losing last year’s IHG finals on penalties, Wenhao has his crosshairs firmly locked on winning the championship this year. Armed with a personal motto of “attitude is everything”, Wenhao endeavours to lead his team to ultimate glory in the upcoming IHG.
The same could also be said for our womens’ football captain Rena. A natural footballing talent with indubitable leadership abilities, Rena has shown her capability to lead and inspire individuals not only as the captain of Eusoff football, but also in her capacity as the Eusoff SMC head.
Having only picked up the sport four years ago, Rena showcases immaculate versatility on the field, being able to operate both at central midfield and also down the wings. Rena’s flair and technical ability on the ball makes her an inspiration and role model to her teammates, who consider her an exemplary captain. Rena also had plenty of kind words for her team, describing them as a group of highly talented individuals who have plenty of potential.
The girl’s captain Rena is a beacon of positivity and cheerful leadership.
One important role a captain has is to set goals for the team to achieve for the upcoming season. Rena, being the outstanding leader that she is, has set two main goals for her team. Firstly, she aims to lead her team to an improved result for this season’s IHG. Having finished fourth last season, Rena is keen to improve on that result this time around. Despite the task being a rather challenging one, Rena is confident of achieving better results this season, putting absolute faith in her team to train hard and play harder.
Rena’s second goal for her team is to ensure that everyone takes pride in their work and enjoys the process of playing football for Eusoff. As captain, Rena aims to inspire a team mentality where, regardless of what the scoreboard states at the end of each game, every team member will walk off the field knowing that they have given their best not just for themselves, but also for each other. As for football novices in the team, Rena hopes that through the many upcoming trainings and matches, these newcomers are introduced to the beauty of football and fall in love with it, much like Rena did with the sport four years ago.
Both the mens’ and womens’ teams have high ambitions and hopes for this season, and both captains are banking on the support of all Eusoffians come IHG season. The competition will not be an easy one for our football teams, but they will definitely be spurred on by the sea of yellow supporters during the IHG fixtures. We wish both teams all the best!
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