Courtesy: The Electric Newpaper


Just a band TRAVELLING

By Ashikin Hashim

January 12, 2008

THEY fancy a fast game of futsal to typical football.

And after emerging as champions of a national tournament in 2004 - against 238 other teams - surely you can't blame the Nomads.

In fact, their zeal for the game has escalated despite a dwindling interest in futsal here - or so they claim.

'There's hardly any mention of futsal in the newspapers anymore,' remarked one of the nomads, Muhammad Hisham, 26, a fitter welder.

'And even the section on Weekend Warriors hardly features futsal. What happened to all the futsal teams?'

While we scratch our heads and wonder why, it is clear these guys think football has the upper hand when it comes to popularity among the masses.

'I think it's more popular here because it involves more players than futsal. Sometimes, we need less than five players, depending on the tournament,' Hisham added.

However, it has also become a matter of personal choice for these men, who admitted that they are rather lacking in the stamina department.

'Honestly, we can't play well under the hot weather. We tried playing on the field and got tired very quickly. We're just not cut out for it,' laughed Eezhairi Muhammad Zain, 28, a warehouse assistant.

Yes, believe it or not, the men of Nomad 8 once 'abandoned' a game at Turf City at half-time because they couldn't take the sweltering heat.

'I think we're better off playing in indoor courts. We've not achieved much from playing on the pitch,' added Eezhairi.

In addition, the thrill of playing a fast-paced game within a confined space had also cemented their love for the game.

STAMINA

'Futsal helped us to work on our stamina because it's a lot more challenging. Learning to pass the ball well is also important because you're playing in a much smaller area,' explained Zamrin Abdul, 31, a driver.

For now, the guys prefer to participate in occasional tournaments held across the island.

Quite amusingly, they do not take themselves too seriously, often teasing one another relentlessly.

'None of us look like 'real' footballers because of the way we present ourselves,' laughed Hisham.

'So, opponents always underestimate us. But when we start playing, that's when we unleash our true colours.'

The Nomads 8 have a total of 14 players comprising childhood friends and neighbours residing in the western part of Singapore.

Formed in 1994 when many of them were still in their teens, their friendship bonds have managed to withstand the test of time.

Although the team used to play on a daily basis at a street soccer court near the members' housing estates, the name 'Nomads' came about because they were constantly on the lookout for places to play.

'After some of us got married, it became harder to meet up. But now, whenever there's no tournament, we'll just call one another up to play a short game,' explained team captain Fazail Muhammad, 27, a technician.

Although the team predominantly comprises Malays, they have one Chinese man who is every bit of a 'brother' to them.

That's Dallex Leong, 24, a production operator who has been playing with the Nomads since he was 14.

'I've known the (Nomads) for quite a while and we are all childhood friends,' Leong said.

'I wanted to play some football for the fun of it, so I joined them. Today, they have become like brothers to me, although we're of different races.'

Leong can also converse fluently in Malay, thanks to his team-mates. In fact, he frequently barks orders in Malay when he's on the court.

'He has become one of us and he understands us very well,' said Fazail.

Indeed, for the Nomads, their passion for futsal and shared brotherhood has been their secret to success.

To contact the Nomads, e-mail shammy_gen@hotmail.com.






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com