Match Day: Philippines-Indonesia

Philippines-Indonesia

Match Day Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Rizal Memorial Football Stadium

Kick-off 7pm

Match Commissioner: David Peñano

Referee: Kuo Jung Fan (Taiwan)

First Assistant: Kuo Chan Yu (Taiwan)

Second Assistant: Lee Hung Ping (Taiwan)

Fourth Official: Wilfredo Bermejo (Philippines)

I finally slept soundly (albeit for five hours) after staying up for about 40 hours. I can make a case for being used to it after spending years in advertising and marketing. The media profession offers no respite. Maybe it does but not in my case.

I couldn’t sleep the other night because there were so many things going through my mind. Wish it were about Scarlett Johansson but it wasn’t. When I did get a bit of shuteye, there was this dream that wasn’t really cool. I’d wake up and try to shake it off. As soon as I’d hit the sack and get some REMs the dream would continue right where it left off. Really. You ever get one of those? After a bit of this I decided not to sleep anymore.

Monday was hectic and it should remain so today, Tuesday, as it is game day. Monday was the manager’s meeting and the twin press conferences. Since I have been doing this for the national team for about four years now, this was perhaps the most stressful. Murphy’s Law figured to become a factor. Every thing that could go wrong happened from managing Stephan Schrock's sudden departure to the day's events not starting on time to people not doing their jobs. Fortunately, we’ve become adept at plugging holes even with band aids if possible.

And there was the matter of taking care of the media who were unable to attend. Had to take calls as well as provide quotes and storylines. It’s part of the job. Would that be my only job.

You see, I have five of them. And all in need of attention. How I manage that is one of life’s joyful and sorrowful mysteries. I think having a good head about things, the teaching’s of my dad who preached time management, and living abroad for a lengthy amount of time helped. So normally, nothing fazes me anymore. It does get tiring though.

At dinner last night, I had quite a laugh at listening to Carli de Murga, Paul Mulders, and Angel Guirado tease the team staff in Filipino. It was hilarious. Now how do you write that up? That and other stuff that goes on behind the scenes? I guess, like a lot of what I do, I will file that for another day. But here is the story that I penned last night. 

Any way, it’s Tuesday morning. Game day. I’m getting ready to leave the hotel and go home for a spell. Dump my stuff and change. Drop by the office work a couple of hours before heading out to Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. Hope I get to really watch the Indonesia game tonight so I may properly break down the match like I did with the game against Malaysia.

WILL UPDATE AS THE DAY GOES ON FROM WHEREVER I MAY BE.