Although it's hard to take the FIFA rankings seriously, one does take note when the world's lowest ranked team finally gets a result.
East Timor, pointless in its six years of playing international football, managed to nick a draw yesterday against Cambodia. Make the final 2-2.
The team has one pro player (and he plays in the world renowned New South Wales Premier League), with most of its squad made up of part-time farmers. The country doesn't have any appropriate playing pitches and it's head coach fixes motorcycles for a living.
But, it's easy to make fun. The thing is, for romantics, it's East Timor out there slugging away that makes soccer the beautiful game. It's democratic. A ball, a pitch, 11 guys, go. Seemingly more than any other sport, you can draw a connection from East Timor straight through to Old Trafford. It's a long, crooked line that gets faint at times, but it's there. It's why you see som much resistance to the creation of super leagues, why Liverpool still agrees to play Doug's Auto Old Boys FC of Bristol in the third round of the FA Cup and how a fan can equally support his or her local, third tier team along with Barcelona.
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2 comments:
East Timor v. Canada. Let's pay to bring them over here. Maybe then Mitchell can get a win.
Don't count on it, I hear E.T. can phone home and get a moon shot that would eventually wind up in the Canadian net...
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