Howdy folks,
This was written in the Gulf Daily News on October 19th.
Courageous take on the carefree...
Let's keep this strictly between us, but I think Bahrain has a psychological advantage in its final playoff showdown against Trinidad and Tobago for two reasons.
First, as Bahrain play the first-leg in Port-of-Spain, they can travel to the Caribbean island a week (or more) in advance to acclimatise before the crucial match on November 12.
Even a draw in the first-leg can be considered as half the battle won.
Second, Trinidad, on the other hand, will have only three days to travel halfway across the globe, reach Bahrain, and another time zone (in the process lose about seven hours), and get used to desert conditions here before the crunch second-leg on November 16.
Bahrain will also be making the same journey, and losing the same amount of time and energy, agreed; but they will be making a welcome return home and be playing in conditions most suitable to them.
I think, the same holds good in the case of Australia who play their first-leg at Montevideo against Uruguay in another playoff on November 12, before making a long-winding journey for the second-leg to be played at home in Sydney three days later.
I have another reason to give Bahrain the advantage; my gut feeling following their heart-warming performance in the second-leg against Uzbekistan which was in keeping with their 'steady upward trajectory'.
On that day, Bahrain were clearly dominant, and came close to scoring at least three goals in the first five minutes.
Their attacking style was free of frills, but effective and defensive tactics reassuring; and their overall strategy - to go for goals - a timely reminder of their confidence level at a crucial stage in their patient and painstaking odyssey for a first-ever berth in the World Cup.
At another level, the final playoff is shaping into a mouth-watering prospect - carefree Carribeans against courageous Bahrainis; a clash of different sporting cultures contrasting into a delightful showpiece.
The Carribeans are natural athletes having produced top class sprinters (Ato Boldon), cricketers (Brian Lara) and NBA professionals (Carl Herrera of Spurs). Some of their soccer players too have European pedigrees (Dwight Yorke who played for Manchester United and Russell Latapy based in Scotland).
Bahrain does not have such big names, but only players with big hearts ready to play for national pride alone.
That is my final and most pertinent point as I rest my case.
