Question of the Week (Is Rafa being unsporting?)

Hi all,

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Is Rafa Benitez being unsporting for refusing to congratulate Sir Alex Ferguson for winning his 11th Premiership title?

Q & A with Letter of the Week Winner Eugene Chan

When and why did you become a Man United fan?
As far back as I can remember, I started supporting Manchester United in the 1992-1993 season. That was a special year being the first season of the Premier League and for United to finally be crowned champions after a long 26 year wait.
Obviously I didn’t know that then but I remember slowly following them on television with my family, attracted by their spirit and their will to always play attractive football. There was one more reason why that season was special. That year, the ‘King’ arrived – Eric Cantona joined United and the revolution started.

Question of the Weekend (Is Gerrard deserving of award?)

Hi all,

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND: Does Steven Gerrard deserve to be the football writers’ Player of the Year? Or should someone else have won it?

Q & A with Letter of the Week Winner Derrick Lim

When and why did you become a Manchester United fan?
It was 1993 and they played an attacking brand of football which caught my eye. The likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Lee Sharpe, Ryan Giggs, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and of course the ‘King’ Eric Cantona were really a joy to watch.

What was the most memorable experience you had as a United fan?

Definitely it was the 1999 Champions League Final against Bayern Munich at the  Nou Camp. What a comeback!

Can United do the Champions League and Premiere League double this season?

I would say YES! They have tremendous strength in depth to cope with the fixture congestion. They have already broken numerous records this season, and they can finish off this season breaking the most important record, being the first team to retain the Champions League crown!

Who is your favourite Man United player of all time and now and why?

Peter Schmeichel. Goalkeepers are always overshadowed by the attacking and outfield players. But the Great Dane was instrumental in United being so dominant. One good example is the 1999 Fa Cup semi-final against Arsenal. Although Giggs scored the wonder goal, it was Schmeichel who saved the penalty from Dennis Bergkamp that kept United’s treble dream alive!

If you had a chance to buy any player in the world right now, who would it be and why?

Sergio Ramos. United desperately need a good right back. Gary Neville is too old. Wes Brown is too injury prone. Rafael is still very young, but he is definitely one for the future. Ramos can also play at centre back, and this will give United more cover if Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic is injured. Also, Ramos is a goal scoring defender!

Question of the Weekend (Who is the bigger flop?)

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND: Robbie Keane at Liverpool or Dimitar Berbatov at Manchester United, who is the bigger flop of the two and why?

Q & A with Letter of the Weekend Chan Ka Wai

When and why did you become a Manchester United fan?

I became a Manchester United fan after the 2002 Fifa World Cup. I started watching “live” matches from television with the influence of my friends and parents during that 2002 Fifa World Cup period.

England were my favourite team when I was watching all World Cup matches. England had David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville who caught my eye when they played. They were very good players, having professional altitude and also loyal to their clubs. Because of them, I have continued to see more of Manchester United matches and gradually become a United fan.

What was the most memorable experience you had as a United fan?

The Champion League final match against Chelsea should be considered as the most memorable experience I had as a United fan. The penalty shoot-out really thrilled me and that was the most memorable match I had watched on the television. At that moment, I did not expect that John Terry would miss the spot kick and give Manchester United the lifeline to win the shoot-out.

Question of the Weekend (United’s turning point?)

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND: HAVE Manchester United turned the corner with their win over Porto in the Champions League?

Take into account the return of players such as Rio Ferdinand and Anderson and their most recent Champions League performance.

Q&A with Letter of the Weekend winner Gerald Tan

When and why did you become a Liverpool fan?

My affinity with Liverpool started in 1991 when Liverpool played its first ever game at the Singapore National Stadium against Arsenal on 17th May. The hype of Liverpool Football Club leading up to the Caltex Cup and beyond the game; convinced me to continue to follow and support Liverpool.

What is your best memory of being a supporter of the club?

I would akin being a Liverpool supporter to being on a roller coaster ride. Liverpool has brought the fans some joy over the recent years, however supporting Liverpool has caused me more heartache than elation. My best memory of being a Liverpool supporter was winning the Champions League in May 2005, seeing that far-fetched dream then, coming back from the dead. Believe  =)

Postman’s Guest: March Writer of the Month Suen Chun Lung

A stage where professionals display an array of skills, and managers pit their wits against each other, the EPL is no doubt a popular league in Singapore. However, despite my liking for the excitement and entertainment while watching these competitive matches, I must admit to little or even zero participation in the sport. As age catches up, one starts to wonder whether the body can still handle such heavy contact sports.

Being a lover of sports, I definitely look to get involved in one which appeals to both the young and old. The rough tackles and injuries in soccer certainly don’t seem to be my cup of tea. Therefore, I recently indulged myself in the interesting game of tennis. To those who are looking for a sport that involves some running, can which can still enjoyed by the old – look no further than the fuzzy yellow balls.

Since the start of ’09 season, I believe two players have generated some topics among the tennis lovers. Roger Federer, the fallen king, has sparked debates on his ability to reclaim his crown. In contrast, a rising talent in Andy Murray has raised the possibility of a new era.

Roger Federer has yet to achieve any major title this campaign, having fallen just short in the Australian Open. The Swiss lost to Nadal in the finals and his tears said it all. The recent Miami Masters saw Roger blow his best chance of clinching a long-awaited victory. With Nadal out of the tournament, and the first semi-finals set going Federer’s way, the Swiss seemed to have everything under control. However, the once-unbeatable player dug his own grave with a series of unforced errors, and could only watch Djokovic claim the last 2 sets to record a memorable victory.

Samba squirrel

HERE’S a funny sports advertisement (I am not promoting their product, I just love the content of the ad). It may be CGI, but it is always funny to see a squirrel playing the Beautiful Game. Enjoy!