NO, this is not every Man United’s best CD gift this Christmas for their one time nemesis, spoiler of a noisy neighbour Manchester City premiership rival; but a Merdeka month present from warm and friendly Malaysia.
As we here are in the throes of nationalistic fervour celebrating our 56th Merdeka in this special month of August and September, the denizens of this fair Welsh city of Cardiff have been treated to our famed spirit of generosity.
Corporate chieftain and well-known philanthropist Tan Sri Vincent Tan has pumped millions of ringgit (many millions more taking into account translation into sterling) into the city’s main football club. Cardiff City was once also-rans just about languishing in the lower reaches of British football before this Malaysian injection of Asian acumen brought about a seemingly unbelievable change of fortunes. When other more high profile tycoons went after more glamorous and established professional teams to buy off the shelf as personal trophy purchases, the Batu Pahat-born businessman who made his Malaysian millions through his Berjaya brand of businesses landed in the south coast of Wales to begin this football journey.
And what a transformational love story it is starting out to be!
FOOTBALL CHANGE, THEY ARE A COMIN’
Were this America undergoing societal reconstruction in the late 19th century, he might be called a carpet bagger. But this is present day Britain and current climate of change where attitudes are more open and men with money are not quite uncouth.
Having pumped in money to gain ownership, Tan proceeded to make wholesale changes – to the team kit!
The long-suffering but ever-so-loyal diehard local fans, balked when Tan began stirring them out of sleepy stupor. No more mere acceptance of que sera sera any more. He took one look at the club’s intrinsic history and found out one structureal reason for this lethargy. Apparently, City had got the blues ingrained so deep – beginning with its kit colour of blue coupled with its nickname as the Bluebirds!
Show me a Chinaman who is colour-blind and I say put it down to confu(cian). This may not be rooted however flimsily in the principles of feng shui but surely red is a more serious hue signalling a thirst of success in any endeavour.
ALL DOWN COLOUR – RED OR BETTER BE DEAD
How many football teams clad in red are more successful than the opponent trooping out on to the pitch in blue? I need only draw your attention to the size of the Manchester United trophy room compared to the puny proportions of noisy neighbours Manchester City. Over in Merseyside, the exploits of Liverpool compared to the exertions of Everton is a story of a surfeit of success over a case of sweaty futility. Which of either of the two derby neighbours wear red on any given Saturday, which one turns up in blue – and end up by the end of the 90 minutes retaining their large following unfathomably loyal. Red brings you success – appearance-wise, while blue really leaves you grievingly blue.
Apparently he did not stop there. There was talk that he wanted the club to burn more brightly and in the bid to instil more fire in their belly, believes an association with the dragon was more appropriate. Rumour swilled that he was going to change the club name from Cardiff City Bluebirds to Cardiff City Dragons.
The significance could not be lost – the Welsh go into sporting battles spurred by their national association with the fiery dragon symbol. Tan’s Asian roots and the belief in the fighting spirit of the dragon is well-entrenched in folklore and tradition.
But some Welsh fans of the club are not so convinced. Some measure of opposition has been mounted to prevent, what amounts to some as sacrilege way beyond symbolism.
An unconvinced fan has been known to have bought the Cardiff City Dragons title for just over 12 sterling pounds to thwart any attempt at name change.
Should Tan decide to splash cash to get hold of what he may or not dearly want, he have to pay to get this fan to part with his prized purchase. By all accounts however, this was a pre-emptive measure by the lone fan who genuinely does not like the change that is taking place. Tan may just have met his entrepreneurial match!
These sweaty shifts off the pitch however does not detract from the success of the team on the pitch. This is Cardiff’s first season in the top flight and already they have earned a top scalp. The Man City team was assembled at more than 200 million Sterling Pounds. Their Welsh conquerors was brought together for a tenth that.
Cardiff has many favourites sons – and daughters. Footballer Gareth Bale (who may in the next few days become this planet’s most expensive footballer if Real Madrid or Man Utd shell out 100 million Sterling Pounds for him in transfer fee) and Prince Charles’ favourite crooner Shirley Bassey are as Cardiff-as-they-come. Novelist and famed children’s books writer Roald Dahl may have Norwegian parents but he was born in Cardiff, as was crime writer Ken Follet.
Pretty soon if their football team keeps up this good start to the season, a Malaysian man might just earn a place in the hearts of all the Welsh. Go Dragons – get that title!
RAZAK Chik wishes Berjaya’s Vincent Tan could weave his similar Welsh magic to a certain long-suffering national football team south of Songkhla!
