National Security Alert: Faisali vs. Wehdat
The Facts
Game: Jordanian Super Cup (Kass al-Ko’ouss)
Date: Friday August 29th (tomorrow)
Where: Amman International Stadium
Time: 7 pm Amman local time
TV: ART (exclusive)
Confession
I grew up a Faisali fan.
As I started understanding football at around 1989-1990, I thought Faisali offered the more entertaining version of football.
I just enjoyed watching the Faisali players, and the impeccable style of Madhar Assa’id.
- I was a big fan of Khaled Awad’s comb over.
- I was a big fan of Ziad abu Shanab’s fluorescent-yellow striped shoes.
- I was a big fan of Abu Abed’s crosses from the right side (he was never as good when he played center midfield but from the right side he was Beckham before Beckham).
- I was a big fan of the Awad brothers – Sobhi and the number 17 midfielder, the aptly named bruiser – Musa.
- I was even a big fan of their cousin Adnan, a fan of Ahmad Khalil, Firas al-Khalayleh and even a tall lanky dude called Ali Zo’bi.
To me there was no comparison between Jihad abdel Mine’m (a fat slob), and Jeriess Tadross – the best Jordanian striker ever. There was no comparison between Sobhi Sleiman’s long-range strikes and Hisham Abdel Minem’s one-of-every-twenty-is-
I was never able to watch a Faisali and Wihdat game at the stadium (until recently… last October), but I went to Faisali games against the likes of Sahab and Manshyyeh (round one of the 1993 cup – final score 3-0). Every night at 8.30, I checked “Akhbar al Mala’eb” on the radio for the Faisali match score.
A Traitor
Despite being ridiculed by my friends and cousins, and sometimes even being called a traitor, I stayed true to my football-based devotion. I have to admit though, it was a commitment that was becoming harder and harder to keep once I enrolled in the University of Jordan in 1996. I realised that the question Faisalawi or Wihdati had nothing to do with the quality of football. As I went on 15-minute rants dissecting the teams to the alleged football fans who just asked me about my team affiliation, I came to realise that most of them barely follow the teams and hardly know any players names beyond the main stars. Actually most of them admitted they find Jordanian football unwatchable.
(Pictures by Jehad Najjar)
Tufahtain: fall from grace
Somewhere in 1997-1998 after the Faisali lost the Super Cup game for the second year in a row, I headed to my favourite retreat, then “Khan Morjan” in Sweifyyeh. I can’t say I was devastated, but definitely not happy. An hour later Jerriess Tadross and Mohannad Mahadeen (probably two of my biggest heroes at the time) showed up and sat with the coffee shop owner (now semi-famous singer Ziad Saleh). They said something about officiating and the referee. I can’t exactly remember if they carried cigarette packs (I vaguely remember Viceroy packs) but I am sure they ordered Arageel. Either way, football started to matter a little less since then. Not a lot less…but nevertheless, less.
Time to say good-bye to both teams
Football and all of sports are “games”. With all due respect to Faisali and Wihdat’s history, they both do not mean anything. Their matches are officially the country’s largest (and one may argue the only) arena for cultivating and exchanging hate sentiments based on origin. And hence there is no need for them to exist anymore. The team can be dissolved and the players could be spread around the league – as could the assets, buildings and other stuff. With all apologies to anyone who ever invested time and effort in those franchises, but at this point they are doing more harm than good.
Last year the final game of the season between the two teams was held without a crowd; it was not a result of a previous incident, it was not a result of a league-issued punishment on one of the teams, it was solely a decision made out of fear! With all those precautions a fight still took place. When players are not fighting with alleged-photographers, fights are breaking out between team presidents in the VIP section. When the players’ sisters are not being cussed out, Ehud Barack is being cheered in the stands… A football game should not put a whole country on alert.
Jordanian football is insignificant. Jordanian football fans cannot watch Jordanian football on TV because ART has exclusive rights. Jordanian clubs are holding their players’ passports because they are fleeing to play in other countries. Players are holding out refusing to practice if they are not compensated. The football league wants to install a professional system but does not have the funds. I challenge anyone to name nine players on any Jordanian club, including Faisali and Wihdat, let alone recognise the face of them.
So please, go away…Other than “al-Fi’a almondassah” no one cares.
Actually I kind of do!
(Pictures by Jehad Najjar, from the October 25th, 2007. Second leg of the Asian Cup Semi final.
Compared to the other games, this one was rather peaceful and the Sports City circle was blocked by riot police only for a couple of hours. Of course some of the incidents included:
1. Raafat Ali was ejected after celebrating a goal with an obscene gesture
2. Amer Shafi’ and Siraj al-Tal got in a fight after the game, followed by Shafi’ getting banned from the national team
3. A fight broke out in the VIP section
4. Chants that hurt the national unity (which cannot really be called an incident))
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Naser
August 28, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
Amen to that.
but is racism there in the stadium because of the two teams ? i mean if they didn’t exist would it help cure the problem ? or would it simple make it less visible !?
Tala
August 28, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
last year people were watching the game over the radio, taxi drivers, police officers. people in small shops
Rami
August 28, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more Musa. The fact that you HAVE to support one of the teams based on your “origin” is sad to say the least. During my Uni of Jordan days (1994-1998) we, mixed supporters of both teams, used to go to the stadium and sit together in one of sections labeled as a “green” one. However, after hell broke loose in one of the matches (in 96 i think) and some of us akalu ganaawi (that could easily result in kidney damage/failure) from the police while trying to evacuate (combined with the fact that players from both teams who attended college with us were heavy smokers !!), i knew that football has no future in this country and stopped following the so-called Jordanian league.
“The teams can be dissolved and the players could be spread around the league – as could the assets, buildings and other stuff.” This pearl of wisdom of yours is something that I have been barking for the last 12 years !
Basem
August 29, 2008 @ 11:02 am
This was by far the most interesting read i had on a subject i’m least interested in!
I sincerely hope that someone from the football league take notice of this and sort of contemplate its premises (given the faculty of the information checks as true at all levels).
Otherwise, good work.
Hareega
August 29, 2008 @ 11:44 am
I’m a big Faisli fan but I admite I’m not too excited about the team as I used to, despite that they have made some really good results in the past few years. The turning point was the same as yours, going to university and realziing that being Faisalawi entitles you to be supportive of Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon and an anti-Muhammad Al-Durra person.
But thanks for mentinong Musa Awad, I remember Faisali playin Al-Hussein Irbid in what ironically their final game in the league in 1991 (i think) and Hussein Irbid has 25 points and Faisli 24, a draw would have given Hussein the league title which would have been their first title ever in any Jordanian competition, but Faisli scored with a long shot from Musa Awad and won 1-0 and 2 points (before the 3-points per win rule) and got the league.
There was Khaled, Musa and Subhi Awad and a 4th brother who wasn’t as famous, I think his name was Ahmad.
Hareega
August 29, 2008 @ 11:45 am
sorry for the typos
Moose
August 29, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
The fourth brother was Tarik, there were rumors speculated that he was the best of all three but he was very moody and refused to commit, but he spent his life playing for a division two team (al fuheis) and fi dawri al qawat il mosal7ah.
Catapult
August 29, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
Dissolved it should be!!
However, I don’t think the problem will be solved!!.. One party will turn to Al Baq’a, the other will turn to Ramtha or Hussein Irbed!!…
The solution comes from the government!! I think they are the ones (knowingly or unknowngly) feeding these sentiments by dividing the population!!
It’s weird to see that people controlling big business enterprises are from one party, and those controlling the army and the governmental posts are from another!!
People are common!! the government should be the wise power who finds a solution for this problem!!
on sports level!! maybe if those useless local (Jordanian, Lebanese, Syrian) leagues are mixed together and we have one big league for the levants, the problem will be solved!!
I know it’s a dream closer to fantasy!! but what to do!! we are left with nothing but dreams!!
Hani Obaid
August 30, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
Almost thought this was a football post and skipped it. I’m glad I haven’t. Well said.
nick
September 1, 2008 @ 9:45 am
Please. Don’t fight.
Amer G.
October 14, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
You cant blame the government or the Jordanian Football Association, You have to remember the team was named “Defteen” in the beginging meaning both west and east bank (Jordan and Palestine.)
Afif Mutawe
December 29, 2009 @ 3:00 am
This has been the most intelligent, realistic and responsible discussion I ever read in any “Jorpalian” publication. I have to admire all of the contributors and let me say that you guys just restored some of my confidant and lost faith in the people of Jordan.
A little more of that and I might even consider visiting the country sometime in the future.
Jorpalian from
Canada.
Afif Mutawe
December 29, 2009 @ 3:06 am
Typo, Loss insted of lost, Sorry.