Syrianska v Assyriska – Derby Preview

By: Luka | September 26th, 2009

Syrianska are technically the home team, and we’ll know it too. They have been allocated the main (biggest) stand and will no doubt consume it like a deadly virus in a horror film. This is exacerbated by an uncoordinated (and possibly exaggerated) boycott currently in execution among Assyriska supporters protesting against the board but more so against the now infamous name on everybody’s lips – the so called “Sports Committee” who, although elected by the board, are independently responsible for managing the day-to-day and short-medium term sporting decisions of the club, predominately transfers. In short, almost every transfer in and out of the club in the past 12 months has been been an absolute disaster – Dinho, Alex, Aziz all gone, Lorentszon on his way to AIK; Nafver & Daniel in. The only decent transfers in have been the loan signings of winger Petter Furuseth and the heroic goalkeeper Oscar “Impenetrable Wall of Nineveh” Berglund.

It seems I’ve been side-tracked royally. Anyway, talks of a “boycott” have been augmented with rumours that there will not be any buses transporting Assyriska supporters to the stadium from neighbouring cities. So, expect us to be outnumbered. The only tangible positive to emerge from being the “away” team is that the majority of our Zelge supporters will be located in the Eastern stand (so opposite the camera) and as such we get to see their magnificent tifos in contrast to the Gefe’s mundane and unimaginative “Suryoyo” banner they unveil every year. Maybe if “Suryoyo Oromoye” actually had some history they could emulate such epic pieces of tifo…

About the enemy:
Syrianska are, believe it or not, experiencing their debut season in the Superettan. What a debut it has been. They play like the Assyriska of old – quick on the counter, passing firmly on the ground and possess players who are technically sound on the ball. Three players in particular stand out – Zatara, Kunic & Massi - 3 offensive players capable of deciding a match on their own (as Massi did in the previous derby). The cherry on the Syriac cake is Ghanaian goalscorer extraordinaire Michael Mensah (pictured pointing in the direction Syrianska will plummet toward after tomorrow) who has bagged 12 goals in 22 appearances this season (5 more than our top scorer Tiago Pereira). Did I mention they are actually ahead of us in the league for the first time in their existence?

Enough talk. Enough with this preview. Talking can only get you so far. It’s time for war. A war to be played out on the pitch, and not in the stands. Let’s hope that if Assyriska wins, the Syriacs don’t wreck up the place.

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Ahna hwore smokena
Mé Bethnahrin athoyena
Ahna Othuroyena
Adyoma qa qomrina!