The Lair of Listifax: 2023

2023-12-24

2023-11-14

Saw a lot of cool old football shirts!

Visited OVER THE PITCH in Mapo-gu, Seoul last Saturday!

It doubles as an PSG official store for Korea, but down the basement they also have a lot of classic & modern football shirts for sale.

I arrived about 30 minutes before the store open and I was surprised to see quite a bunch of people waiting along with us. The reason turned out to be that they started to sell Son's shirt of this season. Of course the home shirt was out within 30 seconds, while the away shirt was barely even touched. I think it looked nice though, especially compared to Arsenal's neon yellow shirt this year!

Some cool football paintings were also on display.

But this is what I've truly come for... classic shirts of all kinds of teams!

1860 München, Charlton Athletic, SC Heerenveen, Atlas FC, Nigeria... who knew I'd see these shirts right here in Korea?

2023-11-10

Tribute for Robert Enke

It's been a little over 14 years since Robert Enke took his own life.

My ears were always open to stories about players' mental health issues and I've heard about them a lot recently, I've heard about Dele, about Víctor Camarasa, about Alexis Beka Beka, and more recently about Lyle Foster... Reading them made me feel a lot has changed since then as mental issues became something that the club & fans sincerely worry and care about, rather than the taboo that it was considered as more than a decade ago.

The truth is we can't always save everyone. But I believe we could make anyone's lives just a little bit more bearable with a bit of help. By listening to them and taking their illnesses seriously, by regularly checking in if they're feeling ok, by showing kindness. The uglier sides of mental illness is still stigmatised and it isn't something you can't truly understand, it takes huge courage to walk alongside them through their darkest paths and that really is the professionals' work. But to be an assurance for someone that there is always help one can seek out could be huge for them.

Despite everything happening, I want to keep believing that things could get better and are getting better by the help and sacrifices of people who haven't lost hope. We came so far, but we still have a lot to go. We can only do this together because we are not alone, you are not alone.

I wish the world you lived was a bit more kinder for people like you. I'll keep trying to make it so.
Rest in peace, Robert Enke.

13.11.2023
#ingedENKEn