Date:10/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/10/stories/2006071017560400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

City pubs, hotels had nothing on offer for football fans

Staff Reporter

With Pele's statue overlooking it, Jogupalya watched the match on the big screen

SOCCER MANIA: Fans watching the World Cup Final match on a big screen in Bangalore on Sunday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: With the 11.30 p.m. closure deadline hanging over them like a Damocles' sword, most city pubs and hotels had nothing to offer for the city's football fans.

But even they turned out to be the quintessential damp squib, the fans gathered in front of screens big and small outside, cheering every kick with the feverish pitch the World Cup finale deserved.

Talking aloud their frustration at not finding a single pub that offered a screen to watch and a mug to drink, this group of six from Sweden had nothing much to do but walk on Church Street.

They were not concerned who eventually took the cup, Italy or France. But football they did want to watch, and cheer every move.

The Leela Palace hotel on Airport Road had no special events to offer, and the five-star Oberoi had only a special service at the Lezhadin.

At the Capitol too, nothing much special was in place for the big soccer finale. But the Taj Residency had made arrangements for a screen, open to both guests and others who might walk in.

For obvious reasons, many hotels maintained they would switch from serving alcohol to soft drinks once the clock struck 11.30 p.m. Yet, the ordinary folk in Jogupalya, that centre of football madness, were prepared in advance for some lively action in front of a big screen. With a big statue of Pele next to the screen, they sat glued, watching Zidane take France forward with a penalty kick and Italy equalising minutes later (half-time score). At Gauthamapura, every move made by the playing nations was applauded. Amid all the cheers, it was apparent that they missed their favourite team Brazil.