Kenny Jyrwa

Shillong, Dec 15: Football is more than just a sport – it is the most beautiful game ever played on Earth, a rhythm that beats in the heart of every Shillongite. This passion becomes evident during every match played in the city, with stadiums packed to capacity, and fans even resorting to buying match tickets at inflated (black market) rates due to the high demand and limited seating.

The recent Durand Cup 2024, co-hosted by Shillong, saw local clubs Shillong Lajong FC and Rangdajied FC participating. Shillong Lajong FC’s matches, in particular, were electric, with fans flooding the stadium and turning the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium into one of the loudest arenas for visiting teams to play in. The “Great Red Wall” created by the passionate home crowd became a fortress opponents feared.

The newly remodeled JN Stadium, with a seating capacity of about 17,000, was packed with fans cheering for the home team. Securing match tickets was no easy feat during the Quarterfinals and Semifinals of the Durand Cup 2024, with fans queuing as early as 4 AM. Such scenes had never been witnessed before in Shillong, and with extensive PR campaigns and advertising, the football tournament became a massive success.

Everyone wanted to be part of the action, to experience the electrifying atmosphere inside the JN Stadium and cheer for our beloved Shillong Lajong at the top of their lungs, shouting “Sarong ïaka Lajong.” Whether it was to witness the matches or to take selfies and make reels, fans felt special being part of the 17,000-strong crowd. The fear of missing out (FOMO) was at an all-time high.

However, the same Shillong Lajong FC is now playing and struggling in the I-League, with only one win and three draws in five games. The cold, chilling weather hasn’t deterred the handful of “Shillong Lajong Faithful” who continue to show up, but sadly, the seats at the SSA Stadium are mostly empty.

It is however clear that the I-League does not have the same hype as the Durand Cup, with far less PR and advertising. But this is the same team we loved and cheered for just a few months ago – the same Shillong Lajong for whom we queued at 4 AM for match tickets.

Yes, the I-League is a different platform, and yes, Shillong Lajong is struggling. But when the team was winning, we said, “Lajong te la i jong” and now that the team is struggling and needs our support the most, does it become “Lajong te ka jong phi”.

This raises a million-dollar question: Are we truly football lovers, or are we just “sheeple” – people who blindly follow trends and popular opinions without deeper loyalty or critical thought?

We cannot love a team only when it’s winning. True supporters back their team even during the darkest days. As Chelsea FC’s theme song reminds us: “…football is the game. We’re all together, and winning is our aim. So cheer us on through the sun and rain, ’Cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name.”

Shillongites need to adopt this mentality and show the same energy at every Shillong Lajong home match played in the SSA Stadium only then can the local fans truly claim, “I Jong te la i Jong, Sarong te ha Lajong”.

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