Football Stars

If you think you have seen a footballer, well guess what, I’ve met the whole team (or teams), together with their managers! That’s the bonus part of working in Filini. :) Although I’ve never got to see them performing live out in the field, at least I have served them. May I remind you, up-close baby!!

It’s never hard to tell if there are football stars coming and staying at the hotel:
1^st clue: There is a distinctively super elegant coach parks right in front of the entrance of the hotel.
2^nd clue: Security is tightened with barricades, sometimes police officers are seen on duty (for a more famous team).
3^rd clue: A small group of fans mostly adolescents, carrying pens/pencils with pads in their hands, and of course cameras, blocking the entrance of the hotel.
4^th clue: The hotel is occupied by a large number of Norwegians or Icelanders. They normally fly into Liverpool just for the match and let me tell ya something, these people are exceptionally wealthy.
5^th clue: The Filini’s team, together with the chefs is freaking out especially when the footballers are having their pre-match meal in the restaurant. So much so that one can hear the echoes of chefs swearing in the kitchen, waiters and waitress walking to- and fro fetching glasses, still/sparkling waters, jugs of juices, finely polished cutleries, etc.

Regardless of which team’s coming, the flow is always almost unchangeable. They come, they greet each other, they sit, they eat, they have a small chat among themselves and they leave. The whole process normally takes approximately 30mins (45mins at most). I often wish that only if they could see the hard work that we’ve put into like 2 hours of stressful preparation? But I guess they would never know. They don’t even care anyway.

After their pre-match meals they would go back up to their rooms, get changed, packed and ready to kick some asses.

I reckon that being a star, there are few golden rules that one must adhere to:
First one must dress up like a star
Second one must talk like a star
Third one must walk like a star AND
Fourth one must camwhore like a star

And in addition to walk like a star, here comes the most significant aspect that speaks so much of stardom: make an entrance like a star (seen James Bond movies? Then you would have known what I meant.)

There is a flight of stairs (I called it the Stairs of Fame, you shall come to know it soon enough) at the far end of the lobby, leading to the first floor where the conference/function rooms are. I do not know what’s on their minds when they can actually make use of the elevators taking them straight to the ground floor, but then somehow the footballers prefer using the stairs instead for they tend to take the elevators down to the first floor (the meeting point) then followed by the stairs to the ground floor. Why the fuss?? I supposed this is the so called ‘yao yeng’ so that their fans can catch a glimpse of them or snap as many photos as they can while they make their way out to the awaiting coach.

There was only one sane person from Arsenal F.C. who used the elevator while the rest of his team chose the Stairs of Fame. Stars Philosophy or better still Hollywood Syndrome, not an ordinary person like me can ever understand. And I don’t intend to either. Oh and Mr Wenger (Arsenal’s manager), a tall man he is, well built but…err.. he could use some Botox, if you know what I mean. He indeed reminded me of the Cigarette Smoking Man from the X-Files.

Don't you think so? *Grin*

I don’t recall the Manchester City F.C. having any pre-match meal in the restaurant,
but the managers gang have been there for drinks (that I am 101% certain). Mr Eriksson (ex-manager) was generous enough to leave us £100 tips, not cash but charged to his room. A farewell drinks I supposed. :p

The Chelsea team’s been to Filini for a couple of times for pre-match meals and you know what? They are infamous for being such a pain in the arse coz they tend to complain a lot about the food (which I don’t see there is a need to), until recently they were finally pleased. *Phew* But no doubt they are hotties.

Of all the footballers I’ve come across with, Inter-Milan has left me quite a great deal of impressions. I have to admit they have a large group of hardcore devoted fans of whom wherever they go, they follow. And yes that means staying at the very same hotel as well. They were here for pre-match meal when Mr Figo asked me for some butter. Didn’t even know who he was until HYin told me so. Hehe~ lousy me.

When I was about to bring him his butter, a shadow overcasted me. It was HYin, saying: “Let me! Let me! I’ll bring him the butter.” What??!! Yeah, so much for our frienships..Her true colours finally showed. Thanks Figo! :p

Rolling my eyes, I handed her the butter: “Ooooooookkkkkkk, fine.” Shaking my head.

Deep down I was thinking: Figo only ma…what’s the big deal?? Don’t understand.

Martin Skrtel, the Slovakian who plays for Liverpool F.C.?

He was staying at the hotel for a month or so before LFC signed him up. His favourite drink? Apple juice, with no ice. :)