If you devote yourself to a topic as big as football, mentally first, then put it down on paper — whereby further development can take place even in this process, so it could be “after” or “in parallel” — then this has a number of highly gratifying side effects. The size means that a gigantic number of people should be interested in principle. At the same time, you could argue that it’s easy to get information, that you get the latest news almost every day, often without even wanting to, the most important transfer news, the dismissals of coaches, the big scandals next to the pitches, the tables and ambitions, the mistakes the seasonal goals of the one, the overachievement of the other.
So “man” is informed. And so the first dark sides are already emerging. The general attitude of a potential reader would be best expressed in general terms like this: “He doesn’t have to tell me anything about football. I already know everything – just a little bit better.”
This is a curiosity that might be worth investigating: how come? Even if not explained in detail and completely at this point: it might be enough to mention that Germany is somehow always world champion and European champion and if not, then you know best the reasons for it (“Why did he have THIS and not THOSE set up and in the unsuitable Christmas tree system instead of choosing the much more promising 4-4-2 with the diamond? Because he would have…”). And Bayern only missed out on the Champions League title because…
Incidentally, you have “talking partners” everywhere as soon as you drop the word (football?). The quotation marks already show a small flaw: the suggested exchange of arguments is an illusion. In a proper group of men (sorry towards the women’s world, don’t forget!) this is not applicable. It consists only of speakers. To listen? Superfluous. “I know what you want to say, but that’s not true, it’s completely different.” At least it’s omitted if you call up a topical topic or use the term “modern football”.
If, for example, you mention the names Uwe Seeler and Fritz Walter at the beginning of the conversation – please do this quickly, try it yourself – then the view becomes clearer and you play one-two with each other, with the greatest pleasure, unique precision and blind understanding. “Yes, do you remember when Uns Uwe got the million-dollar offer from Italy and instead made the declaration of loyalty to HSV?” Pass back: “And with the back of my head against England in 1970 the 2-2 … I can see it in front of me.” Fritz Walter , how he carried the 1954 World Cup trophy on his shoulders, beads of sweat on his forehead, but overjoyed, perhaps inspired by it (“We can do it…”), who was lying fallow but in the early days of the economic miracle. No, melancholy would almost be too weak a word for it.
In this respect, you definitely have control options, but only when opening a conversation. If you call out “Ulli Hoeneß”, everyone thinks of the night sky and missed penalties, 30 million and Swedish curtains. If you try it with “paper balls”, it happens without being asked that “HSV – Werder” penetrates your ear.
If you say “modern football”, the first thing you’ll notice when you take a quick look around is a dismissal. This dismissal has a very rich meaning, one could leave it at that for the moment: “Modern football … something is wrong there … I know what, but nobody listens to me anyway … salaries, transfer fees, Acting, nasty injuries, fan riots, oh go on, stinks to high heaven without me. At most my FC out of old love and solidarity and loyalty and nothing else…even with them…but what should you do?”
Now this may be a potpourri of the possible thoughts behind it and thus more or less representative (the list could easily be extended) but the waving itself was registered once and no wet eyes were triggered in the entire round at a single one. In the past yes, now no.
These findings, however, would by no means suffice for any one of these randomly assembled groups to want to be “taught”. “Here, take a look at the book, you’ll find the answers there.” You would have to ask me where the rub is, where to start, what all of the things that need to be changed. I also watch my club, the big tournament, maybe the Champions League from the semifinals onwards, and that’s it.”
The conclusion from this: there would be a large number of people interested in a text if it were tailored to their needs, if it was recognizable, through some small detail, that the author has a point of view that is beneficial, which is objective, which is unique , which is nevertheless catchy without anything being imposed on you. Resistance arose immediately: “I won’t let myself be persuaded.”
In this respect, one must probably briefly come to the author to speak. This one at least has this unique take on the game. What caused it would be a somewhat longer derivation – which would trigger the same reflex as any other instruction in the sense of “it was exactly the same for me..I don’t have to do it to myself.”, perhaps briefly relevant that he is not professionally related would only be obliged to objectivity but, in contrast to, for example, a commentator, this is a basic requirement for being successful in one’s profession.
The job title would be best summed up as: “Professional player specializing in football betting.” Now this is not a common profession and apart from that anyone could say so, without proof it’s worthless.
The recognition for this is definitely there. However, since the profession has been practiced for 30 years and there were hardly any other sources of income, it may already be gaining in reliability. In addition, there have been a variety of reports, written, visual, and audio, as well as appearances on some TV shows — certainly accessible through research — so it might be starting to inspire confidence. Especially since there are certain indications within the reports as to what he has to contribute that was previously unknown.
Incidentally, the negative reflex “I already know, only better” affects almost everyone – and “everyone” can check this out here. “I heard it’s supposed to be about football? It is what it is, we don’t need it and everything is already known.”
The decisive factor in all of these preliminary considerations here is that just by thinking about this large number and the height of the hurdles, one promises a certain entry point. One has made it clear why what has been observed and written down would not be read and has already had the success that the reader recognizes this in his form of reflection and appreciates it. “Maybe it’s worth it after all?” As uncomfortable as it may be for the moment that you were somehow sensitively probed: “How does the man know what I’m thinking? Strangely enough, he’s right that I don’t need it, but out of protest and rebellion I just keep reading. ugh! turned your nose!”
The further history of the author, now that his career orientation has been announced, is discussed in a little more detail. Because you don’t just become a “betting pro”.
His father used to take him to football games from the age of four. He also had the habit of picking any stadium with any game, mostly from the Berlin regional league. Whether Wacker 04, Tennis Borussia Berlin, Rapide Wedding, Tasmania 1900, Hertha 03 Zehlendorf, VfB Hermsdorf, Kickers 1900, Blau-Weiss 90: you could drop by every team and every stadium. Insofar almost inevitable that no special fan relationship emerged. You want this player or that goalkeeper, this stadium or a temporary team. But that didn’t matter. The important thing was: football is played here and it’s fun. Especially since you could often stand directly behind the goal in such games. And then when one hit… Hertha BSC was also in the regional league in those years, you also went to Gesundbrunnen, they also became champions, but there was no special relationship with them. They also failed in the promotion rounds twice in a row.
A talent for numbers and a fascination for tables and their structure could be observed at the same time. At the age of seven, for the 1966/67 Bundesliga season, he started getting up first every Sunday morning to get the morning mail and check the latest table. The family slept – he indulged in his passion, so to speak “undisturbed”, because no one else wanted to read anything from the newspaper.
Increasingly, the players played their own football, soon in a club. At the age of seven he joined Hertha 03, later with classmates at Brandenburg 92, but mainly in the dog park, just around the corner. However, the passion that developed at the same time was to borrow all available “material” from the public library and once the cycle was complete, it would start all over again. There were textbooks, just as fictitious stories (“Flitzi”), tournament books and biographies. Whatever you could get hold of. This soon became just as well known among the relatives, and so their own library grew with them.
If the reading material ran out, the old football weeks were collected by year and “consumed” in the same way. And when all years are through: start all over again. The reading material never ran out and there was always something new to discover. Who was runner-up top scorer in 1967 B-Class Season 1 again?
In the family circle he was soon christened the “walking football encyclopedia”. Even if only jokingly: maybe there was something to it? Of course, the football albums were maintained and, probably just eight years old, a bet was won against a cousin: “I know at least 11 players from each team.” “No, I didn’t know, it’s impossible.” stood, went to him.
When Hertha did rise, in 1968, there were bigger games to watch in Berlin. These were visited as often as possible. However, Saturday afternoons were often reserved for their own games. That’s how Sunday stayed to continue to follow the regional league.
At the same time, he began to host the Bundesliga at home himself, using a typewriter he inherited from his grandmother. The “Elfer-raus” cards offered one possibility. Six cards were drawn per game and team, a quarter of the cards were red, the red cards were the goals. Without having checked it at the time and in the first instance – probably the father as the idea generator? –, it is easy to calculate: 12 cards per game, a quarter of them red, 12/4 =3, the result was a realistic goal average of 3 goals per game – also realistic tables.
It soon became disturbing that the table images did not develop quite as they did in reality. Because: in the way related at the beginning, all teams were equally strong, so it was difficult for anyone to break away at the front. It was exciting, ok, but not quite realistic.
Here, too, a remedy was soon found: the favorites were granted bonuses. Whoever was in front got one card more, whoever was behind got one less.
So even then it became apparent that the Bundesliga would be “simulated”, but it was important that it was as realistic as possible.
The tables and game schedules were carefully typed in, two game days per DinA-4 page. Of course, you had to create the tables yourself. “Fortuna Dusseldorf – Eintracht Braunschweig 2:1”. That must then be evaluated, the new table calculated and the teams issued in the new order. That was a lot of the fun. The main thing is that you can count.
This was the entertainment when there were no playing partners. If someone was available – usually the father himself, now and then one of the older brothers — then Tipp-Kick was played and the Bundesliga was also simulated. The father had made a record, larger than the standard pitches and much easier to record on. To do this, goals were cut out of plywood at the end, provided with a device so that they could be taken on and off, at the same time that the goalkeepers had space at the back – consider that it was a completely normal table, only temporarily converted, and only one side of the tabletop was green with white lines. The goals had real nets, which you got when you bought oranges and which only had to be cut to size. So there were real real goals to celebrate.
The rules have now been gradually optimized by the growing boy. First, the 18 teams were selected and allocated, usually those that were currently playing in the top division. Father and son each took turns choosing a team. This resulted in a sequence from 1 to 9 for both. If a game was due to be played, this sequence determined who had to play with which team. From the point of view of each of the two: first is your own 1 to 9, then the opponent’s 9 to 1, so to speak among themselves. So you can always see which team you have to play with – and it was absolutely necessary that every game was played. His 1 against his 2? Father plays his 1, son his 2, just has to be there when the mating is due.
That wasn’t a problem at all. Who is playing with whom? We know, let’s look. It was now important that there were exciting games, that there was an interesting table and that not one of the two was totally superior. However, this was certainly the case, at the same time there was enough chance in the game itself that there could be “surprises”. After a multitude of games, who came out on top? That wasn’t even calculated – although easily possible. The fun of the game itself was in the foreground, not “wanting to win”.
In order to ensure better and more realistic results and tables here too, small modifications were gradually introduced. The ball in the tip-kick has the differently shaped surfaces on which it comes to rest. One side red, one yellow (later there was also white and black). Among them were triangular areas and square areas. Here you now had enough leeway to map a home advantage, for example. If the attacker has red and comes to rest red on a triangle, the ball may be played, but not shot directly at goal. You have to submit it again. Goal shot for red: only with a red square.
So you could make very different differentiations. For example, if the league leaders played the bottom of the league at home, then that was the greatest possible advantage. Here, the leader of the table could even play the opponent’s ball if it was on their color on a triangle. The outsider could only score a goal if the ball was in the opponent’s half on his own square. Otherwise the ball was gone again, even if it was on its color but the triangle was up.
So there could still be a huge sensation – but it was correspondingly unlikely.
Since it was quite easy to score a few goals with Tipp-Kick and there was a risk that there would be too many of them, or vice versa there was the problem that the game results were too balanced – i.e. no more high goal results – was also playfully intervened here: the playing time was diced before a game. It could be anywhere from half a minute per half (on a 1) or three minutes per half (on the 6). With 30 seconds per half you could hardly count on a 3:1. 0:0, 1:0, maybe 1:1 or 2:0. So: low-scoring games. With a 6 there was sometimes a 5:2, just like in reality.
This makes it clear that he was always concerned with simulating as realistically as possible. The tables themselves were even evaluated and compared with reality: home wins, draws, goals, does that roughly match? Here, too, certain qualities that emerged and later proved to be helpful, at least accompanied him throughout.
One point should be mentioned urgently: when choosing the teams, the father always had the first choice. And here it was clear: he took Hertha BSC. This is now certainly more than unusual for such a relationship: which boy would let his father have the number 1 if it had to be the favorite team to be selected? However, it was natural for him. Of course there was no question that the father would have given up the team, that was by no means the reason why he insisted: “I’ll only play if I get Hertha.” No, not like that.
This urgent mention because it is still a lot about objectivity. And what better way to demonstrate this than with a measure like this? For the boy it was important that games were played, that tables could be built which are confusingly similar to a real table. Winning was by no means the priority, nor was any particular club leading the table. Where was Hertha, where was Bayern, where was Schalke, where were Werder, where was Glabdach? Nothing to indicate that. With a large number of such seasons that have been carried out, it is perhaps no wonder – or maybe it is. It just wasn’t about that. There’s even a chance that the statistic of who’s ahead would have reduced the fun of the game. One would ponder “who is better?” and perhaps want to do something about it, develop a kind of misplaced ambition?
The story continued like this: when I was 13, there was the game “Subbuteo” for Christmas. A table football game that is not so widespread, but is still played in competitions to this day. 11 players per team, on plinths, a green felt cloth, in your turn you can play the ball until you miss it or shoot an opponent. Similar to handball, goals should only be scored from the shooting zone in order to rule out simply aiming in the direction of the goal from your own defense – which would not be an excessive problem if allowed.
Whatever the case, the father no longer took part in this passion. Instead, the game form was now carried out with friends, but with the main problem that the author was soon too much superior to each individual. In that sense it didn’t go very well. However, when the Subbuteo Club – Hertha 72 – was found, things continued there. The chairman always only took Hertha – no question – and dominated the game, so that Hertha clearly separated at the top. This also affected the fun of the game.
After all, the author was soon able to play in the North German Championship with his playing strength increasing, earning a respectable 4th place there and playing in the newly founded Bundesliga.
To bring the story of the Subbuteos to a conclusion: in the 90s he played in some World and European Championships, in Holland, Belgium, Greece – so you got around – and reached the quarterfinals in the veteran category (over 40) once, um there to draw the short straw against the eventual winner with 1:3. In a way, his “greatest success”, with victories in the Berlin Bear Cup and the North German Classic Championship (there were rule modifications, this championship was held in the old format) also being recorded.
All of these detailed descriptions seem necessary in order to gradually approach this status “Yes, the man is objective” and insofar as statements and observations made elsewhere about football received a certain foundation and thus weight. However, their writing is by no means intended to be boring.
In terms of “fan passion” or “favourite team” it developed like this: of course the World Cup in 1966, at the age of seven, was followed in a certain way with German supporters. There was almost exclusively this perspective, also in the reporting, which at the time, however, was under all circumstances anticipating, enthusiastic, sympathetic, sympathetic, entertaining at the same time, “pregnant with meaning” and maybe even a little submissive (“let’s see how we can deal with the be able to keep up with the greats of the world…”). In this way, cheering was made easy. Of course, one was always well informed about the heroes and they also had what it takes to be heroes. Uwe Seeler, Franz Beckenbauer, Helmut Haller, Siggi Held, the latter just because of the name? “Emma” with the “left adhesive” also became a candidate with the legendary goal against Spain…
Nevertheless, the peripheral events in unfortunately bad memory. Because: on holiday trips in those weeks, partly in Sweden, a picture newspaper was still occasionally got hold of. At the age of seven, certain abilities may not be as developed as an adult, but the headline once clearly read: “PELE IS DEAD”. Below is a picture (on the BILD) in which he was carried off the field. Although the father was able to reassure him immediately that he had not died, but was simply not there for this World Cup, the shock was deep and one could not resist this sympathy. Because FC Santos was represented in the scrapbook as an additional team, for which Pele played.
The fascination for Brazil anyway, given as the defending champion and known to be the greatest soccer nation. But the injustice was already noticeable back then. Pele was injured in the game but could not be substituted. He hobbled around the pitch for a while, but couldn’t avert defeat and the end (1:3 against Portugal, 1:3 against Hungary, without research; the preliminary round, but not a fair one).
There is probably this division with every spectator: local team, for which you once or still play today, top-class team from the area, then the club teams in European competitions, which come from your own country, finally the national team. You work your way up, so to speak, wherever there is a connection: if Bavaria is in Europe, then of course keeping your fingers crossed for them, if Bavaria is in Frankfurt – and you would be a Frankfurter, for example – then of course keeping your fingers crossed for Eintracht. If Eintracht is at the local club, for example in the cup, then of course this club would be given preference. If Germany, then they and no one else, even if there are a few players from their direct competitor in the Bundesliga.
In this respect, the “parallel events” related to a club team. Within Berlin within the regional league it could be anyone. If you want to highlight a team there, it might be Blau-Weiss 90 at one time, because of the outstanding goalkeeper Berni, the beautiful place on Ullsteinstraße, where you could stand directly behind the goal and there were no crowds. Maybe a little later a certain inclination towards FC Wacker 04 from Reinickendorf, because the place there was nice, you were close, the players – who of course you all knew by name – ran right past you, before the game, at halftime , when returning from the same and at the end of the game and the purple in their jerseys also made an impression. Logically, everyone who was there was there for the promotion games. Whether TeBe, Hertha Zehlendorf, Tasmania, Wacker or just Hertha BSC. And of course they kept their fingers crossed for the Berlin clubs, regardless of how much objectivity they provided (at that time it was only in the development phase; of course that wasn’t an issue).
When Hertha BSC reached the promotion round in 1968 and actually had chances, they were logically regular guests at the Olympic Stadium. The victory against main competitor Rot Weiß Essen (2-0 before 80,000), the 1-0 against Göttingen (goal scorer, said from memory, “Atze” Altendorf), the victory against Bayern Hof and the final game against SV Alsenborn (a 1 :1 in front of “only” 60,000 spectators), after which Sangulin was carried off by enthusiastic fans, but would leave Hertha, as was already known, or no longer planned for the Bundesliga squad. He was a hero nonetheless. Hertha was “up again” and the author himself, then 9 years old, could not escape a certain enthusiasm.
Whenever possible, the stadium was visited. Only one’s own “career” stood far too often in the way. However, there was the evening game against Cologne, still the biggest crowd ever, with 88,091 paying spectators, where you could witness yourself how a huge number of fans stormed the cash registers because the sign “SOLD OUT” was put up and they absolutely were there wanted to be. So there were definitely two to three thousand more in the stadium than the tickets counted. This was so noticeable: father and son only found space in the upper ring, sitting on the stairs. It was packed. Safety considerations were ignored. You just had to watch the game. In fact, Hertha managed to beat FC Köln, who were leading the all-time table at the time, 1-0. Goal scorer: Lorenz Horr, came from Alsenborn.
Also in memory of another evening game against Hannover 96, which one was allowed to see “exceptionally” – after all, school was the next day and the kick-off was at 8 p.m. A 2:1 victory.
Whatever the case, you felt connected to Hertha. They were mostly in the bottom half of the table, but always had chances to stay in there. In my best memory: it was a long and hard winter and it left its mark on the Olympic Stadium in particular. One home game after the other was cancelled. If at all they played away from home – and the grapes used to hang a little higher there. The result: Hertha didn’t have a catastrophic record, maybe 13, 14 after minus points. But after plus points they were last for weeks.
At some point, however, came the catch-up games. And these had a certain advantage: they were held during the week. The exception was repeated. You were recognized as an enthusiastic stadium-goer and were allowed to come along. The two victories against Nuremberg and Frankfurt (2-0 each) in the spring pointed in the right direction. Another catch-up game against Braunschweig ended 0-0. The boy’s naive question brought a smile to his face: “Are you out of the woods now?” No, they weren’t. Because: the whole league was so tight this season that you needed points until the end. Curiously, Herthe secured the class with a 0:2 on Schalke (all told from memory). Because: Nuremberg and/or Offenbach, the later relegated teams, lost or drew. You could enjoy the last game against HSV (3:2) in a relaxed manner.
Hertha was thus “adopted” in the next season as well. Go to the stadium when you can, otherwise play yourself, but also read and follow everything, cheer, although studying the table was not done solely from the point of view of Hertha. Nevertheless, it was a real, but therefore “completely normal” fan relationship.
Once, against Oberhausen, at home with a broken leg, on the radio and when the very late goals came to win – father of course in the stadium – also managed a few jumps on one leg.
. You could do all sorts of things there. Hertha achieved an outstanding 3rd place that season (after they had finished 14th in all previous seasons in which they were allowed to participate and the “relegation” was due to license violations and not for sporting reasons.
The German national team qualified for the World Cup in October 1969 with a crazy 3-2 win over Scotland in Hamburg. Of course you were on the side of this team again at the World Cup. In 1966 she brought a lot of joy, the sympathy was there, there was nothing that one could have faulted about her. A Schnellinger who earned his money in Italy? He probably deserved more respect than skepticism. Hertha was 3rd, the World Cup could come.
Problem here: the games took place at night because Mexico had the time difference. You had to “propose” and then you woke up at night, now 11 years old. The preliminary round games went smoothly, the 5:2 against Bulgaria with an inspiring “Stan” Libuda and the final game against Peru – 3:1, hat trick by Gerd Müller – were just great. The quarter-final against England – the “rematch” so to speak for 1966 – the first exciting game when England were already 2-0 up, the best players were substituted (due to the heat and exhaustion or because you thought you were sure of victory?), Franz Beckenbauer’s 1:2 after an irresistible solo run, Uwe Seeler’s goal in the back of the head in the 81st minute, the 3:2 in extra time by Gerd Müller – all suitable to choose them as heroes.
The even more legendary 3:4 against Italy is certainly well known and you could say that as a child you were pretty sad for the moment and just sympathized. Great game, nobody really deserved the win, but there is a winner. Well, it must be like that.
These descriptions are now in such a way that they could basically come from anyone. “Yes, interesting story. But now it’s my turn and listen to me.” This would in no way indicate a “unique position” or “special position”. A fan like any other.
Well, there were a few events that had an impact. The next season was on. Hertha had to defend a 3rd place. Or climb even higher? No, you couldn’t get close to Bayern. Gladbach also too strong. At least there was the 9:1 against Dortmund, live in the stadium. Then a 3:1 against Stuttgart. Kind of like baking pretzels. After 16 games the record at home: 14 wins, 2 draws, 0 defeats.
But somehow you already suspected something. Not only that Bielefeld had won 1-0 at Schalke, something was noticeable that wasn’t quite right there, not here and not there. The twelve-year-old boy had a football tournament of his own that afternoon. The tournament was even won with a defensive battle and a 0-0 draw. Immediately afterwards, however, to the radio: that couldn’t be. So far no defeat and now against actually relegated Bielefeld a 0:1? That was not possible and depression set in. The push that had been feared all along had to have happened. The father also confirmed when they met again in the early evening: “No, that was fraud. Something was wrong there.”
It couldn’t be hidden anyway. Horst-Gregorio Canellas played the famous tape the next day. Bernd Patzke explained on the phone when Offenback wanted to offer a prize money that “Bielefeld pays more for a defeat.” It was secured: the big Bundesliga scandal was exposed, and everything what followed was just digging in an endless swamp of entanglements. Who is there and how much… But who really cares anymore? The weekly anticipation of the football week was decisively curbed. Why look at a single table when everything stinks to high heaven anyway?
There was also no longer any reason for an affection for Hertha. It was all rotten and had left deep scars, made a deep cut.
Back to the national team: the exciting team, which won the legendary 3:1 in England, could be seen live in the second leg in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. A more than tired 0:0 jumped out. This also did not contribute significantly to maintaining this relationship. Why always Germany?
There was another key experience at the 1974 World Cup. The World Cup itself was kind of fun. Considerable skepticism arose here, however, when the FRG lost the last preliminary round game against the GDR by conceding a goal in the 79th minute (yes, Sparwasser…) 0-1 — and as punishment Yugoslavia, Sweden and Poland in the Intermediate round got, while the GDR was given the “byes” Brazil, Argentina and Holland. No, that was the inner judgment, this 0:1 was nothing but pure intention and tournament tactics. As a “Bundesliga scandal victim” you could no longer shy away from such thoughts. That was intentional and to this day this view is vehemently advocated.
Of course, the semi-finals were just as legendary and also raised certain doubts about “regularity”. The water fight in Frankfurt, a penalty goal by Gerd Müller, there was no question of “deserved” anyway, when Poland was relegated to second place and even advanced to the final.
Well, then stop finals. Against Holland. Could it be fun? Curious about this and the key experience: when Germany had won the 2:1 victory and the trophy was presented, one walked through the streets pondering at first. The rerun was watched the next morning. Just to make sure again? The realization was that, however “progressive” or “unusual” for a 15-year-old boy: the wrong team won. How, one wondered, should one be happy about that? How do all the people do it? Surely you must have noticed that the better team lost?
This was the ultimate feeling: it was a depression almost comparable to that of three years earlier when the scandal erupted. Can the current one be explained on the one hand by the fact that originally you would have kept your fingers crossed for this team out of old solidarity? On the other hand, but also because of the general doubts: how should one ever wish for a winner? It may be that you keep your fingers crossed for someone temporarily. But if you should find out along the way that other people deserve it, how should your wishes develop? No, just wishing the weaker “luck” so that he may assert himself on this path? If nothing helps and they have to lose, then maybe a miserable penalty or one denied to the opponent will help? No, you could never wish for that.
This was the final hour of birth of the property that might have been hinted at before. Curious, however, that this is exactly what speakers often say before major sporting events as their only wish: “May the better one win!”