Looking to play some soccer and expand your social network? Then the Scandinavian Vikings might be something for you.
The Scandinavian Vikings are a Bangkok based group of mainly Scandinavian soccer players. All over South-East-Asia other Viking teams are based in the bigger cities.
That gives the Vikings the opportunity to battle each other in friendly matches, and that is exactly what is going to happen this Saturday (July 29), when the Singapore Vikings travel to Bangkok to start of the season with a game against the Bangkok Vikings.
The Singaporean Vikings visiting Bangkok for a season opener is fast becoming tradition, and there are no plans to do it the other way around. Bangkok is cheaper when it comes to paying for drinks at the gathering following the match.
So if you are in Bangkok Saturday might be a good day to go take a look at the Vikings and consider joining their ranks.
Looking for a place to be
The match is planned and Singapore Vikings have booked their tickets, but a little problem remains, Michael Nielsen of the Scandinavian Vikings explains:
“Unfortunately we have had problems finding a location for the match. All the international schools are closed, and a lot of places use this time of year to fix their fields. So I am currently unable to give the exact location and time, but updates will be posted on our website,” he says.
“I am guessing that the match will start around 15.00 and afterwards we, as always, have a little get together at the new “Viking Pub” in Sukhumvit soi 11.”
The “Viking Pub” is the usual hang out for the Bangkok Vikings and given the social nature of the soccer-gang the pub’s real name “Pickled Liver” is surprisingly fitting, especially if you add that the logo of the pub is a picture of George Best.
Football legend George Best managed, to some extend, to combine his soccer career with heavy drinking (until the latter got too dominating), but looking at the history between the Singapore Vikings and the Bangkok Vikings the combination of drinking and footballing became the end of the Singaporean Vikings, when the two teams meet last year.
“Last year we (Bangkok) won 9 to 1, but I think it was mostly due to the Singaporean team arriving the day before the match and going to check out the Bangkok night-life. The day after they weren’t really fit to play football,” Michael smiles.
Looking at the Singaporean players’ itinerary for their trip this weekend, it seems that the same thing might happen again, as they arrive Friday.
“They should probably not show up before Saturday,” Michael says knowingly, but cant resist adding.
“With that said – if someone happens to stumble over a Singaporean Viking Friday night they are more than welcome to buy him a beer.”
The South-East-Asian Vikings
There are Viking clubs spread all over South-East-Asia and once-a-year they have a regional tournament, the “Viking Cup”.
“This is where we meet with the other “local” Vikings for a friendly competition,” Michael explains.
While winning the football matches gains the honour and respect from other teams, another element of competition is just as important – maybe even more.
“We also have the beer-competition… Five beers are placed on a table and first team to finish is the winner. I think there might be more honour in winning this one than the football matches,” Michael says.
The Bangkok team has impressive merits, when it comes to the beer-cup; maybe due to the cheaper pricing on beer in Thailand? Or maybe it is because the Bangkok team has “The Real Deal”.
“The Real Deal is actually, an American named Tim Real, and when it comes to the beer he is unbeatable,” Michael laughs.
The social Vikings
There is surely honour in winning the match this Saturday or the following mini beer-cup, but being able to show of Zindane-like skills with the ball or making beer disappear like a hole in the ground is still considered secondary.
“The all-important focus is on the social aspect,” Michael underlines adding:
“People join us to get a social foothold – a network outside their workplace.”
And the Vikings are always looking for new members.
“A lot of the Scandinavian people in Bangkok are on short term contracts, you hardly see anyone staying for several years anymore. That means we constantly have people leaving and new ones joining,” Michael says adding that people interested in joining are more than welcome to contact them for more information.
(contact details can be found at http://www.scandinavianvikings.com).
“Or you can just show up Saturday and join in – either for the football match or the following social event at the Speckled Liver. We expect to be there around 20.00,” Michael invites.
More Info
“The Viking’s Pub” also known as “The Speckled Liver” is found at Sukhumvit soi 11.
Just across Ambassador Hotel in soi 11 there is a small sub-soi filled with pubs – one of them is the Speckled Liver.
Want to join the Vikings or just looking for more information: http://www.scandinavianvikings.com/
The time and location for Saturday’s match is not yet set, check their homepage for updates.
