Journo from another land
It is not quite often the case that you get to see Lionel Messi with your own eyes. Even if you do get a glimpse of the superstar once in a blue moon, you hardly ever manage to get near him, let alone talk to him. In such a desperate situation when you see a living legend walk by so near you yet you have to make do with mere eye contact or a smile in return. But when the man is Messi, that too is a distant dream, for his introvert yet humble nature.
As if to force something out of nothing, you might end up making a Messi out of the mere ordinary. Well, that's what transpired at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel yesterday. As almost everyone was busy with the preparations for the arrival of the Argentina team, the local journalists kept themselves happily occupied with someone from their own trade, one from the land of Messi, namely Daniel Avellaneda from Buenos Aires.
The 6ft2in football reporter from Clarion newspaper was an instant hit with the local journos. Can you guess why? Well, it was his English, his less-than-fluent English that made him so popular amongst the newshounds, for his peers from Argentina could hardly string together a word or two in English.
There was another reason for his popularity -- the easily approachable nature of Avellaneda that made him an instant target for the newshounds.
As it happened, the local journalists swarmed around the football reporter while waiting for the arrival of the Argentina team. The focus shifted from him to the real Messi as the Argentines arrived around 12 O'clock. But their presence was all too brief as the Albiceleste walked past the lounge and checked inside their rooms.
Then it was back again to Avellaneda during the official press conference where the coach replied to the queries of the Argentine journalists in Spanish.
However, it wasn't one-way traffic as far as the information flow was concerned, as the Buenos Airien made sure he extracted as much information as possible about the country, it's footballing culture and the frenzy about Messi.
Avellaneda, one of ten or so journalists who have flown from Buenos Aires to cover the double friendly of the Albiceleste in their South Asian journey, conceded that it was a surprise to find so much fan following here of the Argentine team.
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