THERE are few things that can come between true friends.

Or, at least, so I'm told.

The thing is. When two friends want the same thing, what happens?

Like when two good guy friends like one girl, when is it okay, and when does the code of brotherhood apply, and the other guy just backs off?

Two girls who like the same guy? Well, let's just say, I've never ever really seen that end pretty.

I often look at two big sports brands, adidas and Puma, and think of how they started out to remind myself constantly that what athletes do everyday can actually get remarkably hard.

What am I talking about?

First, let's take a look at the two brands. How many people know that both brands were actually started by brothers - yes, the Dassler brothers.

Initially in the shoe business together, it was rumoured that one day, during the war, one of the them misunderstood something the other brother said. Both became offended, and they have been enemies ever since.

So it's with wonder that I look at athletes who have to face close friends every single day.

Heck. Look at Serena and Venus Williams. Can you imagine what it must be like at their house the night before an important match. Let alone after?

My sis and me have had monumental arguments over clothes!

Why I am even thinking about this? Well, this season will see a lot of familiar faces in new places.

I am wondering how the bromances in the English Premier League will hold up.

Take Michael Owen for example. Playing in a Manchester United jersey against Liverpool is going to be a whole different ball game. How will his old friends back at Anfield receive him now?

What about Ronaldo as he plays for Real? Scratch that. Cocky bugger like him probably has no real friends - other than Paris Hilton.

But if he did, can you imagine what it must be like having to play against, and fight against friends that you have sweat blood and tears with. Friends with whom you have bonded for hours in the locker room.

Take Carlos Tevez as another example. Heck. What did he do when he made the move to Manchester City? He brought his best friends so the bromance flame could still burn bright.

Smart cookie that one.

Bothered, and really genuinely perplexed and wanting to understand the psyche of a mind behind all this, I started an MSN conversation with a friend of mine, 'Captain', to find out if it is really hard to play against friends.

Captain is otherwise known to the rest of the world as Aide Iskandar.

Being the former captain of our national squad, he said that many of his close pals play for different clubs, and while he did say there were pros and cons to playing with good mates, he admitted that things do get ugly when it gets competitive.

It gets even rougher on him because as a defender, he has a duty to go hard on his opponents.

Prize

And the theory that the bigger the prize, the tougher it is, apparently applies.

But, unlike in love, he was very adamant about one thing. When I asked if they would ever give in, he adamantly and quickly replied: 'Give in? Nope. When the game is on, we're always thinking of winning in every tackle, every confrontation, ever header. Give in? Not an inch!'

But then, my question was, doesn't that destroy the bromance? Do the friendships survive especially after some really bad bust-ups on the field?

Captain replied: 'No matter what happens, we will be friends again after the match.'

Seeing how Home United obliterated Geylang United 8-1 in 2001, and how he still remains close to many of his pals from the losing squad, I realised one thing. It all boils down to the person really.

The mark of a man who can still hug his friends after a throwdown. That is true sportsmanship.

And I sure do hope to see that this season.