Singapore in 2034 World Cup. Can make it or not?

[blackmondy]

Some of us won't be around anymore to find out....

 

[ODACHEK]

Can, build 10 more big stadiums now to host the game...

 

[Bad New Brown]

I would suggest that the FAS should hire a young local coach for the national coach position say budget salary SGD $4,000 a month.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Singapore football coach sacking: Limp Lions not solely Nishigaya’s fault​

Singapore head coach Takayuki Nishigaya (second from left) thanking travelling fans after their AFF Championship loss to Malaysia in January. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

David Lee
Sports Correspondent

Jan 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – Takayuki Nishigaya’s stint as Singapore national football coach was doomed from the start.
The 50-year-old Japanese was sacked by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Jan 29, but he should not be the only one held responsible for the Lions’ largely poor run of results over the past two years.
In December 2021, his predecessor Tatsuma Yoshida quit the post less than 11 months into his second two-year contract, but it took the FAS four months to appoint a replacement.
Budget was a concern, but there were still candidates who had international experience and pedigree.
One of them was Stephen Constantine, who took India to the 2019 Asian Cup and the top 100 in the Fifa rankings, and after being snubbed by Singapore, led Pakistan to the second round of World Cup qualifiers for the first time.
While it seemed like the Englishman had the CV to deliver, the FAS passed up on the opportunity – though there was no guarantee he would have succeeded here.
But what it failed to do was to give the national team every chance of succeeding.

The Asian Cup qualifiers in June 2022 were one example, with a kind draw and a single round-robin tournament presenting the Lions with a great opportunity to qualify for the continental showpiece for the first time. With just one international football window in March 2022 to prepare, it was baffling that the FAS took such a long time to appoint Nishigaya on April 25, 2022.
It would not be until May 26, 2022 that he held his first training session, giving him little to no time to understand and bond with the players before they set off. They had just one friendly against Kuwait on June 1, 2022 before the Asian Cup qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan a week later.
They took the lead against the hosts before losing 2-1, lost 1-0 to Tajikistan and beat Myanmar 6-2. Imagine what could have been if the team had more time to work with their new coach.


There are other questions to ponder.
Despite mediocre results at club level, Nishigaya was hired on the recommendation of the Japan Football Association.
Did the FAS seriously consider other options? Did it do its due diligence to check on Nishigaya’s personality, temperament and ability to communicate? Or did it simply trust that lightning would strike twice and he would, like Yoshida, work out?
Every good international coach needs a first break, and there are plenty of cases of coaches who succeed overseas despite not speaking the country’s native language.
Some, like Vietnam’s former coach Park Hang-seo, have a strong team of assistants and a skilled translator who can bring the coach’s ideas and messages across well. The Lions just did not have that.

The FAS and Nishigaya are not the only parties responsible for his failing. What can they do if some players feel it is a good idea to attend a New Year’s party a few days before a crucial AFF Championship clash against Malaysia, which they lost 4-1?
But the coach has to take some of the blame – sources say that he is an introvert who made little effort to bond with his backroom staff and players.
Ultimately, the lack of synergy showed in the lack of identity in games, even if his record of eight victories, five draws and eight defeats is actually superior to Yoshida’s 6-4-10 report card.
Nishigaya was effectively a dead man walking after the Causeway derby humiliation and the rumour mill was rife with talk of his termination when The Straits Times reported that the search for a replacement had begun before the second round of World Cup qualifiers last November.
Albirex Niigata coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga and former Warriors boss Alex Weaver were in the running but did not get the job despite having won the Singapore Premier League title and their experience working in local football.
Japan national team and Olympic team assistant Tsutomu Ogura is believed to have agreed terms with the FAS and was recently in town for medical tests.

The local fraternity is hoping that the FAS, its management and the team will learn from this failure, as a coach on his own can only do so much.
An effective communicator with the ability to inspire the team to play above themselves and a proven track record are ideal qualities, but the Lions must also play ball.
The next national coach must be given resources to build his backroom, organise quality training camps and friendly matches to increase camaraderie and playing levels, as well as time for his philosophy to take root.
Clear targets and timelines must also be set. Forget the World Cup – the AFF Championship semi-finals will be a good start and qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup must be the main goal.
The FAS rarely sacks its foreign coaches and its decisiveness this time round, believing that “an early transition to a fresh successor would re-energise the team” must be matched by the right decisions moving forward.
Otherwise, we could be stuck in Groundhog Day and having this same discussion in two years’ time.

 

[red amoeba]

Change out those fuckers from FAS. Out in football people not PAP related stooges.

Develop football from grounds up. Make it a rewarding and sustainable career.

Stop fumbling and anyhow appoint a football coach. Promote from within. Groom future coaches.

Stop gap get Mourinho.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

FAS president Bernard Tan: All we ask for is a Singapore team that makes us proud​

(From left) FAS president Bernard Tan, national coach Tsutomu Ogura, and The Straits Times journalist Deepanraj Ganesan discuss Singapore football on The Straits Times’ podcast series Hard Tackle. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Deepanraj Ganesan

FEB 28, 2024


SINGAPORE – Tsutomu Ogura’s appointment as the Singapore national coach on Feb 1 saw the former Japan national team assistant become the Lions’ third consecutive Japanese tactician at the helm. At Ogura’s unveiling, Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Bernard Tan denied an agenda behind hiring another Japanese coach.
On The Straits Times’ podcast series Hard Tackle, Tan speaks for the first time about the hiring process while Ogura tells sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan about his observations and plans before his first game in charge on Mar 21 against China in a World Cup qualifier.
This is an excerpt from their discussion.

Q: When did the process to replace coach (Takayuki) Nishigaya start and what is this process like ?​

Tan: If you look at the history of our coaches in Singapore, very rarely do we actually terminate the services of a coach prior to the completion of the contract. I think you can trace back to many, many years, and usually we allow the coach to see through the contract.
The fact that we actually had terminated coach Nishigaya’s contract six months before the end of his term shows that this was something that was taken outside normal processes. Once the decision was taken that it was good to replace our existing coach early, then we had to start the process (to hire a new coach)

Q:Was there any point in the process where you thought about not appointing a Japanese coach just so that you can avoid this claim of bias from people?​

Tan: I must say, I’m actually quite surprised by the issue of being biassed. We did have two Japanese candidates, but we (also) had a Spanish person and two Englishmen that we seriously considered. In terms of the pedigree of coaches in Asia, it would not be surprising to you to know that the Japanese and the (South) Korean coaches are in high demand throughout Asia.
I think any fan in Singapore can look around the region and admit that the Japanese have got the ecosystem right, they have been on an upward trend and their team is ranked 18th in the world. There’s a lot to learn from the Japanese ecosystem.

And to me, it was natural that more of the candidates would come from Japan. But I didn’t have a desire to just avoid a Japanese coach. I think to do so would hamper the whole process. Was there a bias or a deal? No, the answer was no.

Q: You have the two matches against China coming up very soon. What is the plan before those matches?​

Ogura: At the moment, we have no friendly games but we will start centralised training in a small group. Because the overseas players will not be joining (initially) till the Fifa window, we will train with local (based) players for about four or five days.
First, I would like to share my concept, the Singapore national team concept with the coaching staff, and then the players. The players must believe in our football, then we will get confidence. This is very important. Belief is very important. It is not just about one or two players believing in it. Everyone, including all the coaches, has to believe in it and then we can improve.

Q: What is your message to fans ahead of the matches against China later this month? What would you say if you could speak to them directly?​

Tan: What is the expectation that the average Singapore fan has? It’s to see a team that has a style of play that makes us proud, to have players who are giving their all and are organised in a way that makes it very difficult for a superior team to beat us and gives us a chance to beat a superior team.
We know where we stand in football today. There’s still a long way to go. Anybody who thinks that in a click of our fingers, we appoint a coach and instantly a result will come out is fooling themselves. But what we expect from our boys in red is a performance that we all can be proud of.
And that’s the challenge I give to coach Ogura and his entire team. And I trust that he has the same philosophy in his heart. So, all I’ll ask for is a Singapore team that makes us all proud.

Q: Is it realistic to expect Singapore to get something from the matches against China?​

Ogura: In the AFC Asian Cup, everyone said Japan and (South) Korea are the best teams. Neither of them were in the final. This is football where we don’t know (what happens).
At [his former club Tokyo] Verdy, no one thought about us getting promoted. If we say that a draw is enough, we won’t get a draw. We must challenge ourselves. The aim must be correct. The target is always the same, it is always to win. I am looking forward to (the game) against China.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Lions out with a whimper after 3-1 defeat by Thailand in World Cup qualifier​

Thailand's Kritsada Kaman (left) and Singapore's Ikhsan Fandi challenging for the ball during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. PHOTO: AFP

Deepanraj Ganesan

Jun 12, 2024

SINGAPORE – On a night when the Singapore national football team’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign ended with yet another loss – 3-1 to Thailand – forward Ikhsan Fandi provided a rare bright spark for the Lions at the Rajamangala Stadium.
The Singaporean’s 57th-minute strike broke Thai hearts as their players collapsed to the ground in tears at the final whistle after missing out on qualification by a goal. The War Elephants began the game needing a three-goal victory over Singapore to leapfrog second-placed China on goal difference and join group leaders South Korea in the next round.
The strike was a relief for Ikhsan, as it was his first in national colours since September 2022, ending a run of five matches without a goal for his country. He had also missed several international games after he ruptured his right patella tendon in a home friendly against the Maldives in December 2022.
Ikhsan, who signed a three-year contract extension with Thailand’s BG Pathum United on June 1, told The Straits Times after the match: “As a striker for my team, my goal is to score goals and help the team win.
“I‘m happy that I could score but it’s still a loss. But we showed character and a lot of fight to come back. We had a lot of chances and... we could have potentially got a draw or even a win to show that we could fight with Thailand.”
Despite the positives for Ikhsan, the loss meant the Lions ended their qualifying campaign bottom of Group C with no wins, a draw and five defeats in six matches. During their 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Singapore claimed two victories, a draw and five losses.
It was however an improved display compared to the meek 7-0 thumping at the hands of South Korea on June 6 at home. This time, Singapore created several chances apart from Ikhsan’s goal.

Lions assistant coach Gavin Lee, who was filling in for Covid-positive Tsutomu Ogura, said: “We wanted to stay as close to (Thailand) as possible and we knew we would have our chances. The chances arrived but unfortunately, we didn’t take them.
“There were some improvements in performance, but this is the start of a journey where we are trying to change our playing style. It will take time. It is obvious that the Thais are a step ahead of us and we definitely want to close that gap.”
The top two teams from each of the nine groups advance to the third round of qualifiers. With South Korea claiming a 1-0 win over China in Seoul ahead of the Thailand-Singapore game, the Thais saw their campaign end courtesy of Ikhsan’s strike. China, who were level on points and goal difference with Thailand, advanced owing to a better head-to-head record after beating the latter 2-1 in November.

With everything to play for, the Thais started their hunt for goals from the get-go on June 11 as the Lions were forced to retreat against a barrage of attacks.
With a sold-out crowd of 39,404 roaring on the home side, they opened the scoring in the 37th minute. A quickly taken free kick caught the Singapore defence off guard as Chanathip Songkrasin ran on to Theerathon Bunmathan’s through ball and laid it on a plate for the Belgium-based Suphanat Mueanta to finish.

Thailand’s Supachok Sarachat (centre) shoots during the 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC qualifiers football match between Thailand and Singapore at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. PHOTO: AFP
And just as they did against South Korea, where they conceded three goals in four minutes in the second half, the Lions almost conceded another, but Hassan Sunny – who made 11 saves in the game – thwarted Supachai Chaided’s close-range attempt.
The Thais received a sucker punch in the second half, when Ikhsan ran onto a Glenn Kweh pass and unleashed a fierce strike that left Thai goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai with no chance.
But the hosts rebounded with Poramet Arjvirai scoring in the 79th minute via a sublime strike, before Jaroensak Wonggorn added to the tally in the 86th minute. While they continued to pour forward in search of a crucial goal, the Thais – who had 35 shots compared to Singapore’s 10 – could not find the net again.
After a night of tension and drama, both sides left the field disappointed, their World Cup dreams over.
There is still hope for one South-east Asian nation, after Indonesia advanced to the third stage of World Cup qualifying for the first time with a 2-0 win over the Philippines at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
North Korea also progressed after a 4-1 victory over Myanmar to join China, Australia, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Better to channel resources and money into non-contact sports than into football.

Forum: Divert more resources into developing non-contact sports​

Jul 09, 2024, 05:00 AM

At the coming Paris Olympics 2024, Singapore will be represented in 10 events: athletics, badminton, canoeing, equestrian, fencing, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming and table tennis (Teh sets medal target, June 15).
It is noteworthy that only one of these events – fencing – is a contact sport, requiring physical contact between competitors.
Is there something in the constitution of our population that makes them less suitable for, or inclined towards, physical contact, often at a robust level? Is it our physique, physical strength, mental frame of mind, or some other factor that is holding back our breakthrough into world-class contact sports?
Some people may argue that countries with small populations face greater hurdles in producing world-class sportsmen and sportswomen. That is likely a significant factor, but it does not fully explain the situation. Look at Uruguay (population 3.4 million), ranked No. 14 by Fifa in men’s soccer (they have just beaten Brazil), and Iceland (population 380,000), ranked No. 70. Singapore is ranked No. 159.
If we want to break through into world-class sports, perhaps we should divert more resources into developing a number of non-contact sports –set up modern facilities, draw up five-year and 10-year programmes with clear targets, bring in experienced coaches and trainers, and send more promising sportsmen and sportswomen for regional and international competitions.

Young Pak Nang

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Nobody remembers Mabok Tan’s 2010
Fucking joker

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

‘We could have lost 10-0, 20-0’, says Singapore football coach after J.League friendlies​

Faris Ramli grabbing a consolation goal for Singapore in the 7-1 friendly loss to J1 League side Yokohama F. Marinos. PHOTO: FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

David Lee
Senior Sports Correspondent

Oct 14, 2024

YOKOHAMA – The Lions were on the receiving end of a chastening 7-1 defeat by J1 League’s Yokohama F. Marinos on Oct 14, when they rounded up their 10-day training camp in Japan.
Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura did not mince his words as he told The Straits Times post-match at the F. Marinos Sports Park: “We need to improve everything – offence, defence, intensity, one-against-one, individual and group technique.
“Before this, they had a feeling how big the gap was between them and J1 teams, but this became real for them when they actually played.
“They knew what they had to do. I told the players we needed things like good defence and good organisation, and if we were missing any one of these areas, losing 10-0 or 20-0 is possible.”
A lopsided score did materialise in front of about 300 spectators that included the club’s youth teams, fans and coaches such as former Albirex Niigata coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga. The hosts started with seven players who have made at least 17 appearances this season, despite losing the J-League Cup semi-finals on aggregate a day earlier.
In contrast, Ogura fielded a young side with an average age of 23.5 years – they had four uncapped players and a combined total of only 104 caps.
Explaining the rationale for his line-up, Ogura said: “This preparation is important not only for the senior players, it is better for the younger generation to understand the standard required of them to succeed at the highest level. It will be very helpful for them, as they still have the time to change and improve for the long run.

“What they have just experienced is the high standard, it is what we should aspire towards and make good habits to achieve it. Japan football wasn’t like this 30 years ago, and we reached this level step by step, so Singapore can also try.”
Despite making a decent start with some good combinations and Zikos Chua firing over, while 19-year-old Raoul Suhaimi impressed with his steadiness at right-back, the gulf in quality soon emerged and was quickly exploited.
Each extra touch, a moment of hesitation on the ball, or a lapse in concentration often led to a goal-scoring opportunity for the Marinos, who are 12th in the 20-team J1 League but also last season’s Asian Football Condeferation Champions League finalists.

They demonstrated how to press as a team and individually, as players kept on the move and showed great awareness on and off the ball, and knew where their teammates were on the pitch.
One or two touches, combined with wall passes, were often enough to carve open the Lions defence as former Japan international Kota Mizunuma (two goals), Riku Yamane, Justin Homma and Yuta Koike put five past Syazwan Buhari without reply by half-time.
Singapore showed better communication and organisation in the second half after Ogura introduced his senior players, as all his fit and available outfielders got game time.

While Keita Ueda muscled Shakir Hamzah off to make it 6-0 after 49 minutes, the Lions got a consolation goal in the next minute when Faris Ramli closed down Marinos goalkeeper Fuma Shirasaka to divert a clearance into goal.
Yamane then completed his brace in the 53rd minute after the visitors could not clear their lines following big stops from Syazwan. Singapore managed to create more opportunities later on but Taufik Suparno could not convert the two chances that came his way as the game petered out.
Earlier, Ogura’s men lost 4-0 to FC Tokyo on Oct 8 and beat Tokyo Verdy 2-1 three days later. The training camp is key for the team to simulate the conditions and fatigue they will face playing four group games in 13 days in the Dec 8-Jan 5 Asean Football Federation Championship.
Skipper Hariss Harun felt the Lions generally did well but urged his teammates not to waste this experience when they return to their clubs.
The 33-year-old said: “To do these things right, we need to be exposed to a high level and do it regularly. It’s like second nature for the Japanese, but we are not consistent. It’s something we need to aim for, and we need to push each other more in training at club level.
“We need to identify what we want to achieve in the longer term. It will be a waste and a pity if this was a one-off and we come here but go back and do things the same old way again.”

 

[Eisenhut]

The only way is for our SPG to extract sperm of BBC! Look even Japan also doing it:
https://x.com/ESPNAfrica/status/1816415847180550153

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Has Singapore football Unleashed the Roar to achieve its goals?​

In 2021, the “Unleash The Roar!” (UTR) project was launched to transform Singapore football. The collaboration between the Government and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) came on the back of a goal outlined by the sports body, which had set the Lions’ sights on qualifying for the 2034 World Cup.​

A Singapore Youth League match at the Serangoon stadium between Junior National Development Centre (in blue) and Spanish Soccer Club Asia (white).PHOTO: UNLEASH THE ROAR

Deepanraj Ganesan
Jan 05, 2025

SINGAPORE – National skipper Hariss Harun boasts a career that is the envy of many – the 34-year-old Singaporean has over 130 international caps, a continental trophy, multiple league titles on both sides of the Causeway and an Asean Championship winner’s medal.

Yet he cannot help but wish that he had access to the opportunities now available to young footballers here.

“The amount of resources and support being put in for football now, it makes me wish I was a young player today,” he said. “In general, there is greater support from the Government, from schools, parents and the football community to pursue one’s dream of being a professional footballer.”

He was referring to Unleash the Roar! (UTR), a project launched by the Government in 2021 to improve and transform Singapore football.

Through UTR, aspiring young players get support and development opportunities through various avenues, such as overseas scholarships, the Singapore Youth League (SYL) and the School Football Academy (SFA), to set them up for success.

Impetus to unleash the roar​

Once record champions in the region with four Asean titles, Singapore football has been in the doldrums in the last decade. The Lions’ Fifa ranking dipped to an all-time low of 173 in 2017 and while they are currently ranked 160th, they are behind regional rivals such as the Philippines (150), Malaysia (132), Indonesia (127), Vietnam (114) and Thailand (97).

To reinvigorate the community and raise football standards, in 2021, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong announced in Parliament the launch of the UTR project.

(From left) Then Football Association of Singapore deputy president Bernard Tan, president Lim Kia Tong and Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin unveiling details of the Unleash the Roar! project on March 9, 2021.ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Mooted as a national initiative to unite Singaporeans and lift local football, the project to rebuild Singapore football has since seen the launch of four key programmes: the SFA in 2022, overseas scholarships, the Junior National Development Centre (JNDC) and National Development Centre (NDC) – which provides regular high-level training locally and overseas training camps for the best players aged between eight and 16 – in 2023 and the SYL a year later. These programmes, alongside a dedicated training facility at Kallang, underscore the investment the Government is prepared to make in football.

Hariss, who made his national team debut at 16, noted that he had limited exposure in his early footballing days. His overseas experience was confined to Asian-level school tournaments and a one-week training stint at La Masia, Spain, at 16. In contrast, promising youth players today are attached to academies in Spain and the United States for a number of years.

There was then also limited match exposure, with only 15 to 20 school games annually by age 10, compared to 30 matches yearly under the current SYL programme for kids as young as eight. Where international competition once started around 15 or 16 with just one trip a year, national youth players now travel twice annually to face teams in Europe or Asia.

Results still lacking​

Over three years into the project, has Singapore football seen any progress on the pitch?

Singapore players singing the national anthem during the Asean Championship semi-final, first-leg match against Vietnam at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Dec 26, 2024. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Despite top UTR officials urging patience for the youth-centric initiatives to bear fruit, the reality is that results have not been positive across all levels.

The national team failed to win any of their six matches in the second round of qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, conceding 24 goals and scoring just five times. While there have been bright moments such as a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against China and a semi-final berth at the 2024 Asean Championship, the Lions are not a feared force in the region.

Further down the age-group levels, the results are bleak.

At the 2023 SEA Games, the Under-22s suffered their worst defeat in the football competition since 1971 after a 7-0 drubbing by Malaysia, as they ended their campaign without a single victory.

In 2024, in continental qualifiers for age-group national teams, the Singapore U-19 and national U-17 teams combined for five losses and one victory in six matches. At the Lion City Cup last October, the Under-16s suffered two losses – 1-0 to Thailand’s BG Pathum United in the semi-finals and a 5-1 mauling by Johor Darul Takzim in the third-place play-off.

FAS president Bernard Tan explained that significant results from such an “overhaul” typically take about 10 years to bear fruit. Noting that one should not “put extraordinary weight on youth tournaments”, he added: “The underlying basis is that youth tournaments are for development. Good coaches will allow young players to play in different positions, learn how to adapt to different systems and develop mentally and technically, rather than with an overriding focus on results. It’s all about development rather than winning.”

But Sport Singapore’s chief of sport development group Marcus Tan, who oversees the UTR project, acknowledged that the results “have not been the most encouraging” and that “they must and have to be better”. He noted that discussions are being held with the FAS as they reassess teams’ approach to tournament preparations.

He highlighted the positive impact national coach Tsutomu Ogura has made to the senior team – emphasising that it is important to get the right coaches in place. ST understands that personnel changes within the coaching set-ups are being looked at.

Noting that “the current state of football is not new”, Marcus Tan said: “We have been struggling for a while and that is why we even started the UTR project. And we are not going to magically become consistently competitive overnight.

“We understand that ultimately, football is a results-oriented business. Since the inception of UTR, we have devoted the first three years towards setting up the systems, infrastructure and beefed up our coaching capabilities.

“We will take a harder look at results in the next phase to ensure that we start being more competitive at the youth level, which will translate to the senior team in years to come.”

Pointing to Singapore’s small population, low participation rate in football and land scarcity as factors impacting the sport here – as compared to its Asean neighbours – Bernard Tan added that “UTR is a monumental national effort trying to beat the odds and we are committed to try”.

Some bright sparks​

At the youth level, there is a big jump in opportunities for players to pursue football at a level that “no generation of Singapore footballers have ever experienced”, said Marcus Tan.

The inaugural campaign of the Singapore Youth League kicked off on Feb 24, 2024 and ran till Dec 1.PHOTO: FAS
The inaugural season of the SYL saw about 4,000 young footballers from more than 200 teams play an average of about 30 games throughout 2024. However, there have been teething issues, such as an instance when players turned up at the venue to find it closed and lopsided scorelines during classification rounds.

In the upcoming season, the SYL numbers are set to grow to over 6,000 players from 300-plus teams. The SYL will also act as the broad base for talent identification, from which talented youth will be invited to join the JNDC and NDC.

But former professional player and coach Shasi Kumar pointed to the existing JSSL Singapore’s National Youth Leagues – which is privately operated – as a reason why he does not feel the SYL is a game changer. But he conceded that more youth players and academies being involved in regular competition only bodes well for local football.

Shasi said: “The number of players at the youth level has definitely increased, so that is good because it means there is a wider pool. But I hope the national selectors and scouts are also looking for talents from these private leagues.”

Mindset shifts among youngsters and parents are also needed for the initiatives to see results, said Marcus Tan, who added that he is heartened that top youth players now get an average of four sessions a week and a weekend match, as compared to two sessions a week previously.

He added: “We need our stakeholders, academies, coaches, parents and young footballers to realise that if we want to be among the best in Asia, we need to train like them.”

The commitment to train at a higher intensity is critical. In a sport like swimming, he added, Singapore’s excellence is a result of rigorous training – top junior swimmers train eight to 10 times weekly, while national athletes train 10 to 12 times a week.

Jury still out on scholarships​

To date, 18 student-athletes – 10 girls and eight boys – have been sent on overseas scholarships under UTR with the aim of providing them with the opportunity to study, train, play and compete overseas full-time on a multi-year basis.

While the effects have been felt in the national women’s team where four of the scholarship holders played a part in helping the Lionesses qualify for the 2025 Asean Football Federation Women’s Championships, the first batch of male players – Loo Kai Sheng, 17, and Uchenna Eziakor, 16 – have yet to show promise.

Sources told ST that the ESC La Liga Centre in Madrid, where the first batch of scholarship recipients were based, has since shut and that the calibre of training and players there was also found to be “not at the required level”.

Tellingly, the latest batch of scholars were instead sent to Spanish youth side Rayo Alcobendas.

Uchenna has also made the move from the La Liga Academy to Alcobendas. Kai Sheng is back in Singapore with the Young Lions and is set to enlist for national service.

Footballers Uchenna Eziakor (left) and Chloe Koh were among eight recipients of the Unleash The Roar! overseas scholarship on July 31, 2023.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Former national goalkeeper and youth coach Yakob Hashim urged UTR to also look beyond outfield players. He said: “UTR should also look at other Asian or European clubs for attachment. On top of that, while we send our outfield players, we also need to look at sending our local coaches and goalkeepers to Spain. They can learn and benefit so much from that environment.”

In 2024, former national players Noh Alam Shah and Isa Halim, who both hold Asian Football Confederation A licences, were sent to J1 League club Tokyo Verdy as the inaugural batch of participants for the Coaches Overseas Attachment programme. The pair, who have returned to Singapore, said they benefited from the stint but it remains to be seen what plans are in store for them.

Isa Halim (left) and Noh Alam Shah during their attachment with J1 League side Tokyo Verdy.PHOTO: UNLEASH THE ROAR!

Not yet a premier league​

When UTR was first announced, one of the initiatives it had hoped to put in place by 2022 was the privatisation of the Singapore Premier League (SPL). More than two years on, that has not materialised. In fact, UTR has yet to attract any major corporate backing for its initiatives.

Sources have indicated that this is down to a lack of commercial interest. Attendance for matches continues to be low, with an average of 901 fans per game this season as at Sept 21.

Marcus Tan said that privatising the SPL is still on the cards, but steps are needed to ensure the clubs are ready, and that includes reshaping clubs to make each of them an attractive proposition.

He said: “While looking at SPL privatisation, we were clear that we didn’t just want a cosmetic change. And from our discussions with clubs, stakeholders and looking at the best practices overseas, the model for SPL privatisation must include clubs relooking their youth development structure, partnerships – pay attention to the whole football ecosystem and not just managing the first team.

“And to achieve that, we need more time. But we’ve already started the work, by pairing SPL clubs with youth teams (ActiveSG Football Academy teams and SFAs) and working to see how we can get SPL clubs more facilities from stadiums to training facilities.

“This has taken longer than expected but we are hopeful we can do it in the next year or two.”

Taufik Suparno (left) of Tampines Rovers celebrates with teammates after scoring the fourth equalising goal against Geylang International in the Singapore Premier League match held at Jalan Besar Stadium on May 17, 2024.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Welcoming the move, Geylang International head coach Noor Ali said: “What this can do is create an identity from young and give every player a clear pathway. From the time he enters school at an SFA to the point he reaches the SPL, the pathway becomes clear. There is also a sense of belonging and then clubs can tap on the schools and the kids’ parents as supporters.”

Shasi also urged the authorities to improve the intensity of the SPL, noting that the gap between the league and the international game is too wide, adding that it is crucial for talented footballers to get opportunities abroad.

Is the World Cup still a goal?​

Seeing the Lions play at the sport’s biggest stage in nine years’ time seems increasingly like a pipe dream, as observers say meeting this target is almost impossible, given the current circumstances.

Even achieving former Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin’s earlier goal of winning the SEA Games gold by 2027 or 2029 looks a long shot.

Singapore’s best result at the Games remains silver medals in 1983, 1985 and 1989. The Young Lions last made the semi-finals in 2013.

Former national footballer R. Sasikumar said setting lofty goals was essential in any project and that it was too early to pass judgment on UTR.

“When you set a goal, it needs to be lofty. But at the same time, when you create lofty goals, people tend to throw cold water and they will use words like ‘be realistic’. But the reality is that goals cannot be mediocre,” said Sasikumar.

“If we want to say the ultimate goal is to win SEA Games gold, then all our actions will be in line with that. Then Asean competitions will become our World Cup. For the sake of our football, we must aim a lot higher.”

Admitting that Singapore are “very far” from achieving the 2034 goal, he said a better gauge will be where the national team are five years from now.

Being competitive in Asia would be a better target, said Shasi.

Calling the UTR initiative a “very ambitious project”, he added: “Let’s look at the little milestones. We should aim to reach the Asian Cup first. That is the real goal and a sign of progression.”

Noting that the 2034 World Cup is an “aspirational target”, Marcus Tan added: “We hope to do well in the 2027 SEA Games and especially the 2029 edition, when we host it on home soil. It will not be without its challenges. But we will give it our best.”

On whether UTR is on track, he is certain about one measure of progress.

Reflecting on Hariss’ remark, he said: “It is safe to say that Singapore football is in a better place now. The UTR journey has just begun, and we will need time in order to do more and lift standards to where we want them to be.”

Despite the numerous challenges, when asked to rate UTR’s success so far, Bernard Tan gave it a “10 out of 10”, citing “the fact that we have a UTR programme, and it is off the ground”.

He added: “Singapore football is better for it, and this is recognised by many in the ecosystem. Is it perfect? It’s not, and we knew when we started that it should not be the case... Better put things in motion and make adjustments rather than wait till things are perfect before acting.

“We are doing things never done before in Singapore’s football history. So we are going to have missteps. If we are so afraid, we will not move.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Football Association of Singapore’s head of talent identification Kenneth Santa quits​

Kenneth Santa was appointed as FAS’ head of talent identification in 2023.PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN

Deepanraj Ganesan
Jan 17, 2025

SINGAPORE – Over two years after joining the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) in a newly created head of talent identification position, Kenneth Santa parted ways with the national sports association on Jan 14.

The 42-year-old was appointed in January 2023 after having previously held various scouting roles in Danish football. He also worked in various Asian countries, including at Qatar’s Aspire Academy and Punjab FC in India.

The FAS had created the role two years ago in a bid to strengthen its scouting structure. Santa was then tasked with establishing a robust framework that could be used to identify promising young players for Singapore’s youth national teams.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, an FAS spokesperson said that it had reached an agreement with Santa to “mutually part ways as FAS seeks the way forward for Singapore’s talent identification system”.

The spokesperson added: “Kenneth has set up structures and processes for talent identification in the last two years or so. These structures and processes – that include national trials for boys and girls from Under-8s to Under 15s and a scouting database – have played a part in the identification and selection of NDC (National Development Centre) and JNDC (Junior National Development Centre) players, and also potential players for our national youth teams.”

“Going forward, FAS seeks to build on the talent ID programme and have stakeholders working closer together.”

The FAS also added that the identification of players is an “ongoing process” that will continue despite Santa’s departure, and this will come under the purview of the FAS technical director Michael Browne.


Santa was a close associate of Browne, whose contract was extended for a year last August.

He helped to establish the talent identification department which he led, and its initiatives included having part-time scouts who search for talents at club and private academies matches, the National School Games and FAS trials. He also led FAS’ talent identification course which was aimed at giving potential scouts the necessary knowledge and training required to identify gifted youth players.

ST understands that while Santa helped to formalise the scouting and talent identification structure at the FAS, those who worked with him on the ground revealed that he was often too vocal of his frustrations working in Singapore football, and was at times not cooperative with stakeholders.

Santa declined comment when contacted by ST.

 

[Charlie99]

Japan is alright too.

Japan has a world class football team

 

[Robert Half]

Young Lions must set the target of qualifying for the semi finals of this SEA Games 2025

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Nepal record historic win over Singapore in international football friendly​

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Singapore midfielder Harhys Stewart sees a shot saved by Nepal goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong in the visitors' 1-0 win at the National Stadium.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

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The Lions lost 1-0 to Nepal at the National Stadium in front of 5,078 fans.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
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David Lee
Mar 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – If their performance against Nepal was anything to go by, world No. 160 Singapore will have a mountain to climb when they face 155th-ranked Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualifiers on March 25.

On March 21, the lacklustre Lions lost 1-0 to the 175th-ranked Nepalis in front of 5,078 fans at the National Stadium for their first defeat by the South Asian nation in four meetings, and Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura lambasted the poor performance in the post-match press conference.

The 58-year-old said: “If we play like this, we cannot win against any team. In my one year here, this is the worst game we have played, more so than the 7-0 loss to South Korea.

“Nepal were much better. We were nothing, nothing, nothing. There was no fight, and we played individually and not as a team, unlike Nepal. They wanted to win, they wanted to protect their goal, they treated this friendly game like a competitive match.

“Why were we so frantic and scared after losing one goal? If we can play like normal, maybe we can create chances. Nepal fought for 90 minutes plus additional time but we fight for only 10, 15 minutes. It’s not enough.”

Just five players from the starting line-up in their last match against Vietnam in the Asean Championship semi-finals made Ogura’s first XI as he looked to experiment ahead of the Hong Kong match. Interestingly, in-form striker Shawal Anuar was the only one left out of the 23-player match-day squad.

The Japanese coach would have been disappointed by how his back four were caught on a counter-attack as early as the 12th minute. Manish Dangi whipped in a cross for Gillespye Jung Karki to score his third goal on his 12th international appearance and send the 600-odd Nepal fans into raptures.


The hosts tried to respond immediately, and Harhys Stewart was unfortunate to have his penalty claim waved away by referee Yusuke Ohashi after being hacked in the box by Rohit Chand in the 17th minute.

But, save for a few hopeful crosses that were competently dealt with, and a shot from Ryhan Stewart on the left in the 21st minute, Singapore did not test Nepal goalkeeper and skipper Kiran Chemjong.

Instead, they required debutant left-back Akram Azman to make a last-ditch tackle in midfield to prevent the marauding Dangi from going clear on goal in the 29th minute.

The home fans had a rare moment to cheer about when the jumbotron erroneously flashed a goal celebration when Shah Shahiran was about to take a free kick in the 62nd minute, but it eventually came to nought.

Lions goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud also had to be alert to beat Singapore-born Laken Limbu to the ball, as the energetic visitors did not look like a team who had lost 12-0 across three previous encounters to the Republic in the 1980s.

Courtesy of their substitutes, the Lions’ best chance of the game came in the 68th minute when Christopher van Huizen’s cross was nodded on by Ilhan Fandi for Faris Ramli, whose close-range shot was well saved by Chemjong.

They were denied another possible penalty in the 79th minute when Abhishek Limbu looked to have handled the ball, after Harhys’ long throw wreaked havoc in the penalty box.

Harhys, who turned 24 a day earlier, then saw a point-blank shot blocked by Chemjong in the 89th minute before Faris’ free kick skimmed off the bar in added time.

The historic win will have lifted Nepal, who have just three weeks to work with new coach Matthew Ross, ahead of their Asian Cup qualifier in Malaysia on March 25.

Apologising to the fans for the drab showing, Shah said they will show an improvement when they meet Hong Kong in their Group C opener of the Asian Cup qualifiers on March 25.

He said: “With this result, it’s important to do a better job in the game against Hong Kong and we can promise a better performance and a better result next Tuesday...

“We want to get a better result for the fans that came all the way down today. We’re looking forward to the next match.”

Ogura added: "When the team’s performance is not good and they cannot show our concept, it is my responsibility because I pick the players and decide how they play.

“We were bad today but Hong Kong is a new challenge. We must get our mindset right again to play better against Hong Kong. I apologise to the fans, but please don’t give up, please continue to come to the stadium to give our players a push.”

 

[True Believer]

The only way S'pore can get to the World Cup Finals is by being the host country. Qatar achieved that feat by the same backdoor.

 

[True Believer]

India could not make it to the World Cup because every time the referee gave them a corner, they would set up a stall.

 

[True Believer]

Ethiopia never made it to the World Cup because they kept demanding for opponents like Turkey, but got Hungary instead.