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