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

[Charlie99]

What is "lepak"
I believe that it is unlikely for any smoker to improve his physical fitness.
A smoker's fitness level may be good, but unlikely to be better.
To excel and to be super fit, requires perseverance and determination.
All those footballers who desire to excel, must train regularly to be able to run and play a 90 min plus 30 min extra time of fast paced football.

 

[Loofydralb]

Let's be open. Sports in Sg is dead.
No talent. Talent killed by necessity to provide. Talent killed by serving in NS
No investment. Only physical infrastructure gets money.
No vision. Idiots run sports with politics thrown in the mix.

 

[cocobobo]

Individual sports can thrive, rely on one of those generational talent world champs... Schooling, LKW, last time got one squash guy also...

Team sports... Forget it.

 

[Confuseous]

True to form, they leaked two goals from the 74th minute yesterday.
Maybe FAS should lobby FIFA that football matches have 30min per half,
with 10 mintes interval. Then, swee swee, we win.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Stars, key backroom staff depart Lion City Sailors following owner Sea Ltd’s financial woes​

Lion City Sailors’ Gabriel Quak celebrating after scoring against Tampines Rovers in their match at Our Tampines Hub on May 21, 2022. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM

Deepanraj Ganesan


NOV 28, 2022

SINGAPORE - The Lion City Sailors’ arrival as Singapore’s first privatised club shook the local football scene in 2020.
It saw the club, backed by billionaire Forrest Li, investing a significant outlay to recruit million-dollar foreigners and experienced backroom staff. They also boast the cream of local players, with the provisional 26-man Singapore squad for the upcoming Asean Football Federation Championship containing 11 Sailors.
But two years on, the bubble looks to have burst.
The Sailors have released several of their highest-paid local footballers and The Straits Times understands that the club has also parted ways with a host of backroom staff.
On Monday, the club announced the departure of six players, including the experienced quartet of Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Shahdan Sulaiman and Hassan Sunny – who have a combined tally of 289 caps for the national team.

The experienced quartet of (clockwise from top left) Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Shahdan Sulaiman and Hassan Sunny have a combined tally of 289 caps for the national team. PHOTOS: ST FILE, LION CITY SAILORS
The four are believed to be among the highest local earners at the club.
Quak departs after scoring 29 goals across three seasons for the Sailors. He was also named the league’s Player of the Year in 2020.

The winger, who scored 11 goals this season for the Sailors, said that he was informed of the club’s decision not to renew his contract just after their 3-1 win over Tanjong Pagar in October.
Quak said: “It caught me a little off guard to be honest. I expected changes but to be part of that, I’m disappointed and hurt, especially after the genuine effort I’ve given to the club on and off the field the past three years.
“I started this journey together with the Sailors and I have enjoyed my time at the club.


“Footballing-wise, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. But I believe the club has it own reason.
“I have to move on and accept it.”

Several members of the club’s backroom staff have also been told that their contracts will be terminated. This includes head of physiotherapy Nurhafizah Abu Sujad, sports trainer Danial Feriza, head of performance Mario Jovanovic, video analyst Adi Saleh and football physiologist Firdaus Maasar.
An affected staff member said that the news - which was delivered by chief executive Chew Chun-Liang and sporting director Badri Ghent at a staff meeting on Friday - came as a huge shock.
“They told us that their hands are tied and there is nothing they can do. None of us expected it. We went into the meeting thinking it was a planning session for the next season. When we joined the club, we were told of their long-term plans. It’s hard to digest this,” said the staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Compensation packages were offered and accepted by departing staff.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Interactive: How Lion City Sailors are outspending other S'pore Premier League clubs
SPL review: Sailors learn ‘instant success is a myth’
In a statement, Chew said: “There are positives to be drawn from the 2022 season, including the operationalisation of Singapore’s first integrated football training facility at Mattar Road, the club’s record-setting performance in the club’s maiden ACL campaign, the meaningful deepening of our relationship with our German partners, Borussia Dortmund, and our women’s team taking important strides to improve the women’s game here.
“But in the final reckoning, 2022 has been a poor season for us - we have not hit the targets we set for ourselves.
“Our long-term ambitions remain unchanged, but we believe we need a strategic reset to get us back on track and help our Sailors return with a much-needed renewed spirit as we prepare to attack the 2023 season.
“After this reset we are confident that we will see a different - renewed and reinvigorated - Sailors next season.”
Quak also shared that he had heard of the departure of key staff members who had played a pivotal role behind the scenes. He added: “When I found out, I rang Firdaus and comforted him. Because I understand how tough it is to be handed such news so suddenly.”
Since privatising LCS in 2020, owner Sea Limited, whose founder, chairman and group chief executive officer is Li, has pumped in tens of millions of dollars to improve the Singapore Premier League (SPL) club, building training facilities and investing in sports science and a data analytics department.
In 2021, the club paid an SPL record transfer fee of $2.9 million for Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes, which shattered Hougang United’s 2018 mark of just $50,000 for Fazrul Nawaz.

LCS paid an SPL record transfer fee of $2.9 million for Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes last year. PHOTO: ST FILE
This year, they shelled out $2 million for Brazilian centre-back Pedro Henrique, and snapped up former South Korea captain Kim Shin-wook and Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne on free transfers. Kim and Lestienne are on record salary deals worth more than $1 million annually.
In July this year, the club also launched a $10 million training centre along Mattar Road. Then, Li said the 28,000 sq m facility, the first of its kind in Singapore football, was “a symbol of our commitment to revitalising local football” and the club’s drive to pursue excellence.
However, Sea Limited, Singapore’s largest consumer Internet company, has in recent months been buffeted by a perfect storm of an economic slowdown, inflation, increasing competition and a broader tech sell-off.
The parent of e-commerce giant Shopee and gaming firm Garena has suffered a US$150 billion (S$205 billion) plunge in its value since late 2021. There have been at least three rounds of layoffs at Shopee, both here and at its international offices, with the most recent exercise taking place on Nov 17.


The Sailors are now the next to be affected and ST understands that besides the culling of players and staff, the club will also operate on a much reduced budget next season. It is believed LCS operate on an annual budget close to $7 million, a far cry from the other local SPL clubs, who run on just over a $1 million a year.
The club’s search for a head coach is an indication of the cost-cutting at hand.
Sources close to contract negotiations surrounding the hunt for a new head coach revealed that terms being offered to candidates are a far cry from what was offered to LCS’ previous permanent head coach.
In 2021, in what was viewed as a coup, the Sailors snapped up former Asian Champions League winner Kim Do-hoon of South Korea on a 2½-year contract.
At that time, prominent names such as former Chelsea head coach Andre Villas-Boas and Cosmin Olarou, who is well respected in the Arabian Peninsula having led Al Hilal, Al Sadd, Al Ain and Al Ahli - the most decorated clubs of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates - were also in the fray.
In 2020, LCS’ first coach was former Australia captain Aurelio Vidmar, who had also helmed his country’s Under-23 and U-20 teams. Then he had inked a two-year deal.
This time, the Sailors are understood to be offering a one-year deal and are looking closer to home, having sounded out Bojan Hodak, coach of Malaysia Super League club Kuala Lumpur City, and former Melaka United tactician Risto Vidakovic. At least one turned down the Sailors after receiving an offer that did not match his expectations.


The Sailors’ culling of key players and staff comes on the back of a roller-coaster season.
The year had started brightly with an impressive maiden campaign in the Asian Champions League group stage where the 2021 SPL champions beat South Korea’s Daegu FC 3-0 and China’s Shandong Taishan 3-2. It marked the first time an SPL club had beaten a Korean team and registered two wins in Asia’s top club competition.
But things were less rosy at home.
In August, Kim, who led the club to their maiden SPL title last year, left the then-league leaders less than 24 hours after he was handed a three-match suspension and $2,000 fine by the Football Association of Singapore for headbutting a rival team’s coach in an SPL game.
Luka Lalic, the club’s academy technical director, was installed as interim coach.
They eventually lost the league title to Albirex Niigata and crashed out of the Singapore Cup in the group stages.

 

[batman1]

Thet are talking about the Table Football World Cup 2034 ?

 

[laksaboy]

This sport maybe got higher chance. Special Olympics soccer.

 

[eatshitndie]

must hire at least 6.9 nigger mercenaries. almost every wc aspiring cuntry sexcept iran and uruguay is doing it.

 

[laksaboy]

Stars, key backroom staff depart Lion City Sailors following owner Sea Ltd’s financial woes​

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Ltd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Li

Yep, Tiongland does not have a lot of money now.

I don't watch the Shit League, but have only learnt of the existence of the 'Lion City Sailors' football club recently, and it seemed to be doing quite well compared to other teams in the Shit League... almost a meteoric rise.

What the dirty Tiong money giveth, the dirty Tiong money also taketh away.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

AFF Championship: Lions crash out after losing 4-1 to Malaysia​

1 of 3

Malaysia's Brendan Gan (left) and Singapore's Amy Recha tussling for the ball during the hosts' 4-1 win in Kuala Lumpur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

David Lee
Sports Correspondent

Jan 4, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR – Singapore’s AFF Championship campaign ended with a whimper on Tuesday, when they were mauled 4-1 by Malaysia in their final Group B match at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.
As a result, the Tigers leapfrogged their old rivals into second place to make the last four at the Lions’ expense.
Malaysia will meet Group A winners Thailand in the semi-finals, with Group B winners Vietnam facing Indonesia.
Pre-match, Malaysia coach Kim Pan-gon had stoked the rivalry and called Singapore’s football “negative”, while proclaiming his side to be “proactive”.
The 53-year-old South Korean was proven right.

The Lions’ three changes to the starting XI that held Vietnam to a 0-0 draw last Friday – with Hafiz Nor, Song Ui-young and Amy Recha coming in for Ryhan Stewart, Faris Ramli and Ilhan Fandi – suggested Singapore coach Takayuki Nishigaya was holding back with Faris and Shawal Anuar on bench.
In comparison, the Tigers’ attack on the pitch was as relentless as the Ultras Malaya’s singing in the stands.

The Tigers’ attack on the pitch was as relentless as the Ultras Malaya’s singing in the stands. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Nishigaya, however, insisted that it was the right tactical decision to start with Amy and use Shawal in the second half as “Amy gave a good performance”.
He added: “We wanted to play higher up the pitch in the first half but we were constantly under attack...
“We wanted to change our defensive shape in the second half, but we couldn’t do it.


“I don’t regret how we set up. We tried to attack and go for goal, but we couldn’t achieve this in this game. We will definitely work to improve on our attacking plays and defensively as well.”
From the start, the visitors were indebted to goalkeeper Hassan Sunny who pulled off a brilliant double save from Faisal Halim and Ruventhiran Vengadesan in the ninth minute.
Eight minutes later, he came to the Lions’ rescue again when he denied Faisal, who had stolen the ball from Hafiz.
But there was nothing Hassan could do in the 35th minute, when Shah Shahiran lost possession on the left flank, and Safawi Rasid whipped in the ball for Darren Lok to power home a near-post header.
In the absence of injured brothers Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi, Singapore struggled without a target man up front.
They produced only two chances of note in the first half when Irfan Fandi headed wide from a corner and when Song drilled askew from a counter-attack.
A three-minute blitz by the hosts at the start of the second half then killed off the tie and whipped the 65,147 crowd into a frenzy.

Shawal miscued Hariss Harun’s clearance in the 51st minute, and England-born midfielder Stuart Wilkin pounced to thump a long shot into the bottom corner.
The inventive Safawi, who was lucky to escape scot-free for a first-half swipe at Shakir Hamzah, then found himself in acres of space on the right to set up Wilkin for his brace.
In search of a way back, Nishigaya threw Irfan forward, and it was not until the 75th minute that Singapore registered their first shot on target with Zulfahmi Arifin’s free kick.
They did score through Faris in the 85th minute, but Argentina-born striker Sergio Aguero applied the finishing touch to a counter-attack three minutes later to record Malaysia’s biggest Causeway Derby victory since the 4-0 win at the National Stadium in 2002.

Malaysia coach Kim thanked the fans for powering his team to “one of our best performances”, adding: “You could see the passion, team spirit and teamwork.
“We were highly looking forward to this match. The players had been under a lot of pressure from all quarters, including from me.
“My demands are not easy and they suffered a lot.
“But they are thirsty, and they want to convince the public they are good players.
“I told them they have to go through this stage to become good players, famous players, which could change their lives.”

Malaysia players celebrating their third goal against Singapore. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Singapore players react after Malaysia scored their third goal. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Analysis​

A mounting injury list – losing attackers Ikhsan, Ilhan and Adam Swandi to knee injuries on the artificial pitch at Jalan Besar Stadium – and an unfavourable fixture list of four games in 11 days will be cited as valid reasons for this failure.
But the post-mortem must go further than that, as the Lions struggled against Laos and what were essentially second-stringers from Myanmar, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Of their 23-man squad, 13 are aged 30 and above, which suggests a lapse in development and rejuvenation.
Physical and mental fitness must also be looked at, as their rivals are often one step quicker in pace and decision making.
Meanwhile, since their last AFF Championship triumph in 2012, the Lions have choked at the final group game for the fourth time after the 2014, 2016 and 2018 editions.
That solutions are not in sight is the more bitter pill to swallow.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Football: Time to revamp entire squad after Lions’ meek AFF C’ship exit, urge coaches​

Singapore head coach Takayuki Nishigaya (centre) thanks Singaporean fans after their loss to Malaysia during the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup match. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Deepanraj Ganesan and David Lee

Jan 8, 2023

SINGAPORE – After a chastening defeat by causeway rivals Malaysia, coaches and former footballers said the result must serve as a catalyst for a total reset in local football.
Singapore’s AFF Championship campaign ended on Tuesday after the 4-1 loss at the Bukit Jalil Stadium. This is the fourth time in the past five editions of the regional tournament where the Lions, four-time champions but not since 2012, have not progressed beyond the group stage.
Clement Teo, former head coach of Singapore Premier League (SPL) side Hougang United, said the country needed to “start from ground zero”.
Teo said: “We struggle because we are afraid to revamp the whole national team and give ourselves a few years to come back. It is difficult because of our culture - we must always be No. 1 and we are always looking at short-term results and bottom line.
“This failure is not a bad thing because it bursts the bubble and prevents anyone from having any unrealistic expectations.”
Former national defender R. Sasikumar, who was part of the 1998 Tiger Cup (predecessor to the AFF Championship) triumph, noted there is no quick fix but highlighted the need to do something drastic came a decade ago.
He said: “Every time the Lions have a bad tournament or result, it feels like we are flogging a dead horse and talking about the same issues from revamping grassroots to hiring the right man for the job.”

Sasikumar pointed to the government-led Unleash The Roar! project as cause for optimism. Sport Singapore and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced a blueprint in Nov 2021 with an aim to strengthen the local football ecosystem.
UTR has since yielded the School Football Academy (SFA) programme and strategic partnerships with German club Borussia Dortmund and Spain’s top flight La Liga.
Sasikumar said: “The bad news is that football does not work in a way where you introduce something now and the results show up immediately. We are playing catch up but with UTR, it is a good start.”


Former Malaysia technical director and current Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo urged football administrators here to focus on improving the standard of the SPL and to blood younger players into the national team. In the Lions’ 23-man squad, 13 players are aged 30 and above.
The Dutchman said: “Technique is a limiting factor as soon as the tempo goes up and the space becomes smaller and Singapore was no match for Malaysia’s intensity. Enthusiasm and intensity has to do with age.
“If you want to play a more adventurous style, it is easier to introduce that with a better mix of young and old. Some of the older players struggled with the intensity against Malaysia.”


Lions head coach Takayuki Nishigaya has attracted plenty of criticism after the exit, with fans taking to social media to vent their frustration. Sasikumar highlighted the Japanese was the least experienced coach in the competition, and it showed in the Lions’ performances.
Teo disagreed, however, stressing that Nishigaya – who was hired in April 2022 – cannot shoulder all the blame and criticised players who had been “anonymous and not made an impact”.
“The easiest thing now is to point fingers at the coach, but how long has he been here?,” asked Teo.
“The sad truth is many of the senior players are on a decline while many of the younger players have not stepped up. Unfortunately, some of them look like they are just going through the motion; If can, can, if cannot, never mind.
“It is very frustrating because this is the national team we are talking about.”

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

In a press conference held at the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar, details of the Unleash the Roar! project was shared with an emphasis on eight pillars:

- Pillar One: Let Them Play
- Pillar Two: Let Them Soar
- Pillar Three: Infrastructure
- Pillar Four: Scholarships
- Pillar Five: National Service
- Pillar Six: Enhanced Technical Capabilities
- Pillar Seven: Science and Technology
- Pillar Eight: Whole-of-Society Partnership

 

[birdie69]

Football: Time to revamp entire squad after Lions’ meek AFF C’ship exit, urge coaches


Singapore head coach Takayuki Nishigaya (centre) thanks Singaporean fans after their loss to Malaysia during the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup match. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Deepanraj Ganesan and David Lee



Jan 8, 2023



SINGAPORE – After a chastening defeat by causeway rivals Malaysia, coaches and former footballers said the result must serve as a catalyst for a total reset in local football.

Singapore’s AFF Championship campaign ended on Tuesday after the 4-1 loss at the Bukit Jalil Stadium. This is the fourth time in the past five editions of the regional tournament where the Lions, four-time champions but not since 2012, have not progressed beyond the group stage.

Clement Teo, former head coach of Singapore Premier League (SPL) side Hougang United, said the country needed to “start from ground zero”.

Teo said: “We struggle because we are afraid to revamp the whole national team and give ourselves a few years to come back. It is difficult because of our culture - we must always be No. 1 and we are always looking at short-term results and bottom line.

“This failure is not a bad thing because it bursts the bubble and prevents anyone from having any unrealistic expectations.”

Former national defender R. Sasikumar, who was part of the 1998 Tiger Cup (predecessor to the AFF Championship) triumph, noted there is no quick fix but highlighted the need to do something drastic came a decade ago.

He said: “Every time the Lions have a bad tournament or result, it feels like we are flogging a dead horse and talking about the same issues from revamping grassroots to hiring the right man for the job.”



Sasikumar pointed to the government-led Unleash The Roar! project as cause for optimism. Sport Singapore and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced a blueprint in Nov 2021 with an aim to strengthen the local football ecosystem.

UTR has since yielded the School Football Academy (SFA) programme and strategic partnerships with German club Borussia Dortmund and Spain’s top flight La Liga.

Sasikumar said: “The bad news is that football does not work in a way where you introduce something now and the results show up immediately. We are playing catch up but with UTR, it is a good start.”





Former Malaysia technical director and current Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo urged football administrators here to focus on improving the standard of the SPL and to blood younger players into the national team. In the Lions’ 23-man squad, 13 players are aged 30 and above.

The Dutchman said: “Technique is a limiting factor as soon as the tempo goes up and the space becomes smaller and Singapore was no match for Malaysia’s intensity. Enthusiasm and intensity has to do with age.

“If you want to play a more adventurous style, it is easier to introduce that with a better mix of young and old. Some of the older players struggled with the intensity against Malaysia.”





Lions head coach Takayuki Nishigaya has attracted plenty of criticism after the exit, with fans taking to social media to vent their frustration. Sasikumar highlighted the Japanese was the least experienced coach in the competition, and it showed in the Lions’ performances.

Teo disagreed, however, stressing that Nishigaya – who was hired in April 2022 – cannot shoulder all the blame and criticised players who had been “anonymous and not made an impact”.

“The easiest thing now is to point fingers at the coach, but how long has he been here?,” asked Teo.

“The sad truth is many of the senior players are on a decline while many of the younger players have not stepped up. Unfortunately, some of them look like they are just going through the motion; If can, can, if cannot, never mind.

“It is very frustrating because this is the national team we are talking about.”

 

[birdie69]

Import more CECA Indians to play football

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Urgent rejuvenation needed for Singapore’s national football squad​

Jan 5, 2023

I refer to the report, “AFF Championship: Lions crash out after losing 4-1 to Malaysia” (Jan 4).
The capitulation of the Lions in the Asean Football Federation Championship summed up the sorry state of Singapore football.
In the match against perennial rivals Malaysia, the Lions hardly looked like a semi-final contender. Rather, they played like minnows bereft of ideas, characterised by insipid passing and profligacy when presented with a clear chance to put the ball into the opposition’s net.
Singapore football today does not have a pool of players who can marshal the defence well, like former captain Terry Pathmanathan and custodian David Lee, or playmakers like V. Sundramoorthy, who could dash, dribble and dazzle.
Singapore’s national football squad needs to be rejuvenated urgently, if it is going to make any positive impact in future regional and international tournaments. Start with a clean slate, even if it means bringing in new faces to augment the effort, with a few foreign-born naturalised Singapore players.
The Football Association of Singapore could also consider filling up its calendar by arranging for the Lions to play against teams ranked higher on a regular basis and, perhaps, hosting more tournaments like the Merlion Cup.

Irwan Jamil

 

[Eisenhut]

All m&ds playing, where is racial quota???

 

[laksaboy]

Stars, key backroom staff depart Lion City Sailors following owner Sea Ltd’s financial woes​

Lion City Sailors’ Gabriel Quak celebrating after scoring against Tampines Rovers in their match at Our Tampines Hub on May 21, 2022. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM

Deepanraj Ganesan


NOV 28, 2022

SINGAPORE - The Lion City Sailors’ arrival as Singapore’s first privatised club shook the local football scene in 2020.
It saw the club, backed by billionaire Forrest Li, investing a significant outlay to recruit million-dollar foreigners and experienced backroom staff. They also boast the cream of local players, with the provisional 26-man Singapore squad for the upcoming Asean Football Federation Championship containing 11 Sailors.
But two years on, the bubble looks to have burst.
The Sailors have released several of their highest-paid local footballers and The Straits Times understands that the club has also parted ways with a host of backroom staff.
On Monday, the club announced the departure of six players, including the experienced quartet of Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Shahdan Sulaiman and Hassan Sunny – who have a combined tally of 289 caps for the national team.

The experienced quartet of (clockwise from top left) Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Shahdan Sulaiman and Hassan Sunny have a combined tally of 289 caps for the national team. PHOTOS: ST FILE, LION CITY SAILORS
The four are believed to be among the highest local earners at the club.
Quak departs after scoring 29 goals across three seasons for the Sailors. He was also named the league’s Player of the Year in 2020.

The winger, who scored 11 goals this season for the Sailors, said that he was informed of the club’s decision not to renew his contract just after their 3-1 win over Tanjong Pagar in October.
Quak said: “It caught me a little off guard to be honest. I expected changes but to be part of that, I’m disappointed and hurt, especially after the genuine effort I’ve given to the club on and off the field the past three years.
“I started this journey together with the Sailors and I have enjoyed my time at the club.


“Footballing-wise, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. But I believe the club has it own reason.
“I have to move on and accept it.”

Several members of the club’s backroom staff have also been told that their contracts will be terminated. This includes head of physiotherapy Nurhafizah Abu Sujad, sports trainer Danial Feriza, head of performance Mario Jovanovic, video analyst Adi Saleh and football physiologist Firdaus Maasar.
An affected staff member said that the news - which was delivered by chief executive Chew Chun-Liang and sporting director Badri Ghent at a staff meeting on Friday - came as a huge shock.
“They told us that their hands are tied and there is nothing they can do. None of us expected it. We went into the meeting thinking it was a planning session for the next season. When we joined the club, we were told of their long-term plans. It’s hard to digest this,” said the staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Compensation packages were offered and accepted by departing staff.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Interactive: How Lion City Sailors are outspending other S'pore Premier League clubs
SPL review: Sailors learn ‘instant success is a myth’
In a statement, Chew said: “There are positives to be drawn from the 2022 season, including the operationalisation of Singapore’s first integrated football training facility at Mattar Road, the club’s record-setting performance in the club’s maiden ACL campaign, the meaningful deepening of our relationship with our German partners, Borussia Dortmund, and our women’s team taking important strides to improve the women’s game here.
“But in the final reckoning, 2022 has been a poor season for us - we have not hit the targets we set for ourselves.
“Our long-term ambitions remain unchanged, but we believe we need a strategic reset to get us back on track and help our Sailors return with a much-needed renewed spirit as we prepare to attack the 2023 season.
“After this reset we are confident that we will see a different - renewed and reinvigorated - Sailors next season.”
Quak also shared that he had heard of the departure of key staff members who had played a pivotal role behind the scenes. He added: “When I found out, I rang Firdaus and comforted him. Because I understand how tough it is to be handed such news so suddenly.”
Since privatising LCS in 2020, owner Sea Limited, whose founder, chairman and group chief executive officer is Li, has pumped in tens of millions of dollars to improve the Singapore Premier League (SPL) club, building training facilities and investing in sports science and a data analytics department.
In 2021, the club paid an SPL record transfer fee of $2.9 million for Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes, which shattered Hougang United’s 2018 mark of just $50,000 for Fazrul Nawaz.

LCS paid an SPL record transfer fee of $2.9 million for Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes last year. PHOTO: ST FILE
This year, they shelled out $2 million for Brazilian centre-back Pedro Henrique, and snapped up former South Korea captain Kim Shin-wook and Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne on free transfers. Kim and Lestienne are on record salary deals worth more than $1 million annually.
In July this year, the club also launched a $10 million training centre along Mattar Road. Then, Li said the 28,000 sq m facility, the first of its kind in Singapore football, was “a symbol of our commitment to revitalising local football” and the club’s drive to pursue excellence.
However, Sea Limited, Singapore’s largest consumer Internet company, has in recent months been buffeted by a perfect storm of an economic slowdown, inflation, increasing competition and a broader tech sell-off.
The parent of e-commerce giant Shopee and gaming firm Garena has suffered a US$150 billion (S$205 billion) plunge in its value since late 2021. There have been at least three rounds of layoffs at Shopee, both here and at its international offices, with the most recent exercise taking place on Nov 17.


The Sailors are now the next to be affected and ST understands that besides the culling of players and staff, the club will also operate on a much reduced budget next season. It is believed LCS operate on an annual budget close to $7 million, a far cry from the other local SPL clubs, who run on just over a $1 million a year.
The club’s search for a head coach is an indication of the cost-cutting at hand.
Sources close to contract negotiations surrounding the hunt for a new head coach revealed that terms being offered to candidates are a far cry from what was offered to LCS’ previous permanent head coach.
In 2021, in what was viewed as a coup, the Sailors snapped up former Asian Champions League winner Kim Do-hoon of South Korea on a 2½-year contract.
At that time, prominent names such as former Chelsea head coach Andre Villas-Boas and Cosmin Olarou, who is well respected in the Arabian Peninsula having led Al Hilal, Al Sadd, Al Ain and Al Ahli - the most decorated clubs of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates - were also in the fray.
In 2020, LCS’ first coach was former Australia captain Aurelio Vidmar, who had also helmed his country’s Under-23 and U-20 teams. Then he had inked a two-year deal.
This time, the Sailors are understood to be offering a one-year deal and are looking closer to home, having sounded out Bojan Hodak, coach of Malaysia Super League club Kuala Lumpur City, and former Melaka United tactician Risto Vidakovic. At least one turned down the Sailors after receiving an offer that did not match his expectations.


The Sailors’ culling of key players and staff comes on the back of a roller-coaster season.
The year had started brightly with an impressive maiden campaign in the Asian Champions League group stage where the 2021 SPL champions beat South Korea’s Daegu FC 3-0 and China’s Shandong Taishan 3-2. It marked the first time an SPL club had beaten a Korean team and registered two wins in Asia’s top club competition.
But things were less rosy at home.
In August, Kim, who led the club to their maiden SPL title last year, left the then-league leaders less than 24 hours after he was handed a three-match suspension and $2,000 fine by the Football Association of Singapore for headbutting a rival team’s coach in an SPL game.
Luka Lalic, the club’s academy technical director, was installed as interim coach.
They eventually lost the league title to Albirex Niigata and crashed out of the Singapore Cup in the group stages.

The Tiong dirty money is drying up. Refer to Shopee. Refer also to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

 

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Football: FAS to quicken process of getting foreign-born Lions after AFF C’ship debacle​

Song Ui-young (left) is the only foreign-born player in the Lions' squad at the 2022 AFF Championship. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Deepanraj Ganesan

JAN 7, 2023

SINGAPORE – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will speed up the process of getting foreign-born talent to play for the Lions, while also continuing to develop the local pipeline, it said on Friday.
The call for Singapore football to revisit the Foreign Talent Scheme (FTS) has grown louder, since the Lions were knocked out of the Asean Football Federation Championship after a 4-1 trouncing by Malaysia on Tuesday.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, an FAS spokesman said while the development of quality local players is vital towards producing a successful national team, it is “increasingly evident that we need to concurrently explore the option of expediting the process of integrating naturalised players via the existing Foreign Talent Scheme”.
He added: “By reacting quickly to identify such suitable players who can contribute positively to Singapore football, it is a key step towards further enhancing our national teams to achieve the mid- to long-term goals of the FAS.”
However, he admitted that some circumstances of players who may be eligible for naturalisation could be beyond the purview of the FAS.
All of Malaysia’s goals on Tuesday were scored by foreign-born players. Stuart Wilkin, who bagged a brace and Darren Lok, were both born in England and qualified for Malaysian citizenship through their parents.
Fellow goal-scorer Argentina-born Sergio Aguero became a citizen in 2022 after fulfilling Fifa’s five-year residency rule to play for an adopted country at senior level.

Malaysia, who face Thailand in the first leg of the semi-final on Saturday, have eight foreign-born players in their 23-man squad, with 11 more who withdrew or were not called up.
In a trend that has gained popularity in recent years, other teams such as fellow semi-finalists Indonesia (three foreign-born players at this tournament) and the eliminated Philippines (13), have also boosted their ranks with overseas-born talent.
Singapore have just one – South Korea-born midfielder Song Ui-young, who was granted citizenship in 2021 after meeting the five-year residency requirement.

Previous success with foreign talent​

The inclusion of naturalised players had helped the Lions previously.
Itimi Dickson, Precious Emuejeraye, Agu Casmir, Shi Jiayi and Mustafic Fahrudin became citizens through the FTS and played key roles alongside local players in Singapore’s AFF Championship triumphs in 2004, 2007, and 2012.
The last player who was granted Singapore citizenship through this scheme was Qiu Li in 2010.
In response to ST’s queries, Sport Singapore also said that while developing local players remains the key under the Unleash the Roar! project, national sports associations can also nominate talented non-citizens who wish to represent Singapore under the FTS.
“However, the criteria go beyond assessing the athletes’ sporting abilities, but also considers the athletes’ long-term commitment to Singapore and not only to the sport,” it added.
Ex-national defender R. Sasikumar and former Hougang United coach Clement Teo believe that having foreign-born players is something that needs to be considered.
Sasikumar said: “With the way the football world is going, we would be very naive and close-minded to say it should be all Singaporean-born boys who should play for the national team.
“We need quality players in the national squad and if there is a way to make that happen, we should pursue it.
“The reality is that we need foreign-born players. The teams in the semi-finals like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have done it, so what is stopping us?”
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But Sasikumar warned that there must still be a robust youth development system to ensure local players are the core of the national team.
Teo agreed, saying: “We need to be open to any reasonable options. We were the pioneers of foreign-born talent in this region, so why not?
“The good thing is there is a national project going on now, and Unleash the Roar! is at an early stage and it is working on youth development now with more younger players coming through. As with most things, once a good foundation is built, the future will be more secure.”
The next foreign-born Lion could be Tampines Rovers’ 26-year-old Japanese midfielder Kyoga Nakamura, who had expressed his desire to play for Singapore, but will fulfil Fifa’s five-year residency rule only in 2024.

Tampines Rovers’ 26-year-old Japanese midfielder Kyoga Nakamura had expressed his desire to play for the Lions. PHOTO: TAMPINES ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB

A route for players with Singaporean heritage?​

There are also a host of players who qualify to play for the Lions via their Singaporean heritage. Sunderland right-back Luke O’Nien, 28, and Cardiff City centre-back Perry Ng, 26, had both expressed interest in turning out for the Lions in previous interviews.
According to global football governing body Fifa, players must have “a genuine link” with national teams they intend to play for. The basic criteria are: Place of birth, naturalisation by residence or place of one grandparent’s birth.
O’Nien and Ng, both England-born, have a grandparent who was born in Singapore.
While Fifa rules deem these players as eligible to play for the Lions, qualifying for a Singaporean passport by descent is applicable to only individuals with at least one parent who is born in Singapore or is a citizen by registration, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
This means that in order for O’Nien or Ng to represent the Lions, they will need to give up their current passport, follow the FTS path and gain Singapore citizenship by meeting the ICA’s residency requirements.
In a previous interview with The New Paper, O’Nien had said that while he is willing to take up Singapore citizenship, doing so would mean that he would need a work permit to play in England, which would make things complicated.
However, there is a workaround with the British ancestry visa which is open to all Commonwealth nationals who can demonstrate lineage from a British-born grandparent.


Former Thailand and Laos coach Steve Darby, who led Home United to the S-League and Singapore Cup double in 2003, said he favours heritage players over naturalising foreigners.
The 67-year-old Englishman said: “I am totally in favour of players with a heritage playing for a country. They can be just as patriotic, such as Brendan Gan for Malaysia...
“But I am against the short-term fix of naturalised foreign players playing for the country because it can attract or breed mercenaries who don’t care about the country.
“I know of agents who are encouraging this just to boost the CVs of their players.
“There are always exceptions such as Daniel Bennett and Aleksandar Duric, who both were genuinely committed to the country.”

 

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Forum: Singapore football shouldn’t turn to quick fix of foreign talent​

Jan 10, 2023

While I know it’s tempting to follow what our soccer competitors are doing in attracting foreign talent to be more competitive, I question if this is really necessary (Foreign talent push, Jan 7).
Before the Football Association of Singapore embarks on getting more foreign-born talent to play for the Lions, I suggest it do some soul-searching to improve how it implements its training programmes, hires coaches, and selects talented and committed players.
The whole soccer mechanism should be revamped, as there is still lots of improvement to be made.
I am confident that we can groom talented young local players without needing to get foreign players into our national team. This can be done provided we have better planning strategies, adequate resources and a good scouting team to build a fitter team who go through rigorous training with the right mindset.
Focusing on producing a team of local players who are a cut above the rest would certainly give our local boys a psychological boost.
In the true spirit of sports and fair play, let’s do away with the quick fix of getting foreign talent to play for our national team.
Ultimately, it’s better to lose with our own players than to win with foreign players.

Lim Heng Ann

 

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Forum: Let’s look in the mirror and be brave in facing Singapore football’s challenges​

Jan 10, 2023

Many local fans would agree that Singapore football has been on a steady decline from the Malaysia Cup days. Recent performances only support that belief.
Lions coach Takayuki Nishigaya made several astute observations, including an action plan, in his post-tournament interview (A lot of room to grow, Jan 5). I have a few suggestions too, mainly on expanding the pool of available players.
There is a need to embrace all talent who are keen to commit to Singapore and settle here. This may involve a rethink of the foreign talent scheme (Foreign talent push, Jan 7).
Establish a development path for players that encompasses their entire footballing careers, from talent discovery, to signing a professional contract, to post-playing careers such as coaching. It is crucial to establish clear career paths, to give players certainty and stability.
Increase the number of local teams in the Singapore Premier League, as the current number of six local teams is insufficient to produce a large enough talent pool for the national team.
Discover local talents in the semi-professional leagues – the Singapore Football League and Island Wide League – who could be promoted to the SPL.
Consider making two-year player contracts the standard. The duration gives clubs more time to better assess the players on hand, and also reduces players’ uncertainty about finding a club at the end of every league season.

Global footballing standards have improved in recent years, as evidenced by upsets in the recent World Cup. In this context, it is possible for Singapore football to do well again.
But I think we need to look at ourselves honestly in the mirror to see where we have gone wrong. The footballing fraternity also needs to be brave in facing the challenges and stand united as we work though these issues.

Cheng Zhongyi