Defensively and Tactically sound Tigers

3 games, 3 draws, 1 goal conceded....

great lad on and off the pitch- PAUL CUNNINGHAM!

When the referee blew the final whistle  at the Toa Payoh Stadium on Monday night, the stadium announcer proudly announced that the Tigers are the first team to reach the 3-game stage, unbeaten. And yes, Salim Moin's can be proud of the team's efforts in the first three game. Drawing against title-favourites Home United in the season opener and shutting out defending champions, Etoile FC in their second game.

However, his men will feel they could have done more against 10 men Courts Young Lions, who had defender Shakir Hamzah sent off in the first half. Nevertheless, lets just talk about the positives.

Defender Paul Cunningham has been solid so far. Commanding at the back and a true leader, he is coping well without Daniel Hammond at the heart of the Tigers defence. The fact that he was pushed forward to a more attacking role when the Tigers were chasing the three points shows that his abilities are undoubted.

Keeper Joey Sim too has impressed me with his quick reflexes. After two instinctive saves against Etoile FC on Friday, the small framed keeper made another brilliant save to deny Courts Young Lions from scoring from a well taken free kick.

The reason behind Balestier's strong defensive play is without a doubt the fact that the whole team works for each other. What I saw on Monday was 4 banks of defence from  forward Victor Borges all the way to keeper Joey Sim.

With the season still at her early stages, Balestier still has much to prove. However, to perform better, they too have to start scoring! Defensively, they are already sound!

Fixture resumes as per normal!

Take note:

THE TWO YOUNG LIONS FIXTURES SUPPOSEDLY POSTPONED HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO TAKE PLACE ON THEIR ORIGINAL DATE AND VENUES!

1. BALESTER KHALSA VS COURTS YOUNG LIONS
TOA PAYOH STADIUM
28TH FEBRUARY
7.30pm

2. COURTS YOUNG LIONS VS GEYLANG UNITED
JALAN BESAR STADIUM
3RD MARCH
7.30pm

Week 2 Review: Things are back to normal.....

In a week which saw the big guns win again, the  live telecast of the S-League resuming on Starhub and the poor attendance on Friday night, LionsAllTheWay.com reviews week 2 in which things are back to  normal!

Best Game: Tampines Rovers vs Hougang United

7 goals. 2 Penalties. See-saw game. End to end action. That is why this was the best game of the week! Urged on by the loud U4U, Hougang United tried and in all fairness played beautiful football against the Stags. Alas, when Tampines turned on the style, they scored and they did it so easily. That was proof that in order for Hougang to live up to their ambitions, they have to improve quickly. A great game indeed!

Best Duel: Indra Sahdan vs Miroslav Karoglan

Not the kind of duel you would want to see in football, especially if both players are in the club you support! In the 73rd minute of their match against Tanjong Pagar, Indra Sahdan was poised to take the penalty awarded to SAFFC. But Miroslav apparently stole Indra's chance at hitting his 200th S-League goal when he instead took the penalty. Well, what goes around comes around as Miroslav Karoglan missed the eventual penalty! Their dispute was evident and it remains to be seen as to whether the two can work together in SAFFC's strikeforce this season.


Best Attendance: Home United vs Gombak

The two games involving the two uniform groups attracted over 2000 fans but the game at Bishan Stadium just edged SAFFC's home game against Tanjong Pagar. The crowd was entertained by a star-studded Home United side in which the Bulls had no answer to. Another majestic performance by Kim Dae Eui has got everyone talking. And yes, that lad is 36 years old!

Best Player: Ahmad Latiff

Kim Dae Eui is a contender and so is Miroslav Karoglan. But I just had to give it to Tampines' Ahmad Latiff. The former Warrior and only the significant signing for the Stags this season showed his class in his role behind Aleksandar Duric and capped off his brilliant performance with a lob over Hougang;s keeper, Fadhil Salim. He almost added another through an acrobatic shot but was unlucky to not hit it sweetly. Nevertheless, the 32 year old former Singapore international has endeared himself with the Tampines faithful as he received a standing ovation when he was substituted late in the game.

Best Team: Home United

A clean sheet. A convincing win. Midfield maestros and attracted the best attendance in their first home game in Bishan in 2 seasons. What more can I say? Well done Protectors!

Team of the Week:

Fazrul Nawaz - A totally different player now!

Scored his second league goal in as many games now....

His abilities are undoubted. His potential was evident when he  broke into the national squad. But somehow, in the last two seasons, he was not actually performing to the standard he was expected too. The AFF Suzuki Cup was definitely one of his worst showings as a player.

However, the mark of a great players is reflected when he can bounce back and prove the critics wrong. And this season, as it stands so far, Fazrul Nawaz has done his talking with his performances on the pitch.

In his latest game for the Warriors, he scored his side's winning goal and has shown that his partnership with Miroslav Karoglan will be a deadly one!

This is a far cry from the player that I saw when I was in Hanoi in December. Back then, he seemed lost on the flank and just could not find the net. That was the same story when he was playing for the Bulls last season when he needed so many chances to score. He even missed chances when I felt it was easier to score, given his abilities.

No disrespect to Gombak United but I feel that one of the reasons why he has improved so much is the fact that he is now surrounded by better quality players.

Fair play to Fazrul Nawaz for continuously working hard in spite of all the negative criticisms he had faced over the months. You are the kind of player every Singaporean loves to watch, bouncing back when it matters.

Good luck Fazrul and all the best for the season!

The Tampines Trio!

Stop them and you stop Tampines, but......

There is life after Khairul Amri and Qiu Li after all.  Even if Aliff Shaffaein is not in the squad!

In theory, if you stop the trio of Aleksandar Duric, Ahmad Latiff and Shahdan Sulaiman, you will definitely stop Tampines. However, it is easier said than done. Gombak did that by playing deep and crowding out Aleks but that meant that it too spoilt their own game plan to win.

Hougang tried the same method of not giving Aleks any space but the walking legend used his experience well to come up tops against both Kobayashi and Shariff Abdul Samat.

The reason why I feel that Tampines will thrive with this trio is the fact that the abilities of those three complement each other.

One is a walking legend, a goal machine and a leader. One is an experienced campaigner with loads of energy and versatility. While the youngest of the lot represents the future of the Lions' midfield.

With two games in the bag to adjust to each other's playing style, Hougang unfortunately became the victims when the trio finally clicked and it was evident that Aleks, Shahdan and Ahmad Latiff finally have gelled as a unit.

Neverheless, Steven Tan will be hoping that luck will be on his side as if anyone of the trio is down due to injury, it will spell trouble for the Stags who are heavily dependent on the them. Jamil Ali is more of an impact player while Aliff Shaffaein needs to play off another player. Furthermore, the latter needs to worry more about passing the beep test in time!

With that being said and done and with the Stags playing in the AFC Cup before their mouth watering tie against table toppers Albirex, it is certain that the other S-League clubs will be worried when they come to the home of the Stags, the Pride of the East!

S-League title, HERE WE COME!

Should Matches be all scheduled in one day?

If so, what day is the best and will it work?

This season kick off was on a Saturday

It is definitely one of the reasons why the attendances on weekday matches are pathetic. Most of the time, only the die hards and the die hard punters, will be there to catch the players in action on a Monday or a Tuesday or a Wednesday or a Thursday night game. Singaporeans, in general, will find it hard to catch the matches due to work commitment and for the students, due to school commitment. Our culture is such that football is not seen as an important priority. So having state that, would scheduling the matches all on a single day improve things?

Advantages:
1. Attract fans who cannot make it on weekdays
Singaporeans, in general are busy people. It is reported that fans who are students by day have found it difficult to obtain their parents' permission to attend games on week nights. Maybe, just maybe, if the matches are scheduled on a weekend night, the S-League can attract these long forgotten fans of the local games.

2. The thrill of a single match-day
Leagues all around the world usually have their games concentrated on a single day or two. The thrill of having games on going at the same time is a long forgotten thing. Remember the days when we had Geylang United fans laughing at half-time when news was announced that SAFFC were trailing Tampines Rovers at half-time? Or do you remember those days when there was a sign of despair amongst Sembawang fans when their arch-rivals Woodlands were winning? Such is the thrill and excitement of a single-match day.

3. Consistent Scheduling = Knowledgeable fans
Having different games on different weekday matches is hard to keep up for the local football viewers. They are forced to consistently find out news and information and this can be a little troublesome. As it is, news on the S-League and their matches are not comparable and as assessible unlike the glorified EPL.

Disadvantages :
1. Logistical/Administrative issues for....
Well, if u are an S-League regular, you will notice that those on duty (Stretcher boys, Gate receipts, Ticket Sellers, Security personel) are all also very regular. Sometimes, they can be on duty for a few days in a row and you can conclude only one thing: the S-League is shorthanded or understaffed. If all 6 matches go on on the same date, then this can be an obstacle for the league organisers. As far as I can say, too bad!

2. Total attendances affected?
It is a question of whether the FAS and S-League are interested in the average or total attendance statistics. If you are an S-League regular as well, you will somehow notice that the same fans who turn up for a game between Geylang and Tampines are more likely the same set of fans that turn up for the game between Balestier and Home United as well. So, it is a question of adding the average attendances up to get a higher overal total match attendances. If all matches are scheduled on the same  day, then these fans who turn up for more than one match a week following the current structure, are forced to choose the match they will attend. And do not get me started on the betting money! ( we know who will lose out) : D

3. "Competition from EPL"
Well, this pisses me off but I just feel that the whole "competing-with-EPL-viewers" reason is a lame excuse. Truth be told, there is no direct competition given the starting times of S-League matches and most EPL matches. If the Malaysians dare to do it for their M-League, why can't the S-League follow suit?

Possible Solution:
1. More budget for more staff

2. Split the fixtures into two days : 3 on Friday, 3 on Saturday

Lets hope that one day, every seat will be filled up on matchdays!

What do u guys think?

Week 1 Review: Decent Start

Best Match : Courts Young Lions vs SAFFC

 On the pitch, it was quality. SAFFC showed that they are indeed the force they once were with tactical brilliance, cool finishing, solid defending and accurate crossing and passing. So many stood out for the Warriors in this game. Bah Mamadou, Hammond, Saiful Esah, Miroslav Karoglan and Fazrul Nawaz were at their best. For the Courts Young Lions, Shakir Hamzah and Afiq Yunos stole the show, reminding the spectators that there is indeed hope for the future of Singapore football.

Off it, fans were treated to fanfare activities which were of course a plus point!

Best Duel : Obadin vs Aleksandar Duric
Just pipping the Cunningham vs Mendy battle. This duel between the strong rock of Gombak and the walking legend was one that should not be missed. It was much more of a physical battle than anything else between these two giants. In this battle however, Obadin in my opinion managed to shut out Aleksandar Duric, forcing him to either drop deeper or win only flick ons. A rare header that the keeper saved was the only one time that Duric got away from his marker.




Best Player : Paul Cunningham
He literally walked the talk. After claiming that he is "stronger than Mendy", the New Zealand hopeful proved that he is indeed one of the best defenders in the league. Strong in the air and a gentlemen off the pitch, Paul Cunningham looks set to become a star in his latest season with the Tigers. A sign of future things to come from this New Zealand international hopeful? Do not bet against it!

Best Game Atmosphere : Hougang Stadium - Hougang vs Woodlands

Battle of last year's bottom two sides had very little quality on the pitch. But off it, at the stands, it was certainly an entertainment for the neutrals. Once again, the U4U guys were ever present and vocal in their support for the Cheetahs and they even reignited glimpses of the bantering between rival supporters during the game. Well done lads!

Best Attendance : Courts Young Lions vs SAFFC

The opening fixture between the Courts Young Lions and SAFFC attracted the most number of fans. Maybe it is because it was a Saturday. Maybe Vanda and Courts did something right. Or maybe it could just be the first-game-syndrome in which curiousity attracted the fans to come down to the Jalan Besar Stadium. Whatever it is, we hope to see this considerable amount of spectators coming down for the other games as well.




Best Team : Balestier Khalsa

No one gave them a chance against the Protectors but the draw at Toa Payoh Stadium certainly felt like a win for the Tigers and their fans alike. A team without star players, Balestier have shown that you can go against the best purely on grit, passion and getting the right tactics. To see them being more consistent is a little too much to ask for but then again, Balestier Khalsa can prove to be a handful for the other S-League clubs this year.





Team of the Week :

And the Fans have spoken IV : Tanjong Pagar United

Tanjong Pagar and local die hard fan, Herdy, makes a plea to save Singapore football

A Cry to the FANS......

Remember the glorious Kallang Roar? Yes THE kallang ROAR. As a kid when my uncle brought me to the National Stadium, I would always want to be a part of the 12^th man on the pitch. Everyone would be roaring, throwing newspaper confetti and the occasional air horn chant. Those days are long gone and if no one does anything or something, our future generation will claim the Kallang Roar as a myth.

There is this group page in Facebook that was titled “Bring back Tanjong Pagar United FC (aka The Jaguars)”, with 84 members. The wall was abuzz with the Jaguars returning to the S-League and you could feel the excitement that somehow the old faithful from Queenstown stadium would be back. I was wrong although there are a few familiar faces that I recognised. Again I was disappointed, as they have registered themselves with the Young Lions and just came to support due to old ties. The only ones in the old red and white jersey was a Chinese guy who was a senior in my Secondary School and me. What happened to the Facebook Group?

This season the Jaguars are made up of very young players and it showed in their first game which was a 5-0 trashing. The crowd did not even encourage them to get at least a goal and for every miss-pass, they were cursed at. As fans we should encourage the team and let them know that they are believed in. This would then pull out their courage deep inside and play like there is no tomorrow.

It has always been reported that attendances are dropping. Fans always complain that the league is boring and not tasteful to watch. I blame both the fans and S-League minders.

S-League Minders:

What have you done to bring back the fans? Yes, getting a sponsor is very difficult and maintaining a club involves a lot of money. Do clubs even get a share of the pie from gate income? Maybe the league can keep 20% and the clubs will pocket the rest. This will drive the clubs to create a lucrative and entertaining fan club and in turn make more money. Clubs do not have their own official fan club due to budget constraints. Most club die-hards are voluntary and are too small to make any impact at all. Take a look at the Indonesian Super League fanatics, a lot can be learnt there.

Fans:

Only you can change everything. Only you can bring in more money for your club. With your perseverance and support we will bring back the passion for Singapore Soccer. It was a disgrace when our very own supporters sang the awful song and made Kallang felt like Anfield. Yes we can sing that stupid song but our Majulah Singapura has to be even louder and welcome them to our Lion’s Den rather then welcome the lions to Anfield. Sad. If we do not even value and support local talent, then we will not progress.

Singapore has always been about the paper chase and we should salute those that chose their talent and skills to entertain us. Malaysia had sent their youth team for a stint in France years ago and Indonesia had sent their youth team to Netherlands years ago and both are reaping the benefits now. Making PRs play for us will not mean a thing if we have no proper youth structure and investment in youth.

FAS should really wake up and like how they disbanded the recent National Team, FAS should also be washed afresh. New faces with new ideas are badly need for both the world cup dream and the future of the S-League. The Government needs to pump in more money into sports. Period.

It will be a dream to see the S-League like its very first season where every match has a carnival-like atmosphere. Ministers would attend matches of their favourite club donning official cub jerseys. And In each stadium, an official club merchandise store.

Yes I know I’ll keep on dreaming that one day this will happen to our league and even to our very own Lions. I’ll be at the next Jaguars game in my red and white against the Warriors hoping that the old faithful Jaguar die-hards return!

We are red, we are white, we are Jaguar’s Dynamite!

Written by Herdy

And the Fans have spoken III : Tampines Rovers

In 3 days, Tampines Rovers begin their S-League title charge. Die Hard Stags fan, Ali, shares his thoughts on his team's chances!

Anyway from a die hard born and bred Tampines Rovers fan's perspective, it pains me to say this, but I feel that we will be stretched thin this season.

If ever there was a season where the depth of the Tampines squad is going to get tested to its bones, it is this one. Some might say that the last two times Tampines competed in the AFC Cup, they still managed to retain their title and finish runners-up in those seasons. However, it would be foolhardy to anticipate a similar outcome, for that Tampines Rovers squad boasted a maturing Noh Alam Shah, Aliff Shafaein, and Sead Muratovic, with players like Mirko Grabovac, Peres de Oliviera in their prime.

This season the Tampines strike force is led by the evergreen Duric. Though he is still sharp and with a keen eye for goal, it must surely be taken into account that in his twilight years, euphemism may threaten to degenerate into criticism. Fans like I will pray that he retires before that, and that he will still have the legs to carry the team through this season. The only outstanding performers from the rest of the team are the up and coming Singapore playmaker Shahdan Sulaiman and in defence, Seiji Kaneko and Benoit Croissant.

While Tampines can boast a very competent starting eleven, their bench looks lightweight. Although it would be harsh to deem Jamil Ali and co as incapable deputies, the reality is that the bench does not strike as much fear into opponents (and instill confidence in fans) like Khairul Amri once did for Tampines. Of course, the old adage that time will tell invariably applies here.

As cynical as this may seem, the lessons learnt by SAFFC in competing in Asia (albeit Asia's premier club competition) may not have been learnt by Tampines. In contrast, Home United prepared (albeit in futility) for a possible engagement in Asia by buying Qiu Li and Frederic Mendy. Perhaps Tampines will surprise us this season, just like they did last season when they coped with the loss of Qiu Li and Amri admirably to push Etoile to the last day.

Let there be no doubt; while the predictions above are based on the personnel changes (or lack thereof) from last season, an intrinsic quality to the Tampines Rovers team is its team chemistry, work ethic and loyal fan base. Come Friday, we will see if these can mitigate the supposed frailties in squad depth and propel Tampines (almost invariably) on a wing and a prayer towards silverware this season.

Don't ask what clubs or S-League or FAS can do for you, BUT ask what YOU can do for Singapore football!

Photo by John of U4U

Lets worry on the role we can play. Let THEM see we are more exemplary!

As I was watching the latest episode of Singapore Talking, I was just hearing suggestions and things that have been said countless of times. Nothing caught my eyes or ears until Johnathan Francis, a member of the audience and the co-founder of the United for United fan club said a phrase that was so simple yet could be the spark and essence of the rejuvanation of Singapore Football.

"Don't ask what the clubs can do for you but ask what you as a fan can do for the club.." Johnathan Francis.

Time and time again, Singaporeans have said that the quality of football is not deserving of their time and investment.

Time and time again, Singaporeans have said that the clubs do not reach out to the fans.

Time and time again, Singaporeans have said that the players don't have the passion that deserve their support.

But let me ask, have Singaporeans questioned themselves of their commitment towards being a supporter.

Fair weather fans are plenty. True fans are few and far between. But as long as you say you are a supporter and care about local football, then I must say that many Singaporeans do not show it. In fact, they care so much about being entertained and being treated like Gods every single time rather than doing their job first.

Sure, these supporters are paying for the tickets and all and deserve some quality just like those fans in England and Spain and what have you. But those fans in England and Indonesia and Spain constantly sing and cheer their team on during the matches. Those fans greet their players at airports, stadiums and team busses to motivate them. Do Singaporeans do that? Hardly.

A supporter will put his country or club before self. A supporter will go through great lengths just to be there for their team. A supporter will travel the distance and lose his voice to motivate the team that he cares about. And a true supporter will selflessly put in time, effort,money and risk his "waterface" to back the team he loves.

My point is this. Before we worry about whether the officials and professionals do their job, lets worry whether as fans and a stakeholder of our own football, we are doing ours. I am not saying we cannot question them entirely but I am just saying that we should do our own part first to the best of our abilities before we question anyone.

Don't just be a face in the crowd, BE A SUPPORTER!

Our "consumer mentality" we have been adopting will not get us anywhere. Instead, proactiveness and our own initiatives, can and will be of a help.

We, fans, are part of the vicious cycle why Singapore football is on a decline and why not we stop that cycle!


Let THEM look at us and be embarassed. Let THEM see that they are disappointing us. Let THEM realise that they have to buck up.

And the Fans have spoken II : Hougang United

Hougang United 2011

United4United's Mervin Tan shares his thoughts on Hougang United's chances.....

Having been stripped of our last season's defensive stalwarts Nor Azli and Kenji Arai, this season would have looked pretty bleak but for the management's resolve in rebranding and re-breathing new life into our club. Along with the fresh outlook comes fresh faces in the attacking South American duo Carlos Alberto Delgado and Diego Gama, to complement the pace and skills of Mamadou Diallo and Jordan Webb.

Among the numerous new faces are the notable Noor Ali to bring in experience and composure to our side, and the composed Fujima Kobayashi to bring confidence to our backline. Hasrin Jailani brings along his considerable assistance to our inspirational coach Aide Iskandar.

How does this bode for our season? All in all, 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss in 6 friendlies (pre-Albirex friendly on Tuesday night) thus far has brought in renewed hope and optimism for the season. Overall, team confidence and spirit seems to have been uplifted massively, and what does it mean for us fans?
I suppose we will expect nothing less than a vast improvement from last season's final league standing, though I have to say that these are really early days yet. I do expect Hougang United to do a Gombak United last season and play darkhorse to the title charge, maybe even play kingmaker to decide who finally lands the S-League trophy.

For me personally, I won't expect us to keep winning or getting points at every match, but I do hope that our lads show pure passion and commitment in every run, every tackle, every endeavour on the pitch for the whole 90 minutes. As long as the lads do not give up, that to me is champion attitude already. Secretly though, I'm hoping that we will really be crowned league champions as opponents get continually shocked by the resurgence of Hougang United. And that we'll last all the way to the title!

Mervin Tan.....

The S-League Kickoff Report Card

We take a look at the different aspects of the much talked about kickoff!

 1. The Football Match

It was a partnership that has great potential. Fazrul Nawaz and Miroslav Karoglan have sent a stern warning to the rest of the league in this game. Their quick feet and cool finishing was evident in the 2-0 win over the Courts Young Lions. That was not the only partnership that caught the attention of the 2500 odd crowd as Afiq Yunos partnered Syakir Hamzah in the middle of the Courts Young Lions defence. Both did very well, winning header after header and were unlucky to be on the losing side.

Players' performances aside, the game had its exciting moments and had their dull ones as well. In my opinion, it was not the tactics but it was just down to experience and physical presense that won the game for the Warriors. The Courts Young Lions commited silly schoolboy errors ( they are schoolboys anyway) which led to the 2 goals.

Miroslav Karoglan certainly was a breath of fresh air and will definitely be one of the foreigners to watch this season. He has yet however, look 100% adjusted to the weather in Singapore but definitely a great potential.

Rating: B

 

2. Fanfare atmosphere

I reached the JBS around 1 hour before kickoff and was surprised to see that the stadium was already buzzing with activities. The effort certainly was there to try and bring in the crowd. The Courts Young Lions merchandise booth was definitely a mark improvement and their t-shirts were selling like hotcakes.

The singers however did little to wow the crowd and so was the halftime competition.

I have to commend that there is definitely a mark improvement. At least the effort was put in to try and entertain the crowd.

Rating : B+



3. The Fans
With tickets being intensively given away for free, it was no wonder that the crowd was reasonably healthy for an S-League game. Parents were seen bringing their kids and the usual faces were seen in the crowd. The Courts Young Lions fanclub did their very best to hype up the crowd with passionate cheering but it was evident that the fans did not exactly respond and coorperated with the fanclub. The occasional "we want goal" chant and swearing at the referee was back. Sadly, the noise became almost non-existent in the second half.

At the Warriors half, it was not very different as apart from the 2 goal celebrations, they were largely quiet as well.

In my opinion, something must be done to change the mentality of Singaporean fans when they watch football. They must not be afraid or shy to cheer and sing along. Maybe they are not connnected to the club that much but I suspect it is just the shy mentality to do something in public that is hindering the atmosphere to be lifted.

Rating: C+



Overall rating: B

Much can be done. It was a decent start to the 2011 S-League. However, it is not just the Courts Young Lions home games that matter. Every single fixture should have an atmosphere that will make watching an S-League game worthwhile. I will always be there to watch the fixtures. It is about convincing hard-to-please Singaporean fans that will be the issue that the S-League has to look into.

At least, the effort was there. Keep it up!

S-League Charity Shield - Local Pride Restored!

Add caption

Shukor Zailan and gang give local fans something to shout about!

In front of a 2000 odd crowd, Shukor Zailan just reminded everyone how good he really is with a convincing performance, after he replaced Ahmad Latiff in the 42nd minute. His coolness, passing ability and sweet volley was apparent in the win against Etoile FC. That shocked the many Rovers' fans who remembered his very forgetable season last year in which he was often the one who misplaced passes and guilty of losing possession when it mattered.

Etoile FC on the other hand suggested that they will use their physical superiority against the local sides this season. Regular water breaks during stoppages also showed that they have yet to aclimatise to this region and their lack of stamina signals that much still needs to be done.

Most importantly, yesterday's game was the first time in a long time that Singaporean football loyalists can be heard singing and chanting. Granted, they were silent most of the game but there were those few who always had that faith and believe that the Stags would eventually win the game. It was also good to see that the players in yellow tried their very best till the very last second to ensure that they do not go home empty handed.

A fantastic curtain raiser to this Saturday's opening of the S-League. Just 2 more days to kickoff and I can't wait to get the party started!

Majulah Bolasepak Singapura!

And the Fans have spoken I : Woodlands Wellington

The Rams Army is a dying breed.....

Die-Hard Rams Fan, Hussain Razzak shares his view on the Ram's upcoming season!

As a staunch supporter of the Rams, I believe in one thing for sure, we are not going to occupy the cellar.
The team for this season have been 'refurbished' and its looks good on paper based on the new foreign signings which gives an aura of changes needed for the club to start off from ground zero.
It has seriously been a testing period being a RAM fan but one thing I can honestly say, we are never short of controversies. After all, whats good for the geese is always good for the gender.
The foreign players that the Rams have signed will be the players to watch as its important for these players to perform in order to bring the crowd back.
It was sorely missing as the team were not playing well(last season).It's a price to pay for appointing unproven rookie coaches and also the tactics and team formations were questioned many a time last season.
This season remains to be seen but one thing good that will come out of it is that Coach Bala is vocal which has an added advantage for the fans to gauge if this man has what it takes to hold the dressing room and the passion to deliver with a very tight budget.
Apart from the that, we have lost Asraf Rashid, a crowd favourite, to Home Utd and Rizuwan, a promising striker, to Geylang Utd. We wish them all the very best in their new clubs.

The pre season matches blows hot and cold for the Rams but this counts for nothing as it's only preseason and to get trialists to display their worth. Since the club will be runned by a new management this season and I am not an 'official' there, all I can say is that I do hope that the new management keep  a close relationship with the fans as they form a massive community spirit to keep the 'KAMBING POWER' spirit alive and kicking.

Come Feb 14th 2011 at the Hougang stadium, all love will be lost on Valentines day when the Cheetahs entertain the Rams. We are hoping that the Rams take one game at a time and focus to give their best. The long suffering fans in the North truly deserves a shout and hopefully the team delivers.

Rams army always keeps the faith in the team. Hopefully Bala & Company hears our rally call.
Once again, we are the 'KAMBING POWER!

Regards,

Hussain Razak

*photo taken from S-League 1996 kickoff CD*

Living the dream ... Now that should be the way!

Article on Straits Times

These 2 guys could have made decisions that can be significant to the future of Singapore Football!

It is all about living the dream and there is nothing wrong with that. Many, including those football fans, may think that this whole idea for both  Benedict Low and Sudhersen Hariram to choose a footballing career may be crazy or absurd but in my opinion, it is these Singaporeans that truly deserve respect.

Like what those two graduates have said, they have already done what is expected of them, due to the norm in the Singaporean society. And now, it is time for them to live their dreams, even if it means earning much less than they could have.

However, putting this aside, this particular highlight can prove significant in the future of Singapore football.

So many young footballers with the fitness and the technical skills have given up their boyhood dream of playing professional football, emulating their childhood heroes like Fandi Ahmad, Nazri Nasir and Aide Iskandar. They are "forced" to sacrifice that ambition for "practicality" - the paper chase in this country.

At the age of 18, many good footballers in their tertiary education stop training regularly, opting to play only social football even when the temptation to sign a contract with a professional club comes calling. Well, there is nothing wrong with chasing the qualifications, certainly. Players time and time again have said that it is important to have certain qualifications since a footballer's career is short. But these two guys are extraordinary.

They, will pave the way for other graduates who are good at football to give it a go in the professional football scene. They have started the ball rolling for a new mentality change towards football in Singapore. Most importantly, they have allowed for others to follow their hearts rather than listen to what the normal Singaporean might say.

Their bravery is what I respect most.

Benedict Low said that " ......you may not be rich, but you certainly won't go hungry.."

Finally, a clear evidence that money is not everything for some Singaporeans. Finally, a brave soul to admit that it is happiness and living his dream that is important to his life.

On the contrary, I do not despise those that are thinking about their rice bowls as their top priority. Everyone has his or her own priorities in their life.

But these two guys have decided not to be ordinary. I wish the both of them success and maybe play well enough to get a call from coach Raddy. Your bravery can shape the future of Singapore football. I can only hope that those good enough but yet have to give up their love for football will think otherwise about choosing their career path.

Thank You Straits Times!

Now the challenge is to sustain it!
I woke up and grabbed the Sunday Times this morning. Ignoring the ladyboy's much publicised move to the blue half of London, I skipped a few pages to the middle of the sports section. And there it was. The kind of featured articles I have been hoping and praying for.

Written by Min Kok, Fabius and Sanjay, were articles and reports about new players and Woodlands Wellington as well as Balestier Khalsa, as part of the count down to the S-League season. This impressed me and made my Sunday morning awesome.

Now, it is not hard isn't it? I went to the nearest 7-eleven store to grab The NewPaper but I was disappointed afterwards. Hardly any news about the S-League. So much, after all the bashing they have done to Singapore football and they have nothing on a Sunday Newpaper about Singapore football! Well, to be fair, they have covered stories but not the kind that brings awareness about the local footballing scene. More of the stories that can anger and frustrate readers to turn away from the local football scene, especially lately.

I am not saying that we cannot have any news about foreign football. But I am just requesting for the papers to make a big deal out of the S-League. If our own papers don't hype up our own league, then who can? Better question, who will?

Bloggers like myself do not have first hand news about everything to raise the awareness on the local game but the papers somehow do. Featured articles like the ones on Sunday will grab the attention of the football fans who have always ignored the significance of the S-League, always thinking that it is a boring league. But it is all up to the mentality.

If we make a big deal out of it, then we will not find the S-League at all boring.

And so, I hope that the journalists of the Straits Times continue this wonderful effort. They may not know it now but these guys can be and will be the unsung heroes of Singapore football if at least one more person is interested in the S-League as a result of their articles.

Kudos to you guys and not forgetting another reporter who had always brilliantly wrote about the local game everytime he had the chance; Royston Sim!

6 things to know before kickoff : No 6 - The 16th S-League & The History!

The papers may not be interested in the S-League (well at least the juicier issues). Less than 2 weeks to kick off, let’s talk of the more practical things you need to know about the new season (if you have yet to know them already by now)!

This series is also for those who are new in supporting the league we can proudly call our own :
S-LEAGUE!

A season with promise but will it deliver?

In less than a week, the Courts Young Lions will do battle against the 8 time champions in the SAF Warriors. It will be a match that will kick off at an unprecedented timing, 5pm. Whether or not it will attract more crowds remains a question. Previous initiatives such as having penalty shootouts after drawn games were supposedly implemented to excite the fans but it failed miserably.

Also, this 16th edition of the S-League will surely be under the spotlight due to the national team saga that captured the attention of the public in a negative manner. Singapore football has never taken a beating such as this one and sadly, no matter how it may be argued, no one wants to take responsibility during this period. Before we look forward to this season, let's journey back to the previous 15 seasons and look at the highlights and the positive side of the S-League. Surely, it is not all bad!

1996: The Big Kick off!  

Back then, we had the stars, we had considerable amount of money and support from the government. Future world cup stars such as Hamid Reza Estili and Mohamed Khakpour were in the rosters of our S-League clubs. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Full attendances, passion in the stands, quality foreigners and in general, healthy support.

Champions: Geylang United

1997: New Format and the Fandi impact

Instead of having 2 separate series, the S-League was competed only once. Fandi Ahmad disappointed the loyal Eagles' fans and moved to arch rival SAFFC. One of the more memorable matches took place in Bedok in which the Warriors beat the Eagles 3-2. Again, getting the crowds were something that was taken for granted as fans flock to the stadiums to see young stars such as Indra Sahdan and Mohd Noor Ali emerging through the ranks. Also, Jurong Town FC or the Cobras entered the S-League as a new team.

Champions: SAFFC

 1998: The Jaguars are here

Same old same old story again. This time around Tanjong Pagar United made it even more exciting as they replaced Geylang United as SAFFC's main rivals. Also, Police FC became Home United and Gombak United and Marine Castle (now Hougang) joined the S-League. SAFFC may have clinched the S-League title but the Jaguars who won two cups in that year made everyone take notice. And yes, R.Sasikumar's shoulder of god earned the Lions our first International trophy in the Tiger Cup that year.

Champions : SAFFC

1999: Home breaks dominance

With Zsolts Bucs, S.Subramani and Aide Iskandar all representing the Protectors, it was about time that the boys form Bishan show their true worth. They won the S-League title. This year was also the year that Mirko Grabovac was unleashed into the S-League, terrorizing defences for the years to come. And yes, the attendances started to dwindle........

Champions : Home United

2000 : Fandi's Troopers romp to victory 

Fandi coached the warriors to ensure that they return to the pinnacle of  S-League football and under him, the Warriors did play some of the best football. Spearheading the attack was of course Croatian, Mirko Grabovac who finished the season with 19 S-League goals.

Champions: SAFFC

2001: A year of Milestones

Geylang United under Malaysia Cup hero, Jang Jung, secured their second S-League title. A midfield that was led by Brian Bothwell and Billy Bone saw Geylang romped to victories in the most emphatic of fashion in the S-League. I was in Primary 6 back then and I thought that Geylang actually played the best football the world had ever seen. Sadly, I was there to see Geylang crumble to Home United at the Singapore Cup final with Indra Sahdan demolishing his old club.

Champions : Geylang United

2002 : Mirko and Therdsak leading the way!

Therdsak Chaiman in his debut season scored 26 astonishing goals ranging from free kick, long shot crackers to poachers' effort stole the show. This season was also the season which saw Tampines Rovers slowly climbing up and turning heads in the S-League.

Champions: SAFFC

2003 : The Young Lions are born

Home United and Geylang United were the dominant force in this year which also saw the birth of the Young Lions. Peres de Oliveira also proved that Egmar was not the only Brazilian that can really play in the S-League as he finished the season with the top scorer award, pipping walking legend, Aleksandar Duric.

Champions: Home United

2004 : Dad's army wins it!

Tampines Rovers finally wins the S-League courtesy of a team filled with experience and guile. Along also made a name for himself this year as he was part of the victorious Tiger Cup winnning squad. In 2004 as well, Albirex Niigata joined Sinchi FC as the other foreign team to play in the S-League. Names like Issey Nakajima Farran certainly will ring a bell for S-League fans, males and females alike.

Champions: Tampines Rovers

2005 : Stags makes it two in a row

With a strikeforce led by Mirko Grabovac and Noh Alam Shah, it was a no brainer as to who would win the 2005 edition of the S-League. It was also to be a bittersweet year for Singapore football. Eventhough Singapore just clinched their second Tiger Cup, cracks were beginning to show that the S-League could be on a decline.

Champions: Tampines Rovers

2006: Warriors' return
 Young Lions, with a team that represented the future stars of Singapore football, were a delight to watch but eventually, the lack of experience failed them as the Warriors won their first title since 2002. The Stags too had a memorable season, and in particular, Aliff Shaffaein scored the winning goal in the Singapore Cup final after his side were trailing 2-0 against Thai Chonburi FC.

Champions: SAFFC

2007-2009 : Same old story!

Warriors win the title. Again. This time however, the highlight of the year was the Singapore Cup final which saw undoubtedly one of the best matches in local club football and at the same time one of the biggest drama. Who can ever forget the beating Alam Shah gave national team mate Daniel Bennett at JBS. And just like that, it just shows how much entertainment we have in the league in which many people call boring.

Champions : SAFFC

 2010 : French Flavour spices things up!

Karim Boudjema, Flavien Mischelini and Frederic Mendy will have their names on the record books of Singapore football as their team, Etoile FC, becamse the first foreign team to win the S-League and on their maiden season. Much controversy in the 2010 S-League, mostly involving Etoile FC and Beijing Guo'an. 2010 also saw the lowest ever average attendance. Let's hope 2011 will not be like the 2010 season!

Champions : Etoile FC

And so, there you go. The journey through the 15 earlier editions of the S-League. The S-League is not all bad as alot of people might say. Yes, at times it can get a little predictable but every season is sure filled with drama and excitement as well. Of course I have excluded the negative points such as the match fixing scandal but I'd rather look at the positive aspects of the S-League.

Long live the S-League and their loyal fans!

* photos courtesy of S-League kickoff CD

6 things to know before kickoff : No 5 - The Key Men

The papers may not be interested in the S-League (well at least the juicier issues). Less than 2 weeks to kick off, let’s talk of the more practical things you need to know about the new season (if you have yet to know them already by now)!

This series is also for those who are new in supporting the league we can proudly call our own :
S-LEAGUE

They are the Fabregas, the Gerrards, the Vidics, the Lampards and the Barrys of the S-League!

Albirex Niigata : Tatsuro Inui
A midfielder that regularly scores. Thats what every coach wants in his team. The Albirex Number 10. was their top scorer in the league last season and is hoping that this season will be no different. Already scored 2 goals in Albirex's impressive pre-season friendlies, it looks like the rest of the S-League have to beware of the White Swans this season, especially if this man is on song!

Balestier Khalsa : Paul Cunningham

The departure of Daniel Hammond means that Paul Cunningham shoulders a big responsibility to lead the Tigers to a better finish this year. Already gunning for a New Zealand callup, Cunningham is definitely motivated to perform even better this season and be a model of an example to his teammates around him. Met this guy once and what a great and friendly chap he is! 

Geylang United : Syed Fadhil 

Not only the captain but also the heart of the Geylang team. His abilities are undoubted and his versatility was obvious as he went to an unfamiliar role of a right wing back last season but yet played impressively against Tampines Rovers. Has a good long shot amongst his arsenal of abilities.





Gombak United : Obadin Aikhena

Like Cunningham, Obadin lost his defensive partner in Bah Mamadou to the Warriors. Like Cunningham as well, Obadin is as solid as a rock and have a knack of scoring on important occasions. Definitely one of the best foreigners around in the league, his Gombak teammates are hoping that he can inspire them to a strong finish this season.

Home United : Shi Jiayi
Captain of the Protectors and a classy playmaker. Alongside Isa Halim, their midfield partnership is the ideal pairing of a hardman-playmaker combination. With Shahril Ishak gone, the responsibility of threading accurate and laser-guided passes will rest on this naturalised Singaporean. The Protectors' fans will be hoping that he will stay injury-free this season.

Hougang United : Noor Ali
It is not so much of what he can do but it is his influence and experience that will help the Hougang United team this season. At 36, he is surely past his best but is still regarded by many to have a few years left in him.
May not be the best player in
the Hougang team but surely one of their most important.

SAFFC : Ivan Jerkovic
The former DPMM Brunei man is , in my opinion, the best player in the SAFFC team this season. He has the eye for goal, a good set piece taker and a hardman as well. Without Ahmad Latiff this season, alot will be on the shoulders of Jerkovic as he looks set to partner either Roshan Rai or Luka Savic in the engine room of the Warriors this season.

Tampines Rovers: Shahdan Sulaiman 
At 23 years old, Shahdan Sulaiman is already regarded as one of the best and talented players in the Singapore national squad. And at Tampines Rovers, his support of the strikers through his intelligent runs and accurate passing have proved to be invaluable last season. Definitely the key man if the Stags are to mount a strong challenge in both the league and in the AFC Cup.

Tanjong Pagar United : Kim Seong Kyu
Not much is known about this defender who spent most of his time with the Young Lions being injured. Nevertheless, he has the S-League experience that many of his teammates are lacking. Definitely someone that coach Terry will have to count on this season if they are to finish above the position in which many obeservers think they would at the end of the season.

Woodlands Wellington : Ali Imran Lomri
Like Noor Ali, the man who holds the nickname of "Stone Cold" is surely past his best. The former national player was signed by the Rams after an impressive season with the Singapore Recreation Club last year, winning the FA Cup along the way. The Rams too hopes that he can turn on the style and use his experience to inject that much needed flair in the Woodlands team.

Courts Young Lions : Hariss Harun
If there is any player in the league that any team would want as a first choice draft pick, it would surely be Hariss Harun. A phenomenal player that combines skill and flair in attack with a strong and hard approach when it comes to defensive work. Not only is he the key man for the Courts Young Lions, he is also the future of Singapore football.

Etoile FC: Do they even have a squad?