Last year, Young Lions comfortably beat Cambodian team Phnom Penh Crown 2-0 at Jalan Besar in the Singapore Cup preliminary round.
On Monday, it was the same score, but just that it was the guest team who made it through to the next round for the first time in four attempts at the expense of the Singapore side.
With only one (dud) foreign player and another suspended, the Singaporeans failed to make the step up in front of a sparse crowd at Jurong West.
It is one matter to lose and get knocked out of the competition, it is also how they do it that has an impact too.
Sadly to say, the class of 2009 might as well not bother to show up and give a walkover as their football was nondescript, to be polite.
The passing was non-existant--almost every ball they touched went straight to a red shirt (Young Lions were wearing the away kit of white that day; Phnom Penh red).
There was no coordination, every player had his own thoughts on how he wanted to play but there was no connection, from defence to midfield to attack.
When a simple short pass to a colleague would suffice, the player would attempt to pump high up instead in hope that more often than not went to nought.
The Singaporeans had lots of fitness and pace, but they left their football brains either at the team bus or worse, Jalan Besar.
And it was not as though Phnom Penh were at the same level as Singapore's top club Singapore Armed Forces (SAFFC).
The top Cambodian team were found wanting technically, but they made up for the gap in quality with hard work, determination, refusal to give up and a sound game plan they stuck to from the first to final whistle.
With these qualities, they deserved to win and advance to the quarter-finals where Thai Premier League leaders Bangkok Glass await.
The signs of such bad quality football from the current Young Lions were already evident from this year's S R Nathan Challenge Trophy.
The club had numerous players who were involved in various institutions, all of whom succumbed to eventual deserving champions National University of Singapore (NUS).
Here is the list of the institutions that lost to NUS and the Young Lions involved.
Nanyang Polytechnic (group stage, final)--Hafiz Abu Sujad, Faritz Abdul Hameed
ITE (semi-final)--Izwan Mahbud, Afiq Yunos, Eddie Chang, Irwan Shah, Khairul Nizam, Fadhil Noh
Temasek Polytechnic (group stage)--Jasper Chan, Eugene Luo, Shahir Hamzah
Gabriel Quak was involved with Republic Polytechnic that finished fourth in the tournament.
12 Young Lions, well-paid by student athletes' standards and regular exposure to professional training and senior competitive football, and yet could not even beat a university team that do not have present S-League or Prime League players in their ranks (although they had one who used to play in the S-League and two others in Prime League).
Something must be really wrong with the way young players are being developed here.
If that NUS team had played Phnom Penh, whatever the result was, they would have played with plenty of heart and at least decent looking intelligent football.
No wonder present Young Lions coach Terry Pathmanathan was hopping mad after the cup game.
A wake up call and time for these young players that they are worth the dollars they are paid. Otherwise they should look for some other job somewhere.
Perhaps the need to exclude the national Under-23 football team from the biennial Southeast Asian Games to shore up the foundations of local youth football development cannot be ruled out too.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Alamak, Liverpool Coming to Singapore
Come July, one of the Barclays Premiership 'Big Four' Liverpool would made their way to Southeast Asia, playing friendly matches against the national teams of Thailand and Singapore.
Perhaps the Reds do not know this, but with the two Southeast Asian rivals facing their crucial home-and-away legs against each other in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup Group E qualifiers in November, could the Liverpool games four months earlier determine the outcome beforehand?
After moving heaven and earth to bring the club to Southeast Asia, the best way for Rafael Benitez (above) and his men to repay the passionate and loyal support from these regional fans is to view these friendlies as proper preseason warm-ups, rather than money-spinning live circus acts.When the troupe move to Singapore to fulfill their commitments, the always-want-to-close-down-but-remain-forever-open National Stadium (below) will be turned into the Anfield of the East for a one-night special.
My only hope is to be able to see Fernando Torres dish out an attacking masterclass and giving the crowd the football education they have come to see from TV to live. (Ed's note: I am not a Steven Gerrard fan, so I will have no comment on him.)
It will not be bad either, given their generosity of late, if that trend continues well into the Southeast Asian show. Teerateep Winothai and Noh Alam Shah might fancy themselves doing an Andrei Ashravin quad-goal haul against Pepe Reina when it is their turn.
Kashima Antlers 5 SAFFC 0: The Aftermath
It's now official: SAFFC will not extend their AFC Champions League (ACL) adventure when the final Group G matches conclude in mid-May.
Like what they did against Geylang United back in 1997 in the then Asian Club Championship, J-League giants Kashima Antlers made light work of the Warriors with an emphatic victory at home, completing a double after a 4-1 win at Jalan Besar two weeks ago.
Match action photo courtesy of the official Kashima Antlers website.
The final score (as was with SAFFC's other group games) once again reflected the gulf in class between the Singapore champions and their more established East Asian opponents (China's Shanghai Shenhua, Korea Republic's Suwon Bluewings and Kashima) and the catch-up they need to do if they are to be a mainstay in this competition.
While the Warriors remain without a point at the bottom after four matches, the overall adventure should be taken in a positive light.
After years of languishing in the second-tier AFC Cup for half a decade, SAFFC made history as the first Singapore club to make into the group stage proper via two challenging play-off matches against Southeast Asian opposition.
The ACL has opened a new world for the Warriors to learn and take home the lessons, on and off the pitch, from their adventures against the East Asian giants.
Professionalism, budget, forward planning etc... these are the things that separate the big boys from the minnows. Normally kampung champions, SAFFC are now tasting how small they are in this scene.
Still, it should not discourage, but spur the S-League champions towards making greater strides in every aspect of football, applying what they have learnt as much as they can within the local context.
SAFFC's elimination should not be a one-time joyride with the cream of continental club football, but the S-League and FAS must do what they can to ensure continued participation at the highest level for future Singapore representatives and making strides in closing the gap between the East Asians and the 'homely' Southeast Asians in the long-term.
Where Thailand (barring Therdsak Chaiman-inspired BEC Tero Sasana's fairy-tale run to the final in the first edition in 2003), Vietnam and Indonesia have failed, Singapore, more importantly S-League, should try not to fall into the same sorry episodes the previous representatives had experienced.
The weather away may not be suited for Southeast Asian bodies, but it can be overcome.
The football away shows light years difference, but it can be closed.
The infrastructure away shows how 'kampung' we are, but it can be done too.
Never mind the result, SAFFC should look forward to dragging Shanghai for company in exiting from the competition as they try to earn some dough in an upset win at home. It will not be too bad for the lessons learnt after all.
Like what they did against Geylang United back in 1997 in the then Asian Club Championship, J-League giants Kashima Antlers made light work of the Warriors with an emphatic victory at home, completing a double after a 4-1 win at Jalan Besar two weeks ago.
Match action photo courtesy of the official Kashima Antlers website.
The final score (as was with SAFFC's other group games) once again reflected the gulf in class between the Singapore champions and their more established East Asian opponents (China's Shanghai Shenhua, Korea Republic's Suwon Bluewings and Kashima) and the catch-up they need to do if they are to be a mainstay in this competition.
While the Warriors remain without a point at the bottom after four matches, the overall adventure should be taken in a positive light.
After years of languishing in the second-tier AFC Cup for half a decade, SAFFC made history as the first Singapore club to make into the group stage proper via two challenging play-off matches against Southeast Asian opposition.
The ACL has opened a new world for the Warriors to learn and take home the lessons, on and off the pitch, from their adventures against the East Asian giants.
Professionalism, budget, forward planning etc... these are the things that separate the big boys from the minnows. Normally kampung champions, SAFFC are now tasting how small they are in this scene.
Still, it should not discourage, but spur the S-League champions towards making greater strides in every aspect of football, applying what they have learnt as much as they can within the local context.
SAFFC's elimination should not be a one-time joyride with the cream of continental club football, but the S-League and FAS must do what they can to ensure continued participation at the highest level for future Singapore representatives and making strides in closing the gap between the East Asians and the 'homely' Southeast Asians in the long-term.
Where Thailand (barring Therdsak Chaiman-inspired BEC Tero Sasana's fairy-tale run to the final in the first edition in 2003), Vietnam and Indonesia have failed, Singapore, more importantly S-League, should try not to fall into the same sorry episodes the previous representatives had experienced.
The weather away may not be suited for Southeast Asian bodies, but it can be overcome.
The football away shows light years difference, but it can be closed.
The infrastructure away shows how 'kampung' we are, but it can be done too.
Never mind the result, SAFFC should look forward to dragging Shanghai for company in exiting from the competition as they try to earn some dough in an upset win at home. It will not be too bad for the lessons learnt after all.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Singapore Professional Footballers' Union, Anyone?
Malaysian Professional Footballers to Have Their Say (New Straits Times)
Despite all the madness going on in the power corridors at Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), there might still be something our neighbours across the causeway have that we do not have if all things go well.
When will it time to see the likes of Indra Sahdan Daud, G Lenan and Han Yiguang to have their voices raised and counted as a collective when they want to raise issues with their employers and Football Association of Singapore (FAS)?
I confess I am no expert where the nitty gritty of unions is concerned. What I do know is our local players, national team or no, have witnessed and experienced different issues that affect their ricebowls.
There have been occasions where the management of a few professional clubs have proven to be quite a let-down when promises are broken or unfulfilled, leaving players frustrated and disillusioned.
It is depressed when the typical reaction in the face of such situations goes, "What to do?" with reluctant shoulder shrugs in resignation, from both officials and players alike.
FAS' regular meetings with the club chairmen may come to nought in some cases if one or two bad eggs out of that lot do not fulfill what they have agreed earlier.
While many local professional footballers are not even university graduates, some possess issues-savviness that will only help the players'community when such a group is formally formed.
Going back to the article link I have put up at the start of the article, it is nice to have a good nice, but whether they will be relevant or just "being there for the sake of being there", it remains to be seen.
The onus is now on the players here to do something or keep the present status quo.
Despite all the madness going on in the power corridors at Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), there might still be something our neighbours across the causeway have that we do not have if all things go well.
When will it time to see the likes of Indra Sahdan Daud, G Lenan and Han Yiguang to have their voices raised and counted as a collective when they want to raise issues with their employers and Football Association of Singapore (FAS)?
I confess I am no expert where the nitty gritty of unions is concerned. What I do know is our local players, national team or no, have witnessed and experienced different issues that affect their ricebowls.
There have been occasions where the management of a few professional clubs have proven to be quite a let-down when promises are broken or unfulfilled, leaving players frustrated and disillusioned.
It is depressed when the typical reaction in the face of such situations goes, "What to do?" with reluctant shoulder shrugs in resignation, from both officials and players alike.
FAS' regular meetings with the club chairmen may come to nought in some cases if one or two bad eggs out of that lot do not fulfill what they have agreed earlier.
While many local professional footballers are not even university graduates, some possess issues-savviness that will only help the players'community when such a group is formally formed.
Going back to the article link I have put up at the start of the article, it is nice to have a good nice, but whether they will be relevant or just "being there for the sake of being there", it remains to be seen.
The onus is now on the players here to do something or keep the present status quo.
So much ado over Lionel-Ridzuan, Sivaji did the right thing
This is my first post in BolaBang, and without further ado, I shall get things rolling with my comments over the Lionel Lewis-Ridzuan Fatah Hasan articles posted in the mainstream media on Tuesday (21 April 2009).
The rotation bug that people typically see in the major European leagues has now hit our dear S-League. While not every coach is biting it, some are pursuing this path.
Home United coach P N Sivaji (above) is among them and he has good reasons for doing so. First he has a squad loaded with Singapore internationals and some from the national team have not enjoyed a substantial break or a proper off-season in the last few years.
It is not because the select group of players do not want to. Even Singapore national team coach Radjoko Avramovic, I believe, wants his men to have a proper period of rest too.
However, Asian football is not as organized or uniform as that in Europe. That is why, with generally the exception of the major continental powers, Singapore, like the rest of Asia, tend to get the short end of the stick where fixture scheduling is concerned.
Combined with natural factors (seasonal/ monsoon weather) and the eccentricities of the football associations, leagues and the Asian Football Confederation that is beyond this blogger's control, there are games in all-year round.
For a Singapore national team player in a S-League club, the scheduling condrum means he will end up playing football for club and country throughout the year, even in pre-season and post-season when international duty comes calling.
Barring any serious long-term injury, he has to try and keep up his performance levels all-year round, and this is almost humanly impossible to achieve.
Without an extended period of time away from the stresses of the chosen profession, it becomes inevitable that fatigue will come in and affect his level of performance.
It has afflicted Lewis' performances for club and country since last year when he began to make uncharacteristic errors in between the posts.
Lionel Lewis (Photo courtesy of Football Association of Singapore)
Normally a safe pair of hands, his mistakes in games were taking a toll on himself, his employers and the nation, particularly this season when they had cost Home points in the league.
Something had to be done and Sivaji, say what the cynics and critics will over his tactics, training and whatsoever with Home, took action.
The roles of the goalkeepers were reversed: Lionel relegated to the bench with Ridzuan pulling on his gloves. The latter has been giving a decent account of himself and contributed to the former pushing hard and reigniting his desire in training.
While the domestic league results overall presently are still less than satisfying by Home's high standards, Sivaji should be lauded for doing the right thing even if it meant a compromise in results for the time being.
Even other internationals such as Shahril Ishak, who is in fine form at club level this season, and Shi Jiayi, have spent a significant amount of time on the bench this year. They, like Lewis, also bore the brunt of the merciless Asian (and Southeast Asian) football calendar in recent years.
The only two Singapore national team players to have featured in a Home jersey on a consistent basis this season are Rosman Sulaiman and Juma'at Jantan. They are not fully exposed to the schedule madness yet, although that phase will eventually come.
Sivaji is helped that Home possess decent back-up players in the first team and from the Prime League where he can call upon when the situation arises. Ridzuan and Firdaus Idros are beneficaries of this, and more will follow as the season progresses as other commitments come calling.
With a substantial spell on the bench, I hope a refreshed and rejuvenated Lewis takes his chance with both hands (rather, gloves) when he gets to man between the posts again. Ditto for Shi and Shahril.
Sivaji's mistake catalouge, as his naysayers will insist, might eventually come in a book or DVD series, but what he has done in rotating his players to keep them fresh in the short-term and long-term can only help the individual for club and country.
The rotation bug that people typically see in the major European leagues has now hit our dear S-League. While not every coach is biting it, some are pursuing this path.
(Photo courtesy of Redsports)
Home United coach P N Sivaji (above) is among them and he has good reasons for doing so. First he has a squad loaded with Singapore internationals and some from the national team have not enjoyed a substantial break or a proper off-season in the last few years.
It is not because the select group of players do not want to. Even Singapore national team coach Radjoko Avramovic, I believe, wants his men to have a proper period of rest too.
However, Asian football is not as organized or uniform as that in Europe. That is why, with generally the exception of the major continental powers, Singapore, like the rest of Asia, tend to get the short end of the stick where fixture scheduling is concerned.
Combined with natural factors (seasonal/ monsoon weather) and the eccentricities of the football associations, leagues and the Asian Football Confederation that is beyond this blogger's control, there are games in all-year round.
For a Singapore national team player in a S-League club, the scheduling condrum means he will end up playing football for club and country throughout the year, even in pre-season and post-season when international duty comes calling.
Barring any serious long-term injury, he has to try and keep up his performance levels all-year round, and this is almost humanly impossible to achieve.
Without an extended period of time away from the stresses of the chosen profession, it becomes inevitable that fatigue will come in and affect his level of performance.
It has afflicted Lewis' performances for club and country since last year when he began to make uncharacteristic errors in between the posts.
Lionel Lewis (Photo courtesy of Football Association of Singapore)Normally a safe pair of hands, his mistakes in games were taking a toll on himself, his employers and the nation, particularly this season when they had cost Home points in the league.
Something had to be done and Sivaji, say what the cynics and critics will over his tactics, training and whatsoever with Home, took action.
The roles of the goalkeepers were reversed: Lionel relegated to the bench with Ridzuan pulling on his gloves. The latter has been giving a decent account of himself and contributed to the former pushing hard and reigniting his desire in training.
While the domestic league results overall presently are still less than satisfying by Home's high standards, Sivaji should be lauded for doing the right thing even if it meant a compromise in results for the time being.
Even other internationals such as Shahril Ishak, who is in fine form at club level this season, and Shi Jiayi, have spent a significant amount of time on the bench this year. They, like Lewis, also bore the brunt of the merciless Asian (and Southeast Asian) football calendar in recent years.
The only two Singapore national team players to have featured in a Home jersey on a consistent basis this season are Rosman Sulaiman and Juma'at Jantan. They are not fully exposed to the schedule madness yet, although that phase will eventually come.
Sivaji is helped that Home possess decent back-up players in the first team and from the Prime League where he can call upon when the situation arises. Ridzuan and Firdaus Idros are beneficaries of this, and more will follow as the season progresses as other commitments come calling.
With a substantial spell on the bench, I hope a refreshed and rejuvenated Lewis takes his chance with both hands (rather, gloves) when he gets to man between the posts again. Ditto for Shi and Shahril.
Sivaji's mistake catalouge, as his naysayers will insist, might eventually come in a book or DVD series, but what he has done in rotating his players to keep them fresh in the short-term and long-term can only help the individual for club and country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
