Reviving Singapore Soccer.

Liverpool FC was once in the lower division and Leeds United, a mighty force under Don Revie is now languishing in a lower division. Singapore squash was once number six in the world and in waterpolo, we have won every gold medal at the SEA Games. Why the contrasting fortunes? What about Singapore soccer? Whereto from here?

There was a time where a local game between two top league teams that can bring in a crowd of 20,000 and regularly at Kallang, we have crowds of 50-60,000 packing the stadiums for a Malaysia Cup match. Why?

There were rivalry, stars and legends, there was success, therefore there was huge interest and there was euphoria. Young people started picking up the sports as they wanted to play soccer like Quah Kim Song and Mohamed Noh or play squash like Zainal Abideen. Squash courts were opening up everywhere from Kampong Java to Kallang and they were always packed. In soccer, we had the golden and crazy years when the late and legendary Uncle Choo Seng Quee brought home the Malaysia Cup after 12 long years. Besides the Lions we had the Cubs, the under-21 and we have even started the Merlion Cup and Lion City Cup where the under-16 tournament became officially taken up by FIFA as the under-16 World Cup today.

We won the Malaysia Cup again under Jita Singh in 1980 (Leong Kok Fann scored, Mokhtar Dahari equalized and Fandi Ahmed got the winner) and then later in 1994 with our Dream Team where Fandi Ahmed, V. Sundramoorthy and Abbas Saad gave the biggest victory over Pahang and then it seemed we walked in the desert for 40 years. What happened? Let us explore.

Current Team

Douglas Moore brought us success in the Malaysia Cup before we pulled out then Barry Whitbread got us the Tiger Cup in 1998 at Hanoi. Raddy Avramovic got us further at the international stage where we got into the later round or Pre-World Cup qualifiers and we became Asean Champions in 2005. In 2007, we won the Asean Cup again and were unbeaten for 15 matches in the series since 2004. We could now beat Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. We could even draw with Australia and beat Kuwait 2-0. We advance to the third round or pre-World Cup for the first time. Raddy is a miracle worker if you see our limited talent pool. We do have some good players like Khairul Amri and Noh Alam Shah. We have a few talented young players like Izwan Mahbud and Sufawan Baharuddin. We have a few localised foreign help like Daniel Bennett (33), Shi Jiaya (28), Mustafic (30), Qiu Li (30) and Aleksandar Duric (41).    

This team and players did well but in the recently almost concluded qualifiers, what I have seen left much to be desired. We have certainly dropped several notches. Our performances were pathetic. It certainly was not easy. We need bold thinking, bold ideas and bold decisions. Every fraternity involved in soccer has to pay a part.

Passionate Leaders

We had great and passionate leaders when N. Ganesan (1974-1981) was the FAS Chairman, the late Uncle Choo Seng Quee was the coach and then later when Patrick Ang was Team Manager. 

Youngsters

Today's youngsters are a different kettle of fish. In the old days soccer was still a relatively cheaper sports to play. Today, there are many more sports, games and lifestyle that young people can choose from. How do we get them interested in playing soccer? Even when they do, they may give it up to choose books unless they and their parents know soccer can provide a future. With a shorter life span with a career in sport, what can they do after their playing days are over or when they break a leg? Like in all sports, we have to start young. We don't even know their talents when they do not participate. 

Chinese Players

Unfortunately, the Chinese population at large are only betting and watching soccer some times. Too few are playing the game. Few Chinese parents wish for their sons to be a footballer. Yet, more than 70% of our population is Chinese. This talent pool remains largely untapped. It is nothing racial about it. I believe many Chinese parents have dissuaded their children from it. In the past, we have our many Chinese players such as: 

Lee Bee Seng, Lim Chiew Peng, David Lee, Edmund Lee, Patrick Wee, Lee Kok Seng, Matthew Chin, Quah Kim Siak, Lim Teng Sai, Robert Sim, Lim Tien Jit, Lim Tang Boon, Au-Yeong Pak Kuan, Lim Tong Hai, Seak Poh Leong, Leong Kok Fann, Lee Man Hon, 

Quah Kim Swee, Quah Kim Lye, Quah Kim Song, Ho Kwang Hock, Don Ang, Toh Choon Ming, Tay Peng Kee, Wong Kok Choy, Steven Tan and even Eurasian players - Eric Paine, Brian Rozario, Brian Batchelor, Jeffrey and Lazaroo.

Even Fandi Ahmad has made the same observation.

Icons And Stars


Farrer Park was iconic as it was the birth place of Singapore soccer just as the KK Hospital saw many babies delivered. While Jalan Besar is also as historical, it is more an official place for matches unlike Farrer Park. To be successful and to attract more fans, you will need to have stars. Players who are really very good and those with great personality and skills. Young players will have their favourite stars to emulate.

Build on success

When we achieve success with a team that won the Malaysia Cup or the Tiger Cup or Asean Championship, we need to build on that success and create an euphoria. Get folks interested and create a buzz from school boys playing soccer to the fans. We need to keep core teams at each eage group as feeder squads.

Philosophy

We need to decide what is our soccer philosophy. Soccer is a team game and a contact sport. Can we match with the Europeans playing to their style? Can we match the Koreans, the Arabs, the Chinese in speed and physique even within Asia? Or what should we do? I say let's go Latin. Latin teams and players has guile, are smaller in built but quick to turn and can create space even in tight situation and they are skillful. Look at Brazil, Argentina and even Uruguay. Uruguay has a small population of only 3.5 million and they were in the semi-finals of the last World Cup. Look at Argentina's Higuain, Aguero, Messi. Look at the Spanish - Xavi, Iniesta and Villa. Barcelona took a long time to come to where they are now. Mind you, Santos are the Brazilian and Latin Champions. Neymar hardly had a look at the ball. Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk-EvJ1dFM4

Lion City Cup

Our Lion City Cubs gave the big boys of Juventus, Newcastle, Flamenco and Everton a run for their money. Why can't we do the same as we grow up? Too much distraction. Keep the team together.

Competition 

Obviously some players think they are stars when they are not. That is due of lack of competition. When a player of Cesc Fabregas when playing for Spain can only sit on the bench, you know the quality of the squad.

Ex Players

Get ex players involved. If I talked to people about Quah Kim Lye, Kim Song or Mat Noh and Zainal Abideen, Lim Teng Sai, Robert Sim, S. Rajagopal or Syed Mutalib today nobody knew them especially when they are younger than me. We know Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney better. When players are popular they should get involved with the community.

S-League

Without promotion and relegation, it is difficult for teams to fight harder to stay alive. May be we are a small nation but it may be essential. Foreign players must be outstanding and of higher quality. S-League teams should bond with the community. In Europe, they have their soccer teams of players visiting hospitals and doing charitable works and to connect with the people. In the old days, younger players like Paul Gascoigne has to polish the boots of Kevin Keegan at Newcastle. They also gave away apprenticeship to youngsters. Matches played on dates and timing that clashed with EPL live games will be a problem. How to avoid it?

Fighting Spirit

Of course it is about winning. Everybody loves a winning team but more than winning, everybody loves a fighting team. Your team can go down 3-0 to a much stronger team but when they fought till the end and to the final whistle, that is when your fans will applaud you. It is never over till the fat lady sings. Remember, it is not the size of the dogs in the fight but it is all about the size of the fight in the dogs. Inculcate this in all the teams and I assure you that you will never let your fans down.

Malaysia Cup

Come January, we are returning to the Malaysia Cup. Lions XII will be our team name. The Malaysia Cup provides natural rivalry like no other. It is like a derby with every team. Even the travelling gets real. Can the profile be raised after such a long time? It can only get better and very much depends on the team's exploits. Show the fans your mettle and they shall return. May be even snowball in the future and what a great spectacle it will be when the new stadium is ready and it becomes the home of the Lion again. Kallang will roar again!

Coaches

We will definitely need to groom local coaches. We used to have more of them - Choo Seng Quee, Jita Singh, Seak Poh Leong, Robin Chan. At the end of the day, you have to look at England today. Spain, Italy, France and Germany seem to have more than England where even the national coach is foreign.


Players


Players mustn't think they are stars. If there is serious competition for places they may not even be selected. You are as good as your last game. David Beckham despite his fame and riches is always the first to arrive for training and the last to leave. Learn the right habits and get the basics right. Players must take responsibility and always ask for the ball . They are often too static - passing the ball then standing still. There must be greater movement - pass and move into another position to receive again. Singapore's play is too one dimensional.


I have seen national players running back to the centre circle in the direction of their own goal without looking at the ball and also when defending corner kicks running back to the penalty box. Your eyes must always be on the ball. Run backwards facing the ball if you must.


I wish Singapore Soccer all the best and hope that one day soon we will return to our true greatness! For this to happen, all fraternity must pull together as one. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbxPnq8OZqs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL333F9B9FAE250F8F