Author: Lion City Sailors
- Introduction
- These terms and conditions, and any other documents and policies incorporated by reference, (“Terms”) shall apply to the Social Team Affiliate selection process (the “Selection Process”) organised by Lion City Sailors Private Limited (“Lion City Sailors”), and shall form a contract between you and Lion City Sailors (LCS).
- Your participation in the Selection Process constitutes your agreement to be bound by these Terms. The offering of the Selection Process to you is conditional on your acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not participate in the Selection Process.
- Lion City Sailors’ other policies (including, but not limited to, the Terms of Service available here) (“Policies”) also apply to your participation in the Selection Process – to the extent of any inconsistency between the Policies and these Terms, the Policies shall prevail.
- Selection Process Period
- The Selection Process shall run from 13 December 2024 until 6 January 2025 (or such other date as we may determine at our discretion) (“Selection Process Period”).
- Selection Process Mechanics
- To participate in the Selection Process, you must submit the application form via the designated link, with all compulsory fields completed and ensure that all information provided is accurate (“Application Form”).
- Successful applications will be chosen by the Lion City Sailors Fan Engagement and Memberships department as determined at our sole discretion.
- There will be up to eight (8) teams selected following the Selection Process (“Selected Team”). Each Selected Team shall be entitled to the following package (“Benefits”):
- (i) designation as a Social Team Affiliate of LCS;
- (ii) participation in the Social Team Affiliate Tournament conducted on Sundays between 25 May 2025 and 13 July 2025 (or such other dates as may be determined by us), consisting of 11-a-side matches with one (1) centre referee in a round robin format between a total of eight (8) teams;
- the amount for the required tournament participation fee shall be confirmed at a later date
- (iii) one quarterly slot for team training at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre;
- (iv) ad hoc opportunities to train and play at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre;
- (v) one quarterly coaches education session conducted by LCS;
- (vi) five (5) footballs to be used at the team’s discretion;
- (vii) access to host an annual team dinner at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre;
- (viii) opportunity to be considered for annual renewal as a Social Team Affiliate in 2026
- The Benefits will last from 12 January, 2025 to 31 December, 2025.
- Each Selected Team will be contacted by Lion City Sailors through the email address or contact number provided in the Application Form. In the event that Lion City Sailors FC is unable to contact or receive a response from a Selected Team within several days, a replacement Selected Team will be chosen.
- Acceptance by a Selected Team shall constitute agreement for the Selected Team to take part in such related promotional activities as Lion City Sailors may require.
- Conditions
- By participating in the Selection Process, you represent, warrant and undertake that:
- The primary applicant is at least eighteen (18) years old;
- All participants are at least eighteen (18) years old; or
- If you are under eighteen (18) years old, you have obtained consent from your parent or guardian to participate in the Selection Process (“Parent/Guardian”);
- you will comply with all applicable laws when participating in the Selection Process.
- By participating in the Selection Process, you acknowledge and agree that:
- the Selection Process is deemed void to the extent prohibited by applicable laws;
- entries to the Selection Process are deemed void if Lion City Sailors determine (in its sole discretion) that such entries are illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, altered, counterfeit, produced in error or obtained through fraud or theft;
- the decisions of Lion City Sailors are final and binding with respect to all matters relating to the Selection Process (including, but not limited to, determination of any Selected Team);
- the Benefits for any Selected Team are non-transferable and non-exchangeable for cash or any other prizes;
- you grant Lion City Sailors a non‐exclusive, royalty‐free, transferable, sub-licensable, irrevocable, perpetual worldwide licence and right to use (including commercial use), distribute, reproduce, display and otherwise make available any content that you provide in connection with the Selection Process (including, but not limited to, your entry as well as your name, likeness and/or voice, as well as any content provided to (or produced by) Lion City Sailors in connection with any use of the Benefits) (“Provided Materials”), warrant that you have all rights necessary to grant such licence over the Provided Materials, and that Lion City Sailors may use your Provided Materials in any publicity or advertising relating to the Selection Process or future Selection Processes held by Lion City Sailors without compensation or approval (subject to applicable law);
- the Selection Process is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates, and you agree to completely release Facebook, Inc and its affiliates from any and all liability in connection with the Selection Process;
- you may be required to provide and/or sign additional documents and forms prior to (and as a condition for) your receipt of the Benefits, and elements of the Benefits;
- Each Selected Team acknowledges and agrees that receipt of any Benefits is subject to compliance with the following conditions:
- each Selected Team must bring a minimum of fifteen (15) individuals to all of Lion City Sailors’ home SPL matches from 1 January 2025 until the end of the 2024/2025 season:
- eligible individuals include players registered with the Selected Team and their family members; and
- each registered player of the Selected Team must
- be a registered member of The Deck with a completed profile; and
- attend a minimum of three (3) Lion City Sailors’ home SPL matches between 1 January 2025 and the end of the 2024/2025 season,
- each Selected Team must bring a minimum of fifteen (15) individuals to all of Lion City Sailors’ home SPL matches from 1 January 2025 until the end of the 2024/2025 season:
failing which may disqualify you from receiving the Benefits (including denying you and your team the right to compete in the Social Team Affiliate Tournament).
- Changes to / Cancellation of Selection Process
- In the case of inclement weather during the Social Team Affiliate Tournament, the match will be delayed until the weather is deemed safe for participants.
- If unplayable weather persists for an extended period and prevents the Social Team Affiliate Tournament from taking place on the designated day, the tournament will be rescheduled to a later date.
- Lion City Sailors reserves the right to (in its sole discretion): (a) amend or vary any of these Terms (or any other rule of the Selection Process), or suspend or cancel the Selection Process at any time, including, but not limited to, where for any reason the Selection Process is not capable of running as planned, due to any causes beyond the control of Lion City Sailors that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Selection Process; and (b) suspend or disqualify your participation in the Selection Process at any time, including, but not limited to, (i) where you breach any of the provisions of these Terms or the Policies, (ii) where your participation in the Selection Process is deemed by Lion City Sailors to be inappropriate, unsuitable or detrimental to Lion City Sailors, or (iii) where Lion City Sailors determines at its sole discretion that you have engaged in any fraudulent or suspicious activities.
- For the avoidance of doubt, cancellation, termination or suspension by Lion City Sailors of the Selection Process shall not entitle any party to any claim or compensation against Lion City Sailors for any and all losses or damage suffered or incurred as a direct or indirect result of the act of cancellation, termination or suspension of the Selection Process.
- Data Protection
- By participating in the Selection Process, you are deemed to have consented to: (i) the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data (including, but not limited to your name, image, voice and/or likeness, if applicable) by Lion City Sailors for editorial, advertising, competitional, marketing and/or other purposes without any payment and/or compensation except where prohibited by law; and (ii) receiving competitional, marketing and other publicity information from Lion City Sailors from time to time.
- Please also refer to Lion City Sailors’ Privacy Policy (available here). By participating in the Selection Process, you consent to Lion City Sailors’ collection, use, disclosure and/or processing of your personal data as described in the Privacy Policy.
- Disclaimers
- To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Selection Process (and any systems used to provide the Selection Process) is provided “as is” and without any warranties, claims or representations made by Lion City Sailors of any kind either express, implied or statutory with respect to the Selection Process, including without limitation warranties of quality, performance, non-infringement, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose, nor are there any warranties created by course of dealing, course of performance or trade usage. Without limiting the foregoing, Lion City Sailors do not warrant that the Selection Process (and any systems used to provide the Selection Process) will be available, accessible, uninterrupted, timely, secure, accurate, complete or error-free, that defects, if any, will be corrected, or that they are free of harmful code. You acknowledge that the entire risk arising out of your participation in the Selection Process (and use of any systems used to provide the Selection Process) remains with you to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
- Lion City Sailors does not assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any Losses resulting from (i) any errors in communication associated with the Selection Process, (ii) any problems with the Benefits; and (iii) any use of the Benefits.
- Indemnity; Liability
- To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Lion City Sailors and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, subcontractors and agents from and against any and all Losses, whether foreseeable or not, directly resulting from any third party claims, investigations, legal or administrative action, litigation or arbitrations or demands to the extent arising out of or relating to: (a) any actual breach of any of your representations, warranties, covenants, or obligations under these Terms; and (b) any breach of any third party’s rights.
- To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, under no circumstances shall Lion City Sailors be liable to you for any losses, liabilities, damages, fines, judgments, settlements, costs, expenses, and fees (including reasonable and justified attorney’s fees), including, but not limited to: (a) indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive or special damages whatsoever; or (b) loss of profits, loss of business, loss of opportunity or loss of goodwill, whether foreseeable or not, arising out of or related to this terms of service, regardless of the forum and regardless of whether based on breach of contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence), misrepresentation, under statute or otherwise (“Losses”). Your only right with respect to any problems or dissatisfaction with the Selection Process is to discontinue participation in the Selection Process. If, notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Lion City Sailors is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable for any Losses, Lion City Sailors’ total liability to you or any third party is limited to SGD 100 (one hundred Singapore dollars).
- Other
- Lion City Sailors may revise and update these Terms at any time in its sole discretion by posting an updated version. It is your responsibility to check regularly to determine if any changes have been made (and the effect of such changes). All such changes to these Terms are effective immediately when posted and apply to your participation in the Selection Process thereafter. Your continued participation in the Selection Process following the posting of such revised Terms constitutes your acceptance and agreement to the changes which are binding on you.
- These Terms and any non-contractual rights or obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Singapore.
- You shall do all things necessary, including executing all documents necessary, to give effect to the intention of the parties under these Terms.
- Failure by Lion City Sailors to enforce any of their rights at any stage under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of those rights.
- Any dispute, controversy, difference or claim arising under or relating to these Terms shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in Singapore in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre for the time being in force, which rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Clause. The seat of the arbitration shall be Singapore. This arbitration agreement shall be governed by Singapore law. The Tribunal shall consist of three (3) arbitrators and the language of the arbitration shall be English.
- A person who is not a party to these Terms shall have no rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act (Cap 53B) to enforce these Terms.
Sailors eyeing ACL legacy
The Lion City Sailors may be out of the running to qualify for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 knockout stages, but Wednesday’s clash against Kitchee SC at the Jalan Besar Stadium still holds much meaning.
Aleksandar Ranković’s team have their eyes set on writing their names into the Singapore football history books – by setting a new record for the maximum number of points a Singaporean team has attained in the ACL group stage.
The Sailors are third in Group F with six points, and a win in what is their last competitive game of the season will ensure they break their own record of seven from last year’s campaign.
Although Kitchee are also not in contention to make the next round, sitting bottom of Group F with one point, the match is still set to be a tightly contested affair.
“We deserved a better result against Bangkok, but we’re totally prepared and motivated for this match. We want to finish strong, especially after the Singapore Cup final, and we want maximum points from tomorrow’s match,” said Ranko, adamant that his charges are not still swooning over the weekend’s Cup Final victory, and instead are determined to bounce back from the loss against Group F leaders Bangkok United on 29 November.
“With the format change in the ACL (the Sailors will be in the ACL2 next season), this will be our last chance in this competition and we want to leave our own legacy.”
Defender Lionel Tan added that national pride also serves as encouragement for the team.
“We’re out there to get every possible point and do our best not just for the club, but for the whole of Singapore. We’re very motivated to do our best and thank the fans for their overwhelming support during the Cup final,” the 26-year-old said.
Although the Sailors picked up a 2-1 win in October at the Hong Kong Stadium, they are not taking anything for granted, and instead are wary of the threats Kitchee pose.
The away side are enjoying a strong start to their domestic season, sitting second in the Hong Kong Premier League after eight matches and qualifying for the Hong Kong Senior Shield final.
Interim coach Kim Dong-jin was adamant that they have only one goal on their minds on Wednesday – win.
“We didn’t win the last five games (in this competition), so I want a win tomorrow although we lost against them previously. The Sailors are in good form having won the Cup with a good atmosphere and have strong foreign attacking players, so we need to be good defensively,” said the former South Korean international.
They will be missing key players though, with Brazilian goalkeeper Paulo César, compatriots Mikael and Juninho, as well as Turkmenistan winger Ruslan Mingazov ruled out through suspensions and injuries, while new acquisition Sherzod Temirov is not in the matchday squad.
However, Kitchee have an in-form man in Austrian Jakob Jantscher, who has scored in his last four ACL appearances, including against the Sailors.
They are also boosted by Sailors old boy Kim Shin-wook’s return from injury, with coach Kim hinting at a possible start for the 35-year-old striker.
“I brought him here because we need him and he has experience playing in this country and on this pitch. I know he scored 21 league goals here (in 2022), so I’m sure he can score tomorrow,” he said.
The Sailors are well familiar with Shin-wook’s quality – he racked up a total of 24 goals in 35 appearances in a Lion City Sailors shirt in 2022, including a stunning acrobatic volley on his Sailors debut in a 2-1 win over Albirex Niigata (S) in last year’s AIA Community Shield, inspiring the Sailors to its first Community Shield win in its history.
“We have to be aware of what he can do, he’s strong and big, he has a lot of experience and is a quality player. Many of our players have played with him and they are aware of that,” Ranko said.
“Our motivation tomorrow is still to make sure we set the record number of ACL points, and represent Singapore football well.”
Singapore Cup champions!
The huge smile on the face of Lion City Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković when the final whistle blew at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (9 December) night said it all.
This was, after all, the perfect way for his team to end what had been a long and gruelling season – with a win, a trophy, and a new entry in the Sailors’ history book as the 2023 Singapore Cup winners.
Up against defending champions Hougang United in the final, Ranko’s men produced a professional and clinical display to secure a 3-1 win to clinch their first-ever Singapore Cup.
And for Ranko, this was the perfect way for the Sailors to bring their domestic season to a close.
“I’m proud of these boys and what they did this year. I know it’s not been easy for them, especially with the change of coach in the middle of the season, and having to play in three competitions,” Ranko said.
“But credit to them, they’ve worked hard and I’m very proud of what they’ve achieved today. This Singapore Cup is the cherry on top of our season, and it’s a great way to finish the year.”
Reflecting on the cup win, Sailors captain Hariss Harun said: “It’s fantastic for us, for the club, and I think we deserve to lift this cup. Throughout the tournament, we’ve showed great consistency…we were always determined to get the right results, and that’s what matters most.”
There was more than one record that was broken on the night, as Nathan Mao became the youngest-ever player, at 15 years and 258 days old, to feature in a Singapore Cup final.
Despite his youth, and the magnitude of the occasion, Ranko chose to keep faith in him as the Serb named an unchanged side from the one that beat Tampines 3-0 in the second-leg of the Cup semis on Wednesday (6 Dec).
And it seemed to pay off, as the Sailors started the brighter against an Hougang side that were content to sit deep and keep things tight at the back.
It took 17 minutes for the Sailors to fashion their first goalscoring opportunity as Maxime Lestienne beat his defender in the box and fired a fierce shot with his weaker right foot that forced Hougang goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam into a smart save.
But the Sailors did not have to wait long for the breakthrough. Four minutes later, they were awarded a penalty after Hougang defender Naoki Kuriyama was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Despite a lengthy VAR review which took approximately five minutes, Richairo Živković kept his concentration and confidently dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom corner.
The goal seemed to spur Hougang, and they began pushing forward in search of the equaliser.
While the Sailors no longer enjoyed as much of the possession, they looked threatening whenever they went forward, and in the 41st minute, they got the all-important second goal, albeit in slightly fortuitous circumstances.
Receiving the ball on the right in the box, Maxime – the newly-crowned AIA Player of the Year – cut inside onto his favoured left foot before firing a shot that took a huge deflection off Kuriyama and ended in the back of the net.
Lionel Tan almost made it three for the Sailors against his former side right before half-time when he jumped highest to meet Chris van Huizen’s cross, but his looping header went just over the bar.
With a comfortable two-goal lead, control was the name of the game for the Sailors after the break, and they executed that perfectly, keeping Hougang comfortably at bay for the majority of the second-half.
Barring a few half-chances, Marko Kraljević’s side did not trouble Izwan Mahbud in the Sailors goal.
All hopes of an Hougang comeback were put to rest in the 80th minute when Maxime threaded a superb through ball for substitute Shawal Anuar, who rounded Zaiful before finishing with aplomb.
That was the 32-year-old’s sixth goal in the Singapore Cup this campaign and incredibly all six were scored off the bench, as he finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer along with Richi.
Hougang did manage to get on the scoresheet in the 91st minute through a Kazuma Takayama header, but it proved to be no more than a consolation as the Sailors held on to secure the victory.
“If you look at the whole match, I think we deserved the win,” Ranko mused. “We started a little bit nervous, which is normal because it’s a huge game. We also used a lot of energy in the semis, and that might have been a factor, but I think throughout the whole game we didn’t give Hougang many chances.
“This win is for everybody at the club, the staff, our owners, and our fans. Everyone has contributed, and they deserve this trophy.”
More importantly, Ranko believes that winning the Singapore Cup will be the launchpad for the Sailors to achieve greater things next season.
He said: “Winning the Singapore Premier League (SPL) is our main goal next season. Apart from winning this cup, we finished second in the SPL, and I think we represented Singapore well in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL).
“So, this is a good foundation that we can build on for next season, and we have a good group of players. Everybody will want to prove themselves against us next year, and that’s a challenge we have to deal with.”
Max hell-bent on ending trophy drought
Trudging off the Bishan Stadium pitch on Wednesday (6 December) night, Maxime Lestienne cut a disappointed figure as he was substituted by Adam Swandi with less than 10 minutes to go in the Lion City Sailors’ 3-0 second-leg victory over Tampines Rovers in the 2023 Singapore Cup semi-finals.
The result meant the Sailors romped into the final with a convincing 6-3 aggregate victory, but the Belgian – the reigning Singapore Premier League (SPL) Player of the Year (POTY) who raised the bar with league-high tallies of goals and assists – was unhappy with the level of his individual performance.
“The team played a very good game on Wednesday; everyone played with a lot of determination and focus. Defensively we were top, offensively we created a lot of opportunities and could have scored more. But for myself, I think I should have contributed more,” he said.
“I missed five to six chances to score and I’m disappointed with myself. But I believe I’m a big player and maybe the goals will come in the final.”
A hungry and determined Maxime is eager to make his mark in the club’s first-ever Singapore Cup final appearance when they take on holders Hougang United at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (6 December) night.
The former PSV Eindhoven attacker has done much since joining the Sailors in February 2022, lighting up the league with goals and assists, landing a number of Player of the Month trophies in addition to the 2023 POTY award.
What has eluded him thus far is team silverware.
“We haven’t been able to win something important for the last couple of years and that’s something that is often on my mind. Our supporters have been behind us through the ups and downs, so we want to win the Cup to give them something,” he declared.
“Hougang is not an easy opponent, but I’m sure if we play like we did against Tampines and give everything on the pitch, we’ll win this game. Every single one of us must show up and show how much this means to us.”
Captain Hariss Harun sang from the same hymn book as he urged his troops to follow up on the accomplished display against the Stags to create history for the club.
“This is huge for us as we need to win something this year,” admitted the 33-year-old. “This season, we set out to win everything ahead of us – the league (SPL) was a little bit disappointing for us, we pushed as far as we could but weren’t able to win it. For our ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League) campaign, it wasn’t too bad but we were ultimately unable to qualify for the Round of 16.
“This is our last chance to cap the year off with something tangible, so we need to bring our A-game, just like how we controlled the tempo against Tampines. If we can do that in the final, then I’m sure we’ll get the job done.”
‘Perfect’ Sailors book place in SG Cup final
The Lion City Sailors are now just one game away from closing out the 2023 season with silverware, after they secured their spot in the Singapore Cup final with a 6-3 aggregate semi-final win over Tampines Rovers.
Both teams had played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first-leg of the semis at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 Dec) evening, which meant it was all to play for when they met again in the second-leg at Bishan Stadium on Wednesday (6 Dec) night.
But while the first-leg was evenly-matched, the second-leg ended up being a straightforward 3-0 victory for a dominant Sailors side who barely gave Gavin Lee’s side a sniff throughout the 90 minutes.
Indeed, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković hailed his side’s display against Tampines as “perfect”, as he said: “I’m delighted with the performance today. We played a perfect match, from the beginning to the end, and everyone did well.
“We dominated Tampines all over the pitch, and the only thing that I can maybe be critical of is that we should have scored more goals.”
The Sailors set the tone for the rest of the game as early as the second minute, when M. Anumanthan won the ball in midfield with a strong tackle, before laying it off to Diego Lopes. The Brazilian carried the ball forward before setting Richairo Živković free down the right, and the 27-year-old made no mistake with his finish to give the Sailors the lead.
The bright start seemed to destabilise the visitors, and they were fortunate not to go further behind soon after, as both Richi and Nathan Mao missed two good goalscoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the game.
In the 14th minute, Richi broke free of the Tampines defence once more after being set up by Anu, but he could only send his effort straight at goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari from a tight angle.
Syazwan was called into action again five minutes later, as he dove low to save Maxime Lestienne’s effort from range that seemed destined for the bottom corner.
As much as the Tampines defence seemed to be at sixes-and-sevens, the Sailors themselves were playing some beautiful football – this was best encapsulated by a superb one-touch passing move between Richi, Maxime, and Diego in the 39th minute that led to the Brazilian firing a shot that deflected just wide of the goal.
Despite their dominance, however, the Sailors were unable to add to their one-goal lead by half-time.
But any fears that Tampines would come out of the break recharged were put to bed within 10 minutes of the second half, as the Sailors continued to find space in behind the Stags, and could have easily added to their tally but for some errant finishing from Maxime and good goalkeeping by Syazwan.
But the Sailors’ all-important second goal finally came in the 59th minute, when Richi cut past his marker on the left before curling the ball into the bottom corner.
That was the 27-year-old’s 14th goal in 17 appearances in all competitions since joining the Sailors in July during the mid-season transfer window.
Seven minutes later, the Sailors all but wrapped up the win with a third goal, as Diego latched onto Maxime’s through pass before lashing the ball past a rooted Syazwan.
Tampines’ dismal night was made worse in the 89th minute when Shah Shahiran received his marching orders for a second bookable offence, after he hauled back Sailors substitute Shawal Anuar from racing through on goal.
At the end of game, the Sailors had racked up 25 shots to Tampines’ five – a statistic that starkly highlighted their dominance on the night.
“After the first-leg of the semi-final, everyone was unhappy because we knew we didn’t play our game,” reflected Man-of-the-Match Richi. “It was very difficult against Tampines (in the first leg), so we spoke with each other, changed some things, and I think today everyone played well.
“We started today with four defenders, compared to the five in the first-leg. Hariss (Harun) played very well in midfield, and we were good in between the lines. We created a lot of chances and capitalised on their mistakes.”
The Sailors will now take on defending champions Hougang United – who beat Brunei DPMM 3-0 on aggregate in the other semis – in the final at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (9 Dec) night.
Looking ahead to that match, Ranko said: “I think playing in a cup final is a great way to finish the season. We haven’t had much time to think about our opponents in the final yet, as we were focused on beating Tampines.
“But now, we’re going to work hard to prepare for Hougang, who, as defending champions, will certainly give us a stern test.”
“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough”.
That famous quote attributed to Sir Matt Busby is an often used message to players that anyone can make a mark on the team, as long as they put their heart into everything they do on and off the pitch.
The Lion City Sailors Women Class of 2023 is a living breathing example of that.
The Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) champions, led by Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan, promoted seven academy players to the first team as the side showcased their dominance, going unbeaten throughout the 2023 season.
Three of them – Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran, Chloe Koh and Seri Ayu Natasha Naszri, all 16 – have shone, receiving scholarships from the national project Unleash The Roar! (UTR) and moved on to overseas opportunities, while the rest – Josephine Ang, 17, Cara Chang, 15, Tia Foong, 16 and Madelin Lock, 16 – have contributed significantly to the team, especially towards the tail end of the campaign.
Additionally, Josephine and Cara recently made their debuts for the national team, donning red for the first time in an international friendly against Bangladesh on 1 December.
Sheau Shyan revealed that promoting academy players has always been part of her plan to refresh the squad each year, but what she did not see coming was the number of such players featuring this season.
“When we started the women’s team, what’s already in our plans was that in years to come, when the academy players graduate, they’ll form the core of our WPL team,” said the league’s Coach of the Year.
“There’s also a general trend in women’s football that players are getting younger and eligible to play in the WPL. But I didn’t expect this to happen so quickly, largely due to our circumstances this year, including our injuries and foreign players leaving.”
And these seven were not there to make up numbers, they made real and significant contributions to the team cause.
“I’m very surprised. Initially I thought of letting them come in and develop themselves, but instead they showed me that they’ve been ready all along,” said Sheau Shyan.
One of the seven, Ardhra, is now finding her feet at the IMG Academy in the United States, and she still recalls the moment she made her WPL debut in a 1-0 win against rivals Tampines Rovers on 21 May.
“When I got called up to train with the WPL squad at the end of last year, I did not see it coming at all because I thought we were done for the year,” the lively winger said, during a phone call from Florida.
“It felt amazing because I was one of the first few from the academy, alongside Natasha, to make my debut for the team and to do it against not just any normal team, but Tampines, was a great experience overall.”
Her time in the WPL squad played a role in helping her obtain the UTR scholarship, she said.
“It’s given me the opportunity to play at a higher level and more regularly. To train with such high quality players, most of whom have also represented the national team, gave me a lot more exposure and experience,” Ardhra noted.
“I think I’ve grown tremendously as a player this season. At the start, I was terrified whenever I got the ball, I just didn’t feel comfortable with it but towards the end of my time at the Sailors, I could feel myself wanting the ball more and making more of an impact.”
Another player who has improved leaps and bounds since joining the WPL side is Josephine, who made her debut in a 3-0 victory over Still Aerion.
She admitted that the step up to the league was a daunting one, and to make matters worse, she was substituted 45 minutes into the match.
“I felt I had a lot of responsibility to carry, everything was on my shoulders and I was nervous. Even though coach Sheau Shyan told me I played well that day, I kept thinking I played badly,” the forward recalled.
She also opened up on the challenges she faced mentally as she attempted to acclimatise to different surroundings. Everything worked out for her eventually as she finished joint-third highest goal-scorer in the team with seven.
“At first, I struggled to keep up with the intensity and pace of play, and I kept overthinking and I had a negative mindset. But once I felt more settled, I became more positive and just wanted to play football. Everything seemed fun again,” said Josephine.
“This experience has definitely helped me grow as a player because now, I know what I want to do on the field and my role in the team. I want to set a very high standard for myself and keep improving every day.”
Just like Josephine, having a strong mentality was a key factor behind Madelin’s successful season.
The dynamic midfielder was struck by an injury in a match on 5 August that kept her out for the rest of the month. She eventually returned on 15 October and finished the season on a strong note, starting all of the remaining matches.
“I was training quite consistently with the team before that injury and coach Sheau Shyan told me it was my time to step up then. I had to sit out all four matches that month and I was disappointed about that,” she said.
Despite the setback, Madelin’s love for the sport is evident. Although the multi-talented athlete has to juggle not only her studies but also basketball training – she was part of the National Under-16 setup – football still has a special place in her heart.
“It’s quite a big commitment to be part of the WPL team, especially as we train four times a week. It’s hard for me to go to both football and basketball training sessions as it causes a lot of strain on my body,” she shared.
“It was very hard for me to commit to training with the Sailors, but it’s just about how much I wanted to do it. If I didn’t like this team, I wouldn’t sacrifice so much of my time for it.
“But this team has given me so much, I’ve grown so much and it’s always a pleasure to train and play with them. So I’ll always make sure I have time for training by setting aside time to do my school work.”
Besides pulling the strings from the middle of the park, Madelin has also added goals to her game in recent weeks. She finished the season on seven goals, including a hat-trick in the final game, this despite only scoring her first on 22 October.
“For some of the matches earlier this season, I played a more defensive role and didn’t want to take risks going forward. But once I started gaining goal-scoring momentum, it felt great to keep banging them in,” said Madelin.
Cara is another who has inspired on the goal-scoring front. The youngest debutant in the team this season has netted five times, while mesmerising fans – and opponents – with her tricky footwork.
She revealed that things were not exactly rosy in the early days of her WPL experience.
“At the start, I’d be worried for every training session because I wasn’t the best and couldn’t really keep up,” said the 15-year-old.
“I also thought that this would just be a new opportunity for me, but to score five goals, I feel like whatever I did was an accomplishment.”
Being the youngest in the team, nervousness would be a factor for Cara, but she chooses to look at it positively instead.
“On one hand, people may ask ‘who let this kid in?’ if I don’t perform well, but at the same time I look at it as the chance to learn and to take every opportunity as it comes,” she noted.
“Hopefully in a few years time, I get to try playing different positions and continue being at a high level.”
The contrast between playing in the academy and the WPL is stark, as all players agreed that the senior team is on a completely different level.
Madelin pointed to the physicality of players in the WPL as one of the biggest changes.
“The players here are much more physical than any I’ve ever faced. They are much stronger, and in the beginning, there were times where I did not go for challenges as I was scared I would be bumped off the ball,” she said.
Ardhra added: “At the academy level, no one really expects anything from you. In the WPL there’s more at stake, you’re expected to win every match especially at the Sailors, so I’d say composure is the biggest difference.”
Although the players have faced their own challenges since being promoted, one thing that stayed constant was the support they received from Sheau Shyan and their teammates.
“My teammates give me a lot of assurance and encourage me. They tell me to be open-minded and even just their words give me a boost,” said Josephine.
Added Cara: “We have a really great team atmosphere and I could feel comfortable with the team. The players were very welcoming from the start and always guided me.”
Sheau Shyan shared that the impact made by the seven players in any way cannot be underestimated as they have punched above their weights and showed what they were capable of.
“These players are technically stronger than some of our existing players, because they’ve started playing the sport from a much younger age,” she said.
“Their technical abilities and skills help us to play a more possession-based style of football, and also score more goals.
“And I’m certain they will only get better from here.”
Banking on Bishan and a battling approach
Conceding a late equaliser at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 December) was undoubtedly a disappointment for the Lion City Sailors as a helter-skelter first leg of the 2023 Singapore Cup semi-final ended 3-3.
But a draw is hardly the worst result to bring back to Bishan Stadium as the Sailors play hosts to Tampines Rovers for the second leg on Wednesday (6 December) night.
In 13 home games across the Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup competitions in 2023, the Sailors have won 11 and lost just one.
Midfield playmaker Adam Swandi firmly believes that the Bishan fortress will help his Sailors put a gritty Stags side to the sword.
“We’re always confident enough going out for every match but playing at Bishan gives us a sense of home and that something extra – and teams know we’re not easily defeated in this stadium. So, we have to use that to our advantage,” said the 27-year-old.
“We have an incredible set of fans in The Crew and they’re always behind us. With them behind us and pushing us from the stands, we’ll definitely go out with everything we’ve got and get the win for them.”
Full-back Harith Kanadi has only been with the Sailors for four months since joining in August but has already embraced the Sailors’ philosophy of demanding excellence and success.
“The fact that we’re all disappointed with the draw shows the hunger and desire in this team. Everyone here has set high goals for themselves and the team. So it’s no secret that all of us want to go to the final and win a trophy for this club and for our fans.”
To do so, the Sailors will need to be on top of their game against a quality Tampines side and require big performances from all – including Adam and Harith.
In his first start since September 16, Adam put up a purposeful shift in the fierce midfield battle against the Stags’ Kyoga Nakamura and Shah Shahiran, and he is prepared to do it all again to ensure the Sailors progress into the final.
“Everyone in the league knows Tampines is a good passing team which likes to play the ball around and capitalise down the middle. I thought I did okay to help the team defend and stop some attacks, but I definitely want to do better in the second leg,” said the Singapore international.
“As a team, we gave them a bit too much space to create chances in the first half although we did much better and rectified that issue in the second half. We have to be 100 percent focused and make sure they don’t find as much joy in attack.”
Harith acquitted himself well against Faris Ramli in his first-ever Sailors start, and he is hungry for more in the second leg on Wednesday.
“It was definitely a sweet moment for me because I’ve waited patiently for this opportunity for some time and it came in a huge game – a Cup semi-final. Honestly I was struggling a bit for match fitness, but playing with the likes of Bailey (Wright), Hariss (Harun) and Diego (Lopes) helped me to boost my confidence. They were very encouraging and helped me a lot throughout the game,” said the 23-year-old, whose last start came in late July when he was still with Young Lions.
“Of course there are areas in which I could have done better, but I’m satisfied with the runout that I had and the feedback I’ve got from the coaches has also been great. Now my job is to get fully prepared for this second leg and help the team get into the final on Saturday.
Twice, the Lion City Sailors took the lead against Tampines Rovers in the first-leg of their 2023 Singapore Cup semi-final on Sunday (3 Dec) evening.
Twice, however, the Sailors found themselves pegged back by a resilient Stags side, as both teams played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at Our Tampines Hub (OTH).
It was a result that Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković was far from pleased with, although he admitted his players were not at their physical best, owing to fatigue from having played a gruelling midweek Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) tie away against Bangkok United.
“It was not a good result. I expected more, especially after we took the lead twice,” reflected the Serb. “We had to control the game and try to go for another goal. We were not as aggressive, but maybe it’s due to fatigue.
“The positive from this game is how some of the guys performed, like Shawal Anuar and our captain (Hariss Harun). They played really well, so that’s the example I think all the players should follow.”
Indeed, it was Tampines who flew out of the blocks and opened the scoring after just three minutes through Joel Chew, who rifled the ball into the back of the net from just inside the box after the Sailors failed to clear their lines from a short corner routine.
But the home side’s lead lasted all of three minutes, as Shah Shahiran was robbed in his own penalty box by Sailors midfielder M. Anumanthan, who then calmly slotted the ball past Tampines goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari to level the score.
Ranko’s charges then took the lead in the 13th minute when centre-back Bailey Wright, making his first start for the Sailors after returning from injury, jumped highest at the back post to head home from Maxime Lestienne’s corner.
Given the pulsating, back-and-forth nature of the game, it did not take long for another twist in the tale to occur – this time, it was former Sailors man Faris Ramli who bundled the ball into the net after a scramble in the box following a corner.
Faris’ joy, however, was short-lived, as the referee ruled out the goal following a VAR check which showed that Tampines striker Boris Kopitović had handled the ball in the build-up.
But Faris did eventually get his goal just 12 minutes later. A long shot from Joel was palmed away by Sailors custodian Izwan Mahbud, and Faris reacted quickest to get to the rebound before curling the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle.
Now with momentum on their side, Tampines almost took the lead in first-half stoppage time via a clinical counter-attack that ended with Saifullah Akbar firing Faris’ cut-back just wide of Izwan’s goal.
Saifullah came close again barely three minutes later, as his shot from the edge of the box took a series of deflections that almost creeped into the bottom corner, but Izwan managed to react in the nick of time to palm it away onto the post, before Bailey recovered to clear it out for a corner.
With Tampines in the ascendancy at the end of the half, Ranko rang the changes at the break to try and regain control of the game, as both Harith Kanadi and Lionel Tan came off for Shawal Anuar and Chris van Huizen.
And the changes paid dividends just three minutes into the second half, with Shawal deftly taking down Maxime’s lobbed through pass and coolly taking the ball past Syazwan, before tapping it into an empty net.
That was the third straight Singapore Cup game in which the Singapore international had scored after coming on as a second-half substitute.
Though Tampines boasted much of the possession thereafter, Shawal’s pace and direct style continued to be a thorn in their side. And the 32-year-old very nearly doubled his goal tally in the 62nd minute, as he latched onto an Adam Swandi through pass and rounded Syazwan, but before he could pull the trigger, Tampines defender Shuya Yamashita slid in to poke the ball away for a corner.
The Sailors, however, noticeably faded as the half wore on, and this ultimately proved costly in the 82nd minute as Boris ghosted into the box to divert Faris’ low cross into the net.
Tampines continued to put pressure on the Sailors backline in search of a winner, and they came close to finding it in the second minute of stoppage time, but Boris’ free-kick from just outside the box was well saved by Izwan.
The game eventually ended 3-3, leaving things finely-poised ahead of the second leg of the semi-final at the Bishan Stadium on Wednesday (6 Dec) night.
Appreciating the significance of that match – the Singapore Cup is the last opportunity for the Sailors to win silverware this season – Ranko declared that his side would do all they can to come out top in the second leg.
He said: “We’re going to rest, recover, and we’ll start again tomorrow. Our objective is clear – we want to go through to the final, that’s the main goal, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that happens.”
Bailey’s back and buzzing
A 1-0 away defeat to Bangkok United the last time out in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) was not a pleasant one for everyone associated to the Lion City Sailors, but for Bailey Wright – it represents a fresh opportunity to hit the reset button and put himself in the reckoning for selection for what is still an exciting end to the season.
Marking his return from injury by coming on as a late substitute, the Socceroos centre-back played out the final 11 minutes of the match (including injury time) and looked sprightly.
There will be four matches between now and 13 December, possibly including the club’s first-ever Singapore Cup final appearance on the cards.
Bailey missed a large chunk of the ACL 2023/24 campaign due to a spate of injuries, but he is now raring to go to make up for lost time – starting from the first leg of the Singapore Cup semi-final tie away against Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 December).
“When you come into any club, the way to establish yourself is on the football pitch and taking on the responsibility to produce great performances for the team. Injuries stopped me from doing that and there’s this sense of guilt that I couldn’t deliver more for the fans,” said the 31-year-old, who has scored two goals in six Sailors appearances so far.
“I must thank everybody who has helped me get back to fitness. I’m now feeling really good and hopefully the injuries are now behind me. I’m looking forward to helping the team as much as I can in this final stretch and play every minute possible if I can.”
After seeing their hopes of qualification for the ACL’s Round of 16 extinguished on Wednesday (29 November) night, the Sailors now turn their attention to a tough two-legged tie against Tampines – the second-highest ranked local side behind the Sailors in the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
Bailey urged his teammates to batten down the hatches for what is the Sailors’ last chance for silverware in 2023.
“It’s disappointing that we couldn’t progress further in the ACL but we have to keep our heads up. There are still important games ahead of us, a lot of pride at stake, a lot more that can be achieved and a trophy to play for, so that’s massive motivation for me and the team,” said the Australian, who played in the last encounter with the Stags at OTH in August with the Sailors coming away with a handsome 5-2 victory in the SPL.
“Tampines are a good footballing side and they are in the semi-finals for a reason, but we’re growing as a team and we’re high in confidence right now. First and foremost, we have to work hard and fight for the badge so that we can get into the final.”
Defender Christopher van Huizen sang from the same hymn book and has vowed to do everything to ensure the Sailors will play the final on the 9th.
“I couldn’t really sleep after the Bangkok game. I felt we really stuck to our game plan and did everything we could, but sometimes football is decided by such fine margins. Whatever it is, it’s in the past and we have to recover quickly for the Singapore Cup,” said the 31-year-old.
“I joined the club this season to win trophies and that target has not changed. If everyone stays physically and mentally concentrated, and continues to give 100 percent, we can win the Cup. From now on, every game is a final and we don’t want to let any other team get their hands on the cup so we have to shine.”
Backed by an ever-supportive Crew who brought the proper Sailors ruckus from local stadiums to arenas miles away in Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand over the past couple of months, the Sailors know they to repay the fans for their fervent and unwavering support across 2023.
“I’ve been amazed by the support and I didn’t expect that many people to come. Even in the second half when I was playing far away from the away end, I could hear their cheers and chants. I was feeling so down after the match, but they were all there cheering and encouraging us when we walked up to our bus,” said Chris of the match against Bangkok United.
“We’re really blessed that we have such tremendous fans, who are there for us win, lose or draw, and we definitely owe them something.”
Bailey agreed, saying, “That’s what you play football for, to feel the love from your supporters and we certainly felt their affection. You can see how much the team means to them and we want to show how massively appreciative we are of them as well – and that means delivering the Cup for them.”
He sat there in silence, ice-pack pressed onto his head, eyes lost in the ripple of a blank gaze that bounced back upon itself.
Kodai Tanaka had already ripped off his armour and rinsed off the sweat of battle, but there in the bowels of Pathum Thani’s Thammasat Stadium, wounds were still raw. That dull throbbing in his head – a result of a coming together of two opponents in the heat of competition – was not the source of the 23-year-old’s pain, at least not the cause of the sting at the core of his being.
The Lion City Sailors fell to a 1-0 away loss to Bangkok United on Wednesday (29 November) in Group F of the 2023/24 Asian Football Federation Champions League (ACL) campaign. It was a defeat that snuffed out their dreams of becoming the first Singapore side to qualify for the last 16 of Asia’s top tier club competition.
The difference between the teams was measured in small margins, and defeat was bitter – and stinging.
The long dark road
But just six months ago, Kodai would have given anything to look defeat in the eye – and take that dastardly devil’s best punch square in the mouth.
At the time, Kodai was trudging along the long road to recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that threatened to deny the 2022 Singapore Premier League Player of the Year any chance of competing on Singapore football pitches in the year he reigned as their best player.
“When I was injured, I really felt like my mind was a complete blank – I couldn’t think about anything.
And of course, I cried a lot – night after night,” said Kodai. “There were many times when I felt like breaking down, and many times when I wanted to quit.”
“I have now achieved my goal of playing in the Champions League, and I have so many people to thank for helping me get here, like the trainers around me, and of course my family and friends.”
Light – and tears – at the end of the tunnel
Kodai made his ACL debut in the Sailors’ famous 2-0 win over two-time ACL winners, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at the Jalan Besar Stadium, and he remembers every second of the experience, even the thoughts running through his head as he stood on the sidelines waiting to come on for Maxime Lestienne.
“It’s true, I was crying at the time. I felt like I was finally able to stand here, after all that I had to go through to work my way back from the injury,” he said.
“I could picture all kinds of people’s faces, and when I remembered them, it was very emotional.”
Tears would flow again – more freely so – after the final whistle.
Said a wistful Kodai: “I was trying not to cry, and I knew that if I shook Niels’ hand, I would definitely cry. So I wanted to just briefly shake his hand and quickly move along, but he caught me.”
Physiologist Niels van Sundert was an ever-present on Kodai’s recovery journey, and the Japanese forward was effusive with his praise for the Dutchman – and not only for his professionalism on the rehabilitation front.
“He was always there for me when I was good and bad, even when things were difficult and I was feeling down, he would very firmly tell me that I had to do this,” said Kodai. “Sometimes we even fought, and he would be angry with me.
“But he was always there for me, helping me in any way he could, sometimes that meant just being with me.”
And all those memories came flooding back when Kodai embraced Niels at the touchlines of Jalan Besar.
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“It wasn’t exactly what he said to me at the time. There were times in the past when he comforted me by hugging me when I was going through a really hard time, and I had flashbacks of that – I naturally started to cry,” recalled Kodai, his voice quivering.
“I’m really grateful for all that he’s done for me.”
The path ahead
The thought of lining up alongside his teammates to face Asia’s best in the ACL fuelled Kodai’s drive to get off the treatment table and back onto the pitch.
The Sailors still have one match to play in Group F, against Kitchee SC at Jalan Besar on 13 December despite already out of contention to qualify for the Round of 16.
And while Kodai is still raring to go, looking for his first ACL goal, he has already derived so much from his long hard road to recovery.
“When I returned to the pitch, I heard many fans and supporters calling my name “Kodai”, and I felt really happy,” he said, again recalling that Jeonbuk Jalan Besar night as a beaming smile flashed across his face.
“It felt fantastic to be back on the pitch as a professional footballer, and it made me want to work even harder in my career.
“I feel that I need to work harder to show my gratitude to the people who have helped me on my journey to recovery, and by showing that kind of attitude, I can give courage to people who have suffered the same injury or have been out of action for a long time.”
For now, Kodai has turned his focus to finishing the season strongly.
“I believe in my teammates, and of course the head coach and staff as well, and I know how hard everyone works, and I know how hard everyone works for the team, and that’s why we’ve won as a team,” said Kodai.
“I have unshakable confidence in the team, and that we will have a strong finish to 2023.”
