Author: Lion City Sailors
Zharfan: We can do better, collectively
A Maxime Lestienne-inspired 5-0 rout of Hougang United put Lion City Sailors back on the winning trail in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), and they will be looking to continue in the same vein when they return to Jalan Besar Stadium to face the Young Lions on Saturday (15 April) night.
Young Lions have a spring in their step after coming from two goals down to hold Brunei DPMM in a gritty 2-2 draw on Tuesday (11 April) and could pose some problems, but Sailors goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad is confident that the Sailors can power home to a sixth victory in eight matches.
“Of course Young Lions will be brimming with confidence after their last result, but we’re ready for this test. We showed what we can do against Hougang, so our focus is largely on how we can best use our abilities to exploit our opponents’ weaknesses.
“Hopefully we can get a few goals with the likes of (Abdul) Rasaq (Akeem) and Bernie (Ibini-Isei). Most importantly, we’re out to keep another clean sheet,” said the 26-year-old, who has three shutouts in his last four outings.
This is shaping up to be one of the finest seasons for the fast-maturing Zharfan who has the joint-second most number of clean sheets in the league this season, along with Tampines Rovers’ Syazwan Buhari.
Zharfan added six saves to his tally in the Hougang victory, totalling 38 for the season – a league-leading statistic, 12 more than Geylang International’s Hafiz Ahmad.
A double save to deny Sahil Suhaimi and Gabriel Quak when the Sailors were only 2-0 up was a highlight from that game as he paid tribute to the training and support he has received since joining the club.
“I can see a huge difference in my game now. Our goalkeeper coaches Kris (Stergulc) and Chua (Lye Heng) have been working tirelessly to help me improve so credit goes to them – I take their instructions seriously and I always view every game as a chance for me to do even better than before.
“Obviously coming to a club like the Sailors, I know I have to up my game. I’m happy with how it’s going so far but there’s always room for more improvement,” said Zharfan, who has started all seven Sailors’ games in 2023.
“We’re still very much a work in progress with new and young players in defence. It’s still early days and we will definitely understand each other better and gel even more with more games. I’m already seeing a good partnership forming between Lionel Tan and Súper (Manuel Herrera López) and I’m excited to see what more they can do.
“It’s definitely a collective effort from front to back. I never doubted my teammates one bit and I trust them to protect my goal – together with me,” said the former Tanjong Pagar United and Young Lions custodian.
Zharfan’s long-term goal is to be the Singapore national team’s number one in the near future, but he is now firmly focused on pushing the Sailors towards reclaiming the SPL title this season.
“I’m not too upset or disappointed at not being named in the national squad for the recent March friendlies against Macau and Hong Kong, there will always be other opportunities,” he said.
“Obviously I want to be there and make my first Lions appearance one day, but right now I’m just focusing on the Sailors. Our aim is to be SPL champions this season and we’re striving very hard as a team to achieve that.”
It started promisingly for the Lion City Sailors last Friday night (31 March) as they dominated early proceedings and took an early lead against Tampines Rovers, but Risto Vidaković’s charges eventually fell to a 4-3 loss in what was a thrilling see-saw match.
As they regroup to face Hougang United away at Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday (10 April) night, the Sailors look to take onboard lessons from that defeat as they seek their first win on the road in 2023.
“We need to have a better control of the game – we must dictate the tempo and be more compact in our midfield lines. Tampines had quality players and managed to outnumber us in that area, so that’s where we need to improve,” analysed forward Shawal Anuar.
Singing a similar tune, but perhaps with harsher drums and cymbals, defender Zulqarnaen Suzliman said: “We were quite passive off the ball. We lost all the second balls and duels. To put it simply, Tampines were hungrier than us and we cannot allow that to happen again.”
Despite the defeat, there were still positives for the Sailors, including Shawal netting his first goal for the club on his first start.
The 31-year-old reflected on the ‘special’ moment and is champing at the bit to contribute even more to the team.
“While we were lining up in the tunnel, Max (Maxime Lestienne) told me ‘Shawal, when I get the ball, you just go inside (the box) and I will pass it to you’ and that was exactly what happened.
“So I ran straight to him after scoring and he said to me ‘I already told you I will give you the ball!” I’m happy to score and I hope I can get more opportunities to be in the starting lineup,” said Shawal, who made four substitute appearances for the Sailors prior to the Tampines game.
Zulqarnaen’s lively cameo at right-back in the final 34 minutes was perhaps another bright spark for the Sailors. This was the 25-year-old’s third appearance in consecutive games as he continued his strong comeback from an injury that kept him out of action for eight months.
“It feels great now that I’m getting some fitness and confidence back – this is what I’ve been working towards for many months. Whenever I get an opportunity, my aim is to just go out there and show what I can do.
“I’m still just getting started. I’m going to keep training hard and I believe I’m only going to get better and better in the coming matches,” he said.
There was a worrying moment for Sailors fans when Shawal went down with a head injury late on in the Tampines defeat, but the forward is keen to allay any concerns as he aims to lead the line again against his former employers.
“It wasn’t so serious, but I needed to go to the hospital for a scan and take the necessary precautions,” he said.
“It’s not easy playing in the main forward role, but I’m ready to help the team and play anywhere the coach needs me. It’ll be nice for me to see some of my old Hougang teammates and I’m still on good terms with them, but the battle is on.
We’re friends off the pitch, but on it – I’m going to fight and give my all against them to help the club get back to winning ways,” added a Shawal determined to repay the Sailors’ faithful for their unwavering support.
“The support from our fans is simply amazing. Even though they were all the way up on Level 4 at Our Tampines Hub that night, we could clearly hear them singing and cheering for us while we were chasing the game,” said Shawal.
“Some of them even waited for us outside the stadium after the game to give us words of encouragement. We can’t thank them enough and we need to deliver a win against Hougang to repay them.”
He walked into the room at Mattar Road with boots in hand and a question, asked as a matter of fact: “This won’t take the whole three hours, will it? I’m easy in front of cameras.”
Bernie Ibini-Isei was on assignment at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre, for photoshoots and video interviews ahead of being unveiled as the club’s newly-signed striker-in-chief, and it quickly became evident that he has a firm grasp on the art of taking things head-on and in his stride.
That should perhaps have come as no surprise. The 1.87m Bernie made his professional debut aged just 17, traversed four continents plying his trade, faced injuries, and even took on in-your-face racism sans fear and anger – as simply “something that needed to be dealt with.”
The former Australian international was signed and registered ahead of the Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) 19 March Transfer Deadline in place of the injured Kodai Tanaka, and he is raring to go.
“It all happened super quick – a bit of a whirlwind, really. I was excited at the start of the process, and I’m still excited now, looking forward to getting to know everyone – it’s going to be fun,” said Bernie.
“The facilities are great, and the way I’ve been taken care of at the club has been just fantastic. I can’t wait to properly join the team.”
Describing himself as a type of player who enjoys running at defenders and putting the ball in the back of the net, Bernie is looking forward to what will be a new start for himself.
“I feel sad that Kodai has suffered such a serious injury – no one wishes that upon any player – but I don’t see this as me replacing someone, more like me having the opportunity to sign here,” said the 30-year-old.
“For me it’s a new beginning, a clean slate and I’m ready to take it on.”
Bernie has endured a tough period in his well-travelled career this past year, after leaving A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers last year, but as he is evidently wont to do, he has taken it in his stride.
“I have not been playing as much as I would like, but I guess this comes as part and parcel of football,” he said, unflinching.
“I’ve been through plenty of ups and downs throughout my career and all you can really do is control yourself and how hard you train, and make sure when you get an opportunity to play you give your best – your all – then walk off the pitch and be happy with how you did.”
Bernie’s deadpan style seems to extend far beyond the football pitch and training ground.
“I’m a winner and I hate losing, and I think playing and training is very draining within itself, so when I’m away from the pitch I try to be more calm and more chill,” said Bernie. “I’d say I’m pretty relaxed, on PlayStation, on Call of Duty and stuff like that, listening to music.”
The popular EA Sports FIFA game on Playstation is not Bernie’s go-to – not at the moment at least – like it is for several players and football fans, but he pricked up at the possibility of a virtual challenge.
“I’d rather play Call of Duty at the moment, yeah, but don’t get me wrong, I’m still good with FIFA,” he said, breaking into a chuckle that seemed to pull up the competitive streak lurking just a sliver beneath the surface.
It appears prudent to take Bernie at his word. He is easy in front of cameras, both of the photo and video kind – and he walked out of that room in 90 minutes flat.
In a battle between the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title challengers on Friday (31 March) night, the Lion City Sailors were edged out 4-3 by Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub.
The result saw Risto Vidaković’s side fall to their second defeat of the 2023 SPL season, but the Serbian was nevertheless encouraged by the display of his charges.
“The players did very well and I cannot fault their effort today. We managed to fight up until the final whistle and while we made mistakes, I cannot be more proud of them,” Risto said after the thrilling contest.
“The good thing is we still have more games to play and we can only get better from here.”
The Sailors got off to a dream start through Shawal Anuar’s first Sailors goal just eight minutes in. Getting onto the end of a well-weighted Maxime Lestienne cross, the new signing who was making his first start of the season, calmly diverted the ball past Syazwan Buhari.
But the game would turn in the favour of the hosts after Yasir Hanapi and Kyoga Nakamura struck one each in the space of 10 first-half minutes.
Former Sailor Faris Ramli further extended Tampines’ lead with an emphatic finish on 50 minutes, before the deficit was reduced briefly six minutes later when Glenn Kweh put the ball into his own net.
There was still time for more goals, with a header from substitute Taufik Suparno restoring Tampines’ two-goal cushion in the 72nd minute.
Defender Manuel ‘Supér’ Herrera then pulled one back deep into injury time by netting his first goal since joining in mid-March, but it was not to be as Tampines hung on for the three points.
Said Risto: “We started well and tried to make Tampines uncomfortable by pressing them high up the pitch. However, the difference between the two sides was that while the Tampines team have been playing together for a number of years and showed understanding on the pitch, we are a new team still trying to gel.
“There are areas where we need to improve on and there is certainly a lot of work ahead of us.”
There was some optimism for the future, with Sailors fans getting another glimpse into the pipeline of talent coming through the club’s Academy as forward Nathan Mao came on for Shawal in the 90th minute.
Nathan became the SPL’s youngest ever debutant at 15 years and 5 days old – surpassing the previous record (15 years and 239 days) held by Young Lions defender Raoul Suhaimi.
While Risto was pleased with the prospect of a steady stream of talent flowing from the Academy and into the first team at Mattar Road, he turned his attention to the more pressing matter at hand. He called for his charges to bounce back stronger as they prepare to face Hougang United in their next SPL fixture at Jalan Besar Stadium on 10 April.
“We need to reflect on what happened during the match and look at ourselves in the mirror,” he said.
“We have to stick together as a team, rest and regroup, then push forward and think about what we need to do against Hougang in our next game.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team will kick-start their Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title defence against Police SA at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday (19 March) night, in a match that could prove a tricky assignment even for a team that was unbeaten in all of 2022.
More than half of the Police SA squad comprises former national footballers, and the team that won the second-tier Women’s National League (WNL) last year will certainly be no pushovers.
The likes of Joey Cheng, Lee Lai Kuan, Cheryl Chan and Sitianiwati Rosielin have represented the Lionesses on the international stage numerous times in the past and could well pose a few problems for the Sailors.
The fact was not lost on Sailors Women captain Ernie Sulastri Sontaril who called for her women to rise to the challenge.
“It’s interesting that there are three new teams this season – in Police SA, Tampines (Rovers) and Geylang (International). These teams will provide the league with some unpredictability and excitement.
“We see this as a healthy challenge and we’re fully embracing it. It won’t be so easy to stay unbeaten this season so we have to fight hard as a unit on the field. We cannot underestimate anyone because that’s when we will drop points – and we can’t have that,” warned the 34-year-old.
The team has put much effort into preventing that, and instead have charged ahead with an increased training load and higher-intensity workouts since winning the WPL as Invincibles last October.
Later that month, they competed in the SingaCup’s Women Football Championship testing their abilities against regional outfits like Philippines’s Kaya FC and Thailand’s Phranakorn FC. And following a short break, the Sailors Women reassembled as early as in December 2022 to gear up for the new season and played a few warm-up games against local sides.
The Sailors skipper is well aware of high expectations on the team after what was an outstanding 2022, but has backed her teammates to rise to the challenge.
“We want to win the league again and we must win – there are no two ways about it. While success is important, the team’s target is also to continue to develop our playing style – to build up from the back, keep possession and break through defensive lines with progressive passes,” she said.
“Also, we have many young players this year and we need to help them grow because they’re the future of Singapore women’s football. It’s clear that we have many things we want to achieve as a team and seeing all the motivated faces in training, I am confident we can do great things again this year.”
Five of the six Sailors’ Under-16 players who were promoted to the 2023 WPL roster will not be available as they are away on international duty with the national U16 team in Japan, but there will still be a sprinkling of youth talent out on the Choa Chu Kang pitch on Sunday.
Canadian midfielder Madison Telmer is raring to go after an impressive debut season with the Sailors. The 18-year-old was the team’s third highest-scorer with six goals and is already a leader on the pitch with her forceful displays despite her youth.
“It was an incredible year with the club. I like the fact that we have a good range of ages and experiences amongst us, which makes the team chemistry a great one. There are new challenges this season and the added pressure of being defending champions, but that’s something we’re really looking forward to.
“Hopefully I can play as well as I did last season, if not better,” said Madison, who will feature in a maximum of seven WPL games this season before leaving for Canada to further her studies in July.
Having witnessed awesome support from the Sailors fans at the Yishun Stadium last season, Madison is hoping to see more of the same at Choa Chu Kang this time.
“It was so great to see our fans coming out in full force to support us. They’re always in good voice, win, lose or draw. They give us this energy from the stands and give us the motivation to push harder in the game when we’re not doing so well.
“I really hope The Crew continue to come down, and we vow to give our best displays on the pitch to reward them,” she said.
Three goals and a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Geylang International two days ago (on 15 March) put the Lion City Sailors back on the right track for their assault on the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) title, and they will look to continue in the same vein when they host Balestier Khalsa at Bishan Stadium on Saturday (18 March) evening.
With SPL frontrunners Tampines Rovers and Albirex Niigata (S) playing each other this matchweek, the Sailors have a chance to push themselves to the top of the nine-team SPL standings going into the two-week international break with a win in this one.
Fellow Bishan Stadium resident Balestier will be no pushovers under Dutch coach Peter de Roo, but creative midfielder Hami Syahin is confident that the Sailors can sail to their fourth win in 2023.
Confidence in the Sailors dressing room is quietly growing, especially with players returning from injury. Against Geylang, Adam Swandi put in a slick performance on his first start of the year, while Zulqarnaen Suzliman and Haiqal Pashia also made their first appearances of the season.
“It’s great to see these players coming back and we’ll certainly need all of them, given that it’s a long season ahead. There are positive signs and progress in what Coach Risto (Vidaković) wants us to display on the pitch,” said Hami.
“Of course we need to improve more aspects of our all-round game, but everyone’s feeling positive and we’re out to beat Balestier to go into the international break on a high,” he added.
A week ago, the 24-year-old Hami suffered disappointment, being subbed off just 17 minutes into the game for Arshad Shamim. This came following a tactical reshuffle after M Anumanthan was shown a straight red card.
That is perhaps the only blip for Hami who has emerged from a forgettable 2022 to become a fulcrum of the new-look Sailors Class of 2023.
Having started all four matches in the Sailors engine room alongside captain Hariss Harun, the Singapore international has already played more minutes than the whole of last season that saw him start in only two league games.
Hami’s assured displays and command of the ball in midfield have already caught the eye of fans and opposition players alike, and he is determined to build on his good start.
“It’s never a good feeling to be subbed off early of course, but someone has to sacrifice for the team. In the match against Albirex, it was me, and I fully understood our coach’s decision,” he recalled.
“I’m just very happy and blessed that I’m able to play regularly and perform well this year. It’s tough trying to bounce back after a bad year, but I just focused on playing to my strengths and trying to adapt to the team’s playing style – and fortunately that has worked out for me so far.
“It also helps to be playing alongside Hariss – he’s always there guiding us and I take every opportunity to play with him as a lesson to improve myself,” added Hami, who also drew confidence from new signing Manuel Herrera López.
The experienced Spanish defender made an instant impact and was colossal at the heart of defence alongside Lionel Tan, with the duo looking like they could strike up a sturdy partnership that is in for the long-term.
The man nicknamed Súper is keen to play down the plaudits and believes the best is yet to come from him.
“I don’t think I did so well, I’ll probably only give myself a 5 or 6 out of 10. It’s my first game in a long time, I need to find the rhythm and more endurance to play more games. But first game, first clean sheet – I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
“I’m feeling a good connection between me and Lionel and I think he’s going to be a very good partner for me. I’ve followed this league for a long time – there’re scores like 4-3 or 5-2, too many goals conceded,” said the former Real Betis B player.
“My target here is to get as many clean sheets for the team, simple as that. Hopefully the next one comes against Balestier.”
Lion City Sailors defender Lionel Tan has been rewarded for a series of fine performances for the club as he is one of four Sailors to be named in Takayuki Nishigaya’s 22-strong Singapore National Team’s squad for their upcoming international ‘A’ friendly matches away against Hong Kong and Macau later this month.
The other three Sailors in the squad are Hafiz Nor, M Anumanthan and Hami Syahin.
Sailors and Singapore captain Hariss Harun sits out after being granted permission to miss the call-up to prepare for an examination.
The 25-year-old uncapped Lionel has played every minute of the Sailors’ 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) campaign so far, helping the team to win three out of their opening four matches.
This is Lionel’s first-ever Lions call-up, although he initially came into the national fold in March 2021 when he was part of a squad that was assembled for a series of training sessions under ex-National Team Head Coach, Tatsuma Yoshida.
Lionel will jostle for a spot in the Lions defence alongside the likes of Irfan Fandi and Amirul Adli as Nishigaya’s men face Hong Kong on 23 March, before facing Macau three days later.
In line to make a much-awaited debut for the Singapore national team – and fulfilling his childhood dream of pulling on the Lions’ shirt – Lionel is champing at the bit to impress and grow into a stalwart for the country in the near future.
“I’m glad to be given this opportunity and I guess most people know I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. I’m just thankful that Coach Nishigaya has faith in me and it’s up to me to justify my worth to the setup,” said the 1.84m tall Lionel, who previously represented the national team at various age-group levels.
“I’ll be a very new player there, so my job is to learn as much as possible from the seniors and make sure I’m up to the level to play international matches.”
Lionel’s key focus remains helping the Sailors launch an assault for the 2023 SPL title and he acknowledged that the club has given him an ideal platform to grow.
“I knew by coming here, my performances will be scrutinised so I have to be on top of my game all the time – and that’s a challenge I chose to accept. I’ve been enjoying these few months here, working in a very professional setup and improving my overall game.
“Making it to the national team doesn’t mean I’ve made it. I just want to keep my feet on the ground and push harder to help the club achieve success this season,” he said.
Meanwhile a separate trio of Sailors have also got to represent the country – this as part of the 28-strong Singapore Under-22 squad for the upcoming Merlion Cup campaign.
Bill Mamadou, Danish Qayyum and Abdul Rasaq Akeem will lace up for Philippe Aw’s developmental side, who will open their campaign against Hong Kong on 24 March before playing either Cambodia or Malaysia two days later.
Nur Adam Abdullah misses out as he is recuperating from a shoulder injury sustained in the 3-1 win against Brunei DPMM earlier this month.
Rasaq, who started the season in fine form with two goals, is raring to go and hoping to boost his chances of being selected to represent the nation at the Southeast Asian and Asian Games later this year.
“Even though I’ve not gotten a lot of minutes, I’m been trying my best to show my abilities and I’m happy to get into a bit of a scoring groove so far,” said the 21-year-old.
“It has helped by being at the Sailors, where the intensity of training and matches are higher. I’m certainly feeling sharper and I feel I can bring that to the Singapore U22s. Hopefully I can score some goals and help win the Cup in front of our home fans.”
There is an adage in football that goes: It is hard to win a title, but even harder to retain it.
It is arguably even tougher to win back-to-back league titles after finishing the previous season as Invincibles, given that every other team in the league will undoubtedly be hoping to be the one to end the unbeaten run.
That, however, is the exact scenario facing the Lion City Sailors Women’s team this year, as they gear up for the defence of their Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title.
Not only will the Sailors have a huge target on their backs this campaign, but they will also have to contend with three new teams in the league in Police SA, Tampines Rovers, and Geylang International.
It is why Sailors Women head coach Yeong Sheau Shyan does not expect her charges to cruise to another WPL title.
“Retaining the title is way harder than winning it, so this year there is more pressure on us to do well,” admitted the 45-year-old. “Also, there are three new teams this season, and a lot of the players who may have stopped playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic are back.
“There are several good players in the WPL again, and they are all spread out among the clubs. Every team is now more balanced, so I expect this year’s competition to be way more challenging.”
Nonetheless, while another old cliché in football suggests that defence, rather than attack, wins you titles, Sheau Shyan insists that the Sailors remain committed to playing on the front foot this season.
“We want to play a very attacking style, which means we need to be organised against counter-attacks,” Sheau Shyan said. “But we want to build up nicely, keep possession, and be effective getting up the pitch.
“We’re still looking at improving in the attacking third, and we’ve been working a lot on improving our finishing, which wasn’t one of our strong points last year.”
More importantly, however, Sheau Shyan is determined to establish a playing identity at the club that will transcend any personnel changes during the season.
“What we really want is to build a team that can perform consistently in the long run,” she elaborated. “We haven’t had a very big change in playing roster just yet, but because we’re preparing for some players to leave mid-season for overseas studies, we’re already preparing for the next batch of players to transition smoothly.”
Moves towards long-term continuity have already started, with six Under-16 players promoted into the Sailors Women’s 2023 roster, a move that also comes with the exciting element of adding the fearlessness of youthful element to a title-winning side.
The trio of Madelin Sophie Lock, Seri Ayu Natasha and Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran impressed for the Sailors at last year’s SingaCup’s Women Football Championship against regional opponents the likes of Indonesia’s Persib Bandung and Philippines side Kaya FC, while Josephine Ang, Chloe Koh and Tia Foong are budding attackers who are also part of the National Under-16s girls’ squad.
“We’re looking at young players coming up, and establishing a playing style that can carry through the different generations of players from the academy all the way through to the WPL team.”
The Sailors barely had two months of rest at the end of last season before going back to the grind in December to prepare for the coming campaign.
It is a far cry from the truncated pre-season that the Sailors had last year, and Sheau Shyan believes the additional time spent on the training ground has since borne fruit.
“Last year, we didn’t really have any physical preparation before the season because we were just coming in from the COVID-19 period. Before that, the players were training with the National Team, so we only began our pre-season training two weeks before the league started,” the 2022 WPL Coach of the Year recounted.
“But this season, we got the girls started with their physical preparation very early. So, I feel like we’re better prepared for the demands of the league.
“We don’t know what to expect from the other teams, but I feel our fitness levels are good, and we’ve made progress on many fronts. I believe we can match any team we face.”
The Sailors will kick-off their WPL title defence against Police SA this Sunday (19 March) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
In the spirit of International Women’s Day (IWD) which is celebrated annually across the globe on 8 March, we delve into the lives and experiences of our Sailors Women to better understand their struggles, challenges and inspirations as they make their mark in what is a male-dominated Singapore football industry.
In the second of a special three-part IWD series, we turn the spotlight on Huong Tran and Carolyn Chia – the team manager and operations manager in charge of the Lion City Sailors first team.
It is some three hours away from kick-off on a Singapore Premier League matchday, and Bishan Stadium is bustling.
The emcee’s voice booms over the speakers as flag-bearers line up in the tunnel, running over the very steps they would take later, when Hariss Harun and his Lion City Sailors would line up behind them, game faces on.
But even this far away from kick-off, game faces are already on everywhere across the stadium.
Out on the track, with one finger on the ear-piece plugged into her left ear and a clipboard in her right arm, Carolyn Chia stands with her back straight, eyes trained upwards towards the stands that are hive of activity.
She doesn’t realise it, but her game face only breaks – into a broad smile – when her arm is touched by a petite figure whose ponytail was still swinging to a stop.
The ponytailed Huong Tran, the team manager in charge of day-to-day administration and logistics for staff and players of the Sailors first team, had just arrived at Bishan. The synergy between the Huong and Carolyn is all too evident, and decked in the similar simple dark uniforms of Sailors staff, the pair look like every other cog in the club machinery at Bishan.
But they are hardly mere cogs. Simply put, both Carolyn, the Club Operations Manager, and Huong are integral to the operations of the Sailors – the heartbeat of the club – and in what is a male dominated Singapore football industry, the two have had to make some adjustments, including putting up with raised eyebrows every now and then.
“I believe women can inject new and fresh elements into football and we all have a part to play. Things have changed so much that it is not so gender-oriented now, so women don’t need to be afraid to step into this industry,” said Carolyn.
One key facet of Carolyn’s responsibilities is ensuring that Sailors’ home games run smoothly: from VIP registration to fan posters and banners, even broadcast matters, she is essentially on the frontline of the overall match-experience at Bishan. This also includes safeguarding the club from falling foul of SPL competition regulations.
With almost 20 years of experience in events management and sports development, Carolyn has been an asset to the Sailors since coming onboard in February 2022, this despite the fact that the Sailors is her first football-centric role in her field.
Huong on the other hand, is firmly entrenched in football, but continues to apply the same fearless approach Carolyn alluded to, to firmly establish herself in the sport, and indeed, at the Sailors.
“You have to feel comfortable in a dressing room setting with all the strong characters and not feel shy just because they’re changing in front of you. The players have started to observe more decorum when I’m around, and now they are very comfortable with me because they treat me like a sister or a mother,” said Huong.
“I know there aren’t many women in Asia taking on the team manager role, but it’s really all about how you talk to the players and earn their trust. I always say that to do such a job, you need to embrace the manly characteristics within yourself,” added the 39-year-old.
“The most important thing is that players feel your sincerity. Whenever they need help, I always try to see things from their viewpoint and try to help. Of course all these things take time – for them to warm up to you and share their real issues.”
This is Huong’s first time working at a football club, but she has been in and around the sport for 18 years, wearing different hats, and even then, she believes she continues to learn more every day.
Her journey into the sport started in 2005, as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 21-year-old who volunteered to be the Liaison Officer (LO) for the Singapore women’s football team who were participating in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Championship in her native Vietnam.
Huong later served as a competitions officer for the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) for three years and worked her way up to become a Match Commissioner for AFC regional competitions and SPL matches for several years before eventually joining the Sailors in November 2021.
A Match Commissioner ensures that all matches are organised strictly according to rules and regulations of the AFC and SPL.
While both Carolyn and Huong come with bags of experience in their respective fields, it is perhaps their alternative approach – best described as a balance of affability, grit, and that je ne sais quoi magic of feminine energy – to managing personalities in a testosterone-fuelled football industry that sets them apart.
This is perhaps especially manifested when they take command of situations in the course of work.
“Maybe at the start, there’ll be some people who think you can’t carry out tougher tasks or menial work just because you are female. But after working with me for a while, most of them know I have no problems with getting my hands dirty and am very used to the flow of operational work,” said Carolyn, whose previous experiences in the Beautiful Game came when she represented her school at tertiary level.
Huong is also well-familiar with gender-based flash judgements, and like Carolyn, she has embraced the approach of getting stuck in, especially in challenging situations.
Huong recalled travelling to destinations like Bangladesh, Lebanon and even Palestine when she was an AFC match commissioner, gigs that most tend to avoid.
“There are certain countries that many people don’t want to go to because of the associated danger, the thinking that facilities are not the best, and less than conducive environments to work in. But I always went wherever my bosses assigned me – I still don’t mind taking up challenges because I want to keep learning and improving,” she said.
Huong has also had to learn to strike that fine balance between work and family life, a considerable challenge for a mother of two young girls, a one-year-old and a nine-year-old.
“I have to arrange the daily schedule at home for my two daughters and our helper before reporting to work. My family time really depends on the football calendar and team training schedule – and those can change at any time so it’s quite difficult to plan for family holidays or time off in advance,” she said, with the wry smile of a person who is accustomed to rolling with the punches.
Family is similarly a source of strength for Carolyn, who looks towards her 82-year-old grandmother – someone who raised five children single-handedly in a different and much more difficult Singapore environment through sheer tenacity of spirit – for inspiration.
“She didn’t have the privilege of attending school hence had to take up multiple odd jobs to provide for the children. Can you imagine how tough life was back then with everyone living under one roof in a space that’s roughly about 15 square meters?
“Learning about her younger days often got me reflecting on how much more comfortable life and living conditions are now, but she is still looking out for everyone at age 82 this year. Her resilience and perseverance are constant reminders to myself that everyone should strive to be at their best and take on challenges in their stride,” said Carolyn.
And the essence of grandma’s approach continues to be manifested when Carolyn puts on her Sailors Operations Manager hat.
“I simply like putting things together whatever the challenges, then seeing the event, our matchday operations and experience, turn out successful,” she said. “That’s a feeling that always gives me the most satisfaction and I hope to be able to continue to run things as smoothly for the club, as we continue to drive towards higher standards of professionalism.”
At the Sailors, Huong and Carolyn have colleagues they can rely on in that united push towards excellence, and in what is a quaint little side effect of the club’s own efforts to #EmbraceEquity, the women have started to find inspiration in the boys and men who have embraced their feminine energy.
“Every day when I wake up or when I’m on my way to Mattar, I’ll always think of the players – they have become my motivation to come to work. They are the core of the club and I would do anything for them,” said Huong.
With a motherly tenderness washing over her face, she added: “But what I really enjoy is this process of helping them and seeing them grow as sportspersons in the arena, and into fine adults for their families off the field.”
The Lion City Sailors have signed experienced Spanish centre-back Manuel Herrera López for the 2023 season.
Nicknamed Súper, the 31-year-old adds depth and stability to the Sailors backline alongside the likes of Lionel Tan and Hariss Harun.
Having worked under Risto Vidaković twice before, Súper had no qualms in joining the wily Serbian a third time. It was in 2011 when the duo first worked together, at Spain’s Real Betis B, before reuniting in the Philippines at Ceres-Negros six years later.
“Of course Coach Risto is a big factor why I decided to come here – we know each other well and I know exactly what he demands from players. He’s an astute coach who can bring the best out of any team,” said the 1.82m defender, who played for various clubs in Spain’s lower-tiers and also scored against Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – in a 1-1 draw in the 2018 AFC Cup group stages.
“When I heard of the chance to come here, I was so excited and it wasn’t hard for me to make my decision. The Sailors is a very professionally-run club and have ambitions to become one of the top clubs in Asia, so it’s a challenge that I very much want to be part of.”
Risto and Súper were part of a competitive Ceres outfit that won three straight Philippines Football League (PFL) titles between 2017 to 2019 as well as becoming ASEAN zone champions in the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.
Súper is now champing at the bit to kickstart another memorable adventure in Southeast Asia after spending the last couple of years in Cambodia with Nagaworld FC.
“I’m a player who is very competitive on the pitch and plays with a lot of passion. I can only promise Sailors fans I’m going to give more than 100 percent in every game and help the team to get as many clean sheets as we can,” he said of his personal targets for the season ahead.
“My job here is to help my teammates and communicate with them well so that we are defensively very organised. I know in this club, we have to dream big – I’m looking forward to not just helping the team win the league, but also try to get as far as we can in the AFC Champions League (ACL). We still have to grow as a club, but we have what it takes here to reach the very top.”
Súper is poised to take the place of Pedro Henrique in the Sailors’ first-team squad as the team launches an assault for the 2023 league title, with the towering 30-year-old Brazilian still in recovery following a season-ending injury in a 3-1 defeat to Geylang International last September.
“Súper brings to the team a wealth of experience – he is exactly who we need in a rather young squad and he’ll be that calm presence in the defence who can organise the team. Furthermore, he understands Southeast Asia football well and will be able to guide the younger players here,” said Risto, who is delighted to be reunited with his former protege.
“I saw his transformation from someone with promise at Betis to now being an experienced player. The most important thing is he’s very happy to be here and is fully in sync with the direction of the club.”
