Author: Nicolette Ten
Pedro Henrique signs for the Sailors
The Lion City Sailors have moved to strengthen its squad with the acquisition of Pedro Henrique ahead of the 2022 season that will see the club make its debut in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
The 1.90 metre defender joins from Vitoria Guimaraes for an undisclosed fee and will join the club on a three-year contract. Henrique, 29, joins fellow Brazilian Diego Lopes at the Sailors, and will look to form a defensive partnership with Singapore internationals the likes of Amirul Adli, Tajeli Salamat and Hariss Harun.
Henrique was a target for Portuguese giants FC Porto in the summer of 2017, a year that saw Vitoria finish fourth in the Portuguese top tier, and runners-up in the Portuguese Cup, behind Benfica. Then aged 23, Henrique enjoyed a breakthrough year that also saw him win the league’s fairplay award, after finishing the season with just one yellow card in 33 matches.
He brings aerial prowess to the Sailors backline, along with positional sense and a composure that complements his ability to distribute the ball from the back, and will look to add more steel to a defence that conceded only 21 goals in the 2021 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
The Sailors’ tight defence was a key facet of a season that saw the club win their first league title, with only second-placed Albirex Niigata (19) conceding fewer goals all season.
“I wish I could’ve been part of the team when the club won the league last year, but I’m excited about everything else that the club is doing off the field as well – the Sailors project is very ambitious, and I’m delighted to be able to play a part in making that vision a reality,” said Henrique, who has tasted Asian football with Saudi Arabian side Al-Wehda in 2021.
“I’m looking forward to working with Diego, and club head coach, Kim Do-hoon who won the ACL as recently as 2020. With so many of the squad having international experience with the Singapore team, I’m confident we will grow to be a team to be reckoned with.”
The club has also followed up its SPL title with the signing of Korean international Kim Shin-wook, a move that has kept the flames of interest in local football burning in the off season, with its acquisition of Henrique underlining its intentions of being competitive in the ACL.
“Pedro comes with qualities that will help the team improve even further. We are very clear that we must work to become competitive at the Asian level, and I’m confident that Pedro will help us on our journey,” said Kim.
“I can’t wait to get started with the team in 2022. With the likes of Shin-wook and Pedro, along with the local players we have brought on board, I believe we will be more effective in improving our football.”
It was on an innocuous day more than two decades ago, when he was just starting out in his professional footballing career at the now-defunct outfit SAFFC, that Adi Saleh learnt a valuable life lesson that he continues to hold close to his heart.
Then still a student at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Adi found himself with time to spare after finishing his classes early that day, and so arrived at the Jurong Stadium two hours before SAFFC were due to train.
After changing into his goalkeeping gear, Adi decided to kill time by resting on the massage bed in the SAFFC dressing room.
Barely half-an-hour later, Adi was roused from his slumber by a loud, commanding voice from across the room.
“Adi! What are you doing here?” shouted Vincent Subramaniam, who was then in charge of SAFFC.
After Subramaniam was apprised of the situation, the former Lions coach directed a simple question to Adi.
“Do you want to succeed as a professional footballer?” Subramaniam asked.
When Adi replied in the affirmative, Subramaniam said: “Then you should be out on the field training now! It doesn’t matter that the rest of the players are not here, you can train by yourself, do some drills on your own! The extra effort that you put in will help you get better as a player.”
From that day on, Adi made it a habit to put in more hours on the training ground than was required, as he sought to become the best goalkeeper he could be.
More importantly, Subramaniam’s words helped Adi realise that there is no substitute for hard work in the quest for success.
That mantra – which all the top players in the world like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Mo Salah live by – served Adi well, as he went on to enjoy a fulfilling playing career that saw him turn out for the likes of Home United, Balestier Khalsa, and even the Singapore National Football team.
“That lesson of giving extra in everything I do has helped me a lot in my career,” Adi mused. “It taught me that if you want something bad enough, you have to work hard for it.
“There’s no shortcut…you cannot simply be good or work hard for just one day. It is the effort that you put in every single day that will count in the end.”
While Adi never forgot that life lesson, and continued to hold true to the value of hard work even after hanging up his gloves in 2008, it became especially relevant in 2020, when the Lion City Sailors became the first privatised football club in Singapore.
The 45-year-old had by then been the goalkeeping coach for Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – for nearly 10 years, but niggling injuries to his knee and ankle meant he was unable to perform his role at an optimum level.
The Sailors had no choice but to hire another goalkeeping coach to take over Adi, but the club were also determined to retain their long-serving employee, and so offered Adi the role of Video Analyst.
The newly-created job involves having to record and ‘code’ video clips of certain moments in live matches, which allows the head coach to conduct a more in-depth analysis after the game.
Adi elaborated: “We have a system that helps us code every moment of the game – for example, if we want to see how the team builds up play, we will start recording when the goalkeeper or defenders have the ball, and record all the way till we bring the ball to the final third, or lose possession. That way, the coach can see in the build-up what good moments led us to the final third, and what errors were made that caused us to lose possession.
“It also helps with the development of players. For example, the coach might want to take a closer look at Saifullah (Akbar) after a game, to see every moment that he touches the ball, along with the five seconds before and after he receives it. Once that clip is extracted, he can assess if Saifullah is moving at the right place at the right time, and that’s where he will make his assessment and recommendation to the player.
“At the end of the day, the coach wants the players to know what are the things they have done during the game that are good, and what are bad. It’s not to be critical of the players, but to help them and the team get better moving forward.”
While initially hesitant about embarking on a radically different career path, Adi ultimately decided to give it a go, with the belief that by working hard in his new role, he would be able to overcome any challenges that came his way.
“Having been a goalkeeping coach for some time, it was not easy for me to suddenly change my job scope. The role of video analyst is also quite new in Singapore football, so there wasn’t really anyone I could learn from or go to for advice. In addition, we had a new coach from Australia (Aurelio Vidmar), and I did have doubts over whether I could meet his expectations,” Adi admitted.
“But I learnt from my playing days that I had to do my best no matter what the situation is. At the end of the day, I trusted my belief that if you work hard, the results will show.”
Two seasons later, Adi has absolutely no regrets at having taken the leap of faith.
An integral part of the backroom team, Adi – who credits former coach Aurelio for teaching him a lot on the job – has since been empowered by Sailors’ coach Kim Do-hoon to conduct post-match presentations with the team, where he goes through the past game to highlight and analyse its key moments.
“Coach Kim maintains an open line of communication with me, and guides me along his vision, so it’s easy for me to progress,” said Adi. “Honestly, it’s thanks to the help and advice I’ve received from coaches Kim and Aurelio over the past two seasons that has enabled me to become a better video analyst.”
Having witnessed first-hand the Sailors’ rapid improvement and transformation into Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions this year, Adi is excited at what the future holds for the club, especially with regard to their participation in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) next year.
“I feel blessed and honoured to have been a part of history with the Sailors’ SPL title win,” the father of three said. “But that is just the beginning. Everyone at the club understands that there is a big responsibility on us to be better, and that we have to prepare to play at a whole new level in the ACL next year.
“It’s not going to be easy, so we have to work hard during pre-season. But we are determined not to go there to make up the numbers – we want to compete, because we know that the club is carrying the flag for Singapore in the tournament.”
“How we fare will boil down to our mentality and motivation, because I believe we have the talent already. But having been at the club for quite some time now, I know that every player in the team is striving to be the best,” he said.
“So, I’m confident that we can go far, and I’m looking forward to achieving greater things with the Sailors.”
The Lion City Sailors will face opposition from China, Japan, and either Korea or Thailand in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) debut later this year. This was revealed earlier this afternoon (17 January) at the ACL draw conducted virtually in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
The Sailors, 2021 Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions, are placed in Group F (East Zone) along with reigning Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shandong Taishan, Japanese Emperor’s Cup holders Urawa Red Diamonds and the winner of the playoff between K League 1 second runners-up Daegu FC and Thai powerhouse Buriram United.
The 2022 edition of Asia’s flagship club competition continues in the 40-team expanded format introduced last year, with both the East and West regions featuring five groups of four teams. The five group winners and the best three runner-ups from each region will then advance into the Round of 16.
Group-stage matches will be played on a double round-robin basis in centralised venues between April 15 to May 1, with the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals – all single-leg – scheduled for August. The grand final will be played over two legs in February 2023.
The Sailors face a challenging group, against teams who have featured in the ACL on numerous occasions in the past.
Shandong – China’s defending league and cup champions – boast several China internationals, as well as former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini in their ranks. Fellaini will come up against a familiar foe in Sailors’ midfielder Hariss Harun, who was skipper of the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) side that suffered narrow 1-0 and 2-1 losses to Shandong in the 2019 group stages.
Urawa have ACL pedigree, having won the competition twice in 2007 and 2017 as well as finishing runners-up in 2019. Amongst their squad is a seasoned Japanese international in Hiroki Sakai, who returned to play domestically in Japan after almost a decade away in Europe with Hannover 96 and Marseille.
Daegu reached the ACL Round of 16 in 2021, while Buriram have recently re-signed Theerathon Bunmathan to add to their array of Thai stars including Narubadin Weerawatnodom, Supachai Chaided and Suphanat Mueanta and are currently atop the Thai League 1 standings.
The Sailors can count on the expertise of head coach Kim Do-hoon, who led Ulsan Hyundai to the 2020 ACL title, while the addition of experienced forward Kim Shin-wook, who won the competition twice in 2012 and 2016 with Ulsan and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors respectively, will also come in handy.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge of testing ourselves against the best in Asia, even as we continue to strengthen and build capabilities at the club,” said Sailors Chief Executive, Chew Chun-Liang.
“Coach Kim and the team are under no illusions about the task that lies ahead in the ACL, but plans have been made, and the team are working hard so we can fly the Singapore flag with pride when the competition kicks off.”
Some three months ago, gold and blue confetti floated down from the Jalan Besar sky and fans partied in the stands as the Lion City Sailors lifted their first Singapore Premier League (SPL) trophy on 10 October 2021.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers and the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup that subsequently took place in the Lion City whetted the appetite of local football fans, with the focus now shifting back to the domestic club scene as the Sailors look to retain their crown and remain kingpins of Singapore football in 2022.
In the SPL’s 26-year history, only three teams – Warriors FC, Tampines Rovers and Albirex Niigata (S) – have retained the title and the Sailors will be out to join that exclusive club. They will face stiff challenges with other clubs strengthening their roster in a bid to vie for the championship.
Albirex’s signing of former Japanese international Tadanari Lee has made waves, but it is not just the usual suspects who could challenge this term. The arrival of new head coach Akbar Nawas seems to have sparked a revolution at Balestier Khalsa, while Geylang International have an ex-Major League Soccer (MLS) player Vincent Bezecourt in their ranks, and Tanjong Pagar United have signed Khairul Nizam to partner his brother, Khairul Amri, upfront.
The Sailors can ill afford to rest on their laurels as they resumed training for the new season on 5th January, with the national team players who were away on Suzuki Cup duty returning five days later.
Continuity continues to be key for the club, with four players – namely club captain and goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, attackers Song Ui-young, Hafiz Nor and Haiqal Pashia – handed deserved contract extensions for 2022.
Hassan, who turns 38 in April, has led the Sailors exemplarily and is still going strong, turning in impressive displays for Singapore at the Suzuki Cup, while Song – who similarly impressed for the Lions – finished off the 2021 campaign with a flourish, scoring four goals in the last three matches of the season.
Hafiz is always a livewire down the right flank and he provided some notable contributions – including a mazy run and cross to set up Stipe Plazibat for the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Hougang United last August.
The 23-year-old Pashia truly came into his own as the 2021 season wore on – who can forget that long-range scorcher against Tanjong Pagar? – and is beginning to show his full potential.
In addition to players on long-term contracts like Hariss Harun, Shahdan Sulaiman and Diego Lopes, the re-signing of this quartet provides a sturdy platform for the Sailors to excel in 2022.
Three new arrivals have also come onboard in the form of Izwan Mahbud, M. Anumanthan and Kim Shin-wook. Izwan’s arrival means the club now has two steady and experienced pairs of hands in goal, while Anu – one of the finest defensive midfielders in the country – will add steel to the Sailors’ engine room.
Perhaps the biggest draw came in the signing of South Korean international Shin-wook, who brings AFC Champions League (ACL) pedigree – he has won the tournament twice, first with Ulsan Hyundai in 2012 and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016. Alongside coach Kim Do-hoon who led Ulsan to the 2020 ACL title, their presence and experience in Asian club football’s biggest stage will put the Sailors in good stead as the club prepares for its maiden ACL campaign this April.
With two more foreign signings still to come, Sailor fans have much to look forward to.
It may be a new year, but the Sailors are bringing the same hunger and ambitious approach to invigorate Singapore football.
Rudy joins Balestier on year-long loan
Lion City Sailors goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah has joined Balestier Khalsa on loan for the entirety of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
The 27-year-old is gifted with safe hands and great reflexes, and was considered one of the nation’s top young goalkeepers when he burst onto the scene in 2012. The former Singapore Under-23 goalkeeper joined Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – in 2017, after stints at the now-defunct Gombak United, and Young Lions.
Rudy rose to become Home’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2018 and played a starring role in the club’s successful run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, with the team being crowned AFC Cup ASEAN Zonal champions – the first time a Singapore club won an AFC title.
Injuries limited Rudy’s playing time in 2019, but he has demonstrated his ability at the Sailors in the two years since, and will now look to cement his reputation at the Tigers.
“Rudy has been a great presence in the Sailors’ dressing room, but it will be helpful for him to go out on loan and get some game time as he looks to develop his game,” said Sailors’ General Manager Badri Ghent.
“We have every confidence that Rudy will do well at Balestier, with the professionalism and technical abilities that he brings to the table.”
Izwan and Anu come aboard
The Lion City Sailors have moved to further strengthen their squad ahead of the 2022 Singapore Premier League season, with the signing of goalkeeper, Izwan Mahbud, and midfielder, M Anumanthan.
The players are both Singapore internationals, and were on duty with the Lions at the recently concluded Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2020, contributing to Singapore’s first appearance at the knockout stages of the tourney since 2012.
The 31-year-old Izwan is still fondly remembered as the Lions’ hero in Singapore’s famous 0-0 draw with Asian giants, Japan, at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Saitama. Izwan made 18 saves in that game, with Japanese fans raving over his “God-like” performance. The goalkeeper joins from SPL rivals Hougang United on a two-year contract, and will see a robust challenge for the Sailors’ no.1 spot with fellow Lion Hassan Sunny.
Anu returns to domestic football with the Sailors after a season north of the Causeway with Kedah Darul Aman, finishing second in the Malaysia Super League, behind giants Johor Darul Ta’zim. The combative midfielder was a key part of Home United’s – the former iteration of the Sailors – crowning as AFC Cup Asean Zone champions in 2018.
“It’s fantastic to return to Singapore with the Sailors, and I’m looking forward to achieving great things with the club – and I’m confident that we can,” said the 27-year-old Anu, who joins on a three-year contract.
“I’ve played with several of the players here, either at club level or in the national team, and I’m certain we’ll get comfortable quickly, and play attractive football to entertain fans and achieve results, like the club managed last year.”
Izwan was similarly positive of the team dynamic in the Sailors’ Class of 2022, and he asserts the stage is set for a further improvement of standards across the club.
“I’m relishing the challenge for the no.1 spot with Hassan, I’m certain we will drive each other as hard as we do when we’re on duty with the national team,” said the custodian who spent three years in Thai football with Nongbua Pitchaya, Trat and Samut Prakan City.
“I’ve had conversations with players who speak with a lot of excitement about the way the club trains and the attitude that the players approach the sessions, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in as we aim to bring success to the club and to Singapore football.”
Sailors’ head coach Kim Do-hoon is thrilled at the prospect of the increasing intensity of competition at training sessions as the club prepares for its maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) adventure in 2022.
“Izwan and Anu will need a bit of a break after their contributions to the Singapore national team at the AFF Suzuki Cup, and I’m looking forward to them returning to training. I’m confident their presence will help push the rest of the squad to be even better,” said the man who led the club to its first SPL title last season.
Kim masterminded Ulsan Hyundai’s ACL triumph in 2020, and he will bring that experience to the table when the Sailors make their ACL bow, with new foreign signing, Korean international Kim Shin-wook leading the attack.
“We will face some of the best teams in Asia, and to be competitive at that level, we must continue to improve, and Shin-wook will help our cause,” said the 51-year-old.
“We are still a work in progress, but I’m confident that with the commitment of the team – and the extra drive that players like Izwan and Anu bring – we will continue to get better.”
The Republic’s Lions have exorcised the ghosts of past AFF Suzuki Cup failures, qualifying for the semi-finals of the biennial tourney for the first time in nine year, as the 2020 edition continues to be played out in Singapore.
Singapore navigated out of Group B relatively unscathed, finishing second behind Thailand, with several Lion City Sailors doing their part for the national cause. There were 12 Sailors who were named in Tatsuma Yoshida’s 28-man squad, but unfortunately only 11 will continue to play a part as Singapore face Indonesia in the two-leg semi-finals on 22 and 25 December.
Gabriel Quak, the Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) Player of the Year in 2020, went down clutching his left shoulder in Singapore’s 2-1 win over Philippines on 8 Dec and initial fears were confirmed – the effervescent winger would miss the remainder of the campaign to undergo surgery on a dislocated shoulder.
All photos courtesy of the Football Association of Singapore
It was a huge blow for the 30-year-old, who finished the 2021 SPL season as the top local goalscorer with 13 strikes to his name – and a Goal of the Year gong to boot.
Gabriel’s unfortunate injury aside, it has been a solid campaign for the rest of the Sailors contingent, with four players featuring in each of Singapore’s four group matches, another four making their Suzuki Cup bows, this despite Tajeli Salamat and Hafiz Nor having yet to see any game time.
As Singapore continues to drive towards regional glory, we look back with pride at the group stage showings of our Singaporean Sailors.
Leaders of the pride
Hassan Sunny and Hariss Harun are two of only four Singapore players who have played every minute for the Lions in the tournament thus far.
The oldest Lion at the tournament at 37 and playing in his eighth Suzuki Cup, it has been a remarkable journey for Hassan, who had to come back from two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries earlier in his career and fight off stiff competition from Izwan Mahbud to claim the no.1 spot for this tournament.
Having chalked up nine saves en route to keeping two clean sheets for the Lions, the experienced custodian is relishing the chance to feature heavily in the team’s bid for a fifth regional crown – he had played second fiddle to Lionel Lewis in the 2004 and 2007 victories, while missing out on the 2012 triumph through injury.
For Hariss, the Lions skipper was unfortunately struck with Covid-19 and only recovered two weeks before the start of the tournament. Nonetheless, the 31-year-old worked doubly hard to get up to speed and battled on admirably despite visibly still not back at 100 percent yet.
There is little wonder to his hard work as he is determined to make up for lost time – a shin fracture in the group stages led to him playing only a peripheral role when the Lions last won the tournament in 2012.
Steady and reliable
Shahdan Sulaiman and Faris Ramli have featured in all four of Singapore’s matches as well, with the former showing class with his calming influence in the middle of the park and his trademark deliveries from set-pieces often wreaking havoc in opposition penalty boxes.
The 33-year-old Shahdan – who has been one of the SPL’s standout players in recent years – has something to prove in this year’s edition. After breaking his leg in a 4-2 win over Myanmar in the 2014 group stages, he was then left on the bench throughout 2016 and was not called up to the final squad in 2018.
Faris missed out on the 2012 campaign due to National Service commitments, and has been unsuccessful in the subsequent tournaments since. The 29-year-old has been a scourge for the opponents’ defence with his direct running and blistering pace, with one goal and assist to his name. He had done well to come through a tough year where he saw limited game time initially before becoming a key figure under Kim Do-hoon as the Sailors romped to their first-ever SPL title.
Adam Swandi is another one that has caught the eye, despite starting only one match so far. After a rough couple of years following an ACL injury in June 2019, the skillful playmaker had to work his way back and only started a game again this July.
Despite all the difficulties, he has never wavered and was rewarded with a start against Timor-Leste, where he netted his maiden international goal with a cool and confident finish after four minutes to set the Lions en route to a third straight win.
The debutants
Many eyes were on Song Ui-young in his first international tournament with the Lions and it is safe to say he has delivered so far. Long touted to represent Singapore since his arrival in the SPL in 2012, the South-Korean born midfielder had to bide his time before finally gaining citizenship in August.
The 28-year-old was particularly impressive in the opening 3-0 win over Myanmar, with his drive to win the ball back and go on lung-bursting runs to set up counter-attacks for the team. Should Song continue to turn on the style, there is no doubt he could be a game-changer for the Lions in the knockout stages.
Meanwhile Nur Adam Abdullah and Saifullah Akbar – the 2021 and 2020 SPL Player of the Year respectively – put in decent 25-minute shifts when they came on in the 2-0 loss against Thailand for their Suzuki Cup debuts. More is expected to come from them, especially the former who could be in line to start at left-back for the semi-finals against Indonesia with Shakir Hamzah now ruled out for the tournament through injury.
Amirul Adli came on as a late substitute against Thailand, that was the 25-year-old’s first Suzuki Cup appearance since 2014 and he will be hoping to get more minutes under the belt.
We join the rest of Singapore, watching closely as the Lions drive towards the final of 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup, and we wish our Lions all the best in the matches ahead!
Sailors ready to fly Singapore flag
Earlier today (28 November), Singapore coach Tatsuma Yoshida announced the final 28-man Lions squad that will battle for honours at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 from 5 December to 1 January 2022.
All 12 Sailors who were in the Japanese tactician’s provisional squad made the final cut, including Hariss Harun and Hafiz Nor who have joined the squad after recovering from Covid-19.
The 101-cap Hariss will captain the Lions’ side looking to re-establish Singapore as kings of Southeast Asia. He was part of the Lions’ Class of 2012, the last Singapore side to win the Suzuki Cup, some nine years ago.
Singapore, four-time winners of the AFF Suzuki Cup, will begin their Group A campaign against Myanmar on 5 Dec, before going on to face the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Thailand over the subsequent 13 days.
“The team has worked hard during the past month and now that our first match is approaching, we are all very much looking forward to getting our Suzuki Cup campaign started. This is a huge tournament for us and as the home team, we know that the eyes of the nation are upon us, and expectations will be high,” said the 31-year-old.
“I have seen the amount of hard work and effort put in not just by my fellow teammates but also the entire backroom staff. We need no other motivation for us to go out there, play for each other as well for the flag, and hopefully bring pride and joy to Singapore and our fans.”
The Lions will play all their group games at the Singapore Sports Hub’s National Stadium. Tickets are available for purchase at www.fas.org.sg/tickets.
Sailors in Tatsuma Yoshida’s Lions’ squad for AFF Suzuki Cup 2020:
Goalkeeper: Hassan Sunny
Defenders: Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah, Tajeli Salamat
Midfielders: Hariss Harun, Saifullah Akbar, Shahdan Sulaiman, Song Ui-young, Adam Swandi
Forwards: Faris Ramli, Gabriel Quak, Hafiz Nor
#LCSFCBiggestFan: Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions – #LCSFCBiggestFan
- Introduction
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- These terms and conditions, and any other documents and policies incorporated by reference, (“Terms”) shall apply to the #LCSFCBiggestFan competition (the “Competition”) organized by Lion City Sailors Private Limited (“Lion City Sailors”), and shall form a contract between you and Lion City Sailors.
- Your participation in the Competition constitutes your agreement to be bound by these Terms The offering of the Competition to you is conditional on your acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not participate in the Competition.
- Lion City Sailors’ other policies (including, but not limited to, the Terms of Service available here) (“Policies”) also apply to your participation in the Competition – to the extent of any inconsistency between the Policies and these Terms, the Policies shall prevail.
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- Competition Period
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- The competition shall run from [∙] to [∙] (“Competition Period”).
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- Competition Mechanics
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- To participate in the Competition, you must use your personal Instagram account to post on your own Instagram page, and must ensure that each entry is public and contains the hashtag #LCSFCBiggestFan during the Competition Period. Entries of Instagram posts to the Competition are limited to one per participant / person.
- Winning entries will be chosen by the Lion City Sailors marketing department and will be judged on creativity (in its sole discretion).
- The prize for the Competition (“Prize”) is one trip for two to Buriram, Thailand to watch the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Group F fixture between the Lion City Sailors and Daegu FC scheduled for 30 April 2022 (the “ACL Fixture”). The Prize shall include return economy class flights to Bangkok, one night’s accommodation in Bangkok, Thailand (twin-sharing), transportation to Buriram, two nights’ accommodation (twin-sharing) in Buriram and two match tickets to the ACL Fixture (with details such as airlines and hotels to be determined by Lion City Sailors and communicated to the winner).
- The Winner of the Prize will be contacted through social media direct messaging by Lion City Sailors. In the event that Lion City Sailors is unable to contact the winner after three (3) attempts a replacement winner will be chosen.
- Acceptance of a Prize by a winner shall constitute agreement for the winner to take part in such related promotional activities as Lion City Sailors may require.
- The Prize winner must meet travel, health and other conditions under Singapore and Thailand laws and regulations, including presenting proof of vaccinations and a valid passport. The Prize winner will also be responsible for all other costs in connection with travelling to the ACL Fixture, including, but not limited to, the costs of any COVID-19 tests and any COVID-19 related eventualities and personal travel expenditures (e.g dining / drinking, forms of transport beyond those mentioned above, travel insurance, etc).
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- Conditions
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- By participating in the Competition, you represent, warrant and undertake that:
- you are at least eighteen (18) years old and are ordinarily resident in Singapore;
- you and your immediate family members are not employed by Lion City Sailors or its associated promotional partners, companies or suppliers; and
- you will comply with all applicable laws when participating in the Competition.
- By participating in the Competition, you acknowledge and agree that:
- the Competition is deemed void to the extent prohibited by applicable laws;
- entries to the Competition 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 Competition (including, but not limited to, selection of the winner of the Prize);
- the Prize is 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 Competition (including, but not limited to, your entry as well as your name, likeness and/or voice) (“Provided Materials”), and Lion City Sailors may use your Provided Materials in any publicity or advertising relating to the Competition or future competitions held by Lion City Sailors without compensation or approval (subject to applicable law);
- the Competition 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 Competition; and
- you may be required to provide and/or sign additional documents and forms prior to your receipt of the Prize, and elements of the Prize (including flights, hotels and other transport legs will be subject to the terms and conditions of third party service providers).
- By participating in the Competition, you represent, warrant and undertake that:
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- Changes to / cancellation of Competition
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- Lion City Sailors reserve the right to (in its sole discretion): (a) amend or vary any term of the Competition, or suspend or cancel the Competition at any time, including, but not limited to, where for any reason the Competition 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 Competition (including, but not limited to, any changes to the dates, time or location of the ACL Fixture); and (b) suspend or disqualify your participation in the Competition at any time, including, but not limited to, where you breach any of the provisions of these Terms or the Policies or where your participation in the Competition is deemed by Lion City Sailors to be inappropriate, unsuitable or detrimental to Lion City Sailors.
- For the avoidance of doubt, cancellation, termination or suspension by Lion City Sailors of the Competition 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 Competition.
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- Data Protection
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- By participating in the Competition, you are deemed to have consented to: (i) the collection, use and disclosure of his/her name, image, voice and/or likeness 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 Competition, you consent to Lion City Sailors’ collection, use, disclosure and/or processing of your personal data as described in the Privacy Policy.
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- Disclaimers
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- To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Competition (and any systems used to provide the Competition) 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 Competition, 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 Competition (and any systems used to provide the Competition) 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 Competition (and use of any systems used to provide the Competition) remains with you to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
- Lion City Sailors do not assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any Losses resulting from (i) any errors in communication associated with the Competition, (ii) any problems with the Prize; and (iii) any use of the Prize.
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- Indemnity; Liability
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- 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 Competition is to discontinue participation in the Competition. 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).
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- Other
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- 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 make note of any changes. All such changes to these Terms are effective immediately when posted and apply to your participation in the Competition thereafter. Your continued participation in the Competition 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.
Song gets first Lions call-up
Lions’ boss Tatsuma Yoshida has called up a total of 22 players – with 11 from the Lion City Sailors’ squad – for a series of training sessions during the upcoming FIFA international window starting on 31 August.
This includes a first call-up for Song Ui-young, who last week announced his successful application for Singapore citizenship.
“We are fully supportive of our national cause, and take immense pride in having our own Sailors represent Singapore,” said Sailors’ Chief Executive, Chew Chun-Liang.
“It makes it extra special that Song has also received a call-up to follow up on his Singapore citizenship and take his first step towards becoming a full-fledged Lion. I’m glad he will have his Sailors’ family to rely on at his first Lions’ training sessions.”
Singapore Sailors
Hassan Sunny, Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah, Tajeli Salamat, Hariss Harun, Shahdan Sulaiman, Saifullah Akbar, Hafiz Nor, Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Song Ui-young
