Author: Nicolette Ten
Hougang United was his first club when he first arrived in Singapore in 2016, and it was also his first port of call three years later when he returned to the Singapore Premier League (SPL) after an unproductive spell in Thailand.
He is still on very good terms with the club’s management and of his ex-teammates, but ahead of the Lion City Sailors’ clash with the Cheetahs at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night, Stipe Plazibat was adamant that there will be no room for sentiment.
“I’m very grateful for what Hougang has done for me and there’ll always be mutual respect,” said the 31-year-old. “I’m still very good with everyone at Hougang from coach Clement (Teo), general manager Matthew (Tay) and my old teammates,” said Stipe.
He left Hougang for Bishan twice – the most recent instance was in the 2020 mid-season transfer window – and he is now leading the Sailors’ charge for what would be the club’s first-ever league title.
“It’s nice to see your friends, but there’s no discount for anyone. I’m sure they’ll be tough on me on the pitch and I’ll be tough on them as well.”
And there is good reason for the aggressive Hougang approach that Stipe expects.
The Cheetahs are still in with a fighting chance to win the league. They are five points behind second-placed Sailors – and eight behind league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) – but have played a game more.
The Sailors did not enjoy the best of starts to the 2021 season, collecting just four points from a possible nine, languishing fourth in the eight-team standings after the first three rounds.
The 3-1 loss to Hougang that came during that period in March proved to be the Sailors’ only defeat this term. Since then, they have gone on a club record 12-game unbeaten run – amassing 30 points from a possible 36.
A change of coach and playing system did little to hinder the Sailors’ championship quest, as they picked up successive victories over Tampines Rovers (4-1) and Tanjong Pagar United (2-1) after kick-starting Kim Do-hoon’s reign with 1-1 draws against Albirex and Balestier Khalsa.
Now three points behind leaders Albirex with a game in hand and with a better goal difference, the Sailors know they have fate in their own hands. As long as they win their final six games – including a match against Albirex on 17 Sep – the Sailors will land their hands on the coveted trophy.
“In the beginning we were still trying to find our feet as a new team and we needed some time to adjust to each other, but we slowly progressed and you can see the improvement now,” explained Stipe.
“Under Coach Kim, training sessions are longer, tougher and more physically demanding. The football style is more industrial than before, but we’re gradually adapting to his philosophy and it’s good that we are winning again after two draws,” he added.
“We have six cup finals left and we just have to take each game as it comes to achieve our target.”
After a good debut year with the Sailors – he netted nine goals and chalked up five assists in seven starts – Stipe has carried that form into his first full season with the club with 13 goals and seven assists in 15 starts.
The 2020 SPL Golden Boot winner is now three goals behind Hougang’s frontrunner Tomoyuki Doi and has every chance to finish top scorer again this year, but is not fixated on that target. Instead, it is the team’s ultimate goal that is foremost on Stipe’s mind.
“Honestly the most important thing is that we win the league. If my goals help us to achieve that and also help me to win the Golden Boot, that will be great, but my priority is the league title,” he insisted.
And Stipe is hoping that he will be the third time lucky, this after some wretched luck saw his teams fall short of the title in the past two years, as he missed crucial games at business end of those seasons.
In 2019, Stipe was absent for the final two games for Hougang due to injury as the Cheetahs agonisingly missed out on their first-ever league title. Then last year, a hamstring injury meant he only played a bit part role – just 6 minutes – in the Sailors’ final five games as they eventually finished third behind Albirex and Tampines.
“Hopefully this year I will stay healthy all the way till the end of the season to help my team,” said the hotshot, who has a grand total of 76 SPL goals in 93 appearances. “I have a good feeling this year might be the year that I finally win the league.”
Should the Sailors lift the SPL trophy on the final day of the season on 2 October, it will be double happiness for Stipe – who is set to welcome the birth of his first child, a son, later that month.
Now living alone in his Bishan apartment because his wife Marija had flown back to Split in July to prepare for the delivery, he is hoping to make it back to his native Croatia in time to witness the life-changing moment.
“She was with me in Singapore from July 2019 until last month,” revealed Stipe. “Right now, there’s nothing much I do every day – sometimes I will go cycling with (Sailors Head of Performance) Mario Jovanovic, and maybe go to the supermarket to top up whatever I need at home. If not, it’s only between Bishan and Jalan Besar for training and matches.
“Hopefully the team can achieve our target of winning the title. Then I can happily go home to my wife and son.”
Stipe is also looking further to the future, after seeing teammate Song Uiyoung secure his Singapore citizenship last week.
Stipe – who is now into his fifth season in Singapore across two spells – is also hoping to sink roots in the Lion City.
“I’m so happy for Song – he’s been trying so hard for 10 years, and he’s finally become a Singaporean,” said Stipe.
“I’ve also always said I want to set up my family here, and hopefully if all goes well, I will try to apply to be a Singapore PR (permanent resident) next year.”
They were made to sweat towards the end, but the Lion City Sailors hung on to clinch a crucial 2-1 victory over Tanjong Pagar United in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) on Friday night (20 August).
The three points earned at the Jurong East Stadium meant the Sailors leapfrogged Albirex Niigata (S) to go top of the league on virtue of a better goal difference, although the White Swans could reclaim the summit when they visit Young Lions on Sunday.
Tanjong Pagar were a potential banana skin for the title-chasing Sailors, with the Jaguars picking up the most points (10 from a possible 15) amongst the eight SPL sides since the league restarted in mid-July.
And true to form, victory did not come easy for Kim Do-hoon’s men.
With the Jaguars deploying a strong three-man backline of Shakir Hamzah, Delwinder Singh and Faritz Hameed, the Sailors were unable to find real inroads into the penalty area for the majority of the first half.
It took something special to break the deadlock and it was Haiqal Pashia who came up with a moment of magic two minutes before half time.
With Faritz’s stray header off Faris Ramli’s cross falling nicely into his path, Pashia needed no second invitations as he bent a gorgeous effort into the top corner from 25 yards out, for his first-ever Sailors goal.
Pashia revealed that goal was the fruit of hard work on the training ground.
“I’ve been practicing a lot with Coach Kim during training and he always emphasises shooting well with the correct technique to bend the ball,” said the 22-year-old. “He was an experienced national player who played for South Korea at the World Cup and he still has a great shot in him (at age 51) and it’s great to be able to learn from him.”
The goal was Pashia’s first since April 2019, when he was a Young Lions player.
“It feels so good to score after so long and I really needed that – in the past few months, I’ve struggled a lot in terms of scoring and being composed in front of goal,” said a candid Pashia. “So this goal definitely gives me the morale booster for me to get on the scoresheet more often.”
He acknowledged he “didn’t do too well” in the first half of the season, but Pashia is now rediscovering his confidence and credits Kim for bringing the best out of him.
“I was afraid to make mistakes during games and my confidence was really down,” recalled the National Under-22 player. “But Coach Kim is a very understanding coach. He talks to each and every one of us individually to understand our issues and make sure we’re good – he’s always helping us and pushing us to develop into better players.
“Now I feel I can express myself more on the pitch and I’m happy to contribute to the team by scoring.”
Pashia’s goal set the platform for a second straight Sailors victory as they doubled their advantage just 10 minutes into the second half. Brazilian centre-back Jorge Fellipe marked his return from suspension with a poacher’s goal from six yards out, this after Stipe Plazibat had knocked on a Shahdan Sulaiman free kick into his path.
Jorge was just as effective in defence, dominating the aerial exchanges with his 1.9 meter frame. Lining up alongside Hariss Harun at the heart of defence, he was part of an aggressive back four that also featured combative full-backs Nur Adam Abdullah and Aqhari Abdullah.
The tactical move by Kim to combat the Jaguars’ powerful frontline was one that worked a treat according to Nur Adam.
“We all know Tanjong Pagar has really big and dangerous players upfront like Luiz Junior and Reo Nishiguchi, with Blake Ricciuto supporting them from deep,” said the 20-year-old, who put up yet another buccaneering display on the left side of defence.
“They tried to play the long ball in behind us a few times, but we did very well to control those situations. It really helps to have the height and aggression at the back against a team who plays in this manner.”
The Sailors backline would ultimately be breached 14 minutes from time through a stunning Junior free-kick, as Kim’s charges had to hold off a late barrage from the Jaguars.
Nur Adam admitted there were some jangling nerves towards the end, but the Sailors came through with the three points to take another significant step to their first SPL title.
“It was annoying to concede that goal and it put us under a bit of pressure,” he explained. “But the whole team rallied together to complete the job. The attackers dropped back to help the defence and that’s how we managed to hold on.”
The young full-back acknowledged that this was not the prettiest display by the Sailors’ own high standards, but he kept his eyes trained on the bigger picture.
“Yes, we were not able to make good counter-attacks like in the previous game against Tampines Rovers, but the most important thing is the three points, and we got that,” said Nur Adam.
If the Sailors win their final six games – that includes a clash against Albirex on 17 September – they will be crowned SPL champions for the first time.
“We’re now top of the table now, but that doesn’t matter. What we want is to finish first at the end of the season,” said Nur Adam.
“We’re in control of our own destiny, so we just need to keep this momentum going and win every game from now on.”
As team lineups for last Sunday’s big Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash between Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers were revealed an hour before kick off, many fans were surprised to see Hassan Sunny’s name in the starting eleven.
The 37-year-old was not expected to feature at all. He came off worse in an unfortunate collision with towering Brazilian centre-back Jorge Fellipe in the 1-1 draw with Balestier Khalsa just seven days prior.
While Jorge suffered some soreness in his jaw area, Hassan sustained considerably more damage with a huge cut in his mouth due to Jorge’s flailing arm and bumps on the back of his head after what was a hard landing.
“I didn’t train close to five days and literally only trained for one day before playing in this game,” said Hassan, matter-of-factly. “On matchday itself, I just told myself to forget whatever happened and just focus. Fortunately everything went alright for me and the team.
The match went better than just “alright”, the Sailors turned in arguably their best performance of the season to convincingly beat fellow title challengers Tampines 4-1.
The victory – coach Kim Do-hoon’s first win in charge – gives the Sailors a solid platform to build on as they turn their attentions to a tough away clash against a much improved Tanjong Pagar United side on Friday (20 August) night.
Hassan has shrugged off the injury, and is already looking to keep the momentum going and Sailors’ feet firmly on the ground in what is a possible banana skin on the Sailors’ bid for the SPL title.
Since losing 3-1 to the Sailors in May, the Jaguars have lost just once in the following six matches. Hasrin Jailani’s side have also picked up the most points amongst the eight SPL sides since the league restarted in mid-July, with 10 from a possible 15.
Hassan’s current and former national teammates Khairul Amri and Shakir Hamzah have been in inspirational form for the Jaguars, who lie fifth in the eight-team standings with 16 points after languishing in the bottom two for the first half of the season.
“Obviously they have improved as a unit. Tanjong Pagar are physically and mentally strong, and it’s also good to see Amri and Shakir enjoying their football again,” said Hassan. “We have all the respect for them, but after a great performance against Tampines, we need to shift our mentality to face a totally different type of team next and that will prove the mettle of this Sailors team.
“At this stage of the season (with seven games left), we must keep winning to make sure we give ourselves the best chance to win the league.”
The Sailors are currently three points behind leaders Albirex Niigata (S) with a game in hand and a better goal difference, and have a chance to temporarily go top with a win before the White Swans face Young Lions on Sunday.
But watching Hassan carried off on a stretcher against Balestier, things could have been so different for the Singapore international and his team. And Hassan paid tribute to the Sailors’ medical staff for a speedy recovery that he deemed a “minor miracle”.
The impact of the clash left the Sailors first-choice custodian requiring lengthy medical attention as he lay virtually motionless on the Toa Payoh Stadium ground. After being fitted on with an oxygen mask and carried off the pitch on a stretcher in a worrying scene for all watching, he was then rushed to Raffles Hospital.
Even after being discharged following a two-night stay, Hassan continued to be bothered by after effects.
“There was giddiness and sharp pain and I was still taking several painkillers when I got home on Tuesday. I just slept the rest of the day.”
Hassan would only link up with the team again on Friday as he joined the morning training session, albeit doing some light individual work on the sidelines, under close supervision by the Sailors’ medical department.
“Usually the upper shoulder area will be quite tight after such a head collision, so the first thing (head physiotherapist) Fizah (Nurhafizah Abu Sujad) did was to focus on mobilization on the neck area,” revealed Hassan.
“(Performance coaches) Nas (Nasruldin Baharudin) and Shay (Shazaly Ayob) also monitored my movements and made sure I was physically fine. I’m really thankful that we’ve such a good medical team that did a lot in supporting my comeback.”
And all the support paid off.
Later that day, the Raffles Hospital neurosurgeon cleared Hassan to resume full training. It was a development that pleasantly surprised both parties with Hassan calling it a “minor miracle”.
“Even the doctor was taken aback. He said normally a person who suffered a similar situation would probably take about two weeks to fully recover, but I took just four days,” said Hassan who tapped on previous injury experiences to push through trauma that often accompanies collision injuries.
Hassan suffered heavy head trauma, a broken nose and a dislocated right shoulder after a midair collision in 2017.
“That was a really bad one. When I opened my eyes again, I was already in the hospital. But maybe because I’ve gone through so many injuries that overcoming fear is something I’ve got used to.
Hassan was duly given the nod to start in goal for the huge clash against Tampines and the rest was history. Showing no effects from what happened a week ago, he was his usual assured self in goal, playing his part in an emphatic victory that has set the Sailors up to charge towards their first SPL title.
“We were definitely the much hungrier side and I was really impressed by how my teammates ran and fought for every ball. They made my job a lot easier,” said Hassan.
“And if we can all pull together the same way – from the medical staff who helped me to the players who executed Coach Kim’s plan perfectly – I believe we can continue to win matches, and the title.”
A new coach, a new philosophy and a lot of hard work to learn the ropes, but the Lion City Sailors continue to cut through choppy waters, extending their unbeaten run in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) to 11 matches.
Ushering in the Kim Do-hoon era with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with defending champions Albirex Niigata (S), the Sailors were next made to dig deep to secure another 1-1 draw with Balestier Khalsa. The first win under the renowned South Korean coach would finally come in a convincing 4-1 triumph over title rivals Tampines Rovers, a result – and performance – that made the football fraternity stand up and take notice.
Here, we round up the major talking points from the Sailors’ first three games under the former Ulsan Hyundai man.
Kim’s Sailors revolution is starting to take shape
The arrival of AFC Champions League (ACL)-winning coach Kim Do-hoon signalled the Sailors’ real ambitions of becoming one of the best clubs in Asia. There can be no doubts about his credentials, but there were segments in the fraternity who wondered what exactly he would bring to the table.
Three games in, and Singapore has gotten a glimpse of what is in store for the rest of the campaign and beyond.
The 51-year-old has placed a strong emphasis on a solid team structure in view of building a side that is not just defensively sound but also effective going forward. And things started to take shape in his first outing against Albirex. The Sailors appeared more tactically savvy at the back than before, limiting space for their opponents to run in behind and capitalise on.
A demanding trainer who focuses a lot on discipline and fitness, the effects of his approach could already be seen in the Sailors’ following game against Balestier. The team were able to find an extra gear in the latter stages of the game, they out-ran and out-fought the Tigers before finally breaking down the door with a 95th-minute equaliser.
His fluid attacking approach that taps on the tactical awareness and game intelligence of individual players, is perhaps the most interesting. There are big responsibilities placed on players who are expected to take up different positions to capitalise on opportunities and space when presented in the game.
It all came to fruition against Tampines, with the game’s first goal perfectly encapsulating the new Sailors way.
With Stipe Plazibat dropping deep in midfield to hold up the ball, Gabriel Quak instinctively moved into the space the Croatian front man had vacated. The 2020 SPL Player of the Year was presented with an open path to goal and scored with a classy lob.
Kim’s high-pressing game plan was also on show, with the Stags unable to handle the Sailors’ rapid transition from defence to attack. Case in point: the Sailors’ second goal. It was just 10 seconds between Shahdan Sulaiman winning the ball in midfield to Stipe slamming the ball into the back of the net. The final two goals also came in a similar fashion.
With the team now starting to play Kim’s way – and effectively executing his plan on the pitch – fans can look forward to some exciting football in the remainder of the season.
The real Faris Ramli is back
Faris Ramli was unable to break into the Sailors’ first eleven in the first half of the season, he started just once and was introduced as an impact substitute on numerous occasions. It was understandably not a role he expected when he joined the Sailors after a season with Malaysia’s Terengganu FC.
But things are looking up for the 2019 SPL Player of the Year.
He has been largely involved in Kim’s first three games, playing the full 90 minutes in the big games against Albirex and Tampines, and was also the first substitute to be called upon to change the team’s fortunes in the first half of the 1-1 draw with Balestier.
Faris has not hid his frustrations at playing a bit-part role and has acknowledged that he had to stay the “most patient” in all his career, but he kept plugging away and is now seeing the fruits of his labour. The free-spirited 28-year-old played his best game of the season in the handsome win over the Stags, contributing three assists for the four Sailors’ goals.
Faris also put in a solid defensive shift, showing plenty of industry to win possession in crucial areas, even tracking back to perform his defensive duties in the dying moments of the game.
Having a Faris who is firing on all cylinders can only be a good thing for the Sailors who go into the business end of the season looking to come out on top of the league.
Missing key players? No problem
It is no secret that the Sailors have a quality squad at their disposal, with solid options on the bench ready to be called upon into action when needed. And the strength in depth is paying off.
Kim had to cope with the absence of the midfield trio of Saifullah Akbar, Shahdan and Song Ui-young through suspension against reigning champions Albirex.
Then against another title rival in the form of Tampines, the Sailors have to contend without the Brazilian duo Jorge Fellipe and Diego due to suspension and injury respectively. Many teams would have struggled without their leader at the back and star signing in such a big game, but the Sailors managed to plug those gaps with minimal fuss.
Kim is unbeaten in his first three matches as Sailors coach, and his ability to shape a team that can cope without key players can only breed confidence in the Sailors ranks as they battle for their first-ever SPL title.
Balestier Khalsa may be on an eight-match winless streak, but Lion City Sailors defensive lynchpin Jorge Fellipe is not taking victory for granted when the two sides meet at Toa Payoh Stadium on Sunday night (8 August).
Under the tutelage of Croatian tactician Marko Kraljevic, the Tigers are known to play an aggressive style of football with strong and powerful players who are not afraid to play the physical game. Jorge is one who clearly knows the threat they pose, especially on set-piece situations, and has emphasised the need for aerial domination.
“In these types of games, the little details may define the result,” explained the 32-year-old, who is one of the tallest defenders in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) at 1.9 metres tall. “It could be from a free-kick or a loose ball in the box that could win or lose you the game.
“We know how difficult it is to play against Balestier at their home ground. Their pitch there is not so ideal as well, so we may not be able to present the best of our football. But it’s not a reason not to perform and I believe our team has the ability to control the outcome of the game.”
The Balestier game will be another opportunity for the Sailors to showcase the improvement that they have made under Kim Do-hoon since he officially took charge in late June. The Sailors played out an encouraging 1-1 draw against defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) in coach Kim’s first game at the helm on 23 July. The team was much more organised at the back and as a unit – which bodes well for the matches ahead.
It is still very much early days in the Kim Do-hoon era, but the highly successful former Ulsan Hyundai man has wasted little time in making his mark, paying close attention to small details. With the physical work hugely ramped up since he took over, the players are only going to benefit as the Sailors go into the business end of the season.
“Training is very physical and high in intensity under Coach Kim. I particularly like this style and it’s not new to me because I’ve worked with a few other coaches with this style in the past,” said Jorge.
“The load is demanding, but everyone in the team has been adapting well and is eager to learn more from him. I believe this intensity is perfect because it builds us up to perform better in games.”
So far it has been a good first year in Singapore for Jorge, who has been an ever-present since he made his club debut in a 3-1 win over Young Lions in early April. Since then, he has played every minute for the Sailors and the team has never lost a game with him on the pitch.
His centre-back partnership with one of Singapore’s best young defenders Amirul Adli is also a key reason in the club’s ongoing best run of form in a nine-match unbeaten run (since a 3-1 loss to Hougang United in mid-March).
“We have an excellent relationship not only on the pitch, but we’re also friends off it,” shared Jorge. “That really helps as the better we understand each other outside and as a person, it will better reflect in our game.
“Me being the more experienced one and him being the younger one, I always try to pass my knowledge on to him. But he is also a superb defender in his own right. The key is communication so we always talk a lot on the pitch so that our partnership can flourish.”
The Brazilian’s towering presence and leadership has also been effective at the attacking end of the pitch, with Jorge scoring two goals to aid the Sailors’ title challenge.
With Saifullah Akbar and Shahdan Sulaiman coming back from suspension to complement new arrival Hariss Harun in midfield, Jorge is excited at the prospect of playing in front of such a quality engine room against Balestier.
“It’s fantastic to be playing right in front of these fantastic players and I’m looking forward to this new midfield combo. They can certainly add more to our game,” he said.
With Albirex expected to pick up all three points against Tanjong Pagar United on Friday, the gap between the White Swans and second-placed Sailors could grow to seven points – although Kim’s men would still have two games in hand. Thus three points against the Tigers is of paramount importance to their title charge.
“The race for the title is still wide open and no one has won it yet,” said a defiant Jorge. “We have to treat each game from now as a final and don’t let the gap grow. We have to be united, be focused and take every three points on offer.”
The Lion City Sailors have scored 77 goals in 25 games since the launch of the club in 2020, and are already widely recognised as an irrepressible attacking force.
This well-oiled attacking machinery is something that new Sailors Head Coach Kim Do-hoon will rely on, but it is the defensive structure of the team that has been the main focus for the Korean since he took the reins in late June.
The Sailors have registered just four clean sheets in 14 outings last season and another four in 11 matches this term, and improving this figure seems to be Kim’s first step in turning the Sailors into a side that plays to his football philosophy.
His Ulsan Hyundai side that won the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) in 2020 was as well known for their strong defence as their eye-catching brand of attacking football.
And it is an approach that has been popular with the Sailors.
“In his opening address to us, he acknowledged the fact that we do concede quite a bit, although we’re a decent attacking side which scored a good number of goals,” said Gabriel Quak.
“So there’s not much things to be tweaked and changed on the attacking part. What he is trying to implement now is tactical shape and trying to get us into a defensively-solid unit.”
Sailors defender Amirul Adli echoed similar sentiments.
“Coach Kim has implemented a system to make us more disciplined and organised both on and off the pitch,” he said. “He’s focusing on building the foundation of the team – that’s his main priority now.”
It has been less than a month since Kim took over, but his influence has already been keenly felt. As someone who believes in playing a brand of high-octane attacking football, the South Korean is proving to be a demanding coach who always challenges his players to go beyond their limits.
Gabriel noted that intensity of training sessions has been “higher than usual”, while Adli revealed that Kim has set a pull-up challenge for the team with each player having to hit more than 10 repetitions daily.
“I think what he’s trying to do is to push us outside our comfort zone and get us used to the high level of intensity that he wants,” said Adli.
“By setting challenges, he wants us to be mentally stronger so that it will feel normal to us when we face tough situations next – instead of feeling afraid.
“It’s true that Coach Kim is pretty straight and firm with us, but at the same time there is this positive atmosphere around the team with everyone wanting to show what they can do.”
Having played three friendlies against Albirex Niigata (S), Tanjong Pagar United and Geylang International, the Sailors are slowly getting to grips with Kim’s demands and philosophy.
The 50-year-old has a fine track record of developing players in Korea, and he has already shown the personal touch of his man-management method by speaking to the players individually to bring more out of them.
“We already had a couple of one-on-one conversations. He’s clearly done his homework on the team before coming here, so he knows what we all can offer. He’s told me his expectations of me and also what I can work on further,” said Gabriel.
“For me, this is a really important aspect of a player-coach relationship. I really value this two-way communication and I believe I can improve even further with him around.”
Kim’s first official game in charge of the Sailors comes on Friday night (July 23), and it is perhaps the hardest task in local football – a top-of-the-table away clash against reigning champions and league leaders, Albirex.
The Sailors are currently one point adrift of the White Swans, and gunning for a victory that will see them take control of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title race with less than 10 games to go.
Shahdan Sulaiman, Saifullah Akbar and Song Ui-young are all unavailable due to suspension, and the responsibility of dictating the tempo in the middle of the park will likely fall on new arrival Hariss Harun.
Gabriel is personally excited at the prospect of playing alongside his national team captain at club level.
“Hariss is a welcome addition to the team, he definitely gives us a big boost going into the end of the season,” said the 2020 SPL Player of the Year.
“We have a few players out for this game, but how this team’s built is that we’ve got capable players in every position and whoever steps up will be ready to give their all.
“We know what’s at stake. One point is not good enough… it’s our coach’s first game in charge and I’m confident that we can put up a good show to get the win that we want,” added Gabriel.
Like Gabriel, Adli is ready to give his all in this crucial six-pointer.
He declared: “Everyone knows how important this game is. For us, we’re aiming to win every single game so we can become champions.”
So here we go again – the Singapore Premier League (SPL) returns after a two-month hiatus, with the Lion City Sailors looking to pick up where they left off.
Despite the departure of Australian coach Aurelio Vidmar in May, the Sailors have continued their smooth navigation to the higher echelons of the league table and mounting a serious challenge for the SPL title. Before the league was halted, they went on an eight-match unbeaten run and are on a club-record streak of six straight wins.
Currently one point off the summit with 10 matches to go, the Sailors are primed for a huge second half of the season ahead.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash against league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) on Friday night (23 July), here are five reasons for football fans to get excited about the resumption of SPL action.
1. Ahoy Hariss!
The signing of Singapore national team captain Hariss Harun on a three-and-a-half-year deal in May made the Singapore football fraternity stand up and take notice. It signaled the Sailors’ clear intention to dominate the domestic scene and create waves in the region.
Hariss brings with him a wealth of experience, having won six Malaysia Super League (MSL) titles and one Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup (2015) in seven wildly successful years north of the Causeway with Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
A combative midfield enforcer who thrives on winning duels then encouraging his team into attack, Hariss brings some much-needed steel to the Sailors’ engine room. He is expected to complement the attacking sensibilities of teammates the likes of Shahdan Sulaiman, Saifullah Akbar and Diego Lopes.
His presence in the middle will help the Sailors’ wide array of attacking talent to cast off their shackles and give them the freedom to push forward in search of more goals. His leadership qualities should also rub off on the younger players, with many of them looking up to Hariss as a model professional.
2. Ushering in a new era under Kim Do-hoon
The signing of AFC Champions League (ACL)-winning tactician Kim Do-hoon on a two-and-a-half-year contract captured the imagination of the wider Singapore public. Kim’s pedigree and his track record of success in his native Korea mean there is little doubt that his signing was a massive coup for the Sailors.
Kim’s Ulsan Hyundai was well known for an attractive brand of attacking football complemented by defensive nous – and it is no surprise that he is looking to build up the Sailors in a similar mould. A strict trainer who places strong emphasis on discipline and fitness, Kim has wasted little time in laying down his philosophy.
Kim has been in charge for less than a month, but he has already recognised the way forward – he has emphasised the building of a solid foundation, grounded in team structure.
He is taking English lessons to improve communication with the Sailors, but that has not stopped him from moving to establish an interpersonal relationship with his players. Kim has made it a point to pull each player aside to discuss his expectations of them.
Kim’s rejection of lucrative offers from the Chinese Super League (CSL) and Japan’s J-League to join the Sailors is a testament to his commitment to the cause and his confidence in driving the club towards the lofty target of becoming one of the best clubs in Asia.
3. A healthy competition for places
You know how it works – a new gaffer tends to breathe new life into a squad. Everything starts afresh and the players will be keen to prove their abilities and make a positive impression on the new man in charge.
Players who have been first-team regulars like Shahdan, Gabriel Quak and Amirul Adli will have to show why they have been so highly-regarded and why they deserve to retain their spots in the starting eleven.
It also provides a fresh slate for players like Faris Ramli, Hafiz Nor and Aqhari Abdullah who have not played as regularly as they would have liked. They would certainly be out to show what they bring to the team and why they ought to be featured more than before.
There is healthy competition for places with every member of the squad already giving their utmost best in training sessions and matches and this can only be a good thing for the Sailors’ drive for trophies.
4. The treatment room is less crowded
The long break proved to be a blessing in disguise for the injured members of the Sailors squad, allowing them more time to recover. It is surely a pleasant sight for Kim to see the club’s treatment room now clearing up, with the likes of Nur Adam Abdullah, Justin Hui and Amiruldin Asraf now back to full fitness.
2018 Dollah Kassim Award winner Nur Adam was a real revelation at left-back with his crunching tackles and menacing crosses, before he sustained an unfortunate knee ligament injury in training that saw him miss five matches. Justin was out of action for the same amount of time due to a groin problem after showing promise in his first few Sailors appearances.
Amiruldin has yet to play a competitive match since October 2019 due to recurring medial collateral ligament (MCL) problem. Having first sustained the injury later that year, he sustained further damage to his knee in a training match in September 2020 and had to undergo microfracture surgery to repair the damage on his cartilage. Amiruldin finally returned to training a couple of months ago and has been in good form in recent friendly matches.
The availability of the trio boosts coach Kim’s options going into the business end of the season – especially upfront where Amiruldin could bring a different dimension to the Sailors’ attack.
5. A wide-open title race
There are just six points separating league leaders Albirex and fourth-placed Tampines Rovers, in what is a wide open race for the SPL title this season.
And the competition is set to get red hot as we enter the business end of the season. There are 10 games left to be played – still some way to go to the finish line – and a whole lot to play for.
With Tampines turning their attentions back to the league after their AFC Champions League adventure, Hougang United on a three-game winning streak since losing to the Sailors in April, and Albirex still the only unbeaten team in the eight-team standings, we can expect tight contests in the matches ahead – starting with Friday’s match against Albirex!
Bundesliga giants and 2021 German Cup winners Borussia Dortmund (BVB) and Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Lion City Sailors (LCS) have forged a two and a half-year partnership. The commitment will see a series of youth development programmes, coaching, educational and professional exchanges as well as football training camps in Germany, among others, that will bring the two football clubs together with one common goal.
This partnership between BVB and LCS will harness the growing commitment to build a strong infrastructure for Singapore’s youth football development and overall support the growth in areas of sports science, sports medicine, analytics and talent scouting.
Benedikt Scholz, Head of International & New Business and Managing Director of BVB Football Academy said: “We are proud to solidify this partnership with LCS, one of the most exciting football clubs in the SPL. Establishing key partners of this scale and ambition has always been a central part of our vision for BVB, enabling us to keep sharing and contributing towards the growth of youth football in Asia.
“We are looking forward to working with LCS to bring to life our key objectives in youth development and sport education.”
The partnership will see an annual training camp in Dortmund for the LCS Football Academy’s elite team, with an additional training stint pencilled in for selected footballers from the Academy’s scholarship programme.
Suresh Letchmanan, Managing Director of BVB Asia Pacific further highlighted: “We are very excited about this partnership; it is an incredible milestone for both BVB and LCS. Both clubs are dynamic and progressive brands with a commitment to developing talented youth players and these common beliefs make the two organisations ideally suited.
“We will be working closely to implement creative and innovative activities with LCS in the coming months that harness the passion of our clubs and connect with our fantastic fans in and around Asia.”
The Sailors are excited at the prospect of a partnership that will boost its drive for development of the club and its LCS Football Academy that is aimed at growing into an elite youth development hub.
“We are delighted to partner with BVB, a club that has shown a tremendous commitment to youth development, fan engagement and the growth of the sport in general,” said LCS Chief Executive Officer, Chew Chun-Liang.
“We are an ambitious club with a vision of becoming one of the best in Asia. To get there, we must learn from the best, and in BVB we have found a partner that is among the best in the world,” he added.
“We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with BVB.”
Fitness was a youth-fuelled obsession that was put through the forge of serious injury. But a chance encounter turned the wheels in a different direction, then in the blink of an eye, Fathul Nur Hakim became a world champion working with Singapore footballers looking to put the country on the map of Asian football.
That is the synopsis of Hakim’s sporting journey. And the 32-year-old still struggles to believe his own story.
“To beat the best of the best was something that I never expected, and that was a beautiful memory that will stay with me for a lifetime,” he said, of his feat: beating over 1000 participants in the 2019 Dr.stretch World Stretching Competition held in Tokyo.
A brand that originated from Japan, Dr.stretch focuses on a “core balance stretch” approach with trainers helping their clients through different techniques to get to deep muscles that they cannot reach by themselves.
Several of those 1000 Hakim beat were master trainers and grand trainers with some 10 years of experience. Hakim only had some two years under his belt at that time, going to the global tourney without any expectations, to “gain experience”.
That world championship triumph still feels surreal to him today.
“The winner in the previous year was a Japanese grand trainer who has been in the industry for a long time, while I was just a junior trainer in my second year,” said Hakim, putting things in perspective.
“To help people achieve things and go past limits that they never thought they can achieve is something very special,” he shared. “At that time, that was what motivated me at Dr.stretch every day.”
Today, Hakim is a Lion City Sailor, helping the likes of Singapore’s first multi-million dollar footballer, Diego Lopes and 2020 Singapore Premier League Player of the Year, Gabriel Quak reach further than they ever have before.
As a Sailors’ sports therapist, Hakim’s main task is to help the players recover from their injuries as quickly as possible by utilising his expertise in stretching techniques. He works hand-in-hand with the club’s sports trainer Fazly Hasan and sports scientist Danial Feriza, who focus on other aspects of recovery like massage and cupping.
Hakim is a relatively new addition to the team, having joined before the start of the 2021 season and his journey to the Sailors is unorthodox to say the least.
A fitness junkie from a young age, he initially worked as a gym instructor and personal trainer for a period of six years. Being a football lover as well, he still plays the game at the recreational level and that was how he suffered a horrific injury that changed his life in 2015.
At the receiving end of a crude challenge by an opposing player, Hakim tore two ligaments – his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) – in his left knee. To repair the damage, he required metal screws to be inserted into his knee, with weekly physiotherapy sessions at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for approximately six months a key facet of his recovery programme.
Having regular conversations with his regular physio, Hakim started to appreciate what the job entails and was inspired to work in this field. He started reading up about physiotherapy, and the opportunity for a career change came with a chance encounter in early 2018.
As he was recovering from a hernia injury that he sustained while working out in the gym, Hakim happened to come across a packed Dr.stretch outlet at the NEX shopping mall in Serangoon.
Watching trainers help clients in stretching was something that truly intrigued him, and Hakim did not think twice before sending his resume to apply for a physiotherapy assistant role in the company. He was accepted after a successful round of interviews, beginning a new journey with a 16-day course in Osaka. That course equipped him well, allowing him to build up a solid clientele base.
Things moved quickly, with Hakim being promoted to assistant manager within 12 months, and he was then chosen to represent the Paya Lebar Singpost Centre’s branch in a local Dr.stretch competition. Despite having some doubts, the faith shown by his bosses meant he felt obliged to put up a good performance for them.
Participants were marked based on the ‘power, transition and the effectiveness of the stretching’, as they were given one minute each to stretch the various blind-folded judges on their muscle groups like hamstring, quads or glutes – with the specific areas only made known on competition day itself.
Hakim bested six other participants from various branches to earn the right to represent Singapore at Dr.Stretch’s annual World Stretching Competition held in Tokyo in October 2019.
He then beat over 1000 participants to become world champion.
It was a defining moment for the ambitious Hakim, who recognised that he could develop further in the world of physiology. He continued to upgrade himself through courses and got his first experience of working in a football club in 2020 when he was attached to Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Albirex Niigata (S) from Dr.stretch for a full season.
Later that year, his childhood friend Hafiz Nor acquired his help in terms of recovery and visited him for a one-off session. The Sailors winger “felt a lot of difference in terms of the previous soreness and body aches” and to show gratitude, Hafiz posted a photo of himself and Hakim at Dr.stretch on social media.
The photo caught the attention of the Sailors management, and Hakim was won over by the club’s vision to evolve into one of the best clubs in Asia.
For Hakim this was living the dream – the marriage of his two big loves, football and physiology – to work full time as a physio in an ambitious professional football club.
The club’s footballers still needed some convincing as stretching is widely viewed as a “very basic exercise that can be done at home”. In contrast, massage and cupping are usually the local industry norms in terms of players’ recovery.
“Do you know established J-League clubs like FC Tokyo and Yokohama FC have physios who only do stretching for the players?” pointed out Hakim. “I can understand why players here may neglect this area and only prefer massage, but it’s my duty to step in and educate them of the benefits of stretching.
“What’s the point of the best technology and methods in recovery if you don’t even do the basics of stretching? Your muscle fibres are like rubber bands – if you keep pressing on them, it will cause inflammation and they will still feel sore.
“In order to reduce that, you have to stretch and that’s where I can help them with my technique, to achieve the range of motion that they can’t normally achieve themselves. In that way, the blood circulation can flow properly and they will eventually feel lighter. The results are of course not immediate, but the players will feel the difference in the long run.”
It was that wholeheartedness and unwavering dedication to his work that helped him convince the Sailors’ players to get in line with his philosophy. Right now, established players like Gabriel, Diego, Jorge Fellipe and new arrival Hariss Harun are undergoing regular sessions with him from three to four times a week.
Hakim finds the most satisfaction from “making a difference in someone’s life” as he highlighted how Gabriel’s “flexibility and mobility have improved a lot” since the start of the season.
“During my first session with Gabriel, he shared with me that there are certain areas in which he often suffers from pain and are not easily cured,” said the therapist. “I began to help him stretch, physically lifting up his leg to a certain degree and in a certain motion.
“After that, he felt lighter and told me this is exactly what he’s looking for in terms of recovery. Even when he was away with the national team, he was doing the exercises which I encouraged him to do,” said Hakim.
“It makes me feel really good when a player appreciates what you do for him.”
While he has now achieved his dream of working in professional football, Hakim is not one to rest on his laurels. Relishing the opportunity to learn from experienced heads the likes of Sailors Head of Sports Science, Mario Jovanovic, Head Physiotherapist Nurhafizah Sujad and Fazly Hasan on a daily basis, he is also consistently doing more research to learn more about treating cumbersome injuries.
Ultimately he aims to be a more well-rounded sports therapist in order to add more value to the club, and he is targeting certification in osteopathy next.
Hakim believes he could not be at a better place, with the Sailors’ “family-like atmosphere where everyone respects each other and works as a team to achieve a common goal”.
“I can see myself staying at the club for a very long time,” he said.
Moving forward, Hakim yearns for the club to continue its emphasis on stretching and go beyond what they are practising now. He believes his measure of success is to help the club get to a level “no other SPL club has achieved before” in terms of recovery and performance.
“I hope we can set the benchmark in what we do,” he reiterated. “It’s not just doing stretching sessions with me, but every player can also partner with each other to do their stretches or warm-up together. That’s the vision and target that I have for them.
“This club has serious ambitions to become a big club in the region and I’m happy to be part of this big project that can do Singapore football proud.”
Having been involved in the National Team as their Head Physiotherapist for close to 10 years now, and with her family deeply entrenched in local football, Nurhafizah Abu Sujad thought she had just about seen it all when it came to the beautiful game in Singapore.
That was until the Lion City Sailors came along.
The privatisation of the Sailors in 2020 – making them the first, and to-date only, club in Singapore to do so – was a move heralded by many as the dawn of a new era for local football.
But Nurhafizah – or Fizah, as she prefers to be known – was initially cynical about the Sailors.
“As someone who is a part of the local football fraternity for a long time, I had my doubts about this venture,” admitted Fizah, who comes from a renowned footballing family which includes her father, former Singapore international Abu Sujad, elder brother Nadzi, who played for Balestier Khalsa, younger brother and current Lion, Hafiz, as well as her iconic cousin, Fandi Ahmad.
“After all, we had previously seen other clubs embark on ambitious endeavours that didn’t quite work out, so I was definitely a little sceptical about the Sailors project as well.”
Revealing that she had turned down job offers from private hospitals to join the Sailors as she searched for a new challenge in the next chapter of her career, Fizah pointed to the Sailors’ firm commitment to an ambitious vision that was the key factor in her decision.
Little by little, Fizah’s doubts about the Sailors began to dissipate, as she witnessed the club taking significant steps to improve the way they operated – both on and off the pitch.
Supported by chairman and owner Forrest Li, the club has moved to strengthen the squad by signing key players such Hariss Harun, Diego Lopes and Stipe Plazibat. Equally significant, however, was the investment put into ensuring that the Sailors would be well-supported by a team of qualified and professional backroom staff.
Given the immense respect that Fizah had garnered as a physiotherapist over the past decade, and her drive for developmental work and building top-level sports science and sports medicine departments, it was clear that Fizah’s vision was very much aligned with the Sailors’.
“I was convinced by how strongly Forrest believes in the Sailors, and how determined he is to achieve his goals for the club – I realised this is the real deal,” revealed Fizah.
“What impressed particularly was the fact that the club is taking active steps to ensure that their sports medicine and sports science department is at a high level, something I’m obviously interested in.”
As the Sailors’ Head Physiotherapist, Fizah will primarily be in charge of injury prevention and management. She will also work closely with the Sailor’s Head of Sports Science Mario Jovanovic in building a robust sports medicine structure across the Sailor’s first team all the way through to the academy.
Fizah will continue to serve the National Team as their Head Physiotherapist during FIFA International Windows. It is a commitment to the national cause that the Sailors – who are regularly well represented in Tatsuma Yoshida’s Lions – are proud of.
Fizah said her decision to embark on this career path was well-received by her family, although she joked that her brother, Hafiz, who plays for Singapore Premier League (SPL) rivals Hougang United, was far less enthralled than the rest.
“We’re going to be on opposing sides of the dugout!” Fizah laughed. “We’ve had a bit of banter already about me joining the Sailors, but I know he supports me completely and is happy that I have this new role.”
Fizah, who officially started in her new role on July 1, concedes she was a little “overwhelmed” by the large scale of the Sailors set-up when she reported for her first day of work.
“Including the coaches, we had over 20 support staff at training, which is the largest set-up that I’ve ever worked in, so I was quite overwhelmed at the start” said Fizah. “But having familiar faces around, like the National Team players as well as assistant coach Noh Rahman, helped greatly in my adaptation to the club.
“Due to the number of staff, every one of us can fully concentrate on our own roles, which means we can be more precise and detailed in what we do, making us more efficient.”
This also allows Fizah to pay more attention to her secondary role of building the club’s sports science and sports medicine department.
“In the next two to three years, I hope to be able to build up the quality of the club’s sports medicine department. My goal is to have a robust team of physios and sports trainers that will be able to provide the very best services to the senior team, all the way through to the academy,” Fizah declared.
In the short-term, though, Fizah is simply focused on helping the Sailors’ senior players minimise the risk of injury whenever they step onto the pitch.
This is especially so given that the Sailors’ new head coach, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) winner Kim Do-hoon, has made clear his vision of implementing a “dynamic style of attacking football”.
Fizah is fully aware that this usually involves players doing a lot of hard-running on the pitch, which can lead to a greater risk of muscular injury.
To counter that, Fizah will be emphasising on player recovery, which she says is crucial to keeping players fresh after such intense physical exertion.
“The key is good recovery…the recovery trajectory is incredibly important in preventing injuries, especially after an intense workout,” Fizah explained. “Of course, good nutrition and fitness levels are also crucial, so we will keep a close eye on aspects like players’ body fat percentage to make sure they are in optimum shape.”
When asked which player she thought was a role model in keeping themselves in the best of shape, Fizah replied without skipping a beat: “Our National Team captain – and Sailor – Hariss Harun.”
She added: “The way Hariss looks after himself off the pitch, in terms of his fitness, his recovery routines and what he eats is perfect. He’s the role model that other local footballers should look to emulate.”
Having now seen up close what the Sailors have done – and will continue to do – in their quest to become one of the top teams in the region, Fizah is confident that the club will succeed sooner rather than later.
“The goal of the club is to be one of the best in Asia. Given the support that has been provided by Forrest, I don’t see why we can’t achieve it,” Fizah said.
“I think we can definitely go far if everyone here pulls in the same direction and is hungry for success. Personally, I’m very excited to be part of this journey. It’s going to be a huge challenge, but I’m up for it, and I will do my very best to help the club achieve its goals.”
