Category: Feature
More often than not, in a successful sports team there is a ‘team behind the team’.
In Below the Deck, we take an in-depth look into the stories of our Sailors’ backroom staff – the Sailors’ often unseen, unsung heroes.
First up in this series is Daniel Lau, the club’s new data analyst.
“I’m one of the lucky ones who can happily tell my family and friends ‘I love my job!’” proclaimed a beaming Daniel Lau.
After all, while Daniel only joined the Lion City Sailors as a data analyst barely 10 months ago, he is already having the time of his life.
His main job scope as a data analyst is talent identification (ID) – this often means scouring through various scouting databases, analysing statistics, and watching match videos to uncover ‘the next good signing’.
“I look through scouting platforms for information on players, collate the relevant statistics from the past few seasons, and use them to compare with hundreds of other players that are recommended to us to see who really stands out,” he explained.
Well-known in the Singapore football fraternity as a fervent fan of Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors, before the club was privatised – the job opportunity was a dream come true for Daniel.
The 27-year-old remembers falling in love with the club in 2002 after catching them in action on television. He was particularly enthralled by deadly striker Egmar Goncalves, who scored 238 goals in all domestic competitions during the 11 years he spent at the club.
Daniel finally watched the club play live for the first time in 2004, when his father brought him to Bishan Stadium for their match against Tampines Rovers.
The match, which finished 2-1 in favour of the home side, only reinforced Daniel’s love for the club, and he continued making frequent appearances at Bishan Stadium thereafter.
“Bishan Stadium was walking distance from my house, so I would regularly travel down to catch the games,” Daniel recalled. “I soon made friends with many other fellow fans at the stadium, and that helped to cement my status as a lifelong supporter of the club.”
As such, Daniel was naturally excited to be given the opportunity to work at the club that he had been supporting since he was nine.
The only problem? Apart from a university module which had elements of grassroots coaching, Daniel had next to zero knowledge in terms of working in the world of football.
That is why Daniel was genuinely surprised when club general manager Badri Ghent approached him in April to offer him this role – nine months after graduating with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – and he candidly admitted that he had reservations about accepting the job at first.
“I graduated last year, but only began my job-hunt proper at the start of 2020,” the 27-year-old recalled. “I went to a few interviews related to my course, be it for a lab technician or clinic research coordinator but didn’t get accepted for any. The (COVID-19) pandemic made the job search even tougher.
“At that time, I was just touching base with people at the club, just for meals and to chit-chat – things I normally do. That was when I was told about this temporary opening for three months where they wanted someone who is able to analyse players to help with their future (player) acquisitions.
“I was a bit apprehensive initially because I never did anything related to football through my academic ladder. Everything was all about science. In my course, we study statistics and informatics – that’s probably the only aspect that can be applied to football.”
Despite Daniel’s reservations about his qualifications for the job, his love and passion for the club meant he simply could not say no to this golden opportunity, and he eventually got appointed as a data analyst after going through the relevant interviews.
“Every year since I was in Primary School till today, I’ve always wanted to see this club achieve success,” he shared. “So, when the opportunity came, it was a no-brainer for me to take it up.
“But I told Badri up front that I cannot promise immediate results in this area due to my lack of experience. What I can promise him, however, is that I want the Sailors to be successful, and I’ll give my all in my role.”
Given that he was venturing into uncharted territory, Daniel understandably struggled with self-doubt at the start.
“I’m given resources to work with, for example, with scouting platforms like Wyscout and Instat where there are a lot of compiled clips of players,” Daniel elaborated. “There are also players who are recommended by certain contacts or agents. So I’m looking at a lot of football matches and numbers.
“Numbers can tell you if certain things are good or bad, but they don’t tell you other subtle nuances that you can only get from watching a game or a footballer play live.
“So, sometimes I would see someone who appears good to me in the clips, but I would hesitate to present these clips to the coaches because I’m not sure if they would agree with my assessment. Looking at clips can tell you a lot, but it’s a different story trying to infer what it means.”
However, with reassurances from Badri and Sailors head coach Aurelio Vidmar, Daniel began to gain confidence and soon grew into the role.
“They explained to me that you can present the same player to 15 people, and everyone will still have different opinions of that player,” he said. “Given the acknowledgement of subjectivity, I grew more confident and accustomed to what I was doing.”
This pushed Daniel to take it upon himself to refine the analysis framework that he was initially given, and he added to his analysis various other elements that he thought were related to a player’s attributes.
“I was initially given players in the form of a list, with just their names and the clubs they play for. From there, I would add my comments, like their pros, cons and my final verdict,” he revealed. “But I’m a very numbers person due to the course I studied, so I couldn’t live with just that.
“So, I added statistics to the entire Excel worksheet that fit my personal view of how a player should be analysed. I added a lot of things related to numbers that may be confusing to a layman, but is something I fully understand and needed to create a formula to rank who is best.
“That way, we can properly do the comparison between these players and our existing players, to see where the potential signing will stand in our current squad.”
The initial groundwork came into good stead as he was tasked to make recommendations for possible signings during the mid-season transfer window to replace striker Andrew Pengelly, who had returned to Australia.
After shortlisting a number of players, Daniel had lengthy discussions with Aurelio to rank their top few candidates. While some suggestions did not work out, the club did manage to land proven goalscorer Stipe Plazibat from Hougang United thanks to valuable input from Daniel.
That transfer has since paid handsome dividends, with the Croatian hotshot finishing top scorer of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) with 14 goals.
Daniel, however, prefers to play down his involvement in the signing of Stipe.
“As I mentioned earlier, I knew whatever I recommended was not going to be 100 per cent rubber stamped by Aurelio,” he said. “We did disagree on a couple of players, but we made sure to be in line with each other for the ranking of the players on the final list.
“There are some player recommendations that didn’t work out…but we’re still striving to look for targets so that we can immediately get to work on signing them once the (Covid-19) restrictions are eased.”
Nonetheless, the successful recruitment of Stipe gave Daniel a confidence boost.
“It felt validating, because it took a consensus to get him (Stipe) on board, and we were confident that he would deliver,” said Daniel. “To see that play out on the pitch really gave me confidence, especially in terms of the direction the club is heading recruitment-wise. It’s just a pity he got injured midway through!”
Daniel’s steadfastness and strong work ethic in his field of work did not go unnoticed, and he was appointed to the role on a permanent basis in July.
He has since decided to take on more responsibilities at the club to develop himself further in this role. This included taking up the relevant accreditations to boost his credentials and qualifications as a data analyst.
For example, he took up online courses with the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA) based in England, and has already attained his Level 1 Talent ID and Level 1 Technical Scouting badges.
He also took it upon himself to complete a Level 1 Opposition Analysis Course in order to assist the team in that aspect.
“For Talent ID, I just watch the content and clear all episodes. For Technical Scouting, there’s an assessment to sit for and you need to get 80 per cent overall to pass,” he shared.
“I had already planned to do these after my first few months in. To me, getting accredited is a requirement even though the club did not make it compulsory. I came in with zero knowledge of football in terms of technicalities, with no coaching certification and with no sports science background.
“I want to be able to make my case for certain players and have the accreditation to back my views. Otherwise, I’ll still be considered a layman and someone who’s looking in from the outside.”
Given that not many SPL clubs employ a specialist data analyst at the moment, Daniel says he does feel the pressure that comes with being a trailblazer of sorts in this aspect.
“What I or the club is doing is something typical of a top or at least middle-tier European leagues, but it’s so uncommon here,” he mused. “If we want Singapore football to go on the path of becoming remotely competitive, this is the bare minimum that we need to achieve.
“We’ve made good progress since April in terms of developing a framework for talent ID, but it’s definitely not the gold standard yet. I relish this challenge to develop it further and I’m confident that we can see the fruits of success in the long run. I feel honoured but also pressured as I want to set the best standard for the club I’m representing now.”
It has thus far been a surreal journey for Daniel, who is now living the dream by working for the club he loves so dearly. And there is nothing in the world he would trade this opportunity for.
“This is the first job in my life that I don’t drag my feet to work. Every morning I wake up looking forward to seeing where my numbers will take me,” Daniel declared. “My previous internship or part-time stints were pleasant, but it still involved a certain amount of feet-dragging.
“Football is something that I watch at every opportunity – it’s a passion. Sometimes, when I feel like I want to scout a certain player, I’ll willingly do it whatever the day and time – be it on the weekends, or when I’m playing games, or just surfing the Internet.
“As of now, I’m exceeding myself and doing things that I didn’t know I could do. The most fulfilling thing is that I’m now directly involved in contributing to the club’s success, and I’m really appreciative that they were willing to take me in despite my lack of experience.”
With a season’s experience under his belt, a focused Daniel has set himself a clear goal of what he wants to achieve at this club.
“The measure of success is to find a player which I rate very highly and is in line with the coaching team’s thinking, and to then see him succeed at the club should we go on to acquire him,” he said.
“I want to play a part in acquiring a player that will make tongues wag – players of the calibre of Frederic Mendy, Valery Hiek and Kenji Arai. The primary goal is to be part of a team that wins the league title. Since I was in Primary School, the title has eluded us and it’s been 17 seasons now. We’ve been known as a team who does well in AFC competitions, but we’ve done nothing domestically that correlates. I want this club to be competitive on all fronts.”
For now, though, he does not want to make overpromises, although he guarantees that he will strive to do his best every single day at work.
“When I was a fan, I always set high standards for the team – be it the players, administration or technical team. I expected nothing but the best. So now that I’m in the team, it’s only fair that I expect the same from myself,” he summed up.
It was a thrilling debut season for the Lion City Sailors. Aurelio Vidmar’s men plundered 44 goals in 14 matches and played attractive attacking football en route to a third-placed finish in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) – securing AFC Cup qualification in the process.
It is now time to look back on the defining moments of the Sailors’ campaign and reflect on what has been a gruelling season for the team, while also looking ahead to the following year.
Low point
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first – there is no doubt what the lowest point of the Sailors’ season was. After starting the campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Tanjong Pagar United, the Sailors faced a difficult task in their very next match, facing title rivals Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub (OTH). The Sailors acquitted themselves well and were arguably the better side in the first half-hour, albeit without being able to put their chances away. The team, however, failed to replicate their intensity and sharpness in the second half. The Stags duly capitalised, and eventually ran out 4-0 winners.
The margin of the defeat, along with the winless start to the season, saw the Sailors come in for much criticism on social media, and pressure began mounting on Aurelio and the Sailors despite it still being early days. But that is the territory that comes along with being Singapore’s first-ever privatised football club – the expectations are higher, and any shortfall is deemed unacceptable.
High point
The seven-month enforced hiatus to the season due to Covid-19 gave the Sailors an opportunity to better adjust to Aurelio’s philosophy, and allowed them to iron out the kinks from the first two games. And the team subsequently returned stronger for the league’s restart in mid-October. Indeed, the Sailors would put together a run of three successive wins over 10 days in November – scoring a staggering 16 goals in just over 270 minutes – to reduce the gap between them and the top of the table to just three points, with five games to go.
What was pleasing, however, was that Aurelio’s men played some scintillating football in those three matches – blitzing Balestier Khalsa and Tanjong Pagar United 7-1 and 6-1 respectively, before coming through a difficult away game against Hougang United to win 3-1. The team’s progress was clearly evident, and many began to view the Sailors as serious contenders for the title.
Performance of the season
Without a doubt, the 7-1 thrashing of Balestier. Many expected this fixture to be a tough one for the Sailors – after all, they were coming into the game off a frustrating 1-1 home draw with Hougang, while the Tigers were flying high after recording victories in their first two games after the restart.
But the Sailors tore up the script and showed just what they were made of in this match. Known for being slow starters prior to this game, the Sailors showed urgency and intent from the get-go as they went 5-0 up in the span of 34 minutes through some superb team play that came right off the training ground.
Stipe Plazibat ran the show for the Sailors scoring a fantastic hat-trick, while also laying on two clever assists for Song Ui-Young and Saifullah Akbar. The Tigers simply did not know what hit them as the Aurelio and his charges took the largest half-time lead since the league was rebranded as the SPL in 2018.
The Sailors did not rest on their laurels, with Tajeli Salamat and Adam Swandi adding further goals in the second half to add gloss to the scoreline. It was a performance and result that went a long way in convincing many that the Sailors are indeed the real deal.
Most improved player
A number of players have improved under the tutelage of coach Aurelio, but the standout has got to be experienced right-back Aqhari Abdullah. Though he was not selected for the Sailors’ first two outings in March, the 29-year-old worked hard to reclaim his spot in the starting eleven after the league restart, and has since proven himself to be a modern full-back.
Previously known simply for his defensive attributes, Aqhari has this season developed an attacking edge to his game, with the full-back constantly pushing up to support the attack and whipping in dangerous crosses for his forwards. His determination and willingness to re-invent his play at this stage of his career is something that will surely inspire younger players.
Best goals
Song Ui-Young vs Tanjong Pagar United (13 Nov)
It was a goal that encapsulated the seemingly telepathic understanding between the Sailors’ attackers this season. Receiving the ball from Stipe, Song instantly laid the ball back into the Croatian striker’s path, and made a darting run into the area in expectation of a through pass. Stipe duly obliged and returned the ball to him with precision, and Song coolly finished off the move past Tanjong Pagar keeper Kenji Rusydi to put the Sailors three goals up in their eventual 6-1 win.
Gabriel Quak vs Geylang International (25 Nov)
The newly-crowned SPL Player of the Year, Gabriel, has been unplayable at times this campaign. And the 29-year-old stole the show in the Sailors’ 3-0 win over Geylang at OTH with a brilliant individual effort late in the game. It looked like Gabriel still had plenty of work to do when Hafiz Nor played the ball into his path just outside the six-yard box, but the Singapore international took out Yuki Ichiakawa with a cheeky backheel turn, proceeded to leave Adam Hakeem on his backside with another silky touch, before firing past Hairul Syirhan with a toe-poke. A classy goal from a classy player.
Saifullah Akbar vs Balestier Khalsa (5 Dec)
Keeping the ball with purpose before upping the tempo at the right time and attacking the opponent with lightning speed – that has been the Sailors’ way in 2020.
Saifullah’s goal against Balestier in the final game of the season perfectly illustrated this philosophy. When Tajeli headed the ball away in defence, his teammates quickly moved into open spaces to receive the ball. Hafiz Nor picked up the loose ball and played it back to Faizal Roslan, who passed it forward to Izzdin Shafiq. The Sailors captain then laid it on to Shahril Ishak, who instinctively played a through ball down the right for Hafiz. The nippy winger sprinted to the by-line before whipping in a pinpoint cross for Saifullah to thump home a stunning first-time volley past a rooted Zaiful Nizam in the Balestier goal.
Coach overview
With years of experience coaching abroad, and having famously led Adelaide United to the AFC Champions League final in 2008, there were massive expectations heaped on Aurelio Vidmar when he joined the Sailors. As with any new coach, it took some time for Aurelio to implement his ideas and get players to align themselves with his philosophy – and the team did struggle in the beginning.
However, the 53-year-old’s possession-based philosophy soon began to rub off on the players, and they became more and more efficient in playing the Aurelio way. He not only helped to bring young talents like Naqiuddin Eunos, Arshad Shamim and Saifullah to another level, but also managed to re-invent the experienced stars in the squad such as the aforementioned Aqhari and Gabriel – who impressed in a false nine role. The fact that the team averaged more than three goals a game this season is a testament to his coaching methods.
A number of players have also praised the personal touch of Aurelio, who makes it a point to give advice to every individual in the squad, while also listening and taking on board what they have to share. The Sailors are in good hands with him at the helm.
Ones to watch out for next season
Saifullah Akbar
It was a promising first season for one of the most talented young playmakers in the country. Often deployed in a midfield three along with Shahdan Sulaiman and Song, Saifullah is beginning to develop into a modern attacking midfielder who can both create and score goals.
With two goals and one assist this year, the onus is on the 21-year-old to raise his game to yet another level. We hope to see him influence the game and drive the team on even more next year, while also recording more goal involvements!
Stipe Plazibat
We do not need to say much about the impact Stipe has made on this team since his arrival in the mid-season transfer window. Apart from his goalscoring exploits, his intelligent and unselfish all-round play was a key component in making the Sailors’ attack tick.
It was a pity that a hamstring problem meant the 31-year-old barely played a part in the final few matches of the season. With the striker determined to work past his injury issues for next season, and with proper rest and recuperation, fans will be waiting with bated breath to see how a fully-fit Stipe can influence the team in his first full season with the Sailors.
Sailors’ 2020 team and individual stats (selected)
Top scorers – Stipe Plazibat – 9, Song Ui-Young – 9, Gabriel Quak – 5
Top assisters – Gabriel Quak – 7, Shahdan Sulaiman – 6, Stipe Plazibat – 5.
Total goals – 44 (highest in league, 12 more than nearest challengers Albirex)
Total shots – 208 (third-highest behind Albirex’s 237 and Tampines’s 214)
Total shots on target – 86 (second-highest behind Tampines’ 100)
Goals conceded – 18 (third-lowest behind Tampines’ 11 and Albirex’s 14)
Goal difference – +26 (highest, eight more than nearest challengers Albirex)
Total fouls – 169 (lowest, eight less than nearest challengers Geylang)
Yellow cards – 24 (second-lowest, five more than Albirex’s 19)
Red cards – 0 (one of only two teams along with Albirex with no explusions)
No. of goalscorers – 12 (joint-highest with Albirex)
- Stipe Plazibat – 9
- Song Ui-young – 9
- Gabriel Quak – 5
- Adam Swandi – 4
- Shahril Ishak – 3
- Shahdan Sulaiman – 2
- Saifullah Akbar – 2
- Arshad Shamim – 2
- Kaishu Yamazaki – 2
- Tajeli Salamat – 2
- Hafiz Nor – 1
- Andrew Pengelly – 1
If you were to take a look at Gabriel Quak’s highlight reel this year, you would see an array of tricks and flicks, long-range goals, clever assists, and even a cheeky individual effort that he counts among his personal highlights this season.
Not for nothing was Gabriel selected as the Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) Player of the Year – the 29-year-old has had an outstanding campaign for the Lion City Sailors, racking up five goals and seven assists in a truncated 14-game season.
The Singapore international, however, believes it was not the eye-catching things he did on the pitch which led to him winning the Player of the Year award.
Rather, it was the consistency he showed throughout the season that gave him the edge over the other two contenders for the Player of the Year award – teammate Stipe Plazibat and Albirex Niigata (S) striker Tomoyuki Doi.
“When I was in my early-20s, I would play well in one or two games, then not do so well in the next two matches,” Gabriel explained. “I already knew what I could offer, and there were brilliant moments, yes, but there also moments where I went cold.
“But over time, and especially this year, I’ve added consistency into my game. And I think that’s what the fans, the coach, and my teammates want to see, because they would like someone who’s reliable and can be called upon to deliver.
“I’ve shown in every game this season that I’m able to consistently contribute goals and assists or play a key part in the build-up. That’s the most pleasing thing for me this year.”
Gabriel, who joined the Sailors earlier this year after leaving Warriors FC at the end of last season, highlighted the desire to make the most of his footballing career as a driving force behind his consistency.
“A footballer’s career is not long, and each year only brings you closer to the finish line,” Gabriel mused. “In the last few years especially, I’ve been more focused on getting my game to a higher level. And this year, with me joining a new club and being happy where I am, I am better able to perform on the pitch.”
Gabriel also credited Sailors head coach Aurelio Vidmar for giving him the freedom to express himself on the pitch.
“As an attacker, if I’m playing in a team that wants to park the bus, I won’t be able to showcase my true ability,” said Gabriel. “So, I think the Sailors’ possession-based, attacking style of play suits me perfectly, while coach Aurelio gives me the trust and the freedom to express myself in the attacking third – and that has reaped dividends.”
Having been deployed either on the wings, in the centre of the park, or as a false-9 by Aurelio this season, the versatile Gabriel is relishing the responsibility of being among the team’s most important players.
Nonetheless, the ex-Navy FC star acknowledges that he can only do so much as just one of 11 players out on the pitch.
That is why he is encouraged to see the quality and strength in depth of this Sailors squad, which had five players in the SPL’s Team of the Year. In addition, Stipe also took home the Top Scorer award, while midfielder Saifullah Akbar was named the Young Player of the Year.
“It’s good that my teammates bagged their awards because it will only do wonders for their confidence,” Gabriel said. “And when you get that good vibe, it can rub off on the whole team.
“When you know that your striker is the top scorer, and behind him, you have the Young Player of the Year, you go into every game full of confidence. So, it’s definitely exciting to be in this team, and I think we can do something good together next season.”
And what exactly is the “something good” that Gabriel thinks the team can achieve?
“We have to win a trophy next season,” Gabriel declared emphatically. “Although we gave a good account of ourselves this year, we fell short. I think it’s not acceptable. We really need to go for it, there’s no room for failure next season.
“If it’s a full season, with both the Singapore Cup and the AFC Cup, it’ll be a tough one. But with the depth that we have, we can achieve something great. It’s a crucial year for us, and everyone needs to step up.
“And I think we can.”
He may have been one of the most consistent players in the Lion City Sailors this season, but Saifullah Akbar was still surprised to learn that he had won the Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) Young Player of the Year award.
After all, the ambitious 21-year-old still believes that if he had played better this year, especially in the matches that the Sailors failed to win, his team could have secured the SPL title.
“I actually think I had a decent season, not a fantastic one,” admitted Saifullah. “I was able to perform consistently in general, but I still look back at some matches and think that I could have played better, which might have helped us get the three points.
“To be very honest, I didn’t set my sights on winning the Young Player of the Year award this season. And so, I got excited when I knew I was nominated because it’s such a prestigious award. To then know that I’ve actually won it is an unbelievably amazing feeling.”
It is exactly this sort of winning mindset that has helped Saifullah earn the trust of head coach Aurelio Vidmar, with the Singapore Under-22 international starting 11 of the 14 league games this season.
But, how did Saifullah make such huge strides in his development as a player this season?
By taking care of “the little things”, says the ex-Tampines Rovers player.
He elaborates further: “As coach Aurelio always tells us, ‘the little things matter’. This means things like ensuring that you eat well, sleep well, take recovery sessions seriously, and to not skip a day of doing all these things because there is no shortcut to success.
“I feel that all these little things that I’ve been working hard to maintain have paid off, and probably played a big part in my performances this season.
“I also have to thank the coaches and the club for giving me this opportunity to perform, as I needed this consistency of performances to really kick start my footballing career.”
Among the areas where Saifullah has improved significantly is in the attacking third, with his intelligent runs into the box often causing havoc among opposition defences.
This has helped him record two goals – including a sumptuous volley against Balestier Khalsa in the Sailors’ final fixture – and one assist, and Saifullah counts those contributions among his personal highlights this year.
“Last season, I scored two penalties for the Young Lions and scored one deflected goal, but none of them were from open play,” said Saifullah. “So, to score twice from open play this season has got to be the highlight, especially as the goals came about because of my late runs into the box, which I’ve added to my gameplay.
“But I think I’ve also improved in terms of running box to box to help out both the defence and attack, and I feel like I’m developing into an all-round midfielder now.
“Obviously, I still have lots to improve. But now, with my Young Player of the Year award win, the bar is set at a high level. The only way for me to go from here is to push myself to an even higher level.”
When asked what his goal was for next season, however, Saifullah immediately put the team first, declaring: “It has got to be us winning the league. That’s the goal that we’ve got to achieve for sure.
“As for one of my personal goals, it’s to hopefully make my debut in regional competition for the Sailors and play in the AFC Cup.”
The disappointment etched on the faces of the Lion City Sailors players at the final whistle on Wednesday night was palpable.
The 1-1 draw with Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) meant they missed out on qualifying for next season’s AFC Champions League.
On the surface, it would have been easy to brand the Sailors’ debut season a washout. After all, they had fallen short of their initial target of winning the SPL title this year, and would also not finish the season as the best local team in the league.
But a closer look at their overall campaign illustrates that there are plenty of reasons why this year can still be considered a success for the Sailors, and why fans should be excited about what the team can deliver next season.
Rising stars raise their game to the next level
It has been a good year for the Sailors’ Under-23 youngsters, with a number of them given significant playing time and becoming better players. Just look at Naqiuddin Eunos, who made the left-back position his own this season despite originally being a winger. The 23-year-old has started every game this season, and has improved tremendously while going toe-to-toe with top SPL attackers such as Jordan Webb, Shawal Anuar and Hazzuwan Halim without looking out of place.
Further up the field, Saifullah Akbar has been a revelation in the middle of the pitch. Often deployed as part of a midfield three, the technically gifted 21-year-old’s mature performances alongside his senior teammates Shahdan Sulaiman and Song Ui-Young has seen him earn the trust of head coach Aurelio Vidmar. He has gradually developed into a modern playmaker who is capable of not just playing the passes, but also getting on the end of moves to finish them off.
In attack, electric winger Arshad Shamim has added end product to his blistering style of play with key goal involvements in the 4-0 win over Young Lions and the 1-1 draw with Tampines. Hardworking and industrious, the 20-year-old has certainly shown that he has the potential to be a national team player in future.
With the advantage of working day in day out with top quality players, the Lion City Sailors provide an ideal environment for these starlets to develop and thrive. Expect more of such young talents to burst onto the scene under the tutelage of coach Aurelio in the coming seasons.
Re-inventing experienced players and bringing the best out of them
It is not just the young players who are shining – the more experienced stars at the club have evolved and upped their game to another level as well. While there may be a tendency for experienced players to simply rely on skill sets and attributes they have honed over the years, coach Aurelio has challenged his senior stars to get out of their comfort zone and re-invent themselves to suit his tactical system.
And they have responded magnificently.
Known as a combative no-nonsense defender over the years, Aqhari Abdullah has morphed into a modern full-back this season with the ability to bomb forward and put in dangerous crosses into the area.
And how can we not mention the transformation of Gabriel Quak, who has contributed five goals and seven assists so far? Yes, the 29-year-old midfielder – who has been deployed on the wings for most of his career – did start playing centrally while at his previous club Warriors FC back in 2019. But this season, Gabriel has managed to be even more influential in central areas for the Sailors.
Often moving infield to link up effectively with the other attackers, he would also cause havoc in opposition defences with his intelligent off-the-ball running through the middle of the park. And, with chief forward Stipe Plazibat unable to play the last few games of the season due to injury, Aurelio has deployed Gabriel as a False 9 up top to devastating effect – just look at the impact he made in the 3-0 win over Geylang International in the dying stages of the game.
Attractive possession-based football
Even though results this season may not have always gone their way, the Sailors have persisted with playing an attractive brand of football throughout, and that has won over admirers. Ever since the league restarted in mid-October, coach Aurelio’s philosophy of a possession-based style of play has been evident in all the matches, with some of the football they put on display worthy of being included in a highlights reel.
The football has been free-flowing at times, with the Sailors midfielders and attackers exchanging passes at an almost telepathic level and showing great interchange of play in the final third. The best example was Song’s goal in the Sailors’ 6-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United where he played a couple of one-twos with Stipe, before lashing the ball into the back of the net to cap off a superb team goal.
Courtesy of the hard work put on the training ground, every player now knows their role on the counter – this understanding was evident in the opening goal of the Sailors’ 3-0 away win over Geylang, with the move starting all the way at the back with Hassan Sunny and ending with Song’s emphatic finish.
The Sailors have also picked up the second-highest number of points – 23 – among the eight teams since the restart, which shows the fruits of playing a style of football that is pleasing on the eye. The Sailors’ approach to the game is one which can help Singapore football on a whole – not just in terms of attracting fans to the stadiums (once restrictions are lifted), but also one that helps improve the players and puts them in good stead to face quality international opponents.
Fearsome attacking prowess
If there is one thing you can be certain of when you watch a Sailors’ game, it is that there will be goals. Aurelio’s men have scored in every single game this season, bar the 4-0 loss to Tampines earlier in March.
No team has recorded more than the Sailors’ tally of 38 goals since the restart, with the team averaging more than three goals per game. No less than 12 different Sailors have also found the back of the net this season – even centre-backs Kaishu Yamazaki and Tajeli Salamat have a couple of goals each! This just goes to show that the team does not solely rely on Stipe for goals.
It has also long been lamented that there is a dearth of local strikers who can hit the back of the net on a regular basis. Based on how the Sailors’ local attacking contingent performed this year, those worries may soon be put to rest. After all, Gabriel is the top local scorer with five goals despite not playing as an out-and-out forward. Adam Swandi has four goals to his name – all of which came from the bench – while the evergreen Shahril Ishak has scored twice despite his limited game time. It goes to show that with hard work and proper guidance, these local players can flourish in the goalscoring department.
Fighting spirit and impressive fitness levels
As cliché as it sounds, the hallmark of a great team is how they react when the chips are down. And it was evident throughout the season that this group of players have tremendous team spirit, as they kept fighting for one another throughout the full 90 minutes of each game. Whenever the team trailed, there was no sulking or finger-pointing. The team simply rallied together to muster a response.
Another trend over the course of the season is that the Sailors tend to finish matches as the stronger side, just like how they did against Tampines at the Bishan Stadium. The statistics back this point up – among the eight teams in the league, Aurelio’s men have scored the greatest number of goals (10) in the final 10 minutes. Their nearest challengers in this aspect, Albirex, have only managed to record six goals.
Being able to finish the game strongly can be attributed to the impressive fitness levels of the team. It is a real feat, given that the Sailors had to play more matches since the restart as compared to other teams – with a gruelling schedule of 11 games played over 36 days prior to the final game against Balestier. Credit also has to be given to the medical and fitness department for their tireless work in getting the players to recover and keep them in optimal condition.
The players’ superior fitness levels and tremendous work ethic will only serve the team well, especially at the continental level where they will face bigger and fitter opponents. Hopefully, that will come in the form of the AFC Champions League in the near future. For now, though, the Sailors have to be content with the second-tier AFC Cup – which could prove to be a perfect tune-up for the team’s future ambitions.
It was a mixed bag of results for the Sailors over the past week as they fell to a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Albirex Niigata (S) before bouncing back with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Geylang International in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
Here, we round up the three major talking points from the two matches, as Aurelio Vidmar’s charges gear up for the final three games of the season.
Sailors keep their heads up in the face of adversity
As the saying goes: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. A hallmark of a great team is their ability to rise after falling, and that was certainly on display in the Sailors’ performances in their last two matches.
Against Albirex, they fell behind twice in the first-half, but fought back well to level the score within 10-odd minutes on each occasion. The White Swans would take the lead for a third time late into the game, and although the Sailors were ultimately unable to find a reply to that goal, they kept pushing forward until the final whistle, and can perhaps count themselves unlucky not to finish the game with at least a point.
Then, against Geylang, Aurelio Vidmar’s men found themselves continually frustrated by a disciplined Geylang backline and an inspired Hairul Syirhan, who kept the Sailors out with a series of fine saves.
It would have been easy for the Sailors to get frustrated, especially with the score still locked at 0-0 by the 70-minute mark.
Other teams might have thrown their game plan out the window and resorted to route one football then. But not the Sailors. Instead, they stayed patient and stuck to Aurelio’s philosophy of possession-based football.
And they were duly rewarded, breaking the deadlock through a stunning counter-attacking move that started all the way from goalkeeper Hassan Sunny and ended in Song Ui-Young’s neat finish from close range.
Not content to sit on their one-goal advantage, the Sailors kept pushing forward, with both Gabriel Quak and Kaishu Yamazaki eventually also finding the back of the net before the final whistle.
The unwavering fighting spirit and dogged persistence from the boys when things were not going their way bodes well for the Sailors as they look to finish the season strongly.
Gabriel Quak – a possible Player of the Year contender?
Who has been the standout performer for the Sailors this season? It’s a tough question to answer, given that a number of players have shone since the league restarted in mid-October.
Among them is Gabriel Quak, who has undoubtedly been one of the Sailors’ brightest sparks.
While the Sailors had to cope without striker-in-chief Stipe Plazibat for the past two matches due to injury, the Croatian’s absence has thankfully not been felt too keenly, and that is largely down to Gabriel’s performances.
Often deployed in a central role – either as an attacking midfielder behind striker Shahril Ishak, or as a False 9 up top – Gabriel has been a revelation for the Sailors this season, and his influential performance against Geylang was a perfect showcase of the qualities that he brings to the team.
The 29-year-old’s nifty footwork helped him bamboozle past two Geylang defenders to score the Sailors’ second, before he showed great awareness to tee Kaishu up for the team’s third and final goal in stoppage time.
Currently with a league-leading six assists to his name, Gabriel appears to be going from strength to strength with each passing game. At this rate, no one will bet against the Singapore international from being nominated, and even winning, the Player of the Year gong at the SPL’s year-end awards.
Strength in depth the key in hectic run-in
The hectic run of fixtures in a truncated SPL season has taken a toll on most teams, with several players throughout the league suffering muscular and ligament injuries. The Sailors have likewise been affected by injuries, with Stipe unable to significantly feature in the last two matches after pulling his hamstring in the 3-1 win over Hougang United last Tuesday (Nov 17).
The hectic schedule leaves coaches with a conundrum – should they practice squad rotation to keep their top stars fresh, and risk having the team’s performances suffer as a result of their absence? Or should they keep playing their key players throughout, and hope they do not suffer a lengthy injury?
This is where the importance of squad depth comes into play. With the final three games of the campaign set to be played over seven gruelling days – on top of what has already been a frenetic season so far – the chances of injury are heightened, and how coaches utilise their squad for this final stretch will be crucial in determining the final league standings.
Thankfully for the Sailors, they have arguably the strongest bench in the league, with Aurelio previously remarking that “every player in the team can play in the starting-11”.
And their upcoming game against the Young Lions this Sunday (Nov 29), 5.30pm, at the Jurong West Stadium, might provide Aurelio the chance to rest some of his big names for the crunch match against title-chasing Tampines Rovers next Wednesday (Dec 2).
This could see the likes of Abdil Qaiyyim, Faizal Roslan, club captain Izzdin Shafiq and even Adam Swandi be handed a start against the Young Lions – all dependable players who could easily be regular starters for the Sailors, who will undoubtedly give their 100 per cent to prove that they deserve an extended run in the starting 11.
Now, that is what you call squad depth.
It was a good week for the Lion City Sailors. Aurelio Vidmar’s charges followed up on their 6-1 thrashing of Tanjong Pagar United last Friday (Nov 13) with a 3-1 victory over Hougang United on Tuesday (Nov 17) to make it three successive wins in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
Here we round up the three major talking points from the two matches that kept the Sailors firmly in the hunt for the SPL title, with just five matches left to play.
Sailors hit the ground running
How things can change in a short span of time in football. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Sailors would struggle to find their rhythm in the first half, before turning on the style in the latter stages of the game. That issue has since been put to bed, with the Sailors scoring within the first 15 minutes for the past three matches – including the 7-1 thrashing of Balestier Khalsa that kick-started the winning streak.
In the past two outings, Aurelio’s men looked purposeful on the ball and knew exactly what they had to do to get into the groove early on and execute what was worked on in the training ground the past week.
Against Tanjong Pagar, the team smelled blood after Kaishu Yamazaki opened the scoring with a header off Shahdan Sulaiman’s corner, and kept going for more to seal the three points by half-time with an almost unassailable 4-0 lead. Against Hougang, they found the breakthrough via Gabriel Quak’s sublime free-kick in the 12th minute and came close to scoring on several other occasions in the first-half. While they were only able to take a one-goal lead into the break, the work they did in the first-half helped set the tone for what was to come in the second period.
Scoring and wrapping up the three points early on also meant Coach Aurelio had the luxury to rest some key players for the last half-hour to keep them fresh for the title run-in, especially given that the five remaining matches of the SPL will be played in the span of just two weeks.
Possession-based identity getting clearer
After the first two matches of the season, in which the Sailors attained just one point, the team came in for much criticism, and many wondered what exactly Coach Aurelio’s philosophy was.
Well, his ideas are now taking flight, and the Sailors’ identity is getting clearer with each passing match. For Coach Aurelio, it is all about dominating opponents and playing as much in the attacking half as possible to unlock opposition defences. While the team tried to implement this philosophy in the first few matches as well, the Sailors often ended up with little to show for back then, perhaps due to a breakdown of play in the final third.
However, with more training sessions and matches under their belt, the players now have a better understanding of each other’s style, and are hitting all the right notes in attack. The flow of their play has improved in recent games, as evident in the quick interchange of passes and near-telepathic movement between the attackers.
The best example was perhaps Song’s goal in the win against the Jaguars – the Incheon native exchanged a couple of quick passes with Stipe Plazibat, before breaking into the penalty box and firing home from close range.
It was a move that took all of five seconds to execute, and perfectly encapsulated the sort of attacking play that Aurelio’s Sailors have been drilled in.
There was also Adam Swandi’s second goal in that same game, which saw him instinctively run into space to meet Gabriel’s neat backheel pass with a first-time finish.
Another example of a slick Sailors attacking move came in the game against Hougang, with Gabriel smartly releasing full-back Aqhari Abdullah, who then squared across goal for Hafiz Nor to convert from close range. These well-worked goals are no coincidence – it is all down to the hard work on the training ground by the players and coaching staff alike, to execute Aurelio’s vision of a possession-based game that relies on quick passes in the final third to break down defences.
We’ve got the firepower
It was a worrying sign for the Sailors when Stipe went off early against Hougang due to a hamstring problem, and understandably so – the 31-year-old has been in stellar form since his arrival in September, contributing to an incredible nine goals and five assists in just seven matches.
But even if he were to be unavailable for the next couple of matches, the Sailors will still have enough firepower at their disposal to cope. The past couple of matches have shown that the team is not solely reliant on Stipe for goals, with the rest of the players proving capable of picking up the slack in terms of scoring as well – in fact, the Sailors currently have the most number of scorers in the league, with 11 different players having already found the back of the net so far this season.
The Sailors have also become more lethal from set-pieces, with Shahdan often wreaking havoc with his wicked deliveries, and Gabriel getting in on the act as well with his first professional free-kick goal against Hougang.
Confidence is also growing amongst the other attackers, with Hafiz netting his first goal of the season against the Cheetahs, while Adam, who has found the net four times already this season, looks stronger with each substitute appearance. Experienced forward Shahril Ishak is also back with the team after a five-game absence, and looked lively in his cameo appearance against Hougang. And while Song missed the game against Hougang due to injury, he should be back for this weekend’s clash against Albirex to bolster our attacking options.
Of course, the Sailors look a more complete side with Stipe. But, in the unfortunate event that he misses a game or two, the names mentioned above can definitely still form a fluid strike force on their own, and carry out Coach Aurelio’s philosophy to break down stubborn defences.
Receiving the ball from Stipe Plazibat, Song Ui-Young instantly laid the ball back to the Croatian striker and made a darting run into the box in expectation of a through pass.
Song’s faith was repaid – Stipe sent a delightful ball into the path of Song, who finished the move off with remarkable precision to score the Sailors’ third goal in their 6-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United last Friday (Nov 13).
That goal was the talk on social media over the weekend, with netizens praising the quick interchange of passes between Song and Stipe, four touches over the course of just five seconds. More importantly, the goal is a great example of how scintillating the Sailors have been in attack in their last few Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches.
It is also a showcase of the improved chemistry and telepathy between the attackers – something that Song puts down to his excellent off-the-pitch relationship with Stipe, who only joined the club in September.
“I don’t know how to explain about this goal… It just happened!” recounted Song, who also linked up with Stipe to score in the Sailors’ previous match – a 7-1 thrashing of Balestier Khalsa. “The relationship between me and Stipe is really good. It is not only about football; off the field we are good friends as well. We talk a lot, and we share many things about life.
“We played together before (at Home United in 2017) and we kept in contact even after he left the team. We understand each other very well (outside football), and that’s why the situation on the field is probably the same.
“It’s not only this goal. I believe more goals are going to come as a result of our relationship.”
Since making his debut in Singapore football with Home United in 2012, Song has played alongside quality forwards such as Frederic Mendy, Indra Sahdan and Ken Ilso. But the South Korean still ranks Stipe amongst the very best forwards – if not the best one – that he has had the opportunity to play with.
“They all have different styles – Mendy is tall and is always a physical presence. Ilso is a bit more technical, while Stipe is usually an out-and-out finisher, although sometimes, he plays like a playmaker,” Song mused. “Stipe has been scoring a lot each year, to the point I’ve stopped counting his goals! I think he has more than 50 goals in the SPL now and he’s definitely one of the best strikers we have in this league.
“When I worked with Mendy, Indra and Ilso, I was in my early 20s and quite young so I was more on the field as a support to them. Now, I have a main role in the team with Stipe, so I have more responsibility to make a difference for the team. But it really makes my job easier with his (Stipe) presence upfront.”
After a disappointing 2019 season in which Home finished sixth out of nine teams and failed to qualify for continental football for the first time in four seasons, the club is now showing shoots of promise, after being rebranded as the Lion City Sailors, and coming under the stewardship of renowned Australian coach Aurelio Vidmar.
Song has only good things to say about the gaffer, who previously led A-League side Adelaide United to become the first Australian team to qualify for the AFC Champions League (ACL) final in 2008.
“Last year, our head coach kept changing (from Saswadimata Dasuki to Noh Rahman to Raddy Avramovic and back to Noh Rahman). The tactical system kept changing, so naturally the team took some time to adjust. That’s why our results were not so good,” the 27-year-old reflected.
“This year, we have stability with Coach Aurelio – he has huge experience as a player and as a head coach. He’s getting respect and trust from the players and the coaching staff for the ideas that he has brought in. So far, everything’s going well and I think everyone can see our improvement this season, so that’s very positive for us.”
Under Coach Aurelio, Song’s role with the team may have altered a little as he is required to sit slightly deeper, but he is relishing it nonetheless.
“My role this year is a new one. Last year it was just like a pure no. 10, in a free role where I could focus a bit more on attack,” he revealed. “This time I’m playing not just as no. 10, but also as no. 8. I’ve to adjust according to the game’s situation, but there’s no big issue for me because I’ve been playing in both positions over the years.
“The combination between the midfielders is really good. Shahdan (Sulaiman) sits a bit deeper and I will support Saifullah (Akbar) or Gabriel (Quak) more in the attack. I’m really enjoying this new role with this group of good players.”
After thrilling with 13 goals in their last two outings, the Sailors are now gunning for a third straight league victory.
But it will not come easy. The Sailors have an away fixture against a disciplined Hougang United side on Tuesday night (Nov 17). The Cheetahs managed to frustrate the Sailors two weeks ago in a 1-1 draw at Bishan which Song missed through injury, and he is now ready to make up for that missed opportunity.
“Hougang is a difficult team to break down. When we played against them, they were really focused on the defensive areas – with five defenders and four midfielders all in their own half,” he pointed out.
“It wasn’t an easy game with so many of their players back there. But if they set up like that again, we have no choice but to break them and score to get the three points. I believe the winning mentality is much stronger than before after our last two performances, and now we’ve to prove our quality in this match.”
Currently three points off the top with six games still to be played, Song believes the team is poised for the title challenge as he set his sights on playing in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.
This year’s SPL champions will earn an automatic berth in the group stages of Asia’s elite club competition.
“I’m really eager to win the league because I’ve never won it in my nine years here,” said the Incheon native. “We’re now in a good flow to make this happen, and I’m going to do my best to help the team achieve our dream.
“I’ve been dreaming of playing in the AFC Champions League since we finished as zonal champions in the 2018 AFC Cup. I remember scoring against (Indonesia’s) Persija Jakarta (in front of 62,198 fans at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium) and that was a really special memory,” said Song of Home United’s exploits in the AFC’s second-tier regional club competition.
“I want to have that feeling again – playing against a strong team in front of a big crowd. To be in this competition playing against Asia’s biggest teams will help not just the club, but also Singapore football as a whole, to improve.”
Rubbing off beads of sweat while trudging off the pitch following the Lion City Sailors’ resounding 7-1 win over Balestier Khalsa on Saturday, Gabriel Quak had reason to smile as he reflected on a productive evening where he was involved in three out of the Sailors’ seven goals.
In between his perfectly-weighted passes to set up Stipe Plazibat and Adam Swandi for their goals, he also notched an intelligent pre-assist ball over the top for Plazibat, who teed up Saifullah Akbar for the latter’s maiden Sailors goal.
Despite his impressive performance in the Sailors’ commanding win, however, the 29-year-old remains unsatisfied. Instead, Gabriel was more interested in reflecting on where he and the Sailors can improve for their upcoming Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches.
“The manner in which we scored some of the goals was exactly how Coach Aurelio (Vidmar) wanted us to play our football…I was really pleased with how we moved the ball as compared to our previous games, but it’s still not a complete team performance if you ask me,” said Gabriel. “There were still some errors from us here and there, so that’s where we need to improve on.
“For myself, I could have scored a hat-trick in the second half, but fatigue let me down in my finishing. This is what happens when games are played every three to four days. But I’m not too worried (about not scoring) because I’m getting into the key positions that I need to be in.”
Gabriel has recorded four assists so far this season, making him the joint-top assist maker in the league alongside teammate Plazibat and Tampines’ Jordan Webb.
And the Singapore international, who also has two goals to his name, is pleased with how his Sailors career has panned out so far. This is especially after a knee injury forced him to make cameos off the bench in the first two matches following the SPL restart, before finally returning to the starting eleven for the next three.
“I thought I won’t feature at all in the first game back (against Geylang International) as Coach felt it was better not to risk me with games coming thick and fast,” said Gabriel, who joined the Sailors after an excellent 2019, where he scored 11 goals in all competitions and captained the Warriors to the Singapore Cup final.
“But he still decided to give me some minutes to slowly ease me back – which was a great gesture from him. He brought me on in a crucial moment where Geylang was starting to come back strongly at 2-0 down, and that helped as I played a part in the final two goals that effectively killed the game off. From there, things just got better for me and I believe the best is yet to come.”
While widely known as a fleet-footed winger, Gabriel has these days morphed into an all-rounded attacker – one who is capable of playing through the middle or drifting infield to create chances.
While crediting his coaches at Warriors for the initial transformation, Gabriel revealed that he is now receiving crucial inputs from former Aurelio to bring his game to another level in this newfound role.
It is of no coincidence that the Sailors tactician was a legendary attacking midfielder who scored 17 times in 41 appearances for the Socceroos from 1991 to 2001.
“Coach actually sat me down for coffee before the season started to share his plans for me. He liked me in the middle because of my ability to create and what I can offer in tight spaces,” shared Gabriel. “With his experience as an attacking midfielder from his playing days, he knows exactly what he wants from a player in that position so that makes it much easier for me.
“Also, after playing on the flanks all these years, I think my runs are smarter and more effective now. So I told him I’ll play anywhere in the attacking third, and we even spoke about using me as a false nine before Stipe arrived.
“Not all players can play more than one position, so I’m really glad that I can add this new dimension to my game at this stage of my career. It’s a good option for Coach too, as he can work out his game plan without being so rigid.”
It has taken a while, but it seems like the team is now getting to grips with Aurelio’s coaching philosophy. The Sailors have looked fluent in attack in recent matches, and have scored 19 goals in five matches since the restart, making them the league’s current top scorers.
Gabriel puts that success down to ‘everyone having a common goal’.
“It’s a breeze (for the attackers) to work with each other because we don’t just want to win; we also want to bring the best out of each other,” he emphasised. “We know deep down Stipe is gunning for the Golden Boot so we’re all helping him.
“It’s also down to Coach’s excellent man management that we all know our roles. For example, Adam (Swandi) isn’t sulking because he’s not starting. He knows he will come in at some stage during the game and indeed he has done well in all his appearances off the bench. This happiness in the team is important for us to be successful. The moment selfishness kicks in, that’s a recipe for failure.”
Next up for the Sailors is a rematch against second-from-bottom Tanjong Pagar United at Bishan Stadium on Friday night (Nov 13). Gabriel believes the boys are out to prove a point after they could only eke out a 1-1 draw against the gritty Jaguars in their first match of the season.
“I’m personally looking forward to this match ever since the final whistle sounded in that first game,” said the veteran. “Tanjong Pagar have yet to win probably due to their thin squad, but they always put up a good fight in every game. So we have to be physically ready for the challenge and I believe everyone is eager to make amends for that result.”
Currently five points adrift of pacesetters Tampines Rovers with seven games to go, Gabriel is setting the bar high for the Sailors.
“Why not?” he replied, when asked about whether it is realistic to target an unbeaten run for the second half of this season. “When our team was assembled, our aim was to try and win every game.
“It takes time for a newly-assembled team to get going, but excuses will run out as time passes. We need to improve on our consistency. The 4-0 win against Geylang counted for nothing because we lost to Albirex (Niigata (S) in the following match; likewise for the 5-0 win against Young Lions, because we then drew with Hougang (United).
“We need to cultivate a winning mentality and make winning a habit if we want to seriously challenge for the title and be a successful side for years to come.”
The Sailors produced a real statement of intent on Saturday evening (Nov 7) as they beat a high-flying Balestier Khalsa side 7-1 to reduce the gap between them and Singapore Premier League (SPL) leaders Tampines Rovers to five points.
Aurelio Vidmar’s charges flew out of the blocks and found themselves 5-0 up by the 35th minute courtesy of Stipe Plazibat’s well-taken hat-trick, as well as one apiece from Song Ui-Young and Saifullah Akbar.
The Sailors then put the icing on the cake with further strikes from Tajeli Salamat and super-sub Adam Swandi sandwiching a consolation goal by Balestier’s Kristijan Krajček.
Here, we look back on three talking points from an excellent outing for the Sailors.
Stipe’s not just a goalscorer
How can we start this piece without mentioning the contributions of our main man upfront?
It is clear that the club acquired Stipe in the mid-season transfer window mainly for his goalscoring ability – as seen over the years in the SPL, and even in his short time with the Sailors so far. It is clear, Stipe is a player who hits the back of the net on a regular basis.
However, his incredible goalscoring prowess has perhaps overshadowed other qualities that he brings to the team. Stipe’s not just an old-fashioned number 9 who stays in the box to finish off the chances that come to him. He’s a modern centre forward who brings his fellow attackers into play with his intelligence and spatial awareness.
We’ve already seen glimpses of that in previous games against Albirex Niigata (S) and the Young Lions where he laid on goals for Song, Adam and Gabriel Quak. And he was at it again against Balestier, with two more clever assists to set up Song and Saifullah.
For Song’s goal in the 19th minute, the Croat expertly controlled Naqiuddin Eunos’ low cross before taking Balestier centre-backs Jufri Taha and Fadlis Kamis completely out of the game with a deftly lofted ball for Song, who slammed it home from a tight angle.
He repeated the trick 15 minutes later by unselfishly squaring across goal for Saifullah to sweep home when it seemed like the most obvious option was to pull the trigger. Finally, in the 65th minute, Stipe cleverly sold a dummy that completely bamboozled the Balestier defence, giving Adam the time and space to place his effort into the bottom corner of the net.
Being involved in six of the Sailors’ seven goals, it was a good evening’s worth of work for Stipe. For fans of the Sailors, it is a tantalising prospect to see this well-rounded striker firing on all cylinders as we head into the business end of the season.
Sailors finally get off to a fast start
It has been clear that the Sailors have not started games particularly well since the SPL restarted in mid-October. In our prior games against Albirex, Young Lions and Hougang United, we found the going tough in the first 45 minutes, and only hit the right notes in the second half.
That was a pain point Coach Aurelio and the team had to fix quickly and boy, did they do that against Balestier. There was clear urgency from the get-go, with the support cast of Saifullah and Song linking up well with the front three of Stipe, Gabriel Quak and Haiqal Pashia on several occasions in the first half.
The first goal came off the Sailors’ first real chance, a confidence-booster that set the tone for the rest of the game. Thereafter, the team kept creating chances and could have found themselves commanding an even larger lead at half time, if not for the intervention of Balestier keeper Zaiful Nizam and the woodwork.
A five-goal advantage at the break meant the Sailors could afford to take the foot off the gas a little in the second half and play with less intensity to conserve their energy for the upcoming games – another advantage of starting games well. Of course, it is unrealistic to expect the boys to rack up an unassailable lead by half-time in every game, but given the quality of the Sailors’ attackers, it is well within the boys’ ability to be leading by a goal or two within the first 45 minutes.
Wreaking havoc on set-pieces
As Stipe nodded in Shahdan’s superbly-delivered free-kick in a carbon copy of his first goal to complete his hat-trick, it would have been easy to believe that the Sailors are a serious threat from set-pieces. But it was surprising to learn that we had only scored once through a non-penalty set-piece (Stipe’s debut goal for the Sailors against Geylang) this season prior to this game.
Throughout the first half, we looked dangerous whenever there was a set-piece situation, and could have scored another if Kaishu Yamazaki’s header off Shahdan’s outswinging corner did not come off the post. Is this a sign of things to come?
Set-piece plays are a key weapon in every team’s arsenal. In tight games where the opposition is tough to break down in open play, a well-executed set-piece could be the difference between one point or three.
With Shahdan’s uncanny ability to whip in a good ball to pick out his teammates, coupled with the the aerial prowess of Stipe as well as defenders Kaishu, Tajeli and Abdil Qaiyyim, the Sailors ought to be taking full advantage to score more via set-pieces. And who knows, that may eventually prove decisive in our pursuit of the SPL title.
