Category: Feature
Risto Vidaković is relishing the challenge of bringing the Lion City Sailors back to the top of Singapore football as the club looks to accelerate towards its vision of becoming a top Asian club and a hub of youth development on the continent.
“The people here are very professional – the club is taking things very seriously with the construction of the new Training Centre and everyone here is working on the same goal of building something very powerful in the region. I know the club is targeting continuous improvement and optimisation,” he said.
“For me, I see this as a very huge and exciting challenge to come in to make something special at the club.”
And the well-rested Risto is hungry and raring to go.
Ever since he parted ways with Malaysia Super League side Melaka United through mutual consent in April 2022 and called time on an ill-fated stint that lasted just a few months, the 53-year-old Serbian returned to the Spanish capital of Madrid – his home of almost 30 years – to spend more time with his family while continuing to keep up to speed with the game through analysing La Liga matches from his couch.
Photo courtesy of Melaka United
“It was one of the most difficult periods for me in my coaching career because of all the issues there – players are not getting paid and nobody is motivated. In the end we realised the best way is to part ways.
“It wasn’t pleasant, but sometimes it’s good to have this type of negative experience which helps you grow and learn in football. I’ve been travelling around and enjoying time with my wife and son since – things that I couldn’t do before.
“But now I just can’t wait to get started again,” said Risto, who holds a UEFA Pro coaching license.
Risto is no stranger to Singapore football, having followed the Singapore Premier League (SPL) closely since 2016 when his former club Ceres was one of the foreign teams invited to play in the Singapore Cup in that year as well as in the following campaign.
He was also in charge of Ceres when they faced Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup ASEAN zonal finals for two straight years – emerging victorious in 2017 then edged out by the Singapore side in 2018.
Photo courtesy of Singapore Premier League
With Ceres having the accolade of being the top-ranked Southeast Asian club in the AFC club rankings in 2019 and 2020, his achievements in Philippines speak for itself: he notably inspired Ceres to claim the scalp of Australia’s A-League side Brisbane Roar in the 2018 AFC Champions League (ACL) second preliminary round, this on top of winning three straight domestic titles there between 2017 to 2019.
“It wasn’t easy because Philippines football was still very much on their way up and it takes quite some effort to get the players to adapt from playing in the domestic level to a much higher level like the AFC,” said Risto with great pride.
In addition, he has experience elsewhere in the region – winning the Maldives’ league undefeated with Maziya in 2021 and managing Borneo in Indonesia.
Risto is also known for his knack for nurturing young players who grow into first-team stalwarts. Earlier in his career, he worked under the legendary Spanish coach Javier Clemente as assistant coach of the Serbia national team where he helped shape players the likes of Nemanja Vidić and Nikola Žigić.
Thereafter he became head coach at lower-division Spanish clubs like Écija, Cádiz, and the Real Betis reserve team – where he developed a number of talents for their first team including Alejandro Pozuelo, who then went on to play in the English Premier League with Swansea City.
It is something which he hopes to continue to do at the Sailors, with a slew of young players set to join the 2023 roster.
“Every club needs a good mix between young and experienced players – I’m happy we have some top foreign players here who have played in top-level leagues in Europe and they will be important to help guide these young players to reach another level in their game.
“Collectively with these ingredients, we can build something important for the future and create a good atmosphere in the dressing room for the players every day.”
Risto will officially start work in January 2023 and will need time to get to know the players better, but there is no doubt that he wants the team to play entertaining attacking football based on ball possession, a style laced with intelligence and solidarity off the ball.
“I like to play offensive football and it’s obvious in all the clubs I’ve worked in before that we’ve played that way. It’s important that the fans enjoy what they’re seeing from the team.
“While I have my philosophy, it’s also key that my players feel comfortable and happy with their positions on the pitch and their roles within the team so I have to adapt as well,” he said.
Risto is adamant that the Sailors should charge ahead with the objective of reclaiming the SPL title and returning to the ACL group stages for a second time.
“Yes, of course it’s not easy to put together a new team with players of different mentalities and habits which they had from other clubs, but that’s the challenge I chose to – and want to – take up. I know the pressure of us being the only privatised club in Singapore and the league is getting more competitive, but it’s on us to live up to it and we have to challenge on all fronts,” said Risto.
“We’ve got all the materials for a successful team and everyone has to pull together in the same direction to make 2023 a memorable year for the club.”
In Sailors Abroad, we take an in-depth look at the Sailors’ foreign stints, through the eyes of those who lived through the experience.
In this piece, Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite squad’s Rae Peh shares his thoughts on the opportunity of training alongside his counterparts at Portugal’s S.C. Braga.
S.C. Braga have built one of Europe’s best emerging youth academies in recent times, churning out the likes of Pedro Neto and Francisco Trincão – who are now recognisable names in the European game.
Four boys from the Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite Squad had the chance of being embedded in Braga’s impressive youth system recently during a 15-day training stint (20 November to 4 December 2022).
Courtesy of a warm long-term relationship between the Sailors and Braga, the quartet – born between 2007 to 2008 – trained alongside their counterparts at the Portuguese outfit.
Singaporean duo – goalkeeper Edgar Leo and midfielder Rae Peh were attached to Braga’s Under-15s, while Australian left-back Anton Jerga and Japanese-Irish offensive midfielder Joshua Little were placed with their U16s.
The four of them are no strangers to being in Europe for football education. Part of the Sailors Under-14 team that travelled to Germany and the Netherlands at the end of 2021 for training camps with the club’s partners Borussia Dortmund (BVB) and Feyenoord Rotterdam respectively, they were also in Spain as recently as this June for something similar with Atletico Madrid.
It is a different experience this time and perhaps a more enriching one as they had to step out of their comfort zone and be put through their paces alongside their counterparts at Braga.
Chilly weather conditions in Europe and training sessions of a higher intensity did not faze the Sailors trainees, but the language barrier proved to be a bit of a bigger challenge.
“Not all Braga coaches speak English, so we sometimes needed help with translations when they explained the drills. It was the same with players so it was quite a challenge initially as we clearly needed to communicate well with them on the pitch and show our ability,” said 14-year-old Rae.
“Fortunately, we were prepared well and made to learn some key Portuguese words like Bom Dia (good morning), Bom Tarde (good afternoon), venha aqui (come here), passe a bola (pass the ball) and obrigado (thank you) which helped us a lot. Over the days, we and the Braga boys got to know each other much better.”
As a central midfielder, Rae gleaned much from Braga’s football philosophy that focuses a lot on ball work and having three central midfielders in their playing system – a consistent system from their Under-13s all the way up to their U21 side.
“I enjoyed the training session a lot and playing with the Braga boys. They’re technically super gifted, each of them knows how to go and where to go during the build-up play, and their awareness of the game is outstanding. Their level is something that I aspire to.”
There were lessons that extend beyond the football pitch as the quartet also learnt a bit more about themselves through a personality test.
“We had a mental performance coach who came in to do an individual test with us. Through this test, each of us got to know more about what makes us tick and what are our weak points.
“I learnt that when I hit my stress point, I tend to do things alone – that’s true and it’s something I will need to cope with and overcome on the football pitch. I’ll have to trust my teammates more to be a better player for the team,” shared Rae.
Being away from the comfort of home and the safety net of parents for a prolonged period, the Sailors trainees also made sure they watched out for each other well over the course of the trip – as well as learnt more about Portugal’s football culture.
Apart from visiting Braga’s iconic Municipal Stadium, they also watched a couple of domestic youth games as well as sightseeing around the city – and came across several kids playing on the streets.
All in all, it was a rewarding trip for the aspiring Sailors trainees to have a first-hand experience of life in a professional academy as they continue to pursue their dreams of being top professionals.
“The biggest lesson was learning to live with uncomfortable situations and learn from them – in our football journey ahead, we’ve to constantly put ourselves in different environments and interact with people from different cultures as they’re necessary to help us grow,” said Rae.
“The coaches kept telling us not to be afraid to ask questions and speak up – that’s important and we’ve to keep enriching ourselves with new knowledge to develop further.”
In Sailors Abroad, we take an in-depth look at the Sailors’ foreign stints, through the eyes of those who lived through the experience.
In this piece, Lion City Sailors Football Academy’s Head of Technical Training Rodrigo Costa reflects on Sailors trainees’ recent training stint at Spain’s Atletico Madrid.
Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have one of the most internationally renowned youth academies, having groomed homegrown talents like Gabi, Fernando Torres and Saúl Ñíguez.
Four boys from the Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite Squad had the privilege of being embedded in the youth setup of the 11-time La Liga champions recently during a 15-day training stint (20 November to 4 December 2022), along with the academy’s Head of Technical Training, Rodrigo Costa, and Technical Coach, Nuno Pereira.
Courtesy of a warm long-term relationship between the Sailors and Atletico, the quartet – born between 2006 to 2008 – trained alongside their counterparts at the Spanish side.
Left back Luth Harith and central midfielder Nigel Binex were attached to Atletico’s Under-15 and Under-16 “A” teams respectively, while attacking midfielder Jonan Tan and forward Qaisy Noranzor were placed with the Under-17s “B” team.
While this is a first trip to Spain for Jonan and Qaisy, Harith and Nigel are no strangers to the Iberian peninsula, having been part of the Sailors U15 team that travelled there for a Europe Training Camp earlier this year. Nigel memorably scored a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid to lead the Sailors to a 3-1 win in the final game on that tour.
This time they are back and are taking the step up to train under the watchful eyes of Atletico academy coaches. Similar to what their peers experienced in Borussia Dortmund, the four boys underwent individual training in their specific positions in the morning before joining their respective teams’ group sessions in the second half of the day.
Observing keenly from the sidelines, it was also a learning experience for the Sailors coaches.
Rodrigo quickly took notice of the electric intensity of the Atletico trainees, but was pleasantly surprised at how the Sailors kept up with other facets of the training.
“The standard of these players in the Atletico academy is obviously very high due to their very well-organised youth programme. Our players understandably struggled in some aspects: the biggest challenges I felt were the level of understanding of the game, which is not as high, and how fast the boys can execute the drills given by Atletico coaches,” shared the 34-year-old.
“But I have to say: technically the boys are actually not far off and they didn’t look out of place at all – this shows that we’ve done some good work with them in our Academy, but there’s more we can do for sure.
“We noticed a few major differences: one is that their individual training focuses a lot more on game-realistic situations instead of focusing on honing general technique. That’s an approach we hope to adopt going forward.”
While it took a couple of days for the quartet to break the ice and acclimatise to both training alongside the Atletico boys and the colder weather, they eventually bedded in well and made new friends along the way.
They were then given the chance to represent Atletico in a squad filled with players from their international program in a friendly against a lower-league Spanish youth side, during which they got to don the iconic red-and-white Atletico jerseys.
“We’re very thankful to the staff who were so welcoming. They were preparing for their own league games over the weekend but were still so accommodating in having visiting players train with them.
“It’s great for us to see how the boys reacted to being in an ultra-competitive environment and that’s necessary for them to grow as football players,” said Rodrigo.
As part of the trip, the Sailors trainees and coaches also got to visit Atletico’s iconic Metropolitano Stadium, watched one of Atletico’s first-team training sessions as well as Atletico’s top-of-the-table clash against Real Madrid in the domestic Under-19 league – a game which ended 0-0.
They also met some of Atletico’s current and former stars like Saúl, Felipe and the iconic Torres – who is now head coach of their U19s.
All in all, it was a real eye-opener for the Sailors to experience European football culture and see first-hand just what Atletico’s rising stars have to go through to make it to the top.
“One thing I saw was how they’re already living a similar life to a professional footballer’s even at the age of 13 to 14. They live in the residence, wake up and have breakfast together, go to training together on a bus and get picked up from school to return to the place at the end of the day.
“In their free time, they will mingle with each other over games like table tennis or Playstation 5. These kids have to get used to being away from their families for a prolonged period to chase their dreams. This made me wonder if we’re able to do something similar for our boys and whether this is something we can adapt to?” pondered Rodrigo.
There is little doubt that the work will continue in Singapore.
“I think the boys saw for themselves what it takes to be a professional footballer overseas – the competition, the things they have to give up and the unwavering commitment to the cause,” said Rodrigo.
“It’s our job in the Academy to help our players find that little bit extra in themselves. We’ll need to increase the level of healthy competitiveness in the team, and we have to help them find a greater desire to succeed that they will even watch and educate themselves more about the game outside of their team training sessions.”
In Sailors Abroad, we take an in-depth look at the Sailors’ foreign stints, through the eyes of those who lived through the experience.
In this piece, Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite squad’s Nathan Mao shares his thoughts on the opportunity of training alongside his counterparts at Feyenoord.
They have been named the Netherlands’ best academy several times, with the likes of Robin Van Persie (RVP), Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Georginio Wijnaldum coming through the system.
The Feyenoord Rotterdam Academy continues to be recognised as one of the best youth football setups in the world. And just last month, some of the Lion City Sailors’ very own rising stars were embedded in the Feyenoord setup that churns out rising talents year after year.
Three boys from the Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite squad recently embarked on a 16-day training stint (29 October to 14 November 2022) at the renowned academy of the 15-time Dutch champions, along with the academy’s Head of Goalkeeping Kris Stergulc and Head Data Analyst He Qixiang.
Courtesy of the three-year partnership – which began in February 2022 – between the Sailors and Feyenoord that focuses on youth development and education, the trio – born between 2007 to 2009 – trained alongside their counterparts at the Dutch outfit.
Japanese midfielder Tyler Kawauchi laced up with the Feyenoord Under-14s, while Singaporean duo – forward Nathan Mao and defender Idzham Eszuan – were placed with the Under-15s and Under-16s respectively.
The three of them had already been in Rotterdam, in November 2021 as part of a 42-day training camp in the Netherlands as well as in Germany, and played against their Feyenoord counterparts then. This time, they are back in Holland in the same training facility and instead trained under the watchful eye of the Dutch coaches.
While training was usually only once a day from 8.30am to 11am in the morning, those were intense sessions with Nathan noting that the biggest difference was ‘the speed of play’ of the Feyenoord boys. As such, he had to learn how to play faster and release the ball quicker in training duels and matches.
The language barrier proved almost equally challenging.
“Even though the coaches will explain the drills in English, the players spoke to each other in Dutch most of the time – so we had to try our best to blend in and strike up a conversation with them.
“Of course it helped for us to learn a few Dutch words and we picked up a few relating to colour to help us with the choosing of bibs in training. The easiest one was ‘Oranje (pronounced as Oh-ran-yeah)’ which obviously is Orange in English.”
Apart from that, the trio settled in well and did not have many other issues. Technically and tactically, they felt they were able to fit in, while the chilly weather – which averaged around 9 degrees Celsius – was something they felt made for perfect training conditions.
With this not being their first time away from Singapore, they are now getting used to being away from Singapore to chase their dreams and there were no bouts of homesickness.
Idzham even had the privilege of training under the legendary RVP, who is now the co-head coach of the Feyenoord Under-16s – someone who he felt was a great educator who has the ability to explain what he wants very clearly to his charges.
Away from the seriousness of training, the boys had ample time to unwind in the second half of each day when the Dutch kids went to school. Staying at the Thon Hotel which is located in the heart of Rotterdam, they could easily access the city’s tram lines, and could not resist the opportunity to explore the city and learn more about the culture.
While they watched a couple of domestic youth games featuring Feyenoord, the highlight of the trip was being amongst some 44,000 fans in a partisan atmosphere at the De Kuip Stadium, watching the Feyenoord first team defeat Lazio 1-0 to qualify for the UEFA Europa League knockout stages.
The benefits of this trip clearly went beyond the boundaries of just football, with the boys learning to take care of one another away from the parental safety net that home provides.
“Tyler has a really bad milk allergy. In one of our last trips abroad, he accidentally ate something with milk and ended up staying a couple of days in the hospital. So this time, we made sure we checked everything he touched or ate so that he wouldn’t fall sick again,” Nathan revealed.
All in all, it was a beneficial trip for the trio who developed a better understanding of the game and made some new friends along the way – they have enjoyed it so much that they are looking forward to returning to Rotterdam should the opportunity arise.
“The people there were really friendly and made sure we felt very welcome, although at the same time we had to prove our abilities and show that we belong alongside them. The coaches also gave us a lot of good feedback on how to improve as a player.
“We’re very grateful that we players in Singapore have the chance to train with these top talents in the Netherlands and have a taste of the level they’re at,” said Nathan.
For now, Nathan and company believe they are on firm footing in the Sailors Academy that provides a similarly high-level of football training.
“In my opinion, the methodology and system we have here is really close to Feyenoord’s. We’re getting as many opportunities to expose ourselves here.
“Obviously there’s a bigger pool of talent in Holland, but we’re getting the best possible opportunity to develop with the quality of the coaching staff and methods we have in our academy.”
In Sailors Abroad, we take an in-depth look at the Sailors’ foreign stints, through the eyes of those who lived through the experience.
In this piece, Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite squad Head Coach Daan van Oudheusden shares his thoughts on Sailors trainees who have a unique opportunity to train alongside their counterparts at Borussia Dortmund.
While December is usually a period of rest and relaxation for children and youths, that is not the case for four boys in the Lion City Sailors Football Academy Under-17 Elite squad as they embarked on a 11-day training stint in Germany at the famed academy of eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund (BVB).
Led by their head coach Daan van Oudheusden, Singaporean goalkeeper Issac Goh, American attacking midfielder Tad Woolfe, Belgian winger Nils Vandersmissen and Singapore-born Swiss forward Hugo Foelmli has the privilege to train with the very best in Europe.
Courtesy of the ongoing partnership between the Sailors and BVB which focuses on youth development and knowledge sharing, the quartet – all born between 2007 and 2008 – were put through their paces both individually and collectively with their esteemed European counterparts over the course of the trip (24 November-4 December).
Speaking from Dortmund, Coach Daan believes his charges are gleaning much from this opportunity.
“It’s no secret that the standard of football in Europe is much higher than what we have in Singapore, so the key objective of this trip was always to get the players out of their comfort zone and adapt to situations they’ve never experienced before,” said the 30-year-old Dutchman, who used to coach in Willem II and the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB).
“It’s not just the footballing side of things, but on a personal and human level, they have greatly benefited from this as well. They needed to learn to socialise a bit with the boys from Dortmund and that can be challenging, but it’s been great to see they’ve done well in that aspect. They are pretty talkative and have struck up a good bond with the group.”
Varied challenges have come thick and fast for the Sailors academy trainees – in football and in weather and culture.
On the pitch, the boys have had to adjust to the quicker pace and intensity of the European game.
“Fitness or physically there are no issues. The tough part is coping with the decision-making. Everything seems to be going so fast over there and the players in Dortmund make much fewer errors, so our boys need to think and act quicker in duels.
“While they have been made to feel welcome, there is always the thinking of their local players that ‘you’re coming here to take my spot’ so our boys really need to show what they’re made of and earn their position,” stressed Daan.
Away from football, sub-zero temperatures of Dortmund’s winter and the variety of food offered to them were facets they needed some getting used to.
“In the beginning the boys were quite shocked because they didn’t know it could get or feel this cold here. The food here is also way different from traditional Asian food, it’s pretty plain – a lot of potatoes and rice, not much spices at all like what we have in Singapore.
“But as the trip went on, they started to enjoy the climate and have even started liking the food so that was nice to see,” he added.
It was not all serious work as the boys were afforded some time to tour the city. They also visited Dortmund’s iconic Signal Iduna Park and even tried out Dortmund’s famed Footbonaut machine that is designed to improve a player’s reaction time.
It has been a fruitful trip for the Sailors trainees who are getting a good gauge of their abilities and continue to receive good feedback from the BVB coaches.
“We have a good system in our academy and the boys are at a high level by Singapore’s standards, but it’s important for them to come here and see what the benchmark is in Europe. It’s really good for them to put things into perspective – not in a negative way but more of letting them realise where the gaps are and what needs to be done for them to be closer to that level.
“Their goalkeeper coach was actually really satisfied with Issac’s performance and said that he is technically really good. Overall, the feedback was that our boys didn’t look out of place alongside the BVB boys so that’s a good sign that they’re progressing and on the right track,” said Daan.
Daan was quick to point out that an opportunity to train with the BVB Academy does not come by everyday.
“It’s insane to have this opportunity and it remains a big dream to many. Some of these boys may not realise it at this moment, but I’m sure they will at some point later.”
Being away from the comforts of home and the safety net provided by family has helped the Sailors trainees toughen up.
“The boys are learning so much that they’re telling me they would like to come back again someday or train again in Europe in the future. This trip serves as an extra bit of motivation for them to push harder and set new goals when they’re back in Singapore,” added Daan.
“Also, one thing we’ve realised is that all the things we did over at Dortmund are not too different from the things we’re doing at the Sailors. That shows that we’re on the right path – from having the best coaches, the best training facility for our training programs – and we have to continue to strive to be better.”
I remember jumping out of my seat and looking around. What I saw has been seared into memory: everyone around me – players, staff and fans who had travelled up to Buriram – had done exactly the same and it was only a split second later when I realised that just like them, I had shot my fists up into the Thai sky.
Song Ui-young had leapt above the defenders around him and looped a stunning header into goal. Our Lion City Sailors had taken the lead against Korean side Daegu FC at the Buriram City Stadium.
The team would go on to beat the K League 1 side 3-0 and record the best-ever performance by a Singapore team at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) – seven points – and come within one match of qualifying for the ACL Round of 16.
Our Sailors wrote the club into the annals of Singapore football in that sensational three-week Thai sojourn.
Especially after those highs, to say that 2022 has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions is an understatement. We learnt several lessons this season, lessons that we have taken onboard as we bring our year to a close.
A glance in the rearview mirror
The club made eye-catching signings in pre-season, won the AIA Community Shield by beating Albirex Niigata (S) 2-1, with Kim Shin-wook netting a double.
We then quickly set the pace in the Singapore Premier League, on track to defend the title we won the year before, leading by as many as seven points after returning from our maiden ACL campaign.
But that was marred by some unsportsmanlike moments in the match against Tampines Rovers and further muddied by on-field inconsistency culminating in the ultimate surrender of the SPL title to a more consistent – and deserving – Albirex side.
The dark clouds of injuries, illnesses, and even traffic accidents rained down on any hope of redemption at our maiden Singapore Cup campaign.
We must be honest with ourselves – and we have – this is nowhere near good enough.
We must demand more of ourselves
This year posed multifaceted problems largely centred on the key issue that we did not hit the standards we are capable of consistently enough across the season.
We were somewhat unfortunate in terms of injuries, incidents, and illness, but that brings us back to the first point – we were just not good enough, consistently enough.
There are several examples from the region and across the globe that clearly illustrate that even if you assemble the best staff and squad – even personnel who are perhaps just beyond the realm of reality for your club at that point – there is no guarantee of immediate and consistent success.
We had to endure several storms in 2022, but we took in our stride as best we could – a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
Indeed, the year has been a great teacher: that our internal processes must ladder up to our broad strategy and vision – and this goes across the various verticals in the club from the first team squad to the backroom and boardroom.
It would be easy to finger the coaching situation at the club, even individual performances, or a phase of poor results, but when I start to pen that list of what would be most obviously construed as the key reasons behind our failure to retain the SPL title – and make no mistake about it, it is a failure – the list starts to lengthen the more I think about it.
And I must bear some responsibility.
Our long hard look in the mirror has brought us back to fundamentals – of systems, processes, and mindset – and the clear understanding that to build a culture of winning takes more than just bringing the best together, it requires the best to adopt the same spirit and the same way of getting things done.
A reset for Sailors’ long-term future
It is clear to me that we need a strategic reset, a directional change that will get the club back on track. The move back to Bishan Stadium is in the offing, and alongside that there are several wheels already in motion that will help us along that path.
While we did not manage to achieve results we should have been able to attain, there has been growth in several facets of football that I am proud we have built – moves I believe will prove to be more and more important in the years ahead: infrastructure, the setting up of clear youth development pathways, and an ever-improving Women’s programme. This has also been matched in non-football facets of the club in branding as well as fan and community engagement.
The Lion City Sailors Training Centre went from concept to groundbreaking and official opening in just two years, giving Singapore our first integrated football training facility. The Training Centre will provide a fantastic platform to take the club’s football development strategy to the next level. And indeed, the state of the art facility has already received plaudits from Edin Terzic and his Borussia Dortmund (BVB) team.
It was fantastic to see so many of our fans also embracing our Women’s team, coming out in force to back Yeong Sheau Shyan’s women as they charged to the Deloitte Women’s Premier League title at the Yishun Stadium.
It was also encouraging to see some of our youth players combine well with our seniors in the 7-2 loss to BVB at the Jalan Besar Stadium just a few days ago (24 November). It was a satisfying manifestation of how we can effectively leverage our partnerships to excite fans and drive the club towards our long-term vision.
Indeed, the support of our fans has been a consistent beacon of light for us in 2022, a bright light that continued to shine even at our last SPL matchday when there was nothing left to play for. More than showing up for the big games, that for me was a clear indication of dedication from the Sailors faithful.
I am humbled by the heart-on-sleeves support from our fans, and the Sailors are indebted to them.
We have moved for deeper engagement with our fans and also to sink deep roots into the MacPherson community in which our Training Facility sits, and I am delighted that Ms Tin Pei Ling and her grassroots leaders have embraced our efforts.
Eyes still firmly fixed on the horizon
But even as we reset and sharpen our focus for the 2023 season, our raison d’etre – to drive progress in football here and to reignite Singaporean passion for the local game – remains the same, and indeed has sunk even deeper into the Sailors’ psyche.
There will always be highs and lows in football, and even as we celebrate our highs, we must learn to acknowledge the issues that lead to the lows – and work on them.
We must do this for our fans who consistently support us whatever our results.
We are going back to the same fundamentals that we believe will drive our next phase of growth in 2023 and beyond.
At the Sailors we continue to drive towards our vision of flying the Singapore flag at Asia’s top club competition, and to become one of the best clubs on the continent.
We already are the most successful Singapore club at the ACL, a record sparked by that magnificent header from our Singaporean Song that ignited spirited celebrations from every Sailor on the Buriram City Stadium pitch.
I am certain that if we can call on that same dedication and fire we saw from our Sailors that day – and consistently so – we can chart a path through much smoother seas and go full steam ahead towards our vision in 2023 and the years that follow.
It is exactly one month away from the highly anticipated Lion City Sailors-Borussia Dortmund (BVB) clash on 24 November and there is palpable excitement amongst the Sailors ranks, perhaps most among the younger members of the squad.
Two rising Sailors stars, Nur Adam Abdullah and Bill Mamadou, are already looking forward to the enticing prospect of jostling with some of Europe’s best – and impressing.
The Sailors-BVB friendly match is the crown jewel of the first leg of BVB’s Southeast Asia Tour that kicks off in Singapore (22-26 Nov).
“Of course, every player would feel nervous and at the same time excited at this type of opportunity to play against one of the most prestigious clubs from Europe – it doesn’t come every day.
“It’s going to be challenging for sure, but what better way to improve ourselves than by playing against an elite team? On a whole, this experience is going to help the team and challenge us individually as well,” said 21-year-old Nur Adam.
Bill, also 21, was in complete agreement with his teammate.
He said: “We’re going to play against proper world-class players and everyone knows how good they are. But as much as we respect them, we have to approach the game like any other game and not be afraid.
“At the end of the day, we are out to gain more experience out of these 90 minutes, and test ourselves.”
The Sailors have swiftly broken new ground since their 2020 inception. The club won their first domestic Singapore Premier League (SPL) title in 2021 before chalking up the best-ever points and goals tally – seven and eight respectively – by a Singaporean club at an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) campaign, on their April 2022 debut at the tournament.
Borne from the two-and-a-half-year partnership penned between the Sailors and BVB in July 2021, the BVB Southeast Asia Tour 2022 – The Singapore Leg will also see a series of off-the-field professional activities that will further underscore the deep relationship and drive further improvements at the Sailors.
To Nur Adam, the BVB fixture is a natural next step for the Sailors: to go up against teams that have an established culture of professionalism and success at a high level – and learn from the experience.
“As a new club, we’re always learning and improving, while being ambitious and aiming high. Take for example at the ACL, we played against Urawa Red Diamonds and Daegu FC – top teams in the region – and we really loved the experience,” said the young full-back, who has already made more than 50 domestic appearances.
“Going up against bigger teams, we’re bound to face defeats but it’s not just about the result in this type of match. The experience and what we can learn on and off the pitch is perhaps much more valuable and that benefits us on our journey towards our target of becoming one of Asia’s biggest clubs.”
Early Bird tickets are fast being snapped up by football fans on online ticketing platform SISTIC and Bill is relishing the opportunity to put on a good show in front of a packed Jalan Besar.
“We all know that there will be attention on this game and how excited our fans are. It’ll be something new for me personally, but I will just focus on my game and do what I can for the team,” said the centre-back, who has broken into the Sailors first team and impressed in recent weeks.
“I’m lucky that I’m learning from the best local players like Hariss (Harun) and (Amirul) Adli everyday in training. Also, my dad (former Singapore international Bah Mamadou) is always giving me advice on how to perform and excel, so I’m just absorbing as much as I can so that I can be an important player for the first team in the years to come.”
Before turning their gaze to the gala friendly, the key priority for the Sailors is to excel in the upcoming Singapore Cup – Luka Lalić’s men begin their campaign against Balestier Khalsa next Thursday (27 October) – which will round off their 2022 campaign.
It is a fact not lost on Nur Adam and the rest of the Sailors.
“We failed to retain the SPL title and that’s a big disappointment for the club all round, no doubt. We’re out for redemption in the Cup and we’re out to win it for our fans and families who have been supporting us,” he declared.
“Once we’re done with that, then we’ll properly look towards BVB and I know the only way I can be in the starting lineup for that is to put up consistent performances in the Cup.”
Tickets for the Balestier Cup fixture are already available on SISTIC, while Early Bird tickets for the Sailors-BVB game can still be purchased, also on SISTIC, here.
Armed with a talented squad that includes a number of Singapore internationals, promising foreign players and young talents, the Lion City Sailors Women set an ambitious goal for themselves in their maiden Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign – they did not just want to win the league, they wanted to do it in style, with an entertaining brand of attacking football.
And they delivered, in emphatic fashion, passing and moving to the WPL title in their maiden season.
The road to being crowned champions of the first post-pandemic WPL season was paved with various pitfalls: from players leaving the country and the club to pursue work and academic goals, injuries, and challenging conditions at the Yishun Stadium, to inspired performances from stubborn opposition.
But the Sailors women were rooted in their united belief that hard work, a firm commitment to the playing philosophy and sheer doggedness would get them to the finish line in what turned out to be a memorable voyage to the WPL title.
Hitting the ground with a sprint
Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan and her charges stayed true to their word, getting their season off to a flyer as they dispatched Albirex Niigata (S) 4-1 on 5 June with Nur Izzati Rosni grabbing a brace, before thrashing Hougang United 6-0 courtesy of a couple of goals each from Lila Tan and Dorcas Chu to make it two wins out of two.
A one-month hiatus due to Singapore’s involvement in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship failed to halt their momentum as they swept aside Still Aerion FC 4-0 on their return to league action through braces from Izzati and Danelle Tan. They then edged Tiong Bahru 2-1 through another Danelle double to keep their 100% record intact after four matches.
There was no doubt that the Sailors laid down a serious marker from the start, firmly establishing themselves as the team to beat in the early days of the season.
First setback before rediscovering the groove
The Sailors Women hit a snag in their fifth WPL outing, failing to break down a compact defensive block set up by Tanjong Pagar United and had to be content with a 0-0 draw.
There was clear frustration from Sheau Shyan and the players after the result, but they channelled that into positive energy, defeating Balestier Khalsa 4-0 in their next fixture – with Danelle netting in her final Sailors outing before returning to the United Kingdom to resume her studies – and got back to winning ways.
Next up was a tricky task against Albirex – bolstered by a few mid-season arrivals including former Japan international Kana Kitahara – but the Sailors delivered one of their most convincing displays in 2022 to smash the White Swans 4-0 with Izzati starring with her first-ever WPL hat-trick.
The league leaders then overcame Balestier 3-0 before tearing Hougang apart 6-0 – with Canadian teenager Madison Telmer netting a treble – as the Sailors registered four straight wins to remain five points clear at the top with a game in hand on closest rivals Tanjong Pagar.
More importantly, they were at that point, just one win away from sealing the title.
Sealing the crown as Invincibles
The title triumph was then confirmed two weeks later on 10 September as Sheau Shyan’s women recovered from a sluggish first-half display to demolish Still Aerion 4-0 – a result that saw raucous celebrations at the final whistle as players celebrated in unison with fans who made the trip up north to Yishun.
The title was sewn up with two games left to play, but the women were not fully done. They had set their sights on finishing the season unbeaten, and the job still required work.
Their five-match winning run would come to an end against a resolute Tiong Bahru side as they were held to a goalless draw and failed to win for just the second time in 2022.
The final match of the season would not come any easier as they came up against a determined Tanjong Pagar side, who were gunning for a win to seal second spot. Yuki Monden drew first blood for the Jaguars as the Sailors’ goal was breached for the first time in eight matches, but the champions rallied and levelled through Lila before netting a dramatic injury-time winner through Fatin Aqillah to end the season on a high note.
As the Sailors lifted the WPL trophy and were presented with the S$25,000 winners’ cheque after the game, there was little doubt that it was a thoroughly deserved triumph.
The Sailors were the only team to beat every other team in the league, they ended the campaign with the best attacking and defensive record, scoring 39 and conceding just three, they finished seven points clear of eventual runners-up Albirex and Izzati picked up the top scorers’ award with 10 goals to top it all off.
Over the course of the season, the players showed their ability to break down stubborn defences and display the brand of progressive football that they set out to achieve from the get-go.
While plans are still being firmed up for the 2023 WPL season, one thing is for certain: the Sailors women will return for the new campaign with the same desire and increased motivation to retain their spot as the Queens of Singapore football.
There was no letting up for the Lion City Sailors after their Asian Football Confederation Champions League (AFC) sojourn, with three Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches lined up in the month of May.
The champions edged Hougang United 4-3 and Geylang International 1-0, before trouncing Tampines Rovers 4-0 to equal the club record of six successive SPL wins – first achieved between April to May 2021.
As the team goes off for a much-needed break before their next SPL match on 19th June, we look back on the three major talking points from their three successful outings this month.
Head Coach’s focus has had a tangible Kim-pact on the Sailors
Ever since the Sailors returned from the ACL, Head Coach Kim Do-hoon has emphasised that the team must show further improvement in their game-play and maintain the same level of intensity even in the SPL. The 2020 ACL winner remains adamant that his charges cannot afford to be complacent despite having already demonstrated that they can be competitive against Asia’s big boys.
The Sailors showed up in their first post-ACL match against Hougang with an enterprising attacking performance that cut the Cheetahs’ defence up at will, but proceeded to put in a flat display against Geylang and were perhaps lucky to get the three points against the Eagles.
That prompted Coach Kim to dish out some harsh words – words that stung – and the players responded and reaffirmed their commitment to the cause with a wonderful all-round display against Tampines. It was a tough task against one of the league’s most in-form sides, but the Sailors applied whatever they worked on in training to tear the Stags apart with some well-constructed, slick moves.
His words and focus on continual development have certainly had a tangible impact on the team, and fans can be assured the Sailors will continue in the same relentless manner when they return to the SPL.
Maxime’s proving he’s the real deal
His quality was never in doubt from the day he signed, and the scary thing is, Maxime seems like he’s just getting started.
There were some quizzical looks from the fraternity when Maxime was sparingly used in the first SPL round, but Coach Kim and the coaching setup clearly knew what they were doing – slowly bedding him in and allowing him time to acclimatise to the weather and football in Singapore. The former PSV Eindhoven man has not looked back since returning from the ACL, starting and making a goal contribution in all three games.
After a Man-of-the-Match display against Hougang in which he produced one goal and one assist, he then laid on Diego Lopes’s matchwinner against Geylang before yet another goal and assist to destroy Tampines. Stats and thrilling displays aside, his European experience has also been integral to the team’s development with the likes of Haiqal Pashia learning from Maxime as he grows into a more accomplished player.
Maxime’s rise mirrors that of Diego, who has now firmly established himself in the first eleven and appears to be at the heart of every good Sailors’ move. With the two dovetailing well and showing an uncanny chemistry on the pitch, there is surely more for Sailors fans to savour in months ahead.
A solid core making the difference
The numbers tell a story: the Sailors kept one clean sheet in Kim’s first 10 SPL matches in charge in 2021, but this season they have five shutouts to their name in the same number of games.
It all appears to stem from a solid core that makes the team so difficult to break down. Having played in midfield for virtually his whole career, Hariss Harun has now grown into his new role and is clearly a first-choice centre-back option for both club and country. Having played every minute for the Sailors in both the SPL and ACL, the indefatigable skipper is often exactly where the team needs him, either putting his body on the line or sweeping up the danger as the last line of defence.
The blossoming partnership between Hariss and Pedro Henrique is, of course, another reason why the Sailors are thriving, with the latter now showing exactly why the club went all out to secure a left-footed centre-back who is both strong in the challenge and comfortable on the ball.
Behind the dominant pair is Hassan Sunny who seems to age like fine wine. His superb command of the penalty area has seen him chalk up four consecutive clean sheets for the first time since a six-match streak in August 2010.
With a solid defensive core in place and in form, the Sailors have a sturdy platform from which to launch a charge for the SPL title when the league resumes in June.
In their first-ever Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign, the Lion City Sailors gave a good account of themselves as they fell just short of a historic qualification for the competition’s last 16.
The Sailors quickly bounced back from an opening 4-1 defeat to J League powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds with a stunning 3-0 thrashing of K League side Daegu FC, before a 0-0 draw and 3-2 win over Chinese Super League champions Shandong Taishan.
A 6-0 loss to Urawa thereafter was followed by a narrow 2-1 defeat to Daegu as they eventually finished third in Group F, but there were plenty of positives to take away for the Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions as they set a few records along the way.
Here we look back on the five major talking points from a memorable maiden voyage.
Singaporean clubs can compete at this level
Most points, most wins, most clean sheets and most goals scored by a Singapore club in a single ACL campaign – the Sailors showed that with the right investment and strategy, an outfit from this tiny island can be competitive against Asia’s big boys.
To go into the final group game with qualification hopes within reach, the Sailors demonstrated that Singapore clubs are not as far off from a historic last-16 finish in the ACL as it was initially believed. And it is a journey that has hopefully inspired – and galvanised – the Singapore football community. The mindset now has to shift from participating in this competition for experience to going in and driving to get beyond the group stages.
The Sailors’ good run this year serves as a catalyst for the club to double down on its efforts to drive further improvements in the local game – be it fine-tuning structures or investing in the up-and-coming generation of young footballers so that the Singapore flag can continue to be flown high on the continent.
The team’s ability to adjust to tactical demands
Eyebrows were raised when Kim Do-hoon tinkered and experimented with the team a little in the first round of SPL fixtures, but the South Korean tactician knew what he was doing as he geared his charges up for the ACL.
Against the cream of the crop in the continent, the Sailors showed that they can mix it up and switch to differing modes against varying opponents. In the two matches against Daegu, the team excelled with five at the back with the solidity of the structure giving the attackers the licence to roam forwards in counter-attacks utilising the pace of Maxime Lestienne and Faris Ramli alongside Song Ui-young. Against Shandong, they lined up in their more accustomed 4-2-3-1 where they displayed their dominance in possession and controlling the tempo of the game.
Coach Kim’s tactical know-how and the players’ ability to adapt truly came to the fore as they put up several creditable performances.
Song showing that he can elevate his game
There were a few impressive performers for the Sailors in this campaign – Hassan Sunny was his usual steady self in goal, Pedro Henrique was a rock in defence, Shahdan Sulaiman showed his class in midfield, but Song was undeniably the Sailors’ star pupil in the Class of 2022.
The 28-year-old did not even start the first game against Urawa, but never looked back once he was handed the chance against Daegu in Matchday 2 with his majestic header leading the Sailors to that sensational 3-0 win over Daegu.
Finishing the campaign off with a long-range scorcher against the same opposition meant he became the all-time Singaporean top scorer in the ACL with three goals. But beyond getting on the scoresheet, Song led the line superbly with his infectious energy that meant the Sailors always posed a threat on the counter-attack.
With the same desire and work ethic that saw him battle back from being on the periphery to a key member of the 2021 title-winning squad, Song gave everything in Buriram and proved his worth to not just the team – but also to the continent that he truly belonged on this stage.
On the right track, but patience needed
The Sailors showed glimpses of what they are capable of, backing up that 3-0 triumph over Daegu with another creditable display in the unlucky final-day loss against the same opponents – proving that the previous victory was no fluke.
However, there were games and instances that also showed the inexperience or gulf in class that still exists between them and Asia’s big guns – and there is no hiding from that. This was the Sailors’ maiden ACL voyage and it will take more games for Singaporean footballers to get properly accustomed to the intensity and concentration required to consistently compete at this level.
Looking not far beyond Singapore shores, Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim have bossed their domestic league for the past decade but it was on their fourth try when they managed to qualify for the ACL’s last 16 for the first time.
Focus is now on earning the ticket back into ACL
After jostling with Asia’s best on the continent’s top table, the Sailors must quickly recalibrate and focus on the club’s bread and butter – the SPL – starting from this Friday’s (6 May) clash against Hougang United.
Kim’s men are four points clear of the rest, but there should be no letting up with still three rounds of fixtures (21 more games) left to be played.
Kim has already told his charges that the focus must be retaining the levels of intensity they have demonstrated they can attain, and consistently achieving results to get their hands on the SPL title again.
Only the top Singapore side gains entry into the ACL and the Sailors have to go out there to earn the right to compete at the highest level again in 2023 as well as the subsequent years to come.
Winning the SPL is a milestone on the Sailors’ lofty target of becoming one of Asia’s elite clubs, and the club must continue to consistently prove that it deserves the spot at Asia’s top table.
