Category: News
Gritty Rusyaidi ready for Sailors adventure
Coming up against the Lion City Sailors in the past, Rusyaidi Salime would often be in awe of and be mesmerised by his opponents’ eye-catching style of attacking football.
That will change in 2023 as he joins the Sailors from fellow Singapore Premier League (SPL) outfit Tanjong Pagar United.
“I’m very excited, it’s a huge honour to be here. It’s a big club, the first to be privatised in Singapore with superb training facilities – something every footballer needs to help them grow,” said the 24-year-old.
“I’ve spoken to my batchmates in the NFA (National Football Academy) and former teammates in Young Lions like Hami (Syahin), (Haiqal) Pashia, Mamat (Zulqarnaen Suzliman) and they only have good things to say about the club.
“There are also quality players – both locally and internationally – in our ranks and I can’t wait to actually start training with my new teammates and win trophies with them.”
Having started out as a right-back, Rusyaidi has settled into the heart of midfield in recent years and will provide the Sailors engine room with extra bite.
Of the firm belief that his move to the Sailors will help take his game to the next level, the former Singapore Under-23 international is confident training and playing with the best will boost his chances of a senior national team call-up.
“As a footballer, playing at the highest level is something we want and being part of this team will help get me there,” said Rusyaidi, who made his professional debut in 2016.
“I believe I have the right mentality to get into the national team and it’s something I hope to achieve. I will be as open-minded as possible and I can only get better playing alongside seasoned players like Hariss (Harun), Diego (Lopes) and Maxime (Lestienne).
“It’s also a huge opportunity for me to play in the ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League) for the first time in my career and I am eager to show what I’m capable of.”
Rusyaidi added that he is relishing the opportunity to share the same dressing room with a player of Maxime’s stature – the Belgian winger was the top assist-maker in the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season with 23 in an outstanding first year with the club.
“I am looking forward to playing with Max, a technically gifted and speedy player. He’s also played at the top level with PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League so it’s going to be an eye-opener for me,” he added.
Known for his robustness and being one who does not shirk from a challenge, the tenacious Rusyaidi cannot wait to get stuck in with the Sailors.
“I won’t back out of any challenges and you can expect me to be a tough yet fair player on the pitch. I will try my best to win every challenge as I possibly can and to stop my team from conceding goals,” he said.
“I’m someone who always gives my 100% for the team. I will work hard for the club, the fans and my teammates – let’s win something together in the season ahead.”
After scoring a career-high 11 Singapore Premier League (SPL) goals and inspiring Hougang United to their first-ever trophy in the form of the Singapore Cup in 2022, a new challenge awaits Shawal Anuar in the year ahead.
The Singapore international is now officially onboard with the Lion City Sailors and is expected to do what he does best: fashion goal-scoring chances for his teammates – and also put the ball into the back of the net.
Expressing his delight at signing for the Sailors, Shawal is champing at the bit and hopes to play an influential part in the club’s bid to return to the top of Singapore football.
“It’s a huge move in my career and I’m excited to begin my journey with the Sailors. It’s every footballer’s dream to represent a club of such stature,” said the speedy forward who is now two goals away from hitting 50 SPL goals.
“I see this as an opportunity for me to further showcase my abilities and I aim to continue my momentum with my goals and assists. We have a very good squad assembled here and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead of us in the upcoming season.”
To be embedded in an ambitious setup and train at Lion City Sailors Training Centre which opened in July this year is something Shawal is already looking forward to.
“It’s an amazing feeling to have this facility where we can train day in, day out alongside the likes of Maxime Lestienne and Diego Lopes who are quality players,” he noted.
“I’ve had the chance to look at the facilities here and this is totally different from what I’ve experienced before. I can’t wait to have our training sessions when pre-season gets underway.”
Shawal is also relishing the opportunity to represent the Sailors in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) and wants to help propel the club back into the group stages for a second time.
“I would say that I’m hitting the peak of my career and I definitely want the team to give a good account of ourselves in the ACL.
“Playing in the ACL will give me the chance to come up against quality opposition and push myself even more,” added Shawal, who featured in the second-tier AFC Cup with Hougang in 2020 and 2022.
Shawal also believes the transition into the team would be seamless, especially with a number of his Sailors teammates part of the current Singapore national team set-up.
The 31-year-old came off the bench to net a brace in Singapore’s 3-1 win over the Maldives in their final AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup tune-up match last Saturday.
“We’ve been playing together in the national team for a while now and the chemistry is there so I’m sure there won’t be many issues settling in,” said Shawal, who earned his first cap for the Lions in 2016.
“One player that I’m really excited to be linking up with again is Hafiz Nor, who’s a leader to me. I’ve known him since the start of my professional career (with Geylang International) in 2014 and being a winger himself before, he would impart tips to me on how I can be a better wide player.”
Shawal also had some words for the Sailors faithful.
“I hope you guys will give me a warm welcome and I will try to entertain you on the pitch to the best of my abilities,” he said.
“I’ll strive to be ready for every game, be it in the SPL or on the continental stage and give everything that I can for the club and the fans.”
Risto Vidaković has been appointed Head Coach of the Lion City Sailors as the club looks for a refresh ahead of the 2023 domestic football season.
The 53-year-old who holds a UEFA Pro coaching licence, steps into the role that was filled on an interim basis by Luka Lalić, Technical Director of the Lion City Sailors Football Academy, since August 2022, and will officially link up with the team in January for pre-season preparations.
Vidaković is no stranger to Southeast Asian football, having worked in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, where he memorably won three straight Philippines Football League (PFL) titles between 2017 to 2019 with Ceres-Negros, also leading the Philippine side to become ASEAN zone champions in the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.
The Serbian was also a league winner in the Maldives with Maziya in a memorable unbeaten 2020-2021 campaign.
“Risto is a serial winner in the region, and has proven that he can work European know-how into the football culture in Southeast Asia – and this in varying challenging circumstances as well. I’m confident he is the right man to take the club forward,” said Sailors’ Chairman, Forrest Li.
“His philosophy of football matches what we envision for ourselves, and perhaps more importantly, he is a dedicated football thinker and a father figure to players, especially the young ones, and I’m excited to have him at the helm of our team.”
Photo courtesy of Melaka United
Before signing up with the Sailors, Vidaković plied his trade across the Causeway with Melaka United, a club he left through mutual consent in April 2022.
“The people at the Sailors 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,” said Vidaković.
“For me, I see this as a huge and exciting challenge to come in to make something special at the club.”
And Vidaković is already looking forward to laying the foundations for the Sailors’ new way of football on the first day of pre-season training at Mattar Road.
“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.
Thank you for the memorable voyage, Sailors
With the 2022 campaign now done and dusted, the Lion City Sailors are set to bid farewell to six first-team players.
Amongst those departing, five of them have been with the Sailors since its inception in 2020 and served the club with distinction: Hassan Sunny, Shahdan Sulaiman, Gabriel Quak, Naqiuddin Eunos and Iqram Rifqi.
Faris Ramli will also leave the Sailors.
Gabriel departs after scoring 29 goals across three seasons for the Sailors, as well as a SPL Player of the Year (POTY) accolade in 2020.
His 11 goals this term also saw him finish the season as the Sailors’ second-highest local top-scorer in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) – two behind South Korea-born Song Ui-young.
A calm presence between the sticks, Singapore national team centurion Hassan meanwhile kept a total of seven clean sheets from 20 SPL appearances in 2022.
With his eye for a pass, Shahdan was a joy to watch as he kept things tidy and dictated the tempo in midfield whenever he played.
Naqiuddin was one that showcased his potential and developed into a fine full-back in his time with the Sailors.
Gabriel expressed his gratitude to the club for giving him the “perfect platform” to enjoy his football.
“It’s been three beautiful years and this club will always hold a special place in my heart. I would like to thank everyone from the fans to the teammates whom I’m close with,” said the 31-year-old, who was on the scoresheet in the Sailors’ friendly loss to Borussia Dortmund (BVB) last week.
“I know they are sad to see me go, but I just want to say: Don’t be sad it’s over, be glad it happened.
“Special thanks goes out to our club Chairman Forrest Li as well, who has been a pleasure to work with.”
Gabriel was also pleased to achieve the targets he set for himself with the Sailors.
“When I left for Thailand in 2018, I told a few close friends of mine that I have a three-year plan to be officially the best player in Singapore,” he shared.
“I’m glad I did it (win the POTY award) in two years and I can’t ask for more. I believe I’ve given everything to the club and I am confident things are just going to get better from here for me for the years to come.”
Singapore national team winger Faris parts ways with the Sailors after a two-year stint, memorably winning the SPL in his first year with the club in 2021 and he only has good things to say about his Sailors chapter.
“I have great memories here and I’m happy we managed to win the SPL title and got the chance to represent the club in the ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League),” he said. “I’m in my thirties now and I believe this is the right step for me as I look forward to a new challenge.
“Everyone here at the club feels like family to me, including the fans who have been with us through thick and thin and it was a great way to sign off with a goal against BVB,” he added.
“The support I received from the management to the backroom staff has been immense during my time here as well and I would like to say a big thank you.”
Meanwhile Iqram rounds off the list of departures after a memorable 2022 in which he started each of the Sailors’ six games in the ACL.
A product of Home United’s – the previous iteration of the Sailors – Prime League team, the versatile left-sided player featured once in the club’s inaugural season in 2020 before spending the following year on loan at Geylang International.
We thank the outgoing players for their service to the Sailors, and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
Lion City Sailors interim Head Coach Luka Lalić heaped praise on Yasir Nizamudin and Danie Hafiy after the duo got an assist each in the Sailors’ 7-2 reverse to Borussia Dortmund (BVB) at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (24 November).
Part of the Lion City Sailors Football Academy, Yasir and Danie as well as Izrafil Mohamed – who took up the Academy’s Early Enlistment Bond – were drafted into the matchday squad and they came off the bench to make an impact.
“The highlight for me was seeing the Academy players assist the goals we scored. They deserve to be called up and we got to see what they are capable of,” said Luka, also the Technical Director of the Sailors Academy.
“My focus since joining the club was to develop the youth as best as I can and this is a decent start, which proves that there is talent in Singapore.”
Up against a side led by Emre Can and company, the Sailors nearly got off to a dream start but Saifullah Akbar’s cheeky lob after four minutes was chalked off for offside.
It was all BVB thereafter, with Sailors debutant Adib Azahari being kept busy by the eight-time German champions who peppered his goal with shot after shot.
The deadlock was eventually broken on 32 minutes when Donyell Malen’s cross took a slight deflection off the unlucky Amirul Adli before trickling into goal.
The Malen show continued as the Dutch midfielder doubled BVB’s lead just three minutes later with a powerful finish.
In what was his final contribution of the evening, the 23-year-old then added his second of the night on the stroke of half-time before being replaced at the break.
The second-half was all about the substitutes as both sides rang wholesale changes.
Sandwiched between a pair of goals from Samuel Bamba, Gabriel Quak’s left-footed strike in the 67th minute gave the Sailors fans something to cheer about.
Released by a well-measured pass down the middle by young Yasir, the fleet-footed Gabriel cut inside his man and drilled an effort that Marcel Lotka failed to keep out at his near post.
BVB’s Julian Rijkhoff and Justin Njinmah added further goals on 85 and 87 minutes respectively, before Faris Ramli got on the scoresheet with a sublime strike in second-half stoppage time.
Having been on the pitch for a mere 10 minutes, Danie sent Faris free with an accurate pass over the top and the latter proceeded to curl home beyond a hapless Lotka.
“I decided to give the ball to Faris after seeing the space in front of him. I really can’t describe the feeling when I saw him get the ball, cut in and score,” 17-year-old Danie recalled.
“When I left my (military) camp in the evening for the game, my camp-mates didn’t believe me when I said I was going to be playing against BVB, but now they will.”
Despite the scoreline, Luka was pleased with the team’s attacking transition on the night.
“Although we could have scored more, it was nice to see that our players were able to get past the BVB press a few times as well,” the 35-year-old added.
“There’s potential in the team and I felt that some of our players could match our opponents individually.”
Midfielder M. Anumanthan remained similarly positive.
“As a team, we told ourselves that we would go out there and fight for the club and each other,” the Singapore international said.
“We competed well in the opening half-hour, but they took their chances and scored. We always look forward to playing in high-level games like this and I really enjoyed the experience.”
BVB Head Coach Edin Terzić was meanwhile delighted with what he saw from his charges.
“Having only arrived three days ago, it was a professional performance overall and we are happy to finish this game without any injuries,” said the German, whose side will continue their Southeast Asia Tour with trips to Malaysia and Vietnam next.
“I hope the spectators in the stadium were happy after witnessing nine goals. Some of our younger players were on the scoresheet and these were moments to remember.”
In the Celebrity curtain raiser, Team Sheikh Haikel ran out 5-1 winners over Team Fauzie Laily – in a game which featured the likes of ex-internationals Lionel Lewis, Aleksandar Duric, Isa Halim and Noor Ali.
Sailors looking forward to BVB challenge
Captain Hariss Harun insists the Lion City Sailors will be up for it when they entertain Borussia Dortmund (BVB) in a friendly match at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (24 November).
In Singapore for the first leg of their Southeast Asia Tour, Edin Terzić’s charges are set to face Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim and the Vietnam national team after leaving the Lion City on 28 Nov.
“It’s not everyday we play a team of their stature and I’m sure it is going to be a tough game. They had a good welcome to Singapore and we are ready to welcome them on the pitch as well,” said Hariss, who addressed the media at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday (23 Nov).
“Despite the gulf in quality, we will be as competitive as we can. Football is a competition over 90 minutes and the two teams are going to try and show the best version of themselves.
“We are grateful for this chance and we look forward to them giving us a memorable experience that we can fondly look back at.”
Having failed to defend their Singapore Premier League (SPL) crown then enduring a Singapore Cup group stage exit, the Lions skipper has demanded for the Sailors to end 2022 on a positive note.
“We all know that we didn’t achieve the targets that we set out to achieve and it wasn’t what we expected of ourselves,” Hariss noted.
“But we just have to look at things in a positive manner, take this season as motivation for the next one and bounce back even stronger. We want to reclaim what should be ours and we need to prove that on the pitch – starting from this BVB clash.”
Interim head coach Luka Lalić concurred.
“We know there are areas where we can do better this season, something that Hariss has pointed out,” the 35-year-old said.
“There were valuable lessons to take on and off the pitch this season, but I’m only looking at the positives and improving from there.”
Luka shared that three players from the Sailors Academy – namely Izrafil Mohamed, Danie Hafiy and Yasir Nizamudin – have been included in the matchday squad and could play some part against BVB.
“The young boys have been with us since I joined the club and it’s important we gave them the opportunity to show what they are capable of.
“I was part of the project when I joined a couple of years ago and this match against BVB is a milestone for a club like ours and these boys definitely deserve this once-in-a-lifetime chance,” he said.
BVB midfielder Emre Can was meanwhile heartened to see the support from the fans upon the team’s arrival at Singapore’s Changi Airport on Tuesday (22 Nov).
“I’ve been in Singapore before so I know how it’s like. Singapore is very clean and the people are very friendly. We like it here,” said the former Liverpool and Juventus man.
“It’s always nice to see these fans turn up and that’s the reason why we are here. We are excited to see them and hopefully we get to enjoy the game against the Sailors.
“Even though they didn’t have the best of seasons, I’ve heard that they are still a pretty strong team that we cannot take lightly.”
Terzić added that German international Marco Reus will not be involved due to injury, but is excited to see what the rest can offer.
“It’s a mix, we brought all our fit players on this tour. We also have some young talents who have the opportunity to show themselves to see where they are at the moment,” he shared.
“We want to give these young talents a platform to impress, which is important for us. While many of our young boys are away at the World Cup, we have a number of exciting players here and our experienced players like Emre, Donyell Malen, Mats Hummels.
“They are going to get playing time, but some have minor injuries so we have to be careful with the minutes they are going to get.”
Since signing a partnership deal in July 2021, this is the first time that the senior teams of both clubs will go head to head, albeit in a non-competitive game.
BVB Managing Director, Carsten Cramer expressed his delight and reaffirmed their commitment towards the collaboration.
“As a European team visiting Southeast Asia, we are thankful for the hospitality received so far and are looking forward to playing in front of a capacity crowd at Jalan Besar,” he said.
“When we get the first steps right, we believe the second and third will follow. Our decision to be present in this region is a long-term commitment which we believe will bear fruit in time to come.”
He has played against the youth teams of Corinthians FC and PSV Eindhoven in the Lion City Cup, impressing many with his ability to pick a pass from the middle of the park and his combativeness despite his diminutive frame.
Come Thursday (24 November) night, midfielder Hami Syahin will get the opportunity to pit himself against Borussia Dortmund (BVB) when the Lion City Sailors take on the eight-time German champions at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium.
Singapore is the first leg of BVB’s Southeast Asia Tour, with Edin Terzić’s side set to go up against Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim and the Vietnam national team after leaving Singapore on 28 Nov.
With tickets for this encounter already sold out, Hami is chomping at the bit for his chance against a strong BVB travelling squad which includes the likes of Marco Reus and 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mats Hummels.
“It is going to be a relatively new experience for our local players because it’s not everyday you get to play a top European side like BVB who compete in the UEFA Champions League,” said Hami, the 23-year-old Singapore international.
“I will cherish this moment and try to learn as much as I can. We know it’s going to be tough but I’m sure we will put up a good show for our fans and those coming to support us.
“After hearing that we will be playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Jalan Besar, I’m really excited and it gives me extra motivation.”
Echoing Hami’s sentiments, wideman Hafiz Nor is optimistic that the Sailors will give a good account of themselves.
“I’ve never really got the chance to come up against World Cup players like Reus, Hummels and (Emre) Can during my career, so it will be a real honour to be sharing the same pitch as them,” he noted.
“After a disappointing SPL season, it is also the perfect opportunity to prove ourselves and we want to put in a good showing to repay the support from our fans.”
Hafiz has also urged the younger players in the team such as Hami, Haiqal Pashia and Bill Mamadou to seize their chance.
“I’m happy to see them get this opportunity to compete with a side like BVB at such a young age,” added Hafiz.
“They need to play their hearts out, go in without any fear and more importantly, prove they deserve to be in the team in the years to come.”
Hami believes the presence of the senior figures in the team will prove invaluable.
“With their experience, the senior players will be key when it comes to things like knowing how we should control the game, when to go forward and when to hold,” said Hami.
“It will definitely help us a lot in calming the nerves and managing the intensity against a quality BVB team.”
With this being the final match for some in the Sailors class of 2022, Hafiz expressed a tinge of sadness.
“We know that there will be departures within the ranks, including experienced players like Shahdan (Sulaiman) whom I’ve played with since I was 12,” he said.
“We have many memories together and unfortunately, some of them won’t be with us for the new season. It’s going to be emotional for sure, but it is a day that we will remember and hopefully we can end it off with a bang.”
Matchday kicks off at 6.45pm with a celebrity match featuring teams led by local artistes Sheikh Haikel and Fauzie Laily, before the Sailors and BVB take to the pitch for warm-ups.
The match proper kicks off at 8.30pm.
Football fans in Singapore can look forward to an exciting week ahead as eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund (BVB) announced the final squad for their Southeast Asian tour which kicks off in the Lion City next Tuesday (22 November).
A number of BVB stars have been named in the 25-man list, and the local public will be excited to learn of the inclusion of the charismatic Marco Reus as well as 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mats Hummels.
Another recognisable name is Emre Can – the former Liverpool and Juventus midfielder – with Dutch attacker Donyell Malen also amongst those set to feature.
The likes of experienced German full-back Nico Schulz and Turkish international Salih Özcan make up a strong BVB squad that will take on the Lion City Sailors next Thursday (24 Nov) at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium.
A handful of BVB youth players have also been included, with the pick of the bunch being Jayden Braaf, an exciting Dutch talent whose promising displays earned him comparisons with Jadon Sancho and Manchester City’s U23s Player of the Year award in 2020 – at the age of 17 – before he swooped for the Black & Yellow this May.
There is also the up-and-coming duo of former France Under-17 centre-back Soumaïla Coulibaly – who turned down the chance of a professional contract with Paris Saint-Germain to sign for Dortmund – and current Croatia Under-21 forward Marco Pašalić.
Both are on the fringes of the BVB first team and were unused substitutes in BVB’s final Bundesliga game before the World Cup break, a 4-2 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach on 12 November.
Edin Terzić’s side will be in Singapore between 22 to 28 November, with a series of off-the-field professional activities, fan engagements and even community activations lined up over the week.
They will then travel across the Causeway to play Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta’zim on Monday, 28 November, before concluding the Tour against the Vietnam national team two days later.
Limited gallery tickets for the Sailors vs BVB friendly game are still available on sale on SISTIC.
BVB squad for Southeast Asia Tour 2022
Goalkeepers: Alexander Meyer, Marcel Lotka
Defenders: Mats Hummels, Nico Schulz, Guille Bueno, Lion Semić, Prince Aning, Soumaïla Coulibaly, Antonios Papadopoulo, Nnamdi Collins
Midfielders: Marco Reus, Emre Can, Salih Özcan, Felix Passlack, Can Hayri Özkan, Falko Michel, Göktan Gürpüz
Forwards: Donyell Malen, Justin Njinmah, Marco Pašalić, Ole Pohlmann, Moritz Broschinski, Jayden Braaf, Julian Rijkhoff, Samuel Bamba
Sailors squad for BVB clash
Goalkeepers: Hassan Sunny, Rudy Khairullah, Adib Nur Hakim
Defenders: Naqiuddin Eunos, Aniq Raushan, Hariss Harun, Amirul Adli, Bill Mamadou, Iqram Rifqi, Nur Adam Abdullah
Midfielders: M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, Saifullah Akbar, Diego Lopes, Song Uiyoung, Arshad Shamim
Forwards: Hafiz Nor, Maxime Lestienne, Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Haiqal Pashia, Kim Shin-wook
Hariss Harun leads the lineup of 11 Lion City Sailors players selected by Singapore national team Head Coach Takuyuki Nishiyaga in his provisional 29-man Singapore squad for the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric (ME) Cup.
Lions’ captain Hariss, along with 10 others – Hassan Sunny, Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah, Hafiz Nor, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman, Faris Ramli and Song Ui-young – are in contention to fly the flag for Singapore at the biennial regional tournament that takes place from 20 December 2022 to 16 January 2023.
Two Sailors who missed out on the last Singapore squad which lost 4-0 to Vietnam and drew 1-1 with India in a Tri-Nations series in September – Nur Adam and Hami – return to the national side and will be hoping to impress in the Sailors’ upcoming friendly match against eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund to further stake their claim for a spot in the final ME Cup squad.
The Lions will travel to Chiba, Japan for a training camp from 1 to 12 December, where they are set to play two training matches. The team will then face the Maldives in an international ‘A’ friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium on 17 December after which Nishiyaga will cut the list down to a final 23-man squad that will represent the nation at the ME Cup.
The Lions have been drawn into Group B alongside Causeway rivals Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and will kick off their campaign against Myanmar on Christmas Eve.
Thailand are the defending champions and record six-time winners, while Singapore have won it four times and are looking to build on an encouraging run into the semi-finals in the previous edition.
Sailors’ Lions representatives in Singapore’s 29-man AFF ME Cup provisional squad:
Goalkeeper: Hassan Sunny
Defenders: Hariss Harun, Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah
Midfielders: Hafiz Nor, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman
Forwards: Faris Ramli, Song Ui-young
Representatives from the Lion City Sailors were recognised at the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Awards Night 2022 – held at Orchard Hotel on Tuesday (8 November) night.
In leading the Sailors Women’s Team to a memorable unbeaten Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title-winning campaign, Yeong Sheau Shyan deservedly staved off competition from Albirex Niigata (S)’s Nahar Daud and Tanjong Pagar United’s Samawira Basri to claim the WPL Coach of the Year.
The 44-year-old, however, refused to bask in the achievement, and in her unassuming style, preferred to focus on the journey ahead instead.
“I’m very happy to win this award, but for me – the team’s performances on the field goes above anything else. This prize is the recognition of the girls’ hard work throughout the season.
“It’s important that we keep striving towards taking that next step in 2023. I want to see the team develop even more, play in a more controlled manner – that will be something that will give me greater satisfaction than winning a personal award,” she said.
Having claimed the WPL Golden Boot with 10 goals in 11 appearances, there was double joy for Sailors attacker Nur Izzati Rosni as she also won the WPL Goal of the Year for her sumptuous long-range strike against Still Aerion FC.
FAS Awards Night 2022: Photos courtesy of FAS
The 23-year-old was pipped to the WPL Player of the Year crown by Tanjong Pagar’s Manami Fukuzawa, but reflected on a good year for both club and country.
“It’s already a great honour to be up for three awards, and I feel really blessed, especially for the opportunity to receive the prizes on such a glamorous night with representatives from all over the domestic football scene.
“I’m not going to stop here; I want to continue to work hard and be an even better player for the Sailors and Singapore,” she said.
To round off the Sailors’ WPL honours, goalkeeper Beatrice Tan claimed the first-ever WPL Golden Glove award with the most number of clean sheets – six – throughout the season.
On the men’s Singapore Premier League (SPL) front, Sailors’ Maxime Lestienne could count himself unlucky to be pipped to the AIA Player of the Year crown by Albirex’s Kodai Tanaka who was the league’s second-highest scorer with 33 goals.
However, the Belgian winger’s scintillating performances that yielded a league-high 23 assists as well as 12 goals in 25 appearances did not go unnoticed as he was amongst a Sailors trio that was named in the AIA SPL Team of the Year (TOTY).
The other two who made the list were Diego Lopes – the Brazilian produced several silky performances in the middle of the park to go with 10 goals and as many assists – and compatriot Pedro Henrique who stood out with his composure in defence as he was involved in seven out of the Sailors’ eight clean sheets this season before missing the final five games through injury.
Pleased to get into the SPL TOTY for the first time, it was a bittersweet end to the season for Diego and he has vowed to do even better next year.
“I’m very happy for my work to be recognised this year, but as a club it was sad and disappointing for everyone that we were unable to deliver.
“We would like to apologise for the disappointing season we had this year. Next year we need to do much better and give a very strong response for our fans. Personally, I’m already looking forward to next season and there are no two ways about it – we want to be SPL and Singapore Cup champions in 2023,” said the 28-year-old.
Rounding up the club’s list of award winners, Sailors goalkeeper Hassan Sunny received an FAS Recognition Award for sporting excellence in Singapore football as he became only the second custodian to amass 100 caps for the Lions in September.
Sailors’ Winners for FAS Awards Night 2022
SPL Team of the Year: Maxime Lestienne, Pedro Henrique, Diego Lopes
WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
WPL Goal of the Year: Nur Izzati Rosni
WPL Golden Boot: Nur Izzati Rosni
WPL Golden Glove: Beatrice Tan
FAS Recognition Award, Sporting Excellence in Singapore Football (100 National Team Caps): Hassan Sunny
