Category: News
It was just one clean swing of his right boot, but in that technique, timing, and temerity, Kim Shin-wook has started to demonstrate why he is worth all the hype surrounding his high-profile arrival at the Lion City Sailors.
The score was locked at 1-1 and with just three minutes left on the clock, the 2022 AIA Community Shield between the Sailors and Albirex Niigata (S) on 19 February looked poised for a penalty shootout.
But “Wookie” was having none of that.
As the ball hung in the Jalan Besar air after an excellent Diego Lopes cross, the South Korean – who had scored over 100 goals in K League 1 – spotted the opportunity and moved into position, a predator poised to strike. He connected with a sweet acrobatic volley with an athleticism not often associated with a 1.98m giant, and sent the ball flying past Takahiro Koga to make it 2-1 and win the Sailors the Shield – the club’s second trophy after being crowned SPL champions last October.
It was an incredible strike which probably will be replayed over and over again in the season ahead – a strike that clearly signalled Wookie’s arrival in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
Earlier that evening, Shin-wook had already introduced himself to the local public by showcasing his trademark aerial prowess to get in between the Albirex centre-backs and nod home Tajeli Salamat’s teasing right-wing cross for the equaliser.
It was all in an evening’s work for the 33-year-old, his clinical brace helping to overturn an early deficit against the White Swans, who had drawn first blood through Tadanari Lee’s penalty conversion.
Shin-wook was undoubtedly the star of the show, but he was happy to stay out of the limelight in the ensuing trophy celebrations as he stood with a face of calmness in the back row. As the Sailors’ players and staff lifted the Shield, he clapped briefly for a few seconds before exiting the podium first to do some stretching on his own.
There was a whiff of the dedication that fuels Shin-wook’s winning mentality – one that perhaps showed that the two-time Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) winner has his eye set to achieve even more with the Sailors.
When asked about how he rated his performance, he laughed as he said: “I felt that the team had one man less in the first half because I didn’t do too well. In the second half, it was better, but I cannot do it alone of course. I need my teammates to give me good balls and I’m happy I’m at the end of two brilliant assists.
“I would give myself a 7/10.”
On a sweltering Saturday afternoon, the Sailors did not have it all their way in the season’s curtain-raiser. Albirex – back under two-time league winner Kazuaki Yoshinaga – proved to be a real handful with their swift and neat passing.
Lee made the most of a soft foul from Shahdan Sulaiman in the penalty area to put the White Swans ahead from the spot on 14 minutes, before centre-back Keito Hariya saw his header denied by the woodwork six minutes later.
Shin-wook’s equaliser four minutes before half-time altered the momentum of the game as the Sailors began to play with more verve and intensity in the second half.
Debutant Pedro Henrique showed his class at the heart of defence alongside new skipper Hariss Harun, with the former Vitoria Guimaraes captain showing poise on the ball and aggression in winning it back to limit the Albirex attackers.
Behind him was the evergreen Hassan Sunny who pulled off two superb saves – one of those a superb reaction save to deny Lee from point-blank range – to keep the score level.
Coach Kim Do-hoon drew on the strength of his bench, with M. Anumanthan coming on at half-time to inject steel in midfield on his Sailors bow, before calling upon Hafiz Nor and Diego for more attacking impetus in the final stages of the game.
In the end, it was the latter two who combined to great effect down the right leading up to Shin-wook’s brilliant late winner as the Sailors began a big 2022 season on a positive note – a first win over Albirex in six competitive meetings and another piece of silverware for the trophy cabinet.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Kim expressed his pleasure of seeing his Sailors turn the tide to win a game in which they were admittedly not at their fluent best.
“Football is a 90-minute game, not 45. Our transitions – both defensive and offensive – didn’t quite work for us in the first half,” said the 51-year-old. “Of course there was some pressure in the dressing room coming into this important match against a strong opponent.
“And what impressed me was the boys’ will and spirit to give everything on the pitch and bring the Shield back home. If we can keep up the quality football and pressing that we showed in the second half, I believe they can bring many more good matches for the fans to enjoy.
“I’m happy we’ve finally managed to beat Albirex and this will help to give us a good start to the league.”
The Sailors will begin their SPL defence with a home match against last season’s second runners-up Hougang United next Sunday (27 Feb).
On the pitch and in our heads
After a tough couple of weeks pushing physical boundaries in pre-season training, Hariss Harun and the Lion City Sailors stand on the threshold of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season, and will face Albirex Niigata (S) in Saturday’s AIA Community Shield, its traditional curtain raiser.
The Sailors’ skipper is determined for the team to start the domestic football season on the right foot – against a White Swans side that pushed the title race down to the wire in 2021 – and he believes that the Sailors must win the mental side of the game if they are to retain their SPL crown.
“We are acutely aware that it is going to be a challenging season ahead, because teams always have extra motivation when playing against the defending champions, and every SPL team has already made moves to strengthen their squads,” said the 31-year-old.
“To handle everything that will come at us this year, we will need to win the mental battle in our own heads from the start.”
The Sailors have the opportunity to win the club’s second trophy – the Community Shield – just some four months after their first SPL title, and Hariss was clear that the target for 2022 must be to try and win every domestic title on offer.
“We’re aiming for excellence and to raise the bar for ourselves and Singapore football, to do that we have to go out and win matches consistently,” said the captain of Singapore’s Lions.
“We have expectations of ourselves, and there will of course be external pressures placed on us as well – and we haven’t even started talking about the football side of things yet.
“We’ll need level heads if we do find that games are not going our way, and we will also need to keep our heads even when we’re winning, to make sure that we can close out games. So simply put, every Sailor will need to have the right mentality from the get go.”
The signs are positive.
In 2021, the Sailors were made to dig deep – chasing down then league leaders Albirex with three games to go at the business end of the season – and found cool heads and steely nerves.
Hariss and company won three games on the trot, convincingly beating Tampines Rovers 6-1, overcoming Geylang International at Our Tampines Hub, then sealed the title with a 4-1 victory over Balestier Khalsa on the final day of the season.
It is that same resilience and calm that Hariss believes will put the Sailors in good stead for another successful domestic football season.
“We’ve shown that we have what it takes, and from how the team is shaping up in pre-season, I’m feeling positive about the new season. The new signings have settled in well, and we’re all pushing each other at training sessions,” said Hariss.
“With the work that we’ve put in, I think we’ll be able to play at a higher intensity, with more speed and sharpness too. And with the added aerial threat that (Kim) Shin-wook brings with him, there are various dimensions to our game.”
Alongside South Korean international forward Kim, the Sailors have signed Brazilian defender Pedro Henrique and Belgium’s Maxime Lestienne, adding European top-fight pedigree to the squad.
Singapore internationals Izwan Mahbud and M Anumanthan are the Sailors’ two other major signings ahead of a season that will see the club make its maiden appearance in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL).
“We want to give a good account of ourselves at the ACL, test ourselves to see where we stand against the region’s best, and just what we need to do to play at that level,” said Hariss.
“It’s clear to me that we have the right ingredients in place for both the SPL and the ACL, and we’ll just need to put everything together consistently – and the first step to that is to approach it all with the right mentality.”
Standing on the pitch at the Jalan Besar Stadium, hands behind his back, Kim Do-hoon watched as his Lion City Sailors warmed up on the sidelines. This training session would be one of the last few before his charges raise the curtain on the 2022 domestic football season – as defending champions of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) – but there was no tension in his shoulders, or his eyes.
It was only his words that hinted at that winning mindset and relentless drive for excellence.
“There’s always tension and pressure on match days and that should only help our players to bring up their concentration for the game. In order for the Sailors to become a strong and great team, we need to overcome this and it’s also the job of our coaching team to prepare them to go into every game full of confidence,” said the man who led Ulsan Hyundai to the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) title in 2020.
Expectations are understandably sky-high this season, with many expecting the Sailors to run away with the title and sweep all three domestic trophies – including this weekend’s (19 February) AIA Community Shield and Singapore Cup.
Kim acknowledged that pressure is something the Sailors have to learn to live with, but stressed that there are other barometers of success he is looking for in 2022, indicators that go beyond just winning silverware.
“We hope to improve endlessly and provide joyful and touching moments for the fans – not only through victories but also by showing our persistence in putting in our very best efforts till the last minute of every game. Only through that then more fans will gradually grow their love and affection over football,” he emphasised.
But the fiery drive to win clearly remains.
The first order of the season is the Community Shield clash against Albirex Niigata (S) and Kim wants his team to lay down the marker ahead of what could be another tough race to the SPL title.
“Winning the first game is a very important first step to the season,” he said matter-of-factly. “Albirex will obviously be up there again, but looking at the recruitments of the other teams we’re also expecting them to put up serious challenges.
“That can only lead to excitement, interest and development of the league – which can only be good for Singapore football in the long run.”
Behind the scenes, much work has gone into ensuring the team is well prepared to battle and win, this despite the fact that a large number of players only had a two-week break following the Singapore national team’s semi-final exit in December’s AFF Suzuki Cup.
“The preparations are not entirely smooth of course, but I’ve to say everyone is displaying the right attitude and effort in training to keep improving and developing physically to a standard that we need to be at,” he said.
At the very least, having a pre-season where there is more time to try and instil his philosophy and get his ideas across to the players ahead of his first full year at the club is something that has given Kim satisfaction, and he is delighted that he has – in the Sailors’ backroom staff – an excellent, committed team.
“Pre-season’s crucial for us to share the upcoming season’s directions and preparations through effective communication and meetings with the players. It’s not just the physical aspects, we also have to make improvements on players’ tactical and positional understanding,” explained Kim.
“I’ve happy that we’ve a strong technical team behind us – there’s Myung Jae Yong, Kim Young Kwang, Noh Rahman, Mario Jovanovic, Firdaus Maasar, Chua Lye Heng and many others who have put in many sacrifices to fulfil their specific roles and convey their experience to the players.”
To prepare for a proper assault on all fronts – including a first-ever ACL campaign coming in April – the Sailors have brought in credible foreign signings in the form of Maxime Lestienne, Pedro Henrique and Kim Shin-wook.
While Lestienne has yet to train with the team, the latter two have already “assimilated well”, with Coach Kim eagerly anticipating the impact that his fellow countryman Shin-wook – a scorer of over 100 goals in Korea – could make.
“I’m very thankful for the club’s support and assistance to recruit these great players. Shin-wook is a player that any manager would have the desire to work with. I’m sure his performances and level of professionalism is something that will rub off on the players and bring excitement to the fans,” he shared.
Having also recruited national team players Izwan Mahbud and M. Anumanthan, the Sailors now have a handy squad with good depth to call upon throughout the season.
“Healthy competition is necessary. We are planning to utilise the players based on the game strategy and their conditions,” he said.
Kim’s philosophy has been largely focused on having a strong defence and being compact as a team – indeed the Sailors have not conceded more than one goal in each of his 10 matches in charge.
While that will not change this season, the South Korean has hinted that the team could adopt a more front-foot attacking style with the number of quality attackers at his disposal.
“We’ve been focused on improving the speed of our game including on transitions… we’re working on scoring through various attacking combinations by creating space, changing and controlling the pace of the game in the attacking area, as well as our build-up and taking aerial advantages,” he revealed.
Kim is ready for a charge after a restful post-season, that included a family trip to his hometown in Korea – Tongyeong, Gyeongnam – before returning to Singapore to explore his newly adopted country.
But football was never far from his mind. The 51-year-old set aside time to watch his charges at the Suzuki Cup.
“This is the first time I have cheered for a country other than South Korea,” he said. “Hassan Sunny and Shahdan Sulaiman proved their worth with their performances, but the performance and persistence of the other players until the very last minute of the final game (against Indonesia) also touched the hearts of many fans.”
That, and the fresh memory of being crowned SPL champions – Kim’s first league title victory as a coach, that came just three months after taking the reins at the Sailors – seemed to have redoubled his resolve for excellence as the 2022 season looms.
“That was a very memorable moment for myself and the club,” said Kim.
“It was a title that allowed us to remind ourselves with a lesson that persistence without giving up will lead to great results.”
There is a new captain at the helm this year for the Lion City Sailors.
Hariss Harun will succeed Hassan Sunny, who held the role last season as the Sailors won their first Singapore Premier League (SPL) title, while Amirul Adli and Nur Adam Abdullah have been named co vice-captains.
Hariss is no stranger to the job, having skippered the Singapore national team in recent times in addition to various age-group levels and his previous club Johor Darul Ta’zim. A well-respected figure on the pitch and in the dressing room, the midfielder has always led by example and is looking forward to donning the armband for 2022.
“It is always an immense honour to be captain,” said Hariss, who has made 10 appearances for the club since signing last May. “This was discussed within the team and management, and I am happy to take the role. As a player, it does not change anything for me personally as I will continue to give my all.
”I have had a taste of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League – something that will be new to most of the team – and will use my experience there to help the players as we aim to give a good account of ourselves.”
The 30-year-old will work closely with Hassan and Shahdan Sulaiman, who remain key leadership figures in the team. The trio’s experience and guidance will serve as exemplary reference for Adli, 26, and Nur Adam, 21, whose appointments as vice-captains ensure that the younger age-groups in the squad will be represented in the leadership hierarchy as well.
“Hassan has been a wonderful captain for the past two years and I am pleased that I have good heads around me like him and Shahdan,” Hariss added. “For Adam and Adli, their new roles put a bit more responsibility on them and they are aware of that, but they are strong characters. It is important that we have a succession plan for the future and there is no better time for them to step up.”
Sailors Sporting Director Badri Ghent noted that the entire team is on board with the changes and is confident that the captains will set the right tone for the new season as the Sailors gear up for a big year.
“Hariss’ ability as a player is known to everyone but more importantly, he is a model professional and the way he conducts himself makes him an excellent role model for the Sailors,” he said. “Of course, we value Hassan’s contributions last season and together with Shahdan, the three of them will be superb leading figures to inspire and drive the entire team.
“With the Sailors competing on multiple fronts this season in the league, Singapore Cup and of course our maiden AFC Champions League campaign, we felt that it was also imperative that the younger players get the opportunity to step up – hence, the vice-captaincy choices of Adli and Nur Adam.
“Both are established and well-regarded in their own right in their age-groups and will work together with Hariss to form a robust leadership structure.”
This Saturday, Hariss will lead the Sailors out for the first time in 2022 as the Sailors face Albirex Niigata (S) in the AIA Community Shield to kick off the domestic season, in a Jalan Besar Stadium fixture that is already sold out.
“Pre-season has been tough and we have pushed ourselves to the limit, and we are ready to go,” he said. “We will come out strongly from the first whistle, all guns blazing and aim to get off to a winning start.”
Buriram the setting for Sailors’ ACL debut
The Lion City Sailors’ first steps in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) will be taken in Buriram, Thailand.
Earlier today, the AFC confirmed the host nations for the (East) group stage matches of the 2022 edition of the competition, which will be held from 15 April to 1 May.
The Sailors have been drawn in Group F, alongside China’s Shandong Taishan, two-time ACL winners, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan, and the winners of the playoff stage fixture between South Korea’s Daegu FC and Buriram United.
Buriram United play their home matches at the Chang Arena in Buriram, a province some 400km northeast of the Thai capital of Bangkok.
Bangkok is the host city for the ACL’s Group G, a group that will feature Australia’s Melbourne City, Thailand’s BG Pathum United, Korean FA Cup winners Jeonnam Dragons and the Philippines’ United City FC. Group J will also be hosted in Thailand.
Group H, will be hosted in the Vietnamese capital of Ho Chi Minh, while Group I will be hosted in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
The Lion City Sailors and 15-time Dutch champions Feyenoord Rotterdam have forged a three-year partnership focused on youth development and education. The commitment will see a series of youth development programmes, coaching, educational and professional exchanges as well as football training camps in the Netherlands, with Sailors supporting Feyenoord’s brand exposure in Singapore.
The partnership marks celebrations of the Sailors’ second anniversary following the club’s founding on 14 February, 2020.
The Sailors, the defending champions of the Singapore Premier League (SPL), will leverage the expertise of the Dutch giants and its acclaimed youth academy – that has won the Rinus Michels award for best academy in the Netherlands five times since 2009 – with the partnership also opening doors to individual training stints for top Sailors Academy footballers.
“Through this collaboration, we will contribute to the development of football in Singapore and the region,” said Feyenoord’s Manager of International Relations, Gido Vader. “The first team of Lion City Sailors are the reigning champions of Singapore and the club aims to become one of the best youth academies in Southeast Asia. We are delighted to be able to partner with Singapore’s most promising youth academy.”
Vader is delighted with the prospect of leveraging the Sailors’ presence in the global business hub of Singapore, and the opportunity of paving a path for young footballers in the region to Feyenoord.
He said: “Besides allowing us access to a very interesting commercial market, this partnership also enables Feyenoord to track the most talented players in the region. The Sailors’ Under-14 team visited the Feyenoord Academy in 2021. During this stay, their players and coaches have shown great development in a short period of time.
“We hope to welcome the players and staff of Lion City Sailors more often in Rotterdam now that there are more opportunities to travel.”
Sailors Chief Executive, Chew Chun-Liang, was elated with the multi-year partnership that he believes underscores the club’s drive towards excellence as the Sailors celebrate the club’s second anniversary.
“I can think of no better way for the Sailors to celebrate our second anniversary than with a partnership with a giant of the football world like Feyenoord,” he said.
“At this time of celebration, we’ve stopped to reflect on our vision and to redouble our efforts to become one of Asia’s top clubs and an elite hub of youth development – and this partnership with Feyenoord will be tremendously helpful in empowering us to get to where we want to be.”
This partnership was already in the making from 2021, with the Sailors’ Under-14 team visiting the Feyenoord Academy in November. During the two-week stay in Rotterdam, the Sailors’ players and staff enjoyed training sessions, friendly matches and team-building activities, as they got first-hand experience of European football standards and Dutch football infrastructure.
“Our boys had a chance to play against some very strong opposition, with the match against Feyenoord one of the highlights of our trip,” said Luka Lalić, Sailors’ Academy Director and former International Development coach at Feyenoord.
“It was a fantastic learning experience for all of us in Rotterdam, and we are looking forward to just how much more we can do in partnership with Feyenoord in the years ahead.”
The Feyenoord deal is the second such partnership the Sailors have forged, with eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund (BVB) signing a similar agreement in July last year. The BVB partnership has already witnessed staff exchanges, workshops, community initiatives in various Singapore neighbourhoods, and provided the platform for the Sailors’ Academy’s 42-day training trip in Europe last year.
Join The Crew!
Come sail with us!
The Lion City Sailors fan club was established last year with one mission, to unite all our supporters as one team – The Crew – behind the team. And we are looking for a spirited Crew to come aboard before we embark on our voyage into the 2022 domestic season and the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL).
Memberships
The Crew will serve as a gateway for the Sailors to show our appreciation for your support, engage with as many of you as possible, and even give you a share in our spoils with exclusive Sailors rewards – starting with the Crew Pack that every 2022 member will receive.
We are grateful for the heartening support we felt from the stands in 2021, and to show our appreciation for the pioneer members of The Crew, all existing members will receive a free membership for 2022, when we launch memberships on Monday, 14 February.
Thank you for your invaluable support in a year that saw the club winning our first Singapore Premier League title.
Season Pass
Only members of The Crew will be eligible to apply to purchase a 2022 Season Pass – a front row seat for every time the Sailors take to the field at the Jalan Besar Stadium in home games during the domestic season.
Application for Season Passes will open at noon on Wednesday, 16 February.
There will be 14 home games in the SPL, with more coming in the Singapore Cup. And while the Season Pass will be good value, we are still working behind the scenes to provide added value to The Crew, and we will announce partner-discounts and new initiatives when we can.
We hope you will be patient with us as we put these – and other membership processes – in place ahead of the new season.
Come aboard the Sailors 2022 adventure!
Membership and Season Pass details:
Membership: The Crew
– Existing members of The Crew will be given free membership for 2022. This is to thank them for their support and loyalty, and those who qualify will receive an email from the club with instructions to activate their membership
– New signups will commence on Monday,14 Feb, the 2nd anniversary of the club. You – the fan – are at the heart of everything we do, and to celebrate the club, we must celebrate our fans
– Each membership costs $20, and is valid until 31 Dec 2022
– Members will be entitled to purchase 2 tickets for every home game at a 20% discount off regular prices, in priority sales periods before tickets are open to the public
– Members will receive a special fan pack – the Crew Pack – within 14 working days. The Pack comprises the Official The Crew membership card, a scarf, a pin and a mask
– Members will receive 5 x 20% Voucher Codes credited to their Shopee account for use at the Lion City Sailors Football Club Official Store on Shopee. Codes will be credited within 7 working days
– Only members of The Crew will be eligible to apply to purchase a Season Pass for the 2022 season
Season Pass
– A limited (250) number of season passes will be put on sale on Wednesday, 16 Feb at 12 noon (Singapore time)
– Season Passes are valid for all HOME games in the league and Singapore Cup
– Season Pass holders will be entitled to 1 guaranteed match ticket – at no further cost – and 1 ticket purchased at a 20% discount for all HOME games.
– Members will receive an email inviting them to express their interest in purchasing a season ticket
– Successful candidates, decided on a first-come-first-served basis, will then be sent a link for payment
– There are 2 Tiers to the Season Pass – Adult: $80, Concession*: $40
– Season Ticket holders will get priority access to away tickets.
*Concession: students aged 16 and under, seniors aged 55 and above. Applicants for concession Season Passes will have to be members of The Crew to be eligible
Countdown to 2022 season begins
In an exhilarating 2021, the Lion City Sailors were crowned Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions for the first time in October.
A week from today, the Sailors have an opportunity to win the club’s second trophy at the AIA Community Shield, the traditional curtain raiser for the domestic football season.
The Sailors will face closest rivals for the SPL trophy in 2021, Albirex Niigata (S) at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday, 19 Feb, in a standalone fixture that returns for the 14th time after its pandemic-enforced absence in 2021.
Up to 1,000 fully-vaccinated spectators will be allowed into the stadium, under prevailing Safe Management Measures.
This year’s curtain raiser, as with previous editions, will be considered a neutral match, with tickets available for sale– administered via SISTIC Singapore – from 3pm today, 12 Feb on the Football Association of Singapore website.
The 2022 season promises much excitement, with the Sailors poised to make the club’s debut in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL). The club have made slew of new signings in Singapore internationals Izwan Mahbud and M Anumanthan, further strengthening the squad with the acquisition of Brazilian defender Pedro Henrique, Korean international Kim Shin-wook, and Belgian wide-man, Maxime Lestienne.
The 2022 AIA Community Shield will also be broadcast LIVE via Singtel TV and StarHub TV as well as streamed online via the SPL Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Ticketing Details
Adult: S$15
Concession*: S$5
* Children aged between 3 and 12, and senior citizens aged 60 and above
Lion City Sailors have added UEFA Champions League (UCL) experience to their squad with the signing of 29-year-old Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne. The move comes as Kim Do-hoon’s charges ramp up preparations ahead of the 2022 season that will see the club defend its Singapore Premier League (SPL) title and make its debut in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
The 1.77m left-footed wide player joins from Belgian top-tier side Standard Liege on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract. The move was completed ahead of the closure of the European transfer window on 31 January – the SPL window closes on 25 March – with Lestienne expected to arrive in Singapore prior to the opening of the domestic football season on 19 February when the Sailors face Albirex Niigata in the AIA Community Shield.
Lestienne was a part of PSV Eindhoven’s 2015/16 UCL squad that fell at the Round of 16 to eventual finalists, Atletico Madrid. The Dutch giants came out of Group B at the expense of Manchester United, with Lestienne recording two goals and two assists for PSV during that European campaign.
He has a record of 29 appearances and six goals in UEFA’s second tier regional competition, the Europa League, with Standard and fellow Belgian side Club Brugge.
Lestienne is a direct winger blessed with a turn of pace, an eye for a pass, and composure in tight situations. He promises to bring much to the Sailors’ squad with the added ace up his sleeve – the ability to deliver quality balls from set-pieces.
“The Sailors’ vision of building a strong football culture in a country like Singapore is a project that really excites me. The club’s commitment to youth development and improving football capabilities only adds to the allure of its drive for success on the pitch,” said Lestienne, who is part of Belgium’s Golden Generation of players and has been called up to the national team on several occasions, but has yet to receive a senior cap.
Lestienne, a product of the now-defunct Mouscron academy, has been capped at all Belgian youth levels and has proven ability in several leagues across Europe, including in Spain’s LaLiga with Malaga and the Italian Serie A with Genoa.
“I can’t wait to get started with the Sailors, especially as the club competes for the first time in Asia’s Champions League.”
Lestienne’s direct style promises to bring an added dimension to a Sailors attack that has an arsenal stocked with the silky Brazilian Diego Lopes, the aerial prowess of Korean international Kim Shin-wook and the tricky Singaporean trio of Faris Ramli, Gabriel Quak and Hafiz Nor.
Head Coach Kim Do-hoon believes that Lestienne will be the final piece of his Sailors puzzle, as he looks to build on a team that was crowned SPL champions in dramatic fashion on the last day of the season in 2021.
“Maxime will give us added quality in the attacking third with his technical ability, and he will help take us to the next level as we move towards being competitive against the best clubs in Asia at the ACL,” said Kim.
“The team is improving with each training session so far, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us, and with the quality and professionalism that Maxime adds to our dressing room, I’m confident we’ll get there faster,” said the man who masterminded Ulsan Hyundai’s 2020 ACL triumph.
Sailors Chief Executive Chew Chun-Liang believes that with the club’s final foreign player on board, there will be much to look forward to in the 2022 season.
“It is important that we continue to bring in top-quality players like Maxime, Pedro Henrique and Shin-wook to boost our domestic and regional ambitions, while also continuing to deliver excellence and excitement to the Singapore football fraternity,” he said.
“Their presence will rub off on local players as well, serving both as an inspiration and helping raise professional standards at the club.
“We will continue to match such improvements in our off-the-field efforts as well as the Sailors drive towards our vision in what promises to be an exciting 2022.”
