Category: News
The Lion City Sailors will kick off the 2022 domestic football season on 19 February, taking on Albirex Niigata (S) in the AIA Community Shield, in a year that promises Singapore the most football action witnessed in the Covid-19 era.
The Community Shield is a standalone fixture that serves as the curtain-raiser of the 27th season of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) season that will be played over four rounds instead of the three-round format witnessed in 2021.
The league explained that the increase in number of matches is designed to inject a higher level of competition, while also allowing players to earn more minutes on the pitch.
The Sailors will start the defence of their SPL crown on 27 Feb, against Hougang United at the Jalan Besar Stadium, with Geylang International, Tampines Rovers and Albirex to come in a thrilling March fixture calendar.
More players
Fans will be able to witness more players taking to the pitch as well, with the league allowing clubs to register 20 players for each matchday. There will be nine substitutes allowed on a team’s bench – up from seven last season – with clubs permitted to make up to five substitutions per match.
More tournaments
The Singapore Cup will return in 2022, with the tournament slated to commence on 25 October. The 23rd edition of the tournament will see teams competing in a single-round group stage. The top two teams in each of the two groups will then progress to the semi-finals, which will be played over two legs, in a home and away knockout format.
This will be the Sailors’ maiden Singapore Cup campaign, with the tournament returning after a pandemic-enforced absence in 2021 and 2020, the year the club was established.
More leeway for coaches
The 2022 SPL season will see the youth quota that was introduced in 2018 lowered. Clubs were originally required to field a minimum of three Singaporean Under-23 players for the entire duration of the first half in every SPL match in 2018, a number that will be reduced to one in the 2022 season.
While spectator figures will remain capped at 1,000 as it was in 2021, with spectators required to produce proof of vaccinations according to existing guidelines, SPL fans will continue to be able to watch every match LIVE on broadcast via Singtel TV and StarHub TV as well as live streaming online via the SPL Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Pedro Henrique signs for the Sailors
The Lion City Sailors have moved to strengthen its squad with the acquisition of Pedro Henrique ahead of the 2022 season that will see the club make its debut in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
The 1.90 metre defender joins from Vitoria Guimaraes for an undisclosed fee and will join the club on a three-year contract. Henrique, 29, joins fellow Brazilian Diego Lopes at the Sailors, and will look to form a defensive partnership with Singapore internationals the likes of Amirul Adli, Tajeli Salamat and Hariss Harun.
Henrique was a target for Portuguese giants FC Porto in the summer of 2017, a year that saw Vitoria finish fourth in the Portuguese top tier, and runners-up in the Portuguese Cup, behind Benfica. Then aged 23, Henrique enjoyed a breakthrough year that also saw him win the league’s fairplay award, after finishing the season with just one yellow card in 33 matches.
He brings aerial prowess to the Sailors backline, along with positional sense and a composure that complements his ability to distribute the ball from the back, and will look to add more steel to a defence that conceded only 21 goals in the 2021 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
The Sailors’ tight defence was a key facet of a season that saw the club win their first league title, with only second-placed Albirex Niigata (19) conceding fewer goals all season.
“I wish I could’ve been part of the team when the club won the league last year, but I’m excited about everything else that the club is doing off the field as well – the Sailors project is very ambitious, and I’m delighted to be able to play a part in making that vision a reality,” said Henrique, who has tasted Asian football with Saudi Arabian side Al-Wehda in 2021.
“I’m looking forward to working with Diego, and club head coach, Kim Do-hoon who won the ACL as recently as 2020. With so many of the squad having international experience with the Singapore team, I’m confident we will grow to be a team to be reckoned with.”
The club has also followed up its SPL title with the signing of Korean international Kim Shin-wook, a move that has kept the flames of interest in local football burning in the off season, with its acquisition of Henrique underlining its intentions of being competitive in the ACL.
“Pedro comes with qualities that will help the team improve even further. We are very clear that we must work to become competitive at the Asian level, and I’m confident that Pedro will help us on our journey,” said Kim.
“I can’t wait to get started with the team in 2022. With the likes of Shin-wook and Pedro, along with the local players we have brought on board, I believe we will be more effective in improving our football.”
The Lion City Sailors will face opposition from China, Japan, and either Korea or Thailand in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) debut later this year. This was revealed earlier this afternoon (17 January) at the ACL draw conducted virtually in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
The Sailors, 2021 Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions, are placed in Group F (East Zone) along with reigning Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shandong Taishan, Japanese Emperor’s Cup holders Urawa Red Diamonds and the winner of the playoff between K League 1 second runners-up Daegu FC and Thai powerhouse Buriram United.
The 2022 edition of Asia’s flagship club competition continues in the 40-team expanded format introduced last year, with both the East and West regions featuring five groups of four teams. The five group winners and the best three runner-ups from each region will then advance into the Round of 16.
Group-stage matches will be played on a double round-robin basis in centralised venues between April 15 to May 1, with the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals – all single-leg – scheduled for August. The grand final will be played over two legs in February 2023.
The Sailors face a challenging group, against teams who have featured in the ACL on numerous occasions in the past.
Shandong – China’s defending league and cup champions – boast several China internationals, as well as former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini in their ranks. Fellaini will come up against a familiar foe in Sailors’ midfielder Hariss Harun, who was skipper of the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) side that suffered narrow 1-0 and 2-1 losses to Shandong in the 2019 group stages.
Urawa have ACL pedigree, having won the competition twice in 2007 and 2017 as well as finishing runners-up in 2019. Amongst their squad is a seasoned Japanese international in Hiroki Sakai, who returned to play domestically in Japan after almost a decade away in Europe with Hannover 96 and Marseille.
Daegu reached the ACL Round of 16 in 2021, while Buriram have recently re-signed Theerathon Bunmathan to add to their array of Thai stars including Narubadin Weerawatnodom, Supachai Chaided and Suphanat Mueanta and are currently atop the Thai League 1 standings.
The Sailors can count on the expertise of head coach Kim Do-hoon, who led Ulsan Hyundai to the 2020 ACL title, while the addition of experienced forward Kim Shin-wook, who won the competition twice in 2012 and 2016 with Ulsan and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors respectively, will also come in handy.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge of testing ourselves against the best in Asia, even as we continue to strengthen and build capabilities at the club,” said Sailors Chief Executive, Chew Chun-Liang.
“Coach Kim and the team are under no illusions about the task that lies ahead in the ACL, but plans have been made, and the team are working hard so we can fly the Singapore flag with pride when the competition kicks off.”
Rudy joins Balestier on year-long loan
Lion City Sailors goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah has joined Balestier Khalsa on loan for the entirety of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
The 27-year-old is gifted with safe hands and great reflexes, and was considered one of the nation’s top young goalkeepers when he burst onto the scene in 2012. The former Singapore Under-23 goalkeeper joined Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – in 2017, after stints at the now-defunct Gombak United, and Young Lions.
Rudy rose to become Home’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2018 and played a starring role in the club’s successful run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, with the team being crowned AFC Cup ASEAN Zonal champions – the first time a Singapore club won an AFC title.
Injuries limited Rudy’s playing time in 2019, but he has demonstrated his ability at the Sailors in the two years since, and will now look to cement his reputation at the Tigers.
“Rudy has been a great presence in the Sailors’ dressing room, but it will be helpful for him to go out on loan and get some game time as he looks to develop his game,” said Sailors’ General Manager Badri Ghent.
“We have every confidence that Rudy will do well at Balestier, with the professionalism and technical abilities that he brings to the table.”
Izwan and Anu come aboard
The Lion City Sailors have moved to further strengthen their squad ahead of the 2022 Singapore Premier League season, with the signing of goalkeeper, Izwan Mahbud, and midfielder, M Anumanthan.
The players are both Singapore internationals, and were on duty with the Lions at the recently concluded Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2020, contributing to Singapore’s first appearance at the knockout stages of the tourney since 2012.
The 31-year-old Izwan is still fondly remembered as the Lions’ hero in Singapore’s famous 0-0 draw with Asian giants, Japan, at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Saitama. Izwan made 18 saves in that game, with Japanese fans raving over his “God-like” performance. The goalkeeper joins from SPL rivals Hougang United on a two-year contract, and will see a robust challenge for the Sailors’ no.1 spot with fellow Lion Hassan Sunny.
Anu returns to domestic football with the Sailors after a season north of the Causeway with Kedah Darul Aman, finishing second in the Malaysia Super League, behind giants Johor Darul Ta’zim. The combative midfielder was a key part of Home United’s – the former iteration of the Sailors – crowning as AFC Cup Asean Zone champions in 2018.
“It’s fantastic to return to Singapore with the Sailors, and I’m looking forward to achieving great things with the club – and I’m confident that we can,” said the 27-year-old Anu, who joins on a three-year contract.
“I’ve played with several of the players here, either at club level or in the national team, and I’m certain we’ll get comfortable quickly, and play attractive football to entertain fans and achieve results, like the club managed last year.”
Izwan was similarly positive of the team dynamic in the Sailors’ Class of 2022, and he asserts the stage is set for a further improvement of standards across the club.
“I’m relishing the challenge for the no.1 spot with Hassan, I’m certain we will drive each other as hard as we do when we’re on duty with the national team,” said the custodian who spent three years in Thai football with Nongbua Pitchaya, Trat and Samut Prakan City.
“I’ve had conversations with players who speak with a lot of excitement about the way the club trains and the attitude that the players approach the sessions, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in as we aim to bring success to the club and to Singapore football.”
Sailors’ head coach Kim Do-hoon is thrilled at the prospect of the increasing intensity of competition at training sessions as the club prepares for its maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) adventure in 2022.
“Izwan and Anu will need a bit of a break after their contributions to the Singapore national team at the AFF Suzuki Cup, and I’m looking forward to them returning to training. I’m confident their presence will help push the rest of the squad to be even better,” said the man who led the club to its first SPL title last season.
Kim masterminded Ulsan Hyundai’s ACL triumph in 2020, and he will bring that experience to the table when the Sailors make their ACL bow, with new foreign signing, Korean international Kim Shin-wook leading the attack.
“We will face some of the best teams in Asia, and to be competitive at that level, we must continue to improve, and Shin-wook will help our cause,” said the 51-year-old.
“We are still a work in progress, but I’m confident that with the commitment of the team – and the extra drive that players like Izwan and Anu bring – we will continue to get better.”
Sailors ready to fly Singapore flag
Earlier today (28 November), Singapore coach Tatsuma Yoshida announced the final 28-man Lions squad that will battle for honours at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 from 5 December to 1 January 2022.
All 12 Sailors who were in the Japanese tactician’s provisional squad made the final cut, including Hariss Harun and Hafiz Nor who have joined the squad after recovering from Covid-19.
The 101-cap Hariss will captain the Lions’ side looking to re-establish Singapore as kings of Southeast Asia. He was part of the Lions’ Class of 2012, the last Singapore side to win the Suzuki Cup, some nine years ago.
Singapore, four-time winners of the AFF Suzuki Cup, will begin their Group A campaign against Myanmar on 5 Dec, before going on to face the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Thailand over the subsequent 13 days.
“The team has worked hard during the past month and now that our first match is approaching, we are all very much looking forward to getting our Suzuki Cup campaign started. This is a huge tournament for us and as the home team, we know that the eyes of the nation are upon us, and expectations will be high,” said the 31-year-old.
“I have seen the amount of hard work and effort put in not just by my fellow teammates but also the entire backroom staff. We need no other motivation for us to go out there, play for each other as well for the flag, and hopefully bring pride and joy to Singapore and our fans.”
The Lions will play all their group games at the Singapore Sports Hub’s National Stadium. Tickets are available for purchase at www.fas.org.sg/tickets.
Sailors in Tatsuma Yoshida’s Lions’ squad for AFF Suzuki Cup 2020:
Goalkeeper: Hassan Sunny
Defenders: Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah, Tajeli Salamat
Midfielders: Hariss Harun, Saifullah Akbar, Shahdan Sulaiman, Song Ui-young, Adam Swandi
Forwards: Faris Ramli, Gabriel Quak, Hafiz Nor
Lion City Sailors Year End Awards 2021
Sailors sign Kim Shin-wook
The Lion City Sailors have signalled their intent to take an assured first step in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) next year, with the acquisition of South Korean international Kim Shin-wook.
The 1.98 metre forward was signed from Chinese Super League giants Shanghai Shenhua on a free transfer and will join the club on a three-year contract. The 33-year-old comes with immense ACL experience, having won the tournament twice, first with Ulsan Hyundai in 2012, then again with K League 1 rivals Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016.
Shin-wook’s aerial prowess brings an additional dimension to the Sailors’ attack and set-pieces, but he is equally adept with the ball at his feet, scoring a brace for his country in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers earlier this year in June. He captained the South Korean team that beat Sri Lanka 5-0 at home.
The Sailors will make their ACL debut next year, securing qualification for Asia’s top club competition after winning the Singapore Premier League title for the first time.
“The Sailors project is an ambitious one that is fast gaining momentum. I was presented with the vision that got the club to this point, as well as what’s in the pipeline for the years ahead, and I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it,” said the 2013 K League 1 Most Valuable Player.
“I enjoyed my time in Shanghai Shenhua, and I’m grateful to the fans for all their support during the years I was at the club.
“I’m delighted for the opportunity to build something with the Sailors, and I’m looking forward to the exciting challenge in the years ahead,” he added.
The club was founded with the aim of reigniting passion for Singapore football and have already sparked interest with the signing of Brazilian midfielder Diego Lopes in 2020 and Lions captain, Hariss Harun.
The acquisition of Shin-wook underlines the Sailors’ resolve for continual improvement ahead of their debut in the ACL next season.
Moves to improve the backroom and support structure have also been made, and moves in that area are perhaps what will help Kim settle in quickly.
Sailors Head Coach Kim Do-hoon has made an immediate impact since joining the Sailors at the midway point of last season, drawing from his ACL-winning experience with Ulsan Hyundai in 2020 to implement a high tempo brand of attacking football as he led the team to the SPL title. The South Korean has roped in countrymen Myung Jae Yong (Assistant Coach) and Kim Young Kwang (Video Analyst) in September to further drive the Sailors.
“Shin-wook brings with him characteristics that will help take our game to the next level, and I’m delighted that he found as much excitement in the Sailors project as I did when I joined,” he said.
“We are still a work in progress, but with the commitment from everyone at the club and the added boost that Shin-wook gives us, I’m confident that we will continue to get better.”
Sailors Chairman Forrest Li was heartened by the support shown by Singapore football fans in 2021, and he reaffirmed the club’s commitment to excellence.
“Bringing in top-quality players like Shin-wook will boost our domestic and regional ambitions. We will continue to improve on the football front and off-the-field, as we take steps towards our vision, including our academy scholars programme and the state-of-the-art training facility that is being built,” he said.
“It was fantastic to see so many fans come into stadiums last season, and their passion is the most visible yardstick of our progress. We want to continue to deliver excitement and footballing excellence on the field, so that fans back Singapore football as we drive towards our vision.”
The Lion City Sailors are set for a squad reshuffle ahead of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season, with five players returning either from National Service (NS) obligations or loan stints, and five others leaving the club.
Frontman Stipe Plazibat will leave as the Sailors’ leading goalscorer with 23 goals in the two years since the inception of the club in 2020. Brazilian Jorge Fellipe, Aqhari Abdullah – who joined in 2016 when the club was known as Home United – Ho Wai Loon (on loan with Balestier Khalsa) and Faizal Roslan (on loan with Geylang International) will join Stipe in departing the 2021 SPL champions.
Iqram Rifqi returns from his loan stint with Geylang, along with Anaqi Ismit (on loan with Tanjong Pagar).
The trio of Hami Syahin, Bill Mamadou, Zulqarnaen Suzliman will also return to the club after serving out their NS obligations. All three turned out for Young Lions during their NS stints when they were able to find time out from their duties.
“Stipe, Jorge and Aqhari have made several important contributions for us on the pitch, without which we would probably have not been able to win our first SPL title this season,” said Sailors Chief Executive Chew Chun-Liang.
“More than that, they have had a very positive influence in the dressing room, are well-respected by players and staff alike, and we are confident that they will all continue playing at a high level wherever they go.
“On behalf of everyone at the Sailors, I would like to thank Stipe, Jorge and Aqhari for their invaluable service to the club. We will miss their presence.”
Chun-Liang revealed that these departures come as the Sailors overhaul the squad in preparation for the challenge of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) next season.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye to players, especially when they have been crucial to our success so far,” said Chun-Liang.
“However, we are aware of the need to plan carefully for next season, where we will be competing on multiple fronts, including the ACL.
“We’re glad to welcome back the likes of Hami, Zulqarnaen, Iqram, Anaqi and Bill as we concurrently look to strengthen our squad to put ourselves in the best position to meet the objectives that we have set for the coming year.”
Thank you, Stipe
He joined the Lion City Sailors in 2020 with the lofty aim of winning trophies and achieving success with the club.
Today, with a top scorer award, a Singapore Premier League (SPL) winners medal, and the adoration of the Sailors fans in tow, there is no doubt that Stipe Plazibat has accomplished his goals at the club.
But sadly, Stipe’s voyage with the Sailors is set to come to an end.
The Croatian will officially leave the Sailors when his contract ends in December, with the club deciding to go in a different direction ahead of the 2022 season.
Rightly regarded as one of the best strikers in the SPL at the moment, Stipe will be leaving the Sailors as the club’s reigning top scorer with 23 goals across two seasons.
But the 32-year-old is more than just a prolific goalscorer. His work ethic, consummate professionalism, intelligence on and off the ball, and eye for a pass – he recorded seven assists in the SPL this season alone – has made him a favourite both in the dressing room, as well as among the Sailors fans.
Reflecting on his two years at the club, Stipe, who played an integral role in the Sailors’ historic SPL title win this year, said: “I am proud to have been part of this new and ambitious club, and that I was able to play a vital role in achieving our first league title.
“My target was winning trophies with the club, and we managed to do it this year. Winning the SPL title has undoubtedly been the highlight of my time at the Sailors.
“On an individual level, I won the golden boot last year, I was in the SPL Team of the Year for the past two seasons, and I believe that I have become more mature, both on and off the pitch.
“So yes, I have definitely achieved the goals that I set for myself when I first joined the club.”
Stipe’s contributions to the Sailors extends beyond the pitch, with the Split native having taken the time to mentor several of the club’s promising young talents.
“I’m happy to have played a role in helping some of the club’s young players like Saifullah Akbar and Nur Adam in their development,” Stipe revealed. “To see them win the SPL Young Player of the Year awards (in 2020 and 2021 respectively) makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something more meaningful than just on-pitch success.
“I may be leaving the club, but I’m confident that, with the SPL title and the guidance I’ve provided for the young players, I’ve left a good legacy behind.”
And while Stipe might have only been a Sailor for two years, he has formed strong bonds with several of his teammates and staff, as he said: “I will miss my close friends at the club, like Song (Ui-Young), Hariss (Harun), Gabriel (Quak), and Mario (Jovanovic). The friendship that we have is not something you can find every day, so I really treasure it.”
Song, who hailed Stipe’s impact on the Sailors, backed his close friend to continue performing at the highest level at his next club.
“He (Stipe) has consistently been among the top scorers in Singapore for many seasons now,” said Song. “He has always displayed his professionalism, passion for the team, and he was a big part of our title win this year.
“I believe that he will continue his good form and performances for many more years, and I wish my brate (Croatian slang for ‘brother’) all the very best.”
Gabriel admitted that he would miss having Stipe around at the club, especially as the duo had developed an almost telepathic connection.
“Over the past two years, we’ve formed a good partnership, not only on the pitch, but off it as well,” said Gabriel. “We became really good friends, and I think that translated into our good chemistry when we played…you can see that for many of our goals, we provided assists for each other.
“I definitely enjoyed playing with him, and I’m proud to call him my partner on the pitch. He’s played such a crucial role for us, being our top scorer, and it’ll be sad to see him leave.
“I wish him all the best for the future, and would also like to congratulate him on the recent birth of his child. And even though he’s leaving the club, we will definitely still keep in touch with each other.”
Apart from being a well-liked and respected member of the squad, Stipe was also a popular figure among the Sailors fans.
Expressing his deepest appreciation to ‘The Crew’ for supporting him unconditionally during his time at the club, Stipe said: “I would like to thank all the fans for their amazing support. I am happy that we were able to give them a reason to celebrate, and to believe in Singapore football again. I wish them and the Sailors all the best.”
For now, Stipe remains unsure as to what the future holds for his career. While admitting that a move abroad would be the most likely outcome, he is not ruling out the possibility of staying in Singapore and playing for another SPL club.
“My next move depends on what opportunities I receive, and most probably that will come from abroad,” Stipe mused. “But never say never – I may still stay in Singapore yet. For now, though, I am just enjoying my time at home with my wife, our new-born baby, and my family.”
No matter what happens next, however, Stipe will remain an indelible part of Sailors’ history.
From everyone at the Lion City Sailors, thank you, Stipe Plazibat. All the best, and bon voyage!
