For many young players, making their senior team debut against seasoned professionals can be an intimidating experience, with nerves understandably often present as they adjust to the pace of the senior game.

But 17-year-old Joshua Little defied that narrative, as he confidently took to the pitch on the final day of the 2024/25 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season in Sailors colours like a duck to water.

“Honestly, I didn’t feel nervous or pressured at all. I just went out there and played my game,” said the midfielder, who had previously come off the bench in a pre-season friendly against Johor Darul Ta’zim in April 2024.

“A big part of it was how no one expected anything from me, since I was still relatively unknown. But it wasn’t that big a deal to me because at the end of the day, it’s still football, and I treated it just like another game.”

Despite lining up against a well-established BG Tampines Rovers side that fielded several first-team regulars, Josh — one of four Sailors Academy products to feature that day — turned in a lively, high-energy performance on his SPL bow. He came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, only to be denied by a string of sharp saves from veteran goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari.

“There’s definitely a difference in terms of physicality and speed,” Josh acknowledged. “The position I was playing also required me to step up physically. But as long as you do what’s required, I don’t think the gap is that massive.”

Promotion to the senior squad

Just a couple of months on, Josh has taken the next step in his budding career with a well-earned promotion to the Sailors’ senior squad for the 2025/26 season.

Fresh from a championship-winning campaign with the Under-21s, the teenage midfielder is now focused on proving he belongs at the highest level.

“Now that I’m playing with players of a much higher calibre, I’ve had to shift my mentality,” he said. “Previously, the focus was on development, but now it’s about results and playing with purpose. I’ve got to adapt my style for the good of the team.”

A recent 11-day pre-season training camp in Thailand gave Josh his first taste of life as a full-fledged first-team player. And while the transition initially brought some nerves, his new teammates quickly helped him settle in.

“I was quite worried at the start because it was a completely new team, but everyone was really welcoming,” he shared. “There was no awkwardness at all, whether on or off the pitch.”

Off the field, Josh bonded with senior players over a few rounds of golf — one of his favourite pastimes — even impressing the likes of Bailey Wright and Lennart Thy with his swing.

He said, “I think I had the best opportunity you could get — playing with a great team and training under amazing coaches. I really couldn’t have asked for a better trip.”

Learning from the best

With the Sailors adding the likes of Safuwan Baharudin, Tsiy Ndenge and Anderson Lopes to an already star-studded squad, Josh is eager to seize the chance to learn from those who have been there and done that.

“It’s a great feeling. Training with players of this calibre is a privilege not many people get,” he elaborated. “The environment is competitive, but you learn so much from it. Right now, I’m just soaking everything in to grow my game.”

“I can feel myself improving by the day just by watching how the others approach training and matches. There’s something to learn from everyone.”

An attacking midfielder by trade, Josh is known for his ability to drive forward with the ball and dictate tempo in midfield. But this season, he will take on a new role as a defensive anchor under Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković — a change in position that will test his adaptability and tactical intelligence.

“I’m now focusing on becoming more defensively aware and composed on the ball in high-pressure areas,” he explained. “It’s definitely been different and a bit of a challenge, but I’m up for it. I want to experiment and see what I can do in this role.”

A footballing journey marked by resilience

Josh’s love for football began in Japan’s Saitama prefecture, where he was born to a Japanese mother and an Irish father. As a young boy, he would watch his father and older brother play recreational matches — a routine that planted the early seeds of passion.

His family relocated to Singapore when he was three, and Josh began his playing journey at Arion Football Academy, before joining Spanish Soccer Club Asia (SSCA) when he was eight. A move to the Junior Soccer School and League (JSSL) Singapore’s Academy soon followed after. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several of Josh’s teammates made the switch to the then newly-formed Lion City Sailors Elite Academy. Encouraged by a friend, Josh followed suit, securing a trial with the Sailors’ Under-17 team in September 2021, and eventually earning a spot under then-head coach Luka Lalić.

“Luka played a massive part in my development — mentally, physically, and technically,” said Josh, who also spent 15 days training with Portuguese side S.C. Braga in 2022. “Other coaches such as Nuno (Pereira), Rodrigo (Costa) and Daan (van Oudheusden) have also helped me grow a lot, both as a player and a person.”

But Josh’s journey has not always been smooth.

“Transitioning between teams and constantly adapting to new environments took a toll mentally,” Josh admitted. “There were times I struggled to find my purpose in playing football. I even began to lose my love for the sport.”

Despite thoughts of giving it up, he simply could not walk away from something so central to his life. With support from his parents, he decided to stay the course.

“I knew I had to keep going. If I stopped showing up at the gym, I wouldn’t get stronger. If I stopped training on the pitch, I wouldn’t improve technically. Even on days when I didn’t feel like it, I just kept at it, and eventually, the love came back.”

That determination has defined Josh’s rise through the Sailors Academy’s ranks, and was key to the Under-21s’ dominant league triumph last season, with 19 wins from 24 games and a 15-point gap over second-placed Tanjong Pagar United.

“We had a really good team last year, and I looked forward to every game,” he said. “Even though it was a U21 league, it felt like a big achievement because of how young our team was.”

“The team spirit was incredible. We were all close, and I had some of my best memories playing alongside them.”

Another career highlight came when Josh travelled with the Sailors’ senior team for two Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two away matches — against Port FC in Thailand and Zhejiang Professional in China — in late 2024.

“I’ll never forget those trips,” he said. “Everything was more serious. Being in front of big crowds and on the bench for those games was a totally different experience. You could really see the jump in quality from SPL to the continental stage.”

Ready to punch above his weight

As the Sailors gear up for another packed season both locally and in Asia, Josh is embracing the competition and pressure that comes with fighting for a spot in the team.

“There’s pressure, of course, but that applies to everyone in the squad. If you’re not fighting for your place, you probably shouldn’t be there in the first place,” he said.

“For me, I just want to perform to the best of my ability. It’s a different experience being the youngest in the team, but every day I step on the pitch determined to be the best version of myself.”

A shining example of the Sailors Academy’s growing talent pipeline, Josh hopes his journey will inspire others chasing a similar dream.

“If you believe in yourself and put in the work, anything is possible,” he said. “There’s no luck involved, just discipline and consistency. Keep showing up, and eventually the results will come.”

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