Singapore footballing scene
Monday, 22 August 2011
Two weeks ago, we cheered as the commentators announced, “All square, one apiece it ends. Singapore advance to the third round of the world cup 2014 qualifiers through an aggregate of 6-4.” Time and time again, the Singapore football teams have left the nation gripping. Once, on our way to clinching bronze at the Youth Olympic Games 2010. Another, during the Lion City Cup has the Singaporean teams finished second and third against the youth academies of Everton, Newcastle, Flamengo and Juventus. And lastly, recently the world cup qualifiers against the ASEAN champions, Malaysia. It’s about time we further develop our football scene and get behind our lions.Firstly, one of Singapore problems is the lack of a crowd, the lack of a big stadium for Singaporeans o show our support. That is one problem solved with the Singapore Sports hub due to be completed in April 2014. Among other sporting facilities, is a 55,000 stadium, and that is like a hundred times larger than the current Jalan Besar’s maximum capacity of 5000. If there was anything that Malaysia won Singapore, it must be the atmosphere that the Malaysians provided. In front of a more than 85,000 cheering fans at the Bukit Jalil stadium, once the Malaysians scored, it could be felt that the momentum shifted as they only needed one more goal to go through.
Secondly, football is a sport that can unite the whole nation. While table tennis is a sport for the Chinese, sepak tekraw is a game for the Malays while cricket is a game for the Indians, football is a sport that every one of all races can participate in. This totally fits Singapore’s identity as a multi-racial society. If we are willing to pay millions of dollars just to secure the rights to watching the Barclays Premier League, Champions League and World Cup, why not support our own local footballers, when they are right in front of us. Why watch on television, when you can watch it live. Why watch the English, when you can watch your own Singaporeans.
Thirdly, the standard of soccer in Singapore has been increasing. Quite obviously, Singapore football has been on the rise with the inclusion of French flair and Japanese steel to the S.League. Meanwhile, an ex-national player like Noh Alam Shah, who cannot keep up with the standards of the league is shipped off to the Indonesian Leagues. The likes of the Korean Super Reds came in runner up in the Singapore cup in 2008 while Brunie DPMM, Etoile FC and Albirex Niigata all won the Singapore League Cup in 2009,2010 and 2011 respectively. With these foreign teams providing an increase in the level of competition, our Singaporean players will naturally play better and better, improving our standards of soccer.
Lastly, there are many young prospects in Singapore. It is no doubt that attacking midfielders always hog the limelight, among those Kaka, Ronaldo, Lampard and Gerrard. Singapore has produced two of its own fine talents, in Adam Bin Swandi and Hanafi Akbar, 15 and 16 respectively. While Adam is a “number 10” player, playing behind the strikers, Hanafi is a left sided winger who likes to drift inwards. Most recently, these two players have caught the eye during the Lion City Cup as they drove their team to success on many occasions, leading to the second and third placed finish. Other than these two, there is still Fandi Ahmad’s two son, Irfan and Ikhsan, 14 and 12 respectively. Both have earned glowing reviews from Europe’s top academies including AC Milan, Valencia, Arsenal and Chelsea. And it does not stop there, with Ilhan, only 9, already showing great potential.
As we bid to qualify into round 4 of the qualifiers for the world cup, we are grouped against China, Jordan and Iraq. With three games to be played at the Jalan Besar Stadium, I look forward to these games and hope that you can join me. It is time to stop ball-watching and get in the game.