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Tag: Lions

  • Geylang International Winger Spent A Day In ICU After Blood Clot Found In Brain

    Geylang International Winger Spent A Day In ICU After Blood Clot Found In Brain

    He came off the bench hoping to mark his 26th birthday with a goal or maybe an assist.

    But Geylang International winger Shawal Anuar ended Friday night in hospital instead, after a clash of heads during an S.League match against Home United.

    The wound required four stitches, but worse still for the national player, the accident left him with a blood clot in his brain that saw him spend a day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Raffles Hospital on Wednesday.

    The doctors were concerned enough to insist that Shawal be put under observation in the ICU after finding the blood clot had doubled in size – from 0.3cm to 0.6cm – when he returned to have the dressing for his stitches cleaned four days after the match.

    When The New Paper visited the player in hospital last night, he was in good spirits.

    But he admitted: “I was shocked and scared when the doctor told me I had to be admitted into the ICU.

    “I even thought he was joking but he scolded me and said this was no joke.

    “Another hit on my head could mean bye-bye.

    For now, I am taking medication and they will continue to observe my condition, and if the blood clot continues to grow, then I will have to undergo surgery.”

    While his head wound was above his right eye, Shawal said the blood clot discovered was in the back, left part of his brain.

    He suspects it could be because he bumped his head on the hard artificial surface at the Jalan Besar Stadium as he landed.

    All he remembers is being knocked out cold, and by the time he regained consciousness, he was already lying on the stretcher being carted off the pitch.

    Shawal, who was told by doctors his brain had “shifted” a little, said that he started suffering ill-effects two days after the accident.

    “I started feeling a pain in my head, worse than a migraine,” he said.

    “And whenever I closed my eyes to sleep, I felt a pressing pain too.

    “The last few days, I’ve slept at 1am or 2am because I had trouble getting to sleep.

    “And sometimes I wake up feeling dizzy and nauseous, although I did not vomit.”

    Remarkably, despite the frightening injury, Shawal is disappointed at missing this Saturday’s Sultan of Selangor’s Cup match at the National Stadium. The annual match is set to be played in Singapore for the first time in eight years, and more than 30,000 fans are expected to fill the stands.

    He sheepishly said: “This would have been my first time, so I really wanted to play in it.”

    National team vice-captain Hariss Harun, who was the Home United player who clashed heads with Shawal, visited his Lions teammate yesterday.

    Said Hariss, who suffered a swollen forehead: “Initially I was a bit shocked to learn his situation had worsened, and I was quite concerned.

    “But at least today he got some good news being transferred from the ICU to a normal ward.

    “I just paid him a visit to make sure everything was okay, and to wish him a speedy recovery.

    “He’s a good footballer and we will miss him for the national team. Hopefully he will come back to the pitch soon, and healthy.”

    Shawal said he is now only focused on diligently following doctor’s orders, and hopes to be back on the pitch in about a month’s time, although he is in no rush.

    “I will take however long is required to fully recover,” he said.

    “I’m more worried about (the recovery) than my football.

    “Even (national) coach Sundram, who visited me here, told me not to think about soccer for the time being.”What’s important now for me is to listen to my doctor.”

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Lions Always Had Chinese Players, What’s Stopping Them Now?

    Lions Always Had Chinese Players, What’s Stopping Them Now?

    Singapore had the Quah brothers, then came Au-Yeong Pak Kuan, David Lee & Tay Peng Kee playing in the Malaysia Cup, Steven Tan, Lee Man Hon, Lim Tong Hai, Stephen Ng & Amos Boon followed into the national set-up.

    Now we have Gabriel Quak and Gymkhana FC have Hong & Jonathan playing…

    There are many Chinese players playing (see Katong FC & Tiong Bahru FC) but are they scouted and deemed good enough for our country for international exposure…

    Many more Chinese players in the COEs and Prime League. I personally dont think getting the Chinese boys to play and have a career in football is the problem…

    I will leave this notion open…peace & out!

     

    Source: KhaiZana Zam

  • Kadir Yahya: Next FAS Chief Must Be A Game Changer

    Kadir Yahya: Next FAS Chief Must Be A Game Changer

    Kadir Yahaya has had enough of the exchange of words between the two camps tussling for votes at the upcoming Football Association of Singapore (FAS) election.

    Within hours of the official call for election coming from the FAS’ Jalan Besar headquarters on Saturday morning, there were questions over the intentions of some running for office, with character and ability also called into question, and apologies soon demanded.

    Enough.

    “Like it or not, there is a tsunami coming to Singapore football. It’s best to stop bickering and remain focused,” the former Singapore international told The New Paper.

    Kadir, one of the most respected voices in local football, has spent ages thinking about the future of the sport here.

    Long before Hougang United chairman Bill Ng announced his candidacy alongside his Tampines Rovers counterpart Krishna Ramachandra, and even before the FAS finalised its new constitution to allow for a democratic election of its leadership, he had already drawn up a list.

    It was not a list of who can be president to lead football, but what a president has to do to drag the sport out of the doldrums.

    Action plans and policy ideas have to be the focus of anyone aspiring to sit in the sport’s highest office, Kadir told TNP in November, and his stance has not changed, even as more names are being associated with either camp.

    Sources reveal that Dr Dinesh Nair, chairperson of FAS’ medical committee, is in Lim Kia Tong’s camp along with officials from National Football League (NFL) clubs – Darwin Jalil (Eunos Crescent) and Albert Ng (Kembangan United).

    Ng’s camp also includes NFL officials – Harman Ali (GFA) and Md Zaki (Kaki Bukit Sports Club) – along with Tampines vice chairman Chris Wong.

    “I don’t have a preference yet, but whoever wins the election shouldn’t be slapping themselves on the back, because there is a huge task ahead.

    “I hope the president is a hands-on man, maybe even one who takes football as a full time job and is able to make important decisions immediately,” said Kadir, 47.

    He lists foresight, ambition, and straightforwardness as key attributes for the man who will helm the sport.

    “We are at a critical juncture in our football, and if we don’t improve in the next five years, our realistic opponents will be the so-called minnows, countries like Bhutan, Mongolia and Timor Leste. We need a really solid plan,” said the man who led Singapore’s Under-15s to a bronze medal at the 2010 inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

    “I hope he asks the hard questions – of where our football really is compared to our neighbours – and that football is his only agenda.

    “If there are failures in the execution of his plans, he goes public with the facts and not sugar-coat things and hide,” he added.

    “It is important that we analyse what went wrong, be transparent about it, identify what can be changed, then go again. I think the public will accept that approach, and appreciate it.”

    Kadir wants an FAS leadership that understands the average Singapore fan, aims beyond the AFF Suzuki Cup and pulls out all the stops for young footballers to realise their dream.

    “We are at a critical juncture in Singapore football. We are still just focused on the Suzuki Cup and South-east Asia Games. We need to aim higher, but our standards are dropping. There is a lot of work to be done,” said Kadir.

    “This president can be a game changer, he’ll be the first one to be elected… and I hope we get the right man.”

    KADIR’S 10-POINT WISHLIST

    1. President must know the ground intimately.

    2. Aim higher, look beyond the Suzuki Cup and SEA Games.

    3. Inspire young footballers to dream.

    4. Give recognition to icons.

    5. Set up the National Training Centre.

    6. Engage ex-internationals to train youngsters.

    7. Engage amateur footballers through tournaments and even those who play five-a-side football.

    8. Find able successors quickly

    9. Find foreigner talent who can help Singapore.

    10. Name a recognised football figure as a spokesperson.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Perbaiki Liga S Jika Ingin Lihat Pasukan Negara Lebih Hebat, Kata Shahril Ishak

    Perbaiki Liga S Jika Ingin Lihat Pasukan Negara Lebih Hebat, Kata Shahril Ishak

    Kegagalan pasukan bola sepak negara untuk melayakkan diri ke pusingan kalah mati Piala AFF Suzuki buat dua edisi berturut-turut menunjukkan bahawa era kegemilangan bola sepak negara sudah berlalu.

    Pasukan seperti Indonesia, Myanmar, dan juga Kemboja sudah dapat menyaingi pasukan Singa yang hanya setakat memperolehi satu mata dan satu jaringan gol.

    Kapten pasukan negara Shahril Ishak tidak terkejut dengan hakikat itu.

    Beliau yang berusia 32 tahun adalah salah seorang pemain paling berjaya dalam pasukan negara.

    Ini kerana beliau sudah menjulang Piala AFF sebanyak tiga kali dengan pasukan negara.

    Beliau berkata negara-negara yang dahulunya ketinggalan kini dapat memperbaiki prestasi mereka dengan memanfaatkan liga tempatan yang hebat.

    Shahril yang pernah bermain di liga Indonesia dan Malaysia berpendapat Singapura seharusnya mengikut jejak yang sama.

    Dengan memberi lebih banyak tumpuan kepada usaha memperbaiki mutu Liga.S, pasukan Singa mungkin dapat kembali ke zaman kegemilangannya.

    “Ia penting bagi kami untuk cuba menjadikan Liga.S lebih hebat dan menarik, kerana ia adalah cara terbaik untuk memperbaiki mutu para pemain di sini,” ujar beliau kepada TODAY.

    “Jika tidak, dengan bekalan pemain berbakat yang kecil, jurulatih negara akan menghadapi kesulitan untuk membariskan pasukan yang kuat bagi menyertai pertandingan, dan ini akan menjejas prestasi pasukan negara.”

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Singapore Lions Too Money-Minded, No Pride

    Singapore Lions Too Money-Minded, No Pride

    LET me regretfully recount this real-life grassroots incident:

    I was very much saddened last month when a school principal told me that he invited a “prominent Singapore player” to give away prizes for an Under-10 tournament. The player, who has been playing for the Lions for six years, asked for an “event-appearance fee”, just to be present to inspire the youngsters and gift the prizes!

    Please, my appeal to the footballing Lions: Stop being money-faced hypocrites.

    This comes after Kadir Yahaya, a rising football coach I used to admire, came out with his “pay-for-play” proposal on the eve of the Suzuki Cup tournament.

    Kadir Yahaya, a legend of the 1990s Malaysia Cup-winning Lions, told The New Paper tabloid newspaper: “We have to put perks in front of the national players”, as he noted that “there’s no motivation, pressure or challenge for players to want to be in the national team”.

    In a nutshell, his solution to the problem was very selfish Singaporean: Show them (the Lions) the money!

    That means, if I read him right, in Kadir’s books, probably monetise the fans to come and support the Lions. Maybe show the money for students to sing ‘Majullah Singapura’ before school starts. Possibly lure 18-year-olds with more dollar notes to learn military skills for National Service (NS) to defend the country. Why not even give the man-in-the-street the big bucks to go to church, mosque or temple?

    FOOTBALL MERCENARIES

    It’s simply laughable and ludicrous because it borders on sheer mercenaryship.

    In my opinion, Kadir must send a serious message to the Lions in Manila (after the ultra-defensive, unentertaining 0-0 draw to Philippines in the opening Suzuki Cup tournament): Wake up from your sloppy slumber and deliver.

    Or risk losing the respect of the die-hard fans, who support without singularly thinking of the dollars and cents.

    One thing that must never stop flowing must the “blood, sweat and tears” of the real Lions of the 1970s and 80s because they knew the meaning of the five-letter word: Pride. Not Kadir Yahaya’s five-letter word: Money.

     

    Source: Suresh Nair