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Tag: Lions

  • Challenging Road To World And Asia Cup Finals For Lions

    Challenging Road To World And Asia Cup Finals For Lions

    The road to qualification for the 2018 World Cup final in Russia is set to be a challenging one for Singapore’s national football team.

    The draw for the second round of the FIFA World Cup Asian Zone qualifiers was conducted in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, with Singapore — ranked 162nd in the world — placed in Group E with Cambodia (179), Afghanistan (135), Syria (126), and four-time Asian champions Japan (50).

    With the draw also serving as qualifiers for the 2019 Asian Cup Finals in the United Arab Emirates, Lions coach Bernd Stange admitted yesterday that Singapore can expect a tough ride in their bid for both tournaments.

    The team will open their campaign in Cambodia on June 11 before hosting Japan five days later.

    “I think the group we are in is a challenging one and we are not in any position to underestimate any of the teams,” Stange told TODAY.

    “My overall aim is to qualify and the importance will be on the first two matches, to gain momentum. We will go game by game as it is going to be a marathon.

    “Japan will be a difficult match. (But) I am absolutely optimistic of beating Syria since we have done it before, in 2013. I will tell every one of my players to take up the challenge we have ahead.”

    Singapore have never qualified for the Asian Cup Finals — except for 1984 when the Republic hosted the event — and the team’s previous best outing in the World Cup Asian Zone qualifiers was in 2011/2012, when the team made it to the third stage.

    The Lions have endured a string of poor performances in recent months, including a 2-2 draw with lower-ranked Guam in a friendly match last month, and were eliminated at last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup in the group stage.

    Forty Asian countries, including newly-crowned Asian champions Australia, will contest the qualifiers. Eight group winners and the four best runners-up will advance to the next stage of World Cup qualifying and earn a spot in the Asian Cup.

    The remaining teams will go into another phase of Asian Cup qualifiers.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Abbas Saad And Rafi Ali Slam Lions’ Dismal Showing Against Guam

    Abbas Saad And Rafi Ali Slam Lions’ Dismal Showing Against Guam

    Two of Singapore’s former football heroes, Abbas Saad and Rafi Ali, have slammed the national team following their abysmal 2-2 draw with Guam on Tuesday night (Mar 31).

    They were speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a global seven-aside football tournament, 24Sevens.

    167th-ranked Guam lie 14 places below Singapore in the FIFA rankings, but the difference did not show at Jalan Besar Stadium. The Lions trailed the visitors twice, and it took a second-half leveller from Faris Ramli to spare the hosts further embarrassment.

    Singapore have now won only four times in their last 12 games, including matches at their AFF Suzuki Cup run.

    Abbas Saad, who was part of the Singapore team in the Malaysian League in 1990 and from 1993 to 1994, said: “2-2, Guam and the Singapore national team, in your home den. That is embarrassing, that is not good enough. There have got to be changes here. The coach has got to answer what is going on with the results.

    “And again, it is not the results, it is the way they have been playing the game. Are you getting the best out of the players, are you identifying the best players, are you getting the right set-up or the right formation out there? I do not think so.”

    Meanwhile, Rafi Ali, who was in the Singapore national team from 1995 to 2003, said: “When you have that flag, you must be proud of that flag. And some of the players, when I watch some of the games, they have it. But we need to have this on a consistent basis, week in, week out. Just give your best and give your 100 per cent. Because you are playing for your country. Because not many people have the privilege to put on the jerseys.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Sportshub Pte Ltd And Bernd Stange War Of Words Over Pitch Readiness And Ability To Attract Quality Opposition

    Sportshub Pte Ltd And Bernd Stange War Of Words Over Pitch Readiness And Ability To Attract Quality Opposition

    The Republic’s national head coach Bernd Stange has claimed it is very, very difficult to attract big teams to play them as long as the National Stadium’s pitch is not ready.

    However, his controversial comments have been refuted by the 55,000-seater arena’s operators SportsHub Pte Ltd, which reiterated that the issue is being addressed, and the later stages of June’s SEA Games football tournament and July’s Barclays Asia Trophy, both to be held there, will show the playing surface to be up to the mark.

    Stange’s remarks came when he was asked at yesterday’s pre-match press conference for Singapore’s friendly against Guam at the Jalan Besar Stadium tonight why the Lions, who are 153rd in FIFA’s world rankings, are playing a world No 167 side instead of a higher-ranked team that could provide a stiffer contest.

    “It’s very, very difficult to convince top-class teams to play at Jalan Besar Stadium,” said Stange, referring to the venue’s artificial turf.

    “All my promises I gave to bring teams over with my personal contacts to speak with (Iran coach Carlos) Queiroz, with (Russia coach) Fabio Capello and others depend on a ready Sports Hub.

    “Unfortunately, a lot of teams refuse to play Singapore on the artificial pitch. Even Japan refused to make training sessions here (at the Jalan Besar Stadium) before they played Brazil (at the National Stadium last year) … As long as the (National Stadium’s pitch at the) Sports Hub is not ready, we cannot attract big teams. I did everything, but it’s difficult to convince teams to play there.”

    The National Stadium’s Desso GrassMaster pitch — a mixture of natural grass woven onto synthetic fibres — cut up badly during Brazil’s match with Japan in October last year, prompting a re-scheduling of events to allow the pitch to recover for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup in November.

    In December, SportsHub Pte Ltd, which operates the 55,000-seater National Stadium, announced a lay-and-play turf would be used for this June’s SEA Games to ensure an optimal playing surface.

    In response to Stange’s comments, SportsHub Pte Ltd’s senior director (corporate communications and stakeholder management) Jose Raymond said about the lay-and-play pitch: “Work has been ongoing and has been progressing very well, and will be implemented in time for the SEA Games in June.

    “The Barclays Asia Trophy, which will be held for the first time in Singapore, will involve top English Premiership sides Arsenal, Everton and Stoke City at the National Stadium in July. We look forward to having these world-class teams play at the National Stadium.

    “FIFA dates have been confirmed for the next three years till 2017. We have been engaging the Football Association of Singapore and we look forward to hearing their plans, and working with them to bring world-class international football teams to the National Stadium for the benefit of our football fans.”

    Singapore head into their first meeting with Guam on the back of last week’s 2-0 loss to Thailand, and a win will ease some pressure following their disappointing group stage exit at last November’s Suzuki Cup.

    Guam are without Los Angeles Galaxy defender Adolph Joseph DeLaGarza, but head coach Gary White insists they are not here to make up the numbers.

    “In the past two-and-half years, we’ve installed a belief to play football, rather than just sit back and hope for the best and keep the scores the low,” he said.

    Singapore will be without centre-back Afiq Yunos, who is out for three months with a knee injury, while goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, defenders Baihakki Khaizan and Madhu Mohana, and attacking midfielder Shahril Ishak remain doubtful.

    Nonetheless, Stange insisted he will field his strongest available line-up. “It’s a home game, we are responsible for our fans,” he said. “Hopefully we have fans to see this match against a team that is better than everyone believes.”

    Singapore midfielder Hariss Harun added: “Lapses in our focus cost us the two goals (against Thailand last week). We also need to get into positions to score goals. We get chances but don’t put them away.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Bernd Stange: Lions Will Do Their Best As Tribute To Lee Kuan Yew

    Bernd Stange: Lions Will Do Their Best As Tribute To Lee Kuan Yew

    KORAT, Thailand: Even as the Lions prepare to take on Thailand in the first leg of two friendly matches, the mood in the training camp has been sombre, said the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Wednesday (Mar 25). This was attributed to the passing of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, on Monday.

    Calling the Lions’ first training sessions “tough”, the FAS said the players were “visibly distraught at the loss of Mr Lee but showed much determination and focus”.

    “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. A visionary leader, he built a beautiful and prosperous country which we are proud to call our own,” said Singapore captain Shahril Ishak. “His contributions cannot be measured in words and we will miss him deeply.”

    “We are highly motivated during our training sessions and we are looking to give a very good account of ourselves in the match,” added Shahril. “We are determined to do well for our nation.”

    “I could not ask for more from the players. They gave their all and it has been tough first training session for all of them. I also hope the players will do their best as a tribute to Mr Lee,” added Head Coach Bernd Stange.

    As a mark of respect to Mr Lee, the players and officials will be wearing black armbands during the game and a minute’s silence will also be observed before the match.

    Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, who plays for Thai Premier League leaders Army United FC, said during his time in Thailand, everyone in the country was looking forward to the clash.

    “Everyone in Thailand has been talking about the match as soon as it was announced earlier this year,” said Hassan. “Even when I was injured, I was interviewed by the Thai media on my thoughts for the match instead of my injury!”

    “We will prepare well accordingly and do our best against them on Thursday,” he added.

    The matches have been organised to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both nations, and the first leg will take place in Thailand on Thursday (Mar 26), at the His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary, 5 December 2007 Sports Complex, 8pm Singapore time.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Bernd Stange Will Be Offered A New Contract By FAS

    Bernd Stange Will Be Offered A New Contract By FAS

    The future of Singapore national coach Bernd Stange has been the subject of much speculation after Singapore’s unsuccessful defence of their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup title on home soil last November.

    But in the biggest indication yet that the German will be offered a new contract, Football Association of Singapore (FAS) President Zainudin Nordin said Stange’s work has been positive for the local game since he was recruited in May 2013. More specifically, he has injected new life into the Lions with younger players, upping their technical skills and guided younger coaches.

    Zainudin was speaking to TODAY after the launch of PlayPal yesterday, a local app that helps football enthusiasts search for players and locate places they can get together for kickabouts.

    After Singapore failed to reach their semi-final target in the AFF Suzuki Cup, the FAS announced on Dec 29 that Stange’s two-year contract, which was to have originally expired in May, had been extended until after the SEA Games.

    This is to allow the 67-year-old to guide national under-23 coach Aide Iskandar at the biennial event, which Singapore will host from Jun 5 to 16. TODAY understands the FAS is likely to enter talks with him on a two-year extension to his existing deal.

    Pointing to the target the FAS gave Stange when hiring him in 2013, Zainudin said: “The KPI (key performance indicators) we set for Bernd is very simple: Focus on revitalising the team, which he has done and a lot of players have been brought into the team, improving technical expertise and guiding young coaches such as Fandi, Aide and Richard Bok.

    “If you ask me, I am very clear that the objectives and the work he has done have been very positive for Singapore football and we need to look at this from a more holistic perspective in moving on subsequently.”

    NO “KNEE-JERK” REACTION FOR “RESPONSIBLE” FAS

    Last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup was the first major senior international tournament for Stange as Singapore coach, but the Lions did not get past the group stage after losses to Thailand and Malaysia. There were calls for Stange to step down, while the FAS also came under fire in the aftermath of the exit.

    But Zainudin stressed that as a “responsible organisation”, the FAS could not resort to a “knee-jerk” reaction.

    “People were also asking for Raddy’s (former national coach Radojko Avramovic) head in 2010, after Singapore also failed to get past the AFF group stage,” he said. “This is not our style; we don’t hire and fire people for one tournament because we have a role for Bernd to play and there are KPIs for him to meet and I think this is how we should handle human resource.”

    Since the tournament, Stange has kept a low profile, but even if the FAS is extending its hand for a new deal, it needs his nod to continue their partnership.

    “That is his choice, but we believe we need to sit down subsequently to see what more can be done,” said Zainudin.

    “Now, he has a duty to carry on until after the SEA Games is over and we have to make sure we respect this. Bernd is still with us and it is important to give him the stability and ensure he is able to do his job well.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com