[pinkpanther]

[pinkpanther]

Get ready for eternal failure under Edwin Tong!!

[EvertonDiehard]

This reminds me of the pathetic state of the S'pore national football team and the S'pore Premier League. Foreign professional footballers were brought in to impart their skills and experience to their local teammates.  However, these imported players weren't much better than their S'porean counterparts owing to the modest budget of most clubs. Most of these foreign "talents" left for greener pastures after a short stay in the SPL. Today, the overall standard of both our national team and clubs have declined even further than when the S-League started its inaugural season.

[EvertonDiehard]

Ben Davis was labelled a NS defaulter when his application for deferment to pursue a professional career with Fulham in the English Premier League was rejected by Mindef. He scored for Thailand vs S'pore in a 5-0 thrashing. It just had to happen.

[EvertonDiehard]

Harry Birtwistle of Wolves can no longer represent S'pore because he is considered a NS defaulter.

[EvertonDiehard]

Perry Ng from Cardiff City is already 28 years old. Why didn't the FAS make the move for this professional footballer sooner?

[pinkpanther]

Singapore clinched the Suzuki Cup in 2012 without relying on foreign imports, thanks to coach Raddy and the players' strong will and determination to succeed. For me, the standout player of the tournament was definitely our own Sharil Ishak. 



It's disheartening to see how much the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has digressed. Just look at the comments from Edwin Tong—talking about developing youth and other vague ideas. If FAS isn't willing to invest adequately, nothing will improve! A tenfold increase in spending is necessary to see immediate results.

[EvertonDiehard]

Singapore clinched the Suzuki Cup in 2012 without relying on foreign imports, thanks to coach Raddy and the players' strong will and determination to succeed. For me, the standout player of the tournament was definitely our own Sharil Ishak. 

The S'pore national squad that won the Suzuki Cup in 2012 had the following foreign talents: Daniel Bennett (England), Mustafic Fahrudin (Serbia), Shi Jiayi (China), Qiu Li (China) and Aleksandar Duric (Bosnia).
 

[RiseofAsia]

The Fifa also advised(Suan Siao) them before, not to involve garment body to run the soccer team. 

[EvertonDiehard]

It's disheartening to see how much the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has digressed. Just look at the comments from Edwin Tong—talking about developing youth and other vague ideas. If FAS isn't willing to invest adequately, nothing will improve! A tenfold increase in spending is necessary to see immediate results.

In spite of having youth development programmes at S'pore Premier League clubs and private academies, the retention rate of talent is insufficient to serve as a pipeline for the national team or our professional league. In 2010, S'pore defied all odds to finish 3rd at the Youth Olympics Games (YOG) football competition. It seemed that this team of 15-year-old players would form the “Golden Generation” of Lions, to restore the country into a force to be reckoned with in the region. It is now 14 years since the euphoria of the YOG, and not one of those players have proven that they can compete at the highest level, by making it to the national team.

[EvertonDiehard]

Get ready for eternal failure under Edwin Tong!!

Our SPL clubs need to be financially stronger to attract better quality foreign signings and make a professional career in soccer a viable option for budding young locals.  Revenue from sales of match tickets and merchandise can only increase significantly by bringing up the overall standard of the local league. Home-grown talent was previously withering on the vine because our league was swamped by foreigners, leaving rising talents marginalised.  If the best S'porean players under the age of 21 are not getting a game every week, they may just give up playing full-time, leading to an ever-decreasing pool of local talent for the national team to choose from.In order for the transfer of skills to local players to happen, the quality of foreign signings must be of a significantly higher standard. Only then can our footballers learn from their overseas teammates.

[pinkpanther]

The S'pore national squad that won the Suzuki Cup in 2012 had the following foreign talents: Daniel Bennett (England), Mustafic Fahrudin (Serbia), Shi Jiayi (China), Qiu Li (China) and Aleksandar Duric (Bosnia).
 

These players were naturalized and towards the tail-end of their career! Bulk of the goals weren't scored by them...

[victortan]

My time football standard vy good. Now all kana lan. Cannot play. And are paid so much. 

My time one game they are paid 25$ only. And play with all their life.

Quah Kim song. Mod nor. Dollah Kassim. And many more.

[EvertonDiehard]

These players were naturalized and towards the tail-end of their career! Bulk of the goals weren't scored by them...

All those Lions are foreigners who were naturalised i.e. these players were born and raised elsewhere and have no apparent ancestral links to S'pore. English professional footballers like Perry Ng and Luke O'Nien were not born in S'pore, but have a grandparent and parent who were born here. Those retired Lions from the 2012 Suzuki Cup win played in the S-League, and were fast tracked to a pink IC just so they could represent the SG national team; they had no familial links to our country. Harry Birtwistle of Wolves was born in SG and has a S'porean mom. 

[EvertonDiehard]

The balance, flexibility and mastery of basic ball control in our young players have to be nurtured from primary school level.  If SPL clubs know that these children are permitted to come through the ranks to provide a pipeline to their youth and senior squads, more resources will be invested in them.  No club will commit to any long term programme if the cream of their talent is co-opted into the S'pore Sports School or Young Lions squad when they come of age. The FAS must support youth development schemes where training has to be fun yet effective. Coaches should not be putting too much pressure on children below the age of twelve to win games. However, instructors cannot stand back and let them play their own way without instilling in them the basics. The fundamental development of skills such as trapping and controlling a ball, spreading their body when receiving it, the importance of awareness of their surroundings, how crucial their first touch must be etc. are all fundamentals at the grassroots level.

[pinkpanther]

All those Lions are foreigners who were naturalised i.e. these players were born and raised elsewhere and have no apparent ancestral links to S'pore. English professional footballers like Perry Ng and Luke O'Nien were not born in S'pore, but have a grandparent and parent who were born here. Those retired Lions from the 2012 Suzuki Cup win played in the S-League, and were fast tracked to a pink IC just so they could represent the SG national team; they had no familial links to our country. Harry Birtwistle of Wolves was born in SG and has a S'porean mom. 

Daniel Bennett was born in another country but grew up here. He even renounced his British nationality, so isn't he considered a Singaporean? Moreover, it's not as if FAS purchased them and issued pink ICs immediately...These players have been part of the local football scene for many years and have significantly contributed to it. The team's foundation and focus were around local players in 2012, with Sharul Ishak and Khairul Amri standing out as the stars of the tournament...

[FangFang]

Everyone have different dreams

[pinkpanther]

Everyone have different dreams

Some have wet dreams 

[pinkpanther]

My time football standard vy good. Now all kana lan. Cannot play. And are paid so much. 

My time one game they are paid 25$ only. And play with all their life.

Quah Kim song. Mod nor. Dollah Kassim. And many more.

Last time the soccer was more expressive...enjoyable to watch...now it is more tactics base..boring to watch!

[EvertonDiehard]

Daniel Bennett was born in another country but grew up here. He even renounced his British nationality, so isn't he considered a Singaporean? Moreover, it's not as if FAS purchased them and issued pink ICs immediately...These players have been part of the local football scene for many years and have significantly contributed to it. The team's foundation and focus were around local players in 2012, with Sharul Ishak and Khairul Amri standing out as the stars of the tournament...

I totally agree with you that these foreign footballers were naturalised. What I am pointing out is that the likes of Harry Birtwistle who was born in S'pore, Perry Ng and Luke O'Nien who have S'porean grandparents, Ben Davis who obtained his SG citizenship as a boy all have familial ties to S'pore so FIFA allows them to represent our national team. The govt's inflexible stance on not granting deferment from NS means 2 of these footballing talents will never play for the Lions. The other 2 have still not been able to be integrated to the national squad to date.

[pinkpanther]

I totally agree with you that these foreign footballers were naturalised. What I am pointing out is that the likes of Harry Birtwistle who was born in S'pore, Perry Ng and Luke O'Nien who have S'porean grandparents, Ben Davis who obtained his SG citizenship as a boy all have familial ties to S'pore so FIFA allows them to represent our national team. The govt's inflexible stance on not granting deferment from NS means 2 of these footballing talents will never play for the Lions. The other 2 have still not been able to be integrated to the national squad to date.

If I were in their position, I'd happily renounce my citizenship rather than serve National Service. A football career is relatively brief, and the financial benefits of two years in the army aren't significant. By the time they complete their service, their skills may have deteriorated. The government's stance is clear—they're not open to deferrals, likely due to age restrictions, as they don't want to appear willing to accept older recruits for National Service.

Additionally,  (FAS) has made no demonstrable progress; just look at how our national team performs—it's disappointing. Who would want to represent a struggling football nation? If our standards were on par with Japan or Korea, I am certain these players would be more willing to commit to National Service, even if it meant dedicating three years to it!