Happy Lunar New Year to all
(恭贺新喜，万事顺心意)

Wishing all visitors to this blog a Happy Lunar New Year and a long holiday break ahead :)

With Regards

(Match picture taken from the press box)

Struggling at the start
(first blog using WI-FI)

As a die-hard fan of the Lions, one must not blame them for losing their unbeaten streak that stretched from the beginning of last year.

A long lay-off since the end of the League season, coupled with some negative controversies surrounded the team, it's not difficult to blame the boys for losing to the under-strength Danes, who fielded a large number of debutant as well.

Tampines' Noh "Ah Long" Alam Shah's blunt finishing in front of the goal, shall served as a barometer of the Lions' display on the field.

Wasn't really sure how the second goal was scored but the first Danish goal was clearly a result of poor defensive work at the back.

Perhaps Indra Sahdan provided the only spark for the home team when he lived up again to his reputation for scoring against big teams when he finished his effort with first touch following a nce threaded pass from "Ah Long" at the edge of the box.

Prior the start of the game, national skipper Aide Iskandar was presented a special T-shirt that marked his 100 appearance for the national team, by his wife.

Though at the end of the game, coach Raddy did registered his unpleasantness for the small turnout, despite having the Danes , whom being one of the top teams in Europe.

Personally, I am sure big numbers of fans would love to turn out at the stadium, if only the Danes don't shown that kind of "BOCHUP" attitude in the first place.

Really in a LIMBO..

In one of my earlier posts (with the image of it placed above), l shown a bit of concern on both Itimi Dickson and Agu Casmir.

Having not able to secure a contract following their release from the Young Lions, I was a bit worried if these two naturalized players would be left fighting for their own survival.

And it appeared that I had been worrying too much.

When I turned out at the national team's training session, one of the notable absentees was Itimi Dickson.

It was made known the following day that he is currently on a trial cum holiday in Italy, much to the dismay of the national team's selectors, who were left in the dark till then.

While it was later confirmed that Agu had signed for Indonesian club, Persija Jakarta but back out from his agreement with the Indonesian before kicking a ball and headed to the freezing Russia for a try out.

Of course, the guys in the Indonesia capital aren't pleased at all and having every rights to voice their grievances.

In such a bizarre turn of events could eventually see the premature end of the career of Agu Casmir, if Persija decided to file a complaint to FIFA.

While a lengthy ban on him might be handed out from breaking his contract with Persija, however the ultimate impact will be his reputation.

As Persija has a strong case in their hands against Agu.

It's not a matter of returning the signing-on fee of US$20k but it's the matter of principle and trust.

Think about it, would one sign a skillful player or a fickle-minded player (probably those clubs like Portsmouth or Parma would, who are currently struggle in their domestic campaign.).

A year ago...

16th January 2005.. How times really flies.

Exactly, a year ago today at this time of writing, we were celebrating as the national team, led by coach Raddy, triumphed over the much-fancied Indonesians to lift the Tiger Cup in front of the 55,000 fans.

Still remember that day, I met up with my colleagues at the Kallang MRT station and made our way together with the rest of the red-shirted supporters (pictured on the left)with a similar aim - to revive the Kallang Roar.

And we did

The moment when Indra Sahdan scored the first goal of the game, the whole Kallang if not the whole Singapore erupted.

Such a feeling and glad l was there to witness all these happend right in front of me.

(Pictured above right: me - in shades with my colleagues in the stadium that night)

The First Training session for the Lions in 2006

It's been raining for the past three days and when was made know that the national team will be conducting their first centralised training on this day (which is Hari Raya Haji), I was wondering if the session is going on.

So off l went to the Jalan Besar stadium at close to 6pm.

And here l was at the home of Singapore football, where the first training session of the year was conducted.

Should have this been a year ago, nobody would dare to risk their life to train on the pitch which had since made way to the newly-laid artificial pitch.

Likes of Tampines's Mustafic Fahrudin and Bah Mamadou of Home Utd were at the training session for the first time since their naturalization.

While the likes of Ashrin Shariff and Shi Jia Yi were doing their light training.

Some fine touches were shown during the training session, though it's still early to say if the team are rwady for the challenge ahead.

ARROGANT DANES

I was not surprised when the Danish decided to field their second-stringer in the upcoming friendly against the Lions.

What really disgusted me is the manner the Danish treated the whole event.

Call it a way of "belittle" your host, the Danish FA (DBU) in their reply to a local paper, that they don't regard this FIFA "A" fixture as such.

Such an arrogant reply really made us wonder if it's worth while in the first place to agree to a sparring match.(as it was the Danes, through their agent, approached the FAS in the first place.)

First post of the Year 2006

Managed to tap on to a wi-fi network while waiting for the dreaded flight home.

At least the news that I gathered that Radojko Avramovic had extended his contract as the Lions Coach for another two years, brought some cheers in my final moments in Incheon Airport (pictured below), Seoul.

Despite the SEA Games flop that still etched in many's mind, it is still felt that Raddy is the right person to push the team to the next level.

In the past, number of national coaches had been blasted for sticking to the "same old, few faces" in numbers of crucial games.

Although faced with sceptism, the Serb-Montenegrin fielded a large numbers of youngsters.

In a gamble that paid off handsomely in last year's Tiger Cup victory.

Thus I would say any disruption in this transitional period will proved fatal if Raddy decided to leave as his successor would either had to follow up from where he left or rebuild another development program from scratch.

Now with the Asia Cup qualifers on the line and possibility in taking part in Doha 2006, let's hope the boys Will repay Raddy's faith with a better showing.