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[Feature] The Braveheart Siva (PART TWO)

(CONTINUED FROM PART ONE)

It is a form of gratitude that he want to repay those who believe in him in the first place that center-back felt Thailand is the place to be.

“It was while training with Chonburi FC that I told them I wanted to play there and with their help I was able to play for Ban Bueng FC, whose owner is also the brother of the Chonburi FC's owner.

"I'm grateful for the fact that they always have high hopes and never lost faith in me that they believe I can be a valuable asset to the organisation.” he explains the reasons behind the second move up north.

Siva with his mentor - Coach Withaya (right, picture provided by Siva)
Just as Siva thought his career as a footballer was taking off with Ban Bueng, things back home saw he returned to Singapore to be at the side of his ailing grandmother in 2009 during recess period of the Thai season.

"I wanted to go back to Thailand (after the end of close season), but my grandma was falling very sick and I knew very sure that she was not going to live for long. It would be very sad if I was in Thailand.

"After consulted my dad and my mom and my grandma, I decided to stay here."he reminisced.

With that come along the opportunity to play for Sengkang Punggol in the S.League.

"During that period, I didn't want to lose touch in football so Ashley Ow, my close friend asked me to join him together in training with Sengkang Punggol.

"I had trained for a while before Aide (Iskandar, Sengkang's coach) asked if I wanted to play for Sengkang Punggol."

Siva (middle) in action for Sengkang Punggol tussled for possession with then SAFFC's Ahmad Latiff (left) in season 2010 (file picture by Ko Po Hui)
Eventually, Siva agreed and signed for the Dolphins for the 2010 campaign.

Unfortunately, despite efforts shown that drawing praises from coaching staff and fellow team mates, the former Stallions player found himself warming the bench most of the time while at Hougang Stadium.

"I believe I deserved to have played more. When I was given the chance to play I did stand up to the games.

"But maybe I wasn’t good enough in my coaches' point of view." as he looked back at the time he spent with Sengkang.

And that explains why the decision to head back to Thailand for the third time in a space of nine years to reunite with coach Withaya at Chonburi FC at the end of 2010 season.

(TO BE CONTINUED IN PART THREE)

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