S.League All Stars side named for the "TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Singapore" Charity Match

(Media Information from the Football Association of Singapore)

SINGAPORE, 30 March 2011: The S.League All Stars side to face the TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Selection in the S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Singapore Charity Match at Jalan Besar Stadium this Saturday, 02 April has been officially announced.

The S.League All Stars are coached by three-time S.League Coach of the Year, Richard Bok of SAFFC (pictured above).

Bok is assisted by another Singapore football stalwart, S.Subramani of Home United.

Courts Young Lions skipper Hariss Harun will lead the All Stars for the first half with Balestier Khalsa’s Paul Cunningham wearing the captain’s armband for the second half.

All proceeds raised from the Charity Match will directly support the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

Football fans who attend the Charity Match can also contribute through donation boxes which will be placed around the stadium.

“We really hope that many, many people are coming down for the match,” said Bok.

“The S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION Foundation and Albirex Niigata Singapore have come together to raise funds for the people of Japan, so I hope to see a full stadium on Saturday.”

Four players from Bok’s SAFFC side make the squad, with goalkeeper Shahril Jantan, defender Shaiful Esah (pictured above on right), midfielder Mustaqim Manzur and forward Fazrul Nawaz in the list of 22.

Meanwhile S.League champions Etoile are also represented by four players: defender Sirina Camara, midfielders Hicham Bounchem and Maxime Belouet and forward Jonathan Totoi.

The S.League All Stars team is:
Goalkeepers: Shahril Jantan (SAFFC), Izwan Mahbud (Courts Young Lions)

Defenders: Paul Cunningham (Balestier Khalsa), Afiq Yunos (Courts Young Lions), Sirina Camara (Etoile), Obadin Aikhena (Gombak United), Walid Lounis (Gombak United), Jeremy Chiang (Gombak United), Emmeric Ong (Hougang United), Shaiful Esah (SAFFC)

Midfielders: Armanizam Dolah (Balestier Khalsa), K Vikraman (Balestier Khalsa), Hariss Harun (Courts Young Lions), Hicham Bounchem (Etoile), Maxime Belouet (Etoile) Carlos Alberto Delgado (Hougang United), Fazli Jaffar (Hougang United), Jordan Webb (Hougang United), Mustaqim Manzur (SAFFC)

Forwards: Vitor Borges De Souza (Balestier Khalsa - pictured below in red jersey number 10), Jonathan Totoi (Etoile), Fazrul Nawaz (SAFFC)

While not every club is represented in the All-Stars squad because of S.League match commitments, they are nevertheless contributing to the cause.

Home United, for example have donated proceeds from their match against Woodlands Wellington on 27 March to the relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Tampines Rovers will also be placing donations boxes in their designated ‘home’ blockbuster clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on 01 April against Home United.

A host of Japanese footballing royalty, including former internationals Hidetoshi Nakata, Masaaki Sawanobori and Masakiyo Maezono have confirmed their participation for the TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection side.

Tickets priced at $12 (Grandstand) and $6 (Gallery) for the S.League Cares, Take Action With Albirex Niigata Singapore Charity Match will go on sale from Friday, 01 April at the Albirex Niigata Singapore office at Jurong East Stadium and the FAS office at Jalan Besar Stadium.

For more information on the limited number of $200 VIP tickets for the Charity Match, please contact Muhammad Andi Mirza of the FAS at 68803150.

Match Details
S.League All Stars vs TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection
Date: Saturday, 02 April 2011
Time: 5.00pm
Venue: Jalan Besar Stadium

[Feature] Nike Mercurial Superfly III: Delivering Greater Speed and Innovation

(This entry is formulated based on and partly extracted from the press release issued by Integrated Marketing Solutions Group [IMSG] - the PR agency for Nike Singapore)

(The copyright of images and video clip featured in this entry belong to Nike)

(Picture above) Mercurial Vapor Superfly III provides better traction control to allow better acceleration on the field.

BACKGROUND
Introducing Nike's Mercurial Vapor Superfly III claimed to be its most innovative football boot to date for its cutting edge technology designed for quick acceleration.

“In a game that’s being played faster every season, speed is imperative and players need to be faster with the ball. They need to accelerate, react and change the game quicker than the opposition.” explained the renowned sports equipment giants in a release.

The design of this innovative boots includes consultation with some of the world’s fastest players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Alexandre Pato and resulred a boot that gives players the traction, fit and control to make that one chance count.

FEATURE
Lightweight
Delivering lightweight strength and a responsive performance on the pitch, the seventh generation Mercurial Vapor Superfly III is an industry-defining boot that incorporates Nike’s own Flywire technology.

Nike Flywire technology utilizes high-strength threads that act like cables on a suspension bridge, delivering engineered support where it is needed.

This revolutionary technology transforms how footwear is engineered by reducing the amount of material required for the upper of a shoe to the bare minimum without compromising on durability and support.

Traction
Nike found that players slipping in leading competitions like world championship finals – 845 slipping events over 63 games, or roughly 14 per game at one major tournament – created a renewed focus on boot performance, traction and fit.

The Mercurial Vapor Superfly III delivers adaptive traction technology and pressure-activated studs in the forefoot that extend up to 3 mm when needed, allowing players to speed up or slow down and make rapid changes of direction in adverse pitch conditions.

Said Mr Vijaya Kumar Jayaraj, Marketing Manager for Nike Singapore on this revolutionized boots:“Today’s highly technical and physical game is about exploiting the slightest gap, capitalizing on a momentary lapse of concentration and keeping the opposition on the back foot.

“Testing with elite players in some of Europe’s top leagues revealed that speed around a defender and the ability to make quick changes in direction were critical. Toe-off traction and minimizing slippage are top priorities.”



Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in Mercurial Vapor Superfly III video
CUSTOM LOOK
Give your boots a personalised feel when you customise the Nike Mercurial Vapor SuperFly III with your own unique design, consisting of numbers, initials and flags. Customers in Singapore who purchase the Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly III at Weston Corporation at Queensway Shopping Centre will receive complimentary customisation service in the month of April.

Who Is Superfly?
Football fans can also log on to Nike Football Singapore’s Facebook page to take part in a digital campaign inspiring fans to vote for their favourite Superfly athlete. Superfly is a select breed of player. The hunters and showmen. The innovators and illusionists. Each one with the skills to decide any match. Is it all about the speed demons or the visionaries? What defines a Superfly player? Have your say. Log on to www.facebook.com/NikeFootballSG to find out more.

[Media Information] S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Singapore

(Media Information from the Football Association of Singapore)

(Pictured above left-right) Singapore Red Cross Director of Operations Mr Lim Theam Poh, Co-Chairman of S.League Cares Fundraising Committee Mr Zulkifli Baharuddin, FAS President Zainudin Nordin, Hidetoshi Nakata, Co-Chairman of S.League Cares Fundraising Committee and Albirex Niigata (S) Chairman Daisuke Korenaga (picture obtained together with transcript below)

SINGAPORE, 27 March 2011: Great Eastern-YEO's S.League, Albirex Niigata Singapore and Hidetoshi Nakata’s TAKE ACTION Foundation have today launched S.LEAGUE CARES, TAKE ACTION WITH ALBIREX NIIGATA SINGAPORE, a series of fund-raising events for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

Among the events lined up in the coming week include a Gala Dinner on Thursday, 31st March at Resorts World Sentosa and a Charity Match between the S.League All-Stars and TAKE ACTION With Albirex Singapore Selection side at Jalan Besar Stadium on 2nd April.

A host of Japanese footballing royalty, including former internationals Hidetoshi Nakata, Masaaki Sawanobori and Masakiyo Maezono have confirmed their participation for the TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection side.

Together with current Albirex Niigata (S) players, Coach Koichi Sugiyama has also included Japanese players from other S.League clubs including Tampines Rovers’ Seiji Kaneko, Akihiro Nakamura and Home United’s Kenji Arai.

The S.League All Stars are coached by three-time S.League Coach of the Year, Richard Bok of SAFFC, who will pick a team consisting of local and foreign S.League stars. Richard Bok would be assisted by another Singapore football stalwart, S.Subramani, of Home United.

The Gala Dinner, hosted by Nakata, will see guests having a sit down formal dinner with the Japanese superstar. Nakata has also generously donated memorabilia which will be auctioned at the dinner. Guests could also auction for a “Bench Seat”, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to sit with Nakata and other Japanese stars at the bench during the Charity Game on 2nd April 2011.

Guests can purchase a seat to attend the dinner. They can email the Football Association of Singapore through info@fas.org.sg to get more information about the dinner.

All proceeds raised from the fund-raising events, including the Charity Match will directly support the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

“We have seen the earthquake and tsunami render unimaginable damage on the lives of our Japanese friends,” said FAS President Zainudin Nordin.

“Many have already given generously to support the ongoing relief efforts and we are also doing our part, through the S.LEAGUE CARES, TAKE ACTION WITH ALBIREX NIIGATA SINGAPORE series of events.”

“Given the Great Eastern-YEO's S.League's close association with Albirex Niigata Singapore and their steadfast support of the FAS since the club's debut in the competition in 2004, it is only right that the S.League is showing support and solidarity to its Japanese brothers.”

“We have always maintained close ties with the Japanese community through Albirex and we want to present a camaraderie that can only be found in football.”

On 11th March, a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred near the north-eastern coast of Japan, creating extremely destructive tsunami waves which hit Japan after the earthquake, and triggering evacuations and warnings across the Pacific Ocean.

The earthquake and tsunami have caused extensive and severe damage in north-eastern Japan, leaving thousands of people confirmed dead, injured or missing, and millions more affected by lack of electricity, water and transportation.

In addition to Albirex Niigata Singapore, other S.League clubs have also done their part for the Japanese earthquake relief efforts with Home United, Courts Young Lions and 2010 S.League Champions Etoile donating proceeds from their matches.

Football fans who attend the match can contribute to the relief fund through Red Cross donation boxes which will be placed around the stadium.

Tickets priced at $12 (Grandstand) and $6 (Gallery) for the S.LEAGUE CARES, TAKE ACTION WITH ALBIREX NIIGATA SINGAPORE Charity Match will go on sale from Thursday, 31 March at the Albirex Niigata Singapore office at Jurong East Stadium and the FAS office at Jalan Besar Stadium. VIP tickets will be sold at $200

Match Details
S.League Cares, TAKE ACTION With Albirex Niigata Singapore Charity Match
S.League All Stars vs TAKE ACTION with Albirex Niigata Singapore Selection
Date: Saturday, 2nd April 2011
Time: 5.00pm
Venue: Jalan Besar Stadium

Ticketing Information
Tickets will go on sale on Thursday (31st March) afternoon from 2pm onwards
Where: Albirex Niigata (Singapore) office
21 Jurong East St 31
#04-04 Jurong East Sports Complex S 609517
Tel : +65 6334 0511
Fax : +65 6334 0510
When: Thursday 31st March
2.00pm to 6.30pm
Friday 1st April
8.30am to 6.30pm

Where: Football Association of Singapore office
100 Tyrwhitt Road
Jalan Besar Stadium S 207542
Tel: +65 6293 1477
Fax: +65 6293 3728
When: Thursday 31st March
2.00pm to 6.30pm
Friday 1st April
9.00am to 6.30pm

Saturday 2nd April (match day)
3.00pm onwards

"What next for Singapore Football?"

Mr Terence Ong, who is now pursing a degree in communications wrote to me last November for some help in a school assignment he was doing.

Months later, I met him at a game at Jalan Besar and suggested to him that if would it be OK for me to reproduce that assignment for this blog and credit him as a "guest columnist" and he's fine with it, so here it goes....

"What next for Singapore Football?"
by Terence Ong

Ko Po Hui, 34, remembers the way things were when he first caught the Singapore national team in action as a budding 8-year old, “Things were different back then. We were in the Malaysia Cup and were the darlings of local football fans. The attention was always on the Lions and the National Stadium saw capacity crowd attendances week in, week out.”

(Pictured above) Singapore (white) vs Selangor (yellow) was the marquee match of the Malaysia Cup

Reminiscing about the golden period of Singapore football from the 70s to the early 90s, the owner of a popular local football blog named BoLASEPaKO, has watched the growth of Singapore football ever since the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) pulled out of the Malaysian competitions in 1994.

Since then, Singapore football has seen major overhauls in hopes of carving an identity out for the local football fraternity.

However, it seems as if these changes have not taken flight the way it was supposed to. In the S-League season just passed, attendances sank to an all-time low while none of the trophies went into the cabinets of local clubs.

“Now, even though we have a professional league, we have to fight for fans’ attention against foreign leagues like the English Premier League. Whatever happened to the passion from the days of the Malaysia Cup?”

The S-League was started in 1996 as a footballing platform for Singaporeans after the permanent departure from competitions across the Causeway. Forming the nation’s premier football division then were 8 local football clubs with heartland names to allow fans to bond with it.

Boasting players from the successful Malaysia Cup tournaments alongside foreign players, the league was first split into two stages with the two winners facing off each other before merging into the conventional league season a year later.

The league took flight but could not sustain its growth due to the decreasing standards of football on show while also owing to the burgeoning presence of the major European leagues on the television.

Hence, the league initiated drastic measures such as penalty shootouts at the end of drawn matches as well as inviting foreign entities to enter the league and spice up the quality – all these in an attempt to draw fans back to the terraces.

The penalty shootout scheme was short-lived – lasting only a season before it was scrapped to the relief of fans and pundits alike – while the inclusion of foreign teams experienced varying success.

Since Sinchi FC, a Chinese-based team whose name meant Singapore-China, became the first foreign inclusion into the S-League, a total of eight others have participated in the league. The number of ‘foreign’ teams becomes nine if you include the national Under-23 squad into the mix. Amidst the rojak of teams of different nationalities that is a reflection of Singapore’s population of sorts, there were the good, the bad and the ugly.

Teams such as Brunei DPMM (pictured above their fans in 2009 League Cup Final), Etoile FC and Korean Super Reds lit up the league and drew fans back to the games with attractive football displays that brought with it results. These teams eventually made history as DPMM became the first foreign team to win a local trophy and Etoile the first foreign team to win the S-League title.

The bad were sides such as Dalian Shide Siwu FC and Sinchi FC who both failed to live up to their billings – promising so much yet delivering so little in terms of their footballing standards – while the ugly were teams like Liaoning Guangyuan and Beijing Guo-an Talents, both satellite sides of their parent clubs in the Chinese Super League who were found guilty of match-fixing and on-field brawling in their first seasons respectively.

Ground-breaking season for the wrong reasons
With the league essentially a provider of players to the national team, one fan believes that while the likes of Etoile FC have improved the reputation of the league and increase competitiveness amongst the teams, foreign inclusions are not necessary to the league for Singapore football to improve.

Speaking on the unique situation where not one of Singapore’s trophies had a local club’s name engraved onto it this season, Muhammad Alhafidz had this to say, “It is sad that our local clubs cannot compete with the guile and craft of Etoile FC and Bangkok Glass (pictured above wining the Singapore Cup last year) who were invited to participate in the Singapore Cup. Then again, they were invited to give something our league lacks and the two clubs did just that – bringing a partisan atmosphere to their games and attacking football which won a lot of fans over.”

“Hopefully with that precedence, the local clubs will finally wake up and realize that they need to increase their level of technique and tactical ability in order to compete in the future.”

Alhafidz, an avid fan of local football since the age of 10, feels that with improvement to the league standards, fans will come back to watch good football and the way forward for the local clubs, and essentially Singapore football instead, is not the inclusion of foreign teams but something else.

“What the Football Association of Singapore can do, and they started out a path for it already, is to focus on youth development. They already have the national Under-23 squad competing in the S-League and gaining exposure by playing weekly and that is great, even though their standards are enigmatic at best.”

It has been observed that there are two important qualities Albirex Niigata (S) (pictured above) have in abundance consistently as compared to others – commitment and desire. Being a satellite side of its Japanese parent club which plys its trade in the J-League, Albirex has an evergreen squad consisting of their academy students to whom an S-League season or two counts as their footballing education, after which they return to Japan and be replaced by new academy students.

Unlike foreign players who come here as the finished article, the Japanese players are traditionally more hard-working and as they are playing for their careers, in hope of making the grade in the superior J-League back home, they are more dogged in their desire and it naturally shows in their performances.

Ko sang a similar tune to that – citing the Young Lions class of 2006 who finished in a lofty 3rd position – and believes that the FAS can do much more for youth development than it already is doing.

“The National Football Academy is a good initiative and should be seen as the main focal point of youth development for Singapore football but not as THE ONLY outlet. They should work together with schools and clubs in ensuring that they leave no stone unturned in scouting out potential talents from a young age and encourage them to go through the NFA system.”

Youth development, no?
However, Singaporean parents are known to dissuade their children from pursuing a full-time career in sports, believing that harbouring ambitions of being a sportsperson is an unrealistic source of income due to the plentiful supply of athletes but only so little demand for them due to limited requirements in sports.

A footballer himself who is a goalkeeper with the Newcastle United Singapore Supporters Club football team, Pok Kin Chi believes that parents can be convinced to ‘take the plunge’ of sorts and support their kids if there are any thoughts of being a professional footballer, despite the limited number of professional teams in Singapore.

“Football, or any sports for that matter, is a lucrative market now. In Europe you see players being paid hundreds of thousands a week and there are actually players plying their trades over there. Realistically speaking for Singaporean players, there are a few of our national players plying their trades in Indonesia right now and if Hariss Harun is anything to go by, Singaporeans can be talented enough for Europe as well”.

For the uninitiated, Hariss Harun (pictured above) is the record-holder for the youngest-ever Lion when he won his first cap for Singapore at the age of 16 years and 7 months. Harun was also voted Most Valuable Player at a recent training camp organized by European giants FC Barcelona and was offered a two-week trial with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua and did well enough to be recalled for a second trial.

It has been well-documented in the media recently that many S-League clubs were barely keeping themselves in the green of business – within the midst of it all, losing their best players to foreign clubs offering better paychecks – and are requesting for the FAS to help them out financially.

Despite the FAS initiating discussions soon with their main sponsor, the Singapore Totalisation Board, about more financial support, Alhafidz is adamant that there are other ways to ensure clubs stay afloat.

“It is imperative that the FAS look to support the local teams more instead of patronizing the foreign entrants. Instead of riding on the Singapore Tote Board all the time and demanding more support from them, why not look towards other companies or maybe even statutory boards for a change? If statutory boards such as Singapore Power can have a team within the semi-professional leagues of Singapore, why not rope other stat boards in and play a part?”

With the looming financial discussions between FAS and their sponsors alongside the 5-year Strategic Plan set aside by the association which underlines youth development as a huge part of it, the future seems bright for Singapore football. But without money to make things tick, how can youth development take place without proper facilities, coaching and equipment?

Alhafidz brought up the possibility of setting up the league with bigger Asian clubs in a feeder-club system just like in Europe. In European football, such a system allows powerhouses such as Manchester United and Real Madrid to send out their youth players to other smaller clubs to gain experience and see if they can be good enough for the rigours of first-team football.

“In return for them using our clubs as platforms for their youth players to play regular football and develop, we could offer our own players and coaches to go over and train with them. If they like what they see from us, they’re welcomed to take a second look. No obligations.”

Look to the future
On the other hand, what the FAS has at its fingertips right now, and can do, is liaise with the Singapore Sports School and the Ministry of Education in changing the perception of parents who might have grown up wanting to be sporting athletes as well. Working with the education body of the Government and tying up links with the Sports School can further close up the gaps in scouting networks and yield more players for the league and ultimately, the national team.

In the inaugural Youth Olympic Games recently – the Singapore youth team, aptly named the Cubs, won the hearts of Singaporeans with a thrilling run in the competition that almost ended with a first-ever Olympic gold medal for the republic.

With the public interested in the Cubs, youth football can surely be tapped on by the association and further developed, with pundits and fans alike predicting a bright future for the Cubs. Imagine the possibilities if the FAS ran an intensive youth development programme modeled after the likes of Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam, whose emphasis has always been on developing stellar youth talents for its first team.

Ko, the ever-loyal football fan of the Lions, believes that there is a solution closer to home that no one else truly realize until a closer look is cast.

“There is actually a huge talent pool of footballers in Singapore to choose from. At a recent Nike event (to spot local promising talents and send them to Nike Academy for a shot at a professional contract), ex national skipper Nazri Nasir was pleasantly surprised at the turnout and amongst it, the amount of talent Singapore has in its grasp, untapped.”

“All the FAS got to do now is offer a second chance to those who did not make it earlier in their schooling days. If you see someone playing great football at the void decks or street soccer courts, offer them a chance to enter the NFA.”

With a revamped youth development programme in place, who’s to say that by the time 2015 comes along, we will not have more than 12 teams, more locals than before, participating in the S-League.

Keep your fingers crossed.

** Views expressed in GREEN may not necessary be that of the blog owner (except for those quotes attributed to me), thanks**
** Pictures in this entry belong to the blog owner**

[Feature] No Young Lions, but Fearless and Game

(The content and images of this entry are obtained via former Balestier Khalsa's Head of youth development, Mr Mohamed Zainudeen with the objective of spreading the words about the development of disability football in Singapore)

Twenty-five year old Khairul Anwar, born with cerebral palsy, has waited a lifetime to take part in a football league, representing his country. At the end of February, his heart’s desires were granted when he got to lace up his boots and tackle after Team Malaysia.

For the first time, a futsal tournament involving disabled youths from Singapore and Malaysia took place in Kuala Lumpur.

A team of 18 Singaporeans, made up of youths with both cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, led by Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC)’s Kids Inclusive Sports Club, made the overnight trip to hone their skills against their friendly competitors. A total of 10 players with cerebral palsy were sent by Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA)’s Teach Me services.

For some of these players, although their conditions may impede their limb movements, on pitch, all traces of awkwardness dissipated as they performed dropkicks or made lightning-fast swoops towards goal posts.

Raveendran Vijayalakshmiamma Joice, a physiotherapist with Singapore’s Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) also pointed out, “Sports such as futsal or badminton help our children with disabilities improve not just their coordination, but confidence as well.”

In a bid to spur participation among youths with multiple disabilities and to foster greater bilateral ties in the development of disability football, this game was hosted by Malaysia’s Individual Mentally Challenged (IMC) Training Centre for Children with Special Needs.

Mr Sunny Shalesh, the Malaysian coach, was excited that this futsal tournament came to fruition after months of planning. He now dreams of forming a National Football League for the disabled. “This way, we can mould players to represent specific international tournaments within the region.”

Team manager, Mdm Mumtaz Begum Binte Abdul Karim, of Singapore agreed, and added, “I hope that this will eventually grow into a regional event aimed at promoting bonding, participation and mutual co-operation amongst disabled children.”

The Most Valued Player (MVP) award went deservedly to Anwar, who has been playing in soccer clubs since he was nine years old.

When asked if he had any tips for the younger team mates, he said earnestly, “Play with your heart, with strength and honour.”

[Event] US$30,000 awaits your team!!

(The entry is formulated based on the transcript of the media release obtained from renowned PR agency, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide - the coordinating agency of this event)

Tournament poster (above) obtained from Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

This coming April will see some fast paced, dynamic street football action taking place at Ngee Ann City, as international acclaimed brewery Tiger Beer will be hosting the inagural "Tiger Street Football" regional tournament from 16 to 17 April 2011.

The objective of this tournament is to elevate the level of play and passion for football on the streets of Singapore, as well as in other part of this region, namely Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

Instead of having matches being played on those conventional futsal courts, a unique oval, caged, hard-court pitch with no side-lines will be constructed on the venue to stage the 5-a-side knock-out competition that promotes a shorter, high-energy game of two 6-minute halves with a 2-minute halftime period that provides a refreshing platform for players aged between 18 to 34 years old.

"Teams will have to register themselves at www.tigerstreetfootball.com.sg first before the public can vote on the website for their favourite teams to participate."

"Tiger Street Football" regional tournament is organized in partnership with the Sports' Event Management arm of ESPN STAR, that would eventually see the one-of-its kind event broadcast live across Asia to more than 300 million viewers.

“Tiger Street Football affirms Tiger's commitment towards creating unforgettable experiences for fans here in Singapore and around the world.

"This will be an excellent opportunity for fans here to participate in and witness a new and exciting dimension to the sport." said Wong Mei Wai, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore.

"At the same time, fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the event and be a part of the fun-filled weekend.” added Wong.

Concurring the thoughts, Harvey Davis, ESPN STAR Sports Vice President, Event Management said: “We're delighted to collaborate with Asia Pacific Breweries to stage this exciting tournament across the region and we're committed to offer our expertise to create an event that brings Tiger Beer's vibrant brand image alive on-ground and on our networks."

Tiger Street Football Format
The tournament in Singapore will feature 32 local teams battling it out on the first day for cash prizes of USD2,000 and USD600 awarded to the first and second placed teams respectively, along with a supply of Tiger Beer.

24 of the 32 teams will be pre-picked by ESPN STAR Sports, according to standings of local leagues and local tournament results.

The remaining eight slots will be voted in by the public. Teams will have to register themselves at [www.tigerstreetfootball.com.sg] first before the public can vote on the website for their favourite teams to participate.

The public voting mechanism has been created to generate interaction and involvement with the public who might be keen on participating.

"Instead of having matches being played on those conventional futsal courts, a unique oval, caged, hard-court pitch with no side-line..."

The champions on Saturday will automatically qualify for the Grand Finals to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September.

The top two local teams from Saturday's competition will get the opportunity to play against international teams, including players from England, Brazil, and Vietnam on Sunday for a chance to win additional cash prizes.

To ensure fair play, the tournament will be officiated by referees from the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).

Not just Futsal, but lotsa fun-filled activities too
Not just futsal though, as many fringe activities have been on the pipeline for everyone as well, which include Interactive Zones with games such as "Human Foosball" and "Darts Live" to allow all involved to have a great day of fun.

Following the first day of competition on Saturday, 16 April 2011, the Tiger Football Stadium will come alive with a host of music and entertainment performances by renowned beatboxer Dharni and local act Jack & Rai, as well as Tiger Beer in a beer garden setting.

Fans of Barclays Premier League (BPL) will catch a 'live' screening of the match between West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea at 11:00pm on a giant screen.

"The objective of this tournament is to elevate the level of play and passion for football on the streets of Singapore, as well as in other part of this region."

US$30,000 up for grab for the winning team!
Tiger Street Football will kick off in Singapore on April 16 - 17 before moving regionally to Bangkok, Thailand (May); Guangzhou, China (July); Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (August) with the culmination of an adrenaline-filled international grand finale in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (September).

At the Grand Finals, the top team from each local leg will not only win attractive cash prizes but a chance to fight it out to be the Tiger Street Football Champion and win the coveted top prize of USD30,000.

For more information, log on to www.TigerStreetFootball.com.sg and http://www.facebook.com/TigerFootballSG

[Appeal] Pray for Japan - 17th Mar, Albirex Niigata (S) vs Etoile FC

(Picture above)Bruno Castanheira (left) holds symbol logo for supporting the disaster, while Tatsuro Inui has message board for people in Japan, which is given by children of MULBERRY LEARNING CENTRE LLP which is located at 3rd floor of Jurong East Stadium. (picture credit: Albirex Niigata-S)

As part of their effort to help their fellow countrymen who are being devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that wrecked Japan last week, Albirex Niigata (Singapore) had announced that all proceeds from their match against defending champions, Etoile FC on 17th March will be donated to the charity causes back in Japan.

According to an email from the club made known to the media, donation of all gate collections will go to CIVIC FORCE, an NGO based in Japan which specializes in emergency response to large scale natural disaster.

The club's main sponsor, Canon will also be setting up a booth to sell players and match day photos at S$1 a piece with all the proceeds would be donated to CIVIC Force.

While the Red Cross will be placing their donation boxes at seven locations around the stadium, namely: Home/Away/Gallery/VIP stand, ticket booth, merchandise booth and beer counter to solicit donations from the public.

"The family members of all the Players and Coaches are safe from the earthquake and tsunami. We would like to assure everyone that the Club and the team are fully committed to the League and that the team would continue to play football to their best ability on the pitch and keep the spectators entertained." said the club in this email.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION.

[AFC Cup] Stags hold Muangthong at bay

Tampines Rovers (in yellow) gave themselves a good account against their much-fancied Thai opponents, Muangthong United (in red top), in this AFC Cup Group G encounter at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Stags managed to absorb the Twin-Qilins' slow turbo play up front, while catch them on the break, which worked in 23rd minute when veteran Aleksandar Duric finished off the ball in the box following a latched-on pass off a Hassan Sunny's drop-kick.

But the hosts' joy was short-lived when Choeichiu Phichitpong's 25m top-corner shot blasted the roof of Hassan's goal in the 31st minute to stunt the close to 2,000 crowd at the ground.

It was even-stevens with the game proceed into the second half and Duric was guilty to miss a few clear-cut chances that were defused by the Thai defence (as pictured above).

With clock ticking away, it was clear that both sides would be pleased with a draw that possessive play dominated the later stages on the game till the final whistle was blown by referee Jahanbazi Yadollah of Iran.

Understandably, Muangthong's coach Henrique Calisto (pictured above right) was unhappy with the outcome which he felt Duric's opener was the result of some slackness at the back of his defence.

"If you asking me if I'm satisfy (with the result), I can tell you I'm not satisfy." said the former Vietnamese national team coach after the match.

"With the players we have, I think we can play better and more intensity game and cannot allowed the first goal (by Duric), which was a crazy mistake due to the lapse of concentration.

"And if you ask what I would want to change, I would want to have a more discipline tactic which I felt we cannot allow players to do what they want. " added the Portuguese tactician who proclaimed to the media that there's no room for what he branded as "indiscipline tactics".

Tampines coach Steven Tan (pictured above) felt both sides dominated one half each for themselves during his address to the media.

"Basically, it's a tale of two halves with first half belong to them (Muangthong) and second half we thought we could win with the chances we had that I think one-all would be fair result." said the former national winger.

"It's everything to play for this group, as we have Hanoi T&T home and away that these two games play a part in decide who progress to the next round." commented coach Tan in his assessment for the remaining AFC Cup fixtures.

FOR MORE OF THE MATCH PHOTOS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

[Media Information] Verdict of FAS Disciplinary Committee (on Slobodan Pavkovic)

(Media Information from the Football Association of Singapore)

(Picture above) The "sending off" that triggered the incident

SINGAPORE, 15 March 2011: The FAS Disciplinary Committee convened on Tuesday 15 March 2011 with regard to the charge against Courts Young Lions Technical Director Slobodan Pavkovic.

Pavkovic had been charged for breaches of misconduct which brought the game into disrepute during the Great Eastern – YEO’S S.League match between Courts Young Lions and Geylang United FC at Jalan Besar Stadium on 3 March 2011.

Having investigated the incident and having considered all the relevant facts and circumstances, the Disciplinary Committee came to the following decision:

(i) Pavkovic, who admitted to the charge, was found guilty of the charge. After much deliberation, the Disciplinary Committee decided that the punishment meted out by FAS – a touchline ban for the rest of the Great Eastern – YEO’S S.League season and a fine of $10,000 – is sufficient.

Disciplinary Committee Chairman K. Bala Chandran said: “The FAS Disciplinary Committee does not condone any physical abuse or verbal abuse of referees. Pavkovic pleaded guilty and admitted to the charge unreservedly. We have taken into account Pavkovic’s mitigation and we believe that the punishment meted out by his employer FAS is sufficient in this instance. We do not think it is necessary to add any further punishment.”

Pavkovic said: “I would like to apologise again for my misconduct and bringing the game into disrepute. Moving forward, I undertake to conduct myself professionally at all times.”

-End-

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
15 March 2011

[AFC Cup] Bent for Revenge for the "Twin Qilins"...

When the reigning TPL champions Muangthong United make their return to the Jalan Besar Stadium tomorrow to take on Tampines Rovers, I expect it would be a fiery AFC Cup showdown.

After all, when the "Twin Qilins" were here last February, they were crushed out of a chance to make it to the continent's biggest club tournament - Asian Champions League (ACL) proper, following their loss to the Singapore's SAFFC on penalties.

The agony left a bitter taste on the taste bud of the then coach of the Thai side, René Desaeyere (pictured above).

It's a pity that such a game had to depend on 'lottery' (penalty shootout), but it's not lottery because there's a referee (in charge of the game).

said the Belgian coach during the post match press conference that denounced his SAFFC counterpart Richard Bok's "lottery" theory to their win.

A year later, however, saw the same story repeated for MTU, as they are commonly known, when they found themselves having to play in the second-tier of the Asian club competition after losing to Indonesian side, Sriwijaya.

Will we see the return of "Muangthong Ultras" (pictured above)?

“Last year I didn't mind too much because we went on a good AFC (Cup) run (which MTU was one of the semi-finalists of last year's edition).”said blogger 'Greg' of 'The Thunderdome' (an unofficial MTU fan blog) in his opinion of last year's results.

“This time it was disappointing, and I do feel that a "one off" game away from home (where we lost on penalties away to Sriwijaya) doesn't seem fair. Still, we have to get over it and aim for another good AFC run.” while expressed his optimism for this season's campaign.

It's not hard to tell why that sense of the optimism can felt in Greg's words since the appointment of former Vietnamese national team coach Henrique Calisto (pictured above left, courtesy of "The Thunderdome") as the coach of one of the biggest clubs in Thailand.

Calisto was, after all, the mastermind that knocked Singapore out of the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup at the old National Stadium and came with a big reputation in South East Asian football

“Yes, I think he'll do well for us.He knows the South East Asian game very well and his experience will help us." said 'Greg' whose blog is well known to English speaking football fans in Thailand.

"We had some real turmoil in pre-season and the previous coach, Carlos (Roberto Carlos de Carvalho), lasted about four weeks! But that's over and I'm sure Calisto will be here for far longer.” opined the expatriate who teaches Social Studies in Thailand.

Being the only player in the Stags' squad that played against the defending Thais champions, Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin (pictured above) recalled:"They are a very organized team and technically good but their final end product lets them down when we played them last year.

"Still Thai teams are always good and fit." suggested the Tampines' star striker started for the Warriors on that night.

When asked what advice would he share with his team-mates for many whom are playing in continental tournament for the first time, a modest Latiff replied:"No, I did not give advice or tell anything to the players, as they by now should know a bit or more about the Thais players since they played the Thai teams last year and this year pre-season."

TICKETING DETAILS OF THE MATCH
This AFC Cup Group G clash will take place at Jalan Besar Stadium on 16th March at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at $6 (adult) and $2 (student/senior citizen) and will be on sale from 6pm on match day at the stadium.

Taking it positively...

I must admit that sometimes some of my entries, comments may not be "music" to everyone's ears, but I believe these are my mere expression of opinions and thoughts.

Which is why as a thumb of rule, I always remind myself not to go overboard with the usage of words and phrase that might be uncomfortable to the others.

It's not the fact that I fear to incur any wrath of others that might jeopardize my blogging career, rather it's because I believe there's not point of being aggressive and impose your thoughts to the others without conviction.

At the meantime, I would be glad if the other parties would take some of my comments and feedback positively (which I'm glad that most of them do).

Had those above-mentioned thoughts, when I got some quibbles in the morning that TNP published some news article that had SAFFC striker Indra Sahdan Daud (pictured above) and Hougang United coach Aide Iskandar voiced out some issues regarding the S.League.

For Indra's case, he highlighted that it's time to do away with the mandatory "beep test" that has always seen as a stumbling block that had some good players not able to play in the league because they failed the test (ex-Stags Sead Muratovic, Mirko Grabovac, etc.) and the issue on having foreign teams in the league set-up.

Whereas on the Aide's case (pictured above), the former Lions skipper urged it's high time to replace the type of ball currently used in the League, as many echoed that the current Mikasa PKC55BR "is not up to scratch".

This prompted a reply from FAS secretary-general Winston Lee, who was reportedly said in the pictured article that the "Mikasa footballs are approved by Fifa and thus, meet the performance criteria of the world football governing body."

When this news was surfaced, I saw some of the tweets pertaining the acceptableness of the ball by the Japan sporting equipment suppliers.

"I felt the mikasa ball was one of the best I've ever kicked in my life. A... is too bouncy, N... is too light, i kick mikasa ball, i can kick 3/4 of a pitch. The feel is different" said the pro-Mikasa user.

"...it's too heavy and players need to use alot of strength to make a firm pass" said one user who has a different opinions of the Mikasa ball.

"Mikasa is the hardest ball to head, gives me dizzy spells after that. (the two 'other brands') has cushions" complained another on the twitter.

But whatever it is, the fact is that Mikasa will continue to be official ball supplier to the S.League for the next six years according to the pictured article, which also contained some queries why the same model for the past 10 years that the concerned party is not able to give a convincing answer.

My Thoughts
While the official match ball is a approved FIFA model, but with the overseas tournaments and some of our neighbouring leagues using those model supplied in major tournaments such as the World Cup, shouldn't we try to keep in line with that? So that our players will not lose out because of the adaptivity issues of the ball in situations as such.

It should be seen as a positive feedback when all stakeholders from the players, officials and fans having something to say and those recipients should be ready to "listen and absorb" before making a reply to those comments.

[Media Information] Four-match suspended ban for Woodlands Wellington head coach R. Balasubramaniam

(Media Information by the Football Association of Singapore)

The ban will only come into effect if he is found guilty by the DC of any further misconduct committed prior to 31 Dec 2011

SINGAPORE, 11 March 2011: The FAS Disciplinary Committee convened on Thursday 10 March 2011 with regard to the charges against Woodlands Wellington head coach R. Balasubramaniam (pictured above).

Balasubramaniam had been charged for breaches of misconduct after the Great Eastern – YEO’S S.League match between Woodlands Wellington Football Club and Albirex Niigata FC at the Woodlands Stadium on 21 February 2011.

Having investigated the incident and having considered all the relevant facts and circumstances, the Disciplinary Committee came to the following decision:

• Balasubramaniam, who admitted to the charge, was found guilty of the charge. He has been suspended from the area immediately surrounding the field of play, and in particular from the technical area and substitutes’ bench for four S-League matches. This sanction is suspended on the condition that he is not found guilty by the FAS Disciplinary Committee of any further misconduct committed prior to 31 December 2011.

Disciplinary Committee Chairman K. Bala Chandran said: “The FAS Disciplinary Committee takes a serious view of such actions. However Balasubraniam has expressed his regrets and has apologised unreservedly. As this is the first time he was asked to appear before the DC, we believe that the punishment meted out is sufficient”.

-End-

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
11 March 2011

Testing post following Quake

This may sounded weird, but I am kinda sure the earthquake that took place in Japan this afternoon had more or less damage the server accessibility to "blogger.com".

Moments after the quake was reported, it seems to me I am not able to access other blogs hosted by "blogger.com" as well that I thought it's essential to test out if there's a problem in view this blog.

Thanks for your kind attention and support with our thoughts with those who suffered in the quake in Japan #prayforjapan in your tweets

get your instant update of this Blog!!

[Media Information] Slobodan faces touchline ban and $10,000 fine & Rescheduling of S.League matches due to Yemen vs Singapore Olympic qualifiers

(Media Information from the Football Association of Singapore)

The Football Association of Singapore released the two following media statements pertaining two separate matters.

1) FAS gives Slobodan S.League touchline ban and $10,000 fine
Technical Director will also face DC on March 15

SINGAPORE, 9 March 2011: We refer to the incident in which FAS Technical Director Slobodan Pavkovic was sent off during the match between Courts Young Lions and Geylang United on 3 March 2011 at Jalan Besar Stadium for manhandling the referee, Mr. Sukhbir Singh, in the 77th minute.

FAS has taken administrative disciplinary action against Slobodan Pavkovic and imposed a touchline ban for the rest of the Great Eastern – YEO’S S.League season with immediate effect. In addition, Slobodan has also been fined $10,000.

“I deeply regret my actions and I fully accept the punishment meted out by FAS. I approached the referee immediately after the match to apologise in person and the next day met FAS management, coaches and players to personally apologise to them as well. I understand the importance of maintaining my discipline, composure and professional conduct at all times and I will now await the decision of the Disciplinary Committee” said Pavkovic.

FAS General Secretary, Winston Lee said: “FAS takes a serious view of such incidents and we would like to reiterate that FAS will not condone referee abuse, both physical and verbal. If any club official or player is unhappy with the performance or decision of the referees, there are proper channels for him or her to seek redress or clarification after the match.”

As part of the S.League standard operating procedure for such cases, the Disciplinary Committee will convene on March 15.

-End-
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
9 March 2011

2) Yemen vs Singapore Olympic qualifiers to be played in United Arab Emirates
Two Great Eastern-YEO'S S.League matches to be rescheduled

9 MARCH 2011: Please note that FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have jointly decided that the matches between Yemen and Singapore in the Asian Men’s Preliminary Competition for the Olympic Football Tournaments London 2012 will be played at the Khalifa Stadium, Al Ain Club (Al Ain City) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 19th & 21st March 2011.

FIFA and the AFC had earlier decided that both legs of the first round must be played on neutral territory to ensure that matches proceed "in a totally safe and secure environment". Yemen will technically host the first-leg match on 19 March 2011 whereas Singapore will be "at home" for the second-leg match on 21 March 2011.

Please find below details of the Singapore squad.

S/N	Full Name	Position	Club
1	Izwan Mahbud	GK	Courts Young Lions
2	Syazwan Buhari	GK	Courts Young Lions
3	Eddie Affendy Chang	DF	Courts Young Lions
4	Afiq Yunos	DF	Courts Young Lions
5	Shakir Hamzah	DF	Courts Young Lions
6	Shahir Hamzah	DF	Home United
7	Hariss Harun	MF	Courts Young Lions
8	Ignatius Ang Yu Heng	MF	Courts Young Lions
9	Faritz Abdul Hameed	MF	Courts Young Lions
10	Faris Ramli	MF	Courts Young Lions
11	Izzdin Shafiq	MF	Courts Young Lions
12	Nazrul Ahmad Nazari	MF	Courts Young Lions
13	Shahfiq Ghani	MF	Courts Young Lions
14	Syafiq Zainal	MF	Courts Young Lions
15	Zulfahmi Arifin	MF	Courts Young Lions
16	Safirul Sulaiman	MF	Courts Young Lions
17	Yasir Hanapi	MF	Geylang United
18	Fazli Ayob	FW	Courts Young Lions
19	Khalili D’ Cruz	FW	Courts Young Lions
20	Navin Nigel Vanu	FW	Woodlands Wellington

Due to the Olympic qualifiers, the following Great Eastern-YEO'S S.League matches involving the Courts Young Lions have been postponed to a later date.

Postponed Matches:
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Match no.24: Courts Young Lions vs Gombak United (Jalan Besar Stadium)

Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Match no.31: Courts Young Lions vs Albirex Niigata FC (Jalan Besar Stadium)

The Football Association of Singapore will announce details about the rescheduled matches at a later date.
-End-
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
9 March 2011

[Feature] Fostering of relationship with the signing YOG Cubs by Nike

(This entry is formulated based on and partly extracted from the press release issued by and pictures credited to Integrated Marketing Solutions Group [IMSG] - the PR agency for Nike Singapore)

The relationship between Singapore football and Nike break new frontiers with the signing of three players from last year's Singapore YOG squad by the sporting equipment giants.

Seen as part of the brand's commitment in supporting local footballing young talent, Nike had signed team captain Jeffrey Lightfoot (pictured above), striker Hanafi Akbar and midfielder Ammirul Emmran.

Under the newly-inked deal, Nike will be sponsoring personal training products for these players for the next two years, according to the transcript of the media release obtained by this blog.

Furthermore, specific Nike products had been identified for the triumvirate based on their positions and playing styles to enhance their game on the field.

"The products that the players will get to wear are the same products won by the world’s best footballers such as Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta."said Nike in the release.

In that aspect, defender Lightfoot has also been selected as Nike's local athlete ambassador for the CTR360 (as pictured above), the same boots worn by Iniesta, who scored the World Cup 2010 winning goal for Spain in last July final in South Africa.

"It is a great honour to be sponsored and affiliated with the world’s biggest sports company."

"They provide me with products from boots to shin guards, Nike Pro wear to bags. All my product needs are well taken care of." said Lightfoot who is looking forward to the challenge of taking on some of best youth players in world when they are here for the upcoming Canon Lion City Cup in June.

Partnership between BoLASEPaKO.com and SOCCERSTOP.COM

The use of this corporate is courtesy of SOCCERSTOP.COM

Another milestone for the blog as I'm pleased to announce the partnership between BoLASEPaKO.com and SOCCERSTOP.COM.

SOCCERSTOP.COM is a leading retailer in soccer equipment based in United States with several outlets located in the Rocky Mountain region.

Since 2004, the on-line store of SOCCERSTOP.COM was launched to offer both to their local and distant customers name brand soccer products at great prices with the convenience of shopping on the Web.

PLEASE CLICK ON TO SOCCERSTOP.COM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IN STORE FOR YOUR SOCCER NEEDS.

LION CITY CUP is BACK!!

(This entry is formulated based on and partly extracted from the press release issued by The Red Card Group)Tournament logo extracted from the press release made available

The tournament that churned out the names like Fandi Ahmad, V Sundramoorthy and Indra Sahdan Daud, who went on to represent Singapore national team since its inaugural back in the late 1970s, will make its return this coming June.

Last held in 2009, the year's tournament will see renowned Japanese imaging and optical products manufacturer Canon as the title sponsor of the 23rd edition of this tournament, which is credited for being the inspiration behind FIFA’s introduction of the World Youth Under-17 and Under-19 Championships.

"Nurturing the next generation of athletes is crucial for a sporting country like Singapore. Canon has always been a firm and long-term supporter of sports.” said Mr Andrew Koh, Senior Director and General Manager of the Consumer Imaging & Information Products Division at Canon Singapore, in expressing his company's delight to be part of this tournament.

"From supporting the Singapore National Olympic Council to Singapore Bowling over the last few years, Canon believes that it is important to provide a platform like the Canon Lion City Cup for our local athletes to compete with the best." added Koh in the media release issued to the media.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Mr Zainudin Nordin is confident that the return of the Lion City Cup will once again see the crowds flock back to Jalan Besar Stadium like during those YOG matches played in last August.

"In August last year, Singaporeans from all walks of life came out in full force to support our Cubs and I’m sure that the love affair will continue as they enjoy the world-class youth football action on this display at this year’s Lion City Cup." said Mr Zainudin, who is also the mayor of Central Singapore CDC.

The event will be co-organised by The Red Card, a regional sports marketing agency, and the FAS.

"We want to re-ignite the passion Singaporeans have for football – the same passion that filled the stands when our YOG boys beat Montenegro in their bronze medal match. We believe that the Lion City Cup is the perfect tournament to do so." said R Sasikumar, the Managing Director of The Red Card, who have been awarded the commercial rights holders by FAS for the event for the next three years (2011, 2012 & 2013).

"Commercially, we feel that the project offers great value to our partners to be involved in the event. Our aim is to build a tournament that will eventually see the best youth teams in the world bring their style of football to our soil." added the former national defender.

The tournament will be held from 18 to 27 June at the Jalan Besar Stadium and featuring teams like of Everton FC (England), Juventus FC (Italy), Benfica (Portugal) and CR Flamengo (Brazil).

Representing Singapore will be the Under-15s, and the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic squad, who won the bronze medal at last year’s inaugural games. These six teams will be battling it out for honours over the span of ten days.

BLAST FROM THE PAST...

I thought I had dumped this souvenir magazine (pictured above) long time ago, until I unearthed from the rumbles during the renovation work carried out at my place months ago.

This is a souvenir programme booklet given out in the 1991 Lion City Cup tournament, which was held at both (old) Jalan Besar Stadium and Toa Payoh Stadium (within my reach) and if I'm not wrong Singapore met Burma in the final played at the Toa Payoh Stadium.

On that night out with a group of schoolmates, it was clear that the pace and aggression of the Burmese had overpowered our boys that eventually won them the Cup in front of packed capacity stadium (considered this was only a schoolboy tournament!).

Years later, I was at the (old) Jalan Besar Stadium for another edition's final and saw the likes of Indra Sahdan, Ahmad Latiff and Yazid Yasin played against the team from Hong Kong and won (I think).

"Star Blogger" - Tweet Tweet" for #sleague awareness

Hi Guys, this is my first article for SINGAPORESPORTS.SG's "StarBlogger" column and the first topic I blogged about is the use of "twitter" in the S.League fraternity.

In which I spoke to various clubs' officials and fans random on their views and opinions on utilizing the mentioned social media tool to generate the much-needed awareness for the S.League and local football on the whole.

And many thanks to Singapore Sports Council for this opportunity that allows me to share my thoughts.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO ACCESS TO THE FULL ARTICLE.

The KING signed on my notepad!!!

The KING signed on my notepad!!

It's not wonder that wherever he been to, he will always bring joy to everyone he meet and yours truly is one of them.

Never in my wildest dream that I thought I could meet the man who is regarded by the world as the best footballer seen on the earth.

But there I was at the Jalan Besar Stadium and Pelé was right in front of me!

With another legendary footballer Eric Cantona (pictured above), both of them are in Singapore with American soccer legend Cobi Jones as part of the New Year Cosmos Asian tour contingent.

The contingent were in attendance at the home of Singapore football to be part of the press conference to officially launch the two Courts Young Lions initiatives, namely the Courts Young Lions iPhone application and the Official Courts Young Lions Fans' Club.

Following the press conference, the three former footballers sent the crowd of 2,728 into a state of frenzy when they made their appearance during half-time of the S.League match between the Courts Young Lions and Geylang United.

The hosting team's midfielder Shahfiq Ghani was named the "Man-of-The-Match" and received the award from ex Manchester United skipper Cantona at the end of the day which saw Courts Young Lions beat Geylang United 3-2 in a pulsating encounter.

FOR MORE PICTURES FROM THE EVENT, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

(Many Thanks to Fulford Public Relations, Vanda Sports Group and other organizers involved for making this entry possible.)