BoLASEPaKO•COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

This is just a short test being carried out to test something.. :)

This signboard caught my attention during my Vivocity stroll. Little would I expected but that was what I saw. Initially, I thought it might be just a case of pure coincidence but as I positioned outside to observe the ambience and setting that you can't help, however, to notice the football cushion seats they have outside the restaurant. Suddenly, Wang Jinhui (the vice-chairman of the defunct club) appeared from the outlet, therefore confirmed everything, as he was seen giving some instructions or whatsoever to his staff. From " http://bolasepako.blogspot.com/2005/12/from-site-to-blog-logo-on-left.html " Thought Sinchi had long gone from the scene after they failed to fulfil the promises they made after they pulled out from the league. Much was said that they would be involved in the futsal development, yet having successfully branched into F&B line, I guess they would feel more a sense of achievement in that area other than football itself.

Was surfing around the FAS website and saw something pretty interesting. (Picture above: This is the mailing address of "Redhill Rangers". ) I would like to mention that this club was founded in the early 1980s at a coffeeshop (based on what I read) in Bukit Merah ("Red Hill" in Malay, of course) area. They eventually rose to the top and played in the Primier League and one of their first foreign signings - the eccentric custodian Sandro Radun (the "white" Rene Higuita). In the later years, they decided to join the S.League and shifted their base to Bukit Gombak and changed their name to "Gombak United". I think there were some changes in the management that must saw the team split into two, with the Bulls (Gombak United) remains where it is now and the splitter group decided to carry on the name "Redhill Rangers" and play their matches in the lower rungs of the setup. (P.s: whatever mentioned above is true to my knowledge, please kind...

(photo courtesy of sleague.com) Something pretty disturbing occurred yesterday at Peninsula Plaza. You see, I was hunting high and low for this particular national team t-shirt (not jersey, as illustrated and worn by Faizal Hamid) for ages. So I happened to drop by into this sporting goods shop inside "Peninsula", as I was told that's the outlet most likely to have it. "We are NOT as DIE-HARD as you," said the shop assistant in a half-jested manner. "But we would have PLENTY of stock, if (Singapore) lost." he added (which I interpreted as "C'mon, dun waste your bloody time, man!" ). Sad reality but that's the fact that I still can't find the T-shirt I'm looking despite it's that of the national team. Yeah, I did went to the various NIKE outlets in Singapore but to no avail. Why could such a thing happened? Does this means this team being : three-time Asean champions in recent times now among the top 20 teams of this con...

I ran out of ideas when I wrote this annual review. A recap of some significant events in local football that occurred during these past months. We retained the Asean title (formerly the Tiger Cup) The 2007 S.League title race was a keenly-fought affair, with SAFFC emerging as the victors ahead of Home United and Tampines Rovers. Our clubs failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals of AFC Cup (again...) SEA Games - yes, we did achieve what AP HO asked for - medal of any colour, don't we? Just a pity we faced the Thais in the semis… You may want to ask what am I gonna touch on in this year's review? Read on... YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (FOLLOW UP TO THAVA'S PLEAD) Prelude: Balestier Khalsa's vice-chairman Mr S Thavaneson, prior to this season, lamented the dearth of attention on the clubs' youth development program. Just wondering if one day we might want to have a complete overhaul of the existing youth development program we have? The reason(s)? Free the clubs from strai...

I'm not sure things would have been different if we are in the final of the SEA Games.. only found out that Channel 5 was delay telecasted the match that I managed to source that Vietnamese TV was showing the game live!! But sad to say though, the VTC, must be pissed with the fact that their much-touted side was thrashed by us , that halfway to the second half they decided to switch to volleyball instead!! So much so that I had to rely on the KallangRoar.com for the update, after another alternate source was unavailable (Thank you guys).

Was in Chiangmai days ago for a short getaway and did managed to catch the action of the semi-final clash between us and Thailand (second half though). AT THE ROADSIDE, NEAR MY HOTEL It was such an tense encounter, I was catching the action while my friend was busy bargaining... INSIDE THE HOTEL ROOM Got my friend to snap my reaction after the end of the match... Alas, Tough Luck Boys IT WAS THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THE DAY That "Bangkok Post" had it as the TOP STORY Looks like the SEA Games gold remains an elusive dream for us... If any Singapore player has any regret, it will be the inability to have the gold medal hang around their neck before they hit 24.

The final score : 1-1 Yes, that was the longest FIVE minutes in my life... The elusive dream is still within the reach as the strong determination saw the CUBS (even Mark Richmond got it wrong by calling them - Young Lions!!) through to the final-four to the SEA Games football tournament. Keep the spirit up!! CUBS... (P.S: will not be able to catch the showdown at home but hope over in Chiangmai instead..hehehehe) The ref finally blew the whistle-What a relief! Agu (no.21) redeemed himself by scoring the equalizer, joined in the merry making!! Dejected Malaysian custodian - speechless!!

I'm not sure should I start a new label that entitled "Book Review", having read one book on Japanese football weeks ago, I happened to come across another excellent book - FORZA ITALIA at Bishan Library , not that long ago. I picked up this book from the "dump box" where readers decided to "back out" their choice(s), I'm pretty sure they regretted for not reading this book by freelance journalist Paddy Agnew. Written by Irishman Agnew, whom with his family been living in Italy for the past 20 odd years. In this book, Agnew detailed the rise and fall of Diego Maradona while playing for Napoli, how AC Milan was served as a launchpad that kicked start the political career of its owner Silvio Berlusconi . Other topics covered in this book included: The infamous Juventus doping scandal in late 90s Why dictator Mussolini was credited as the "founder" of Serie A The "fan power" that wrecked the game in Italy and etc... Since the sea...

(Prelude: I am not sure if I'm right to say veteran media personnel Hakikat Rai shared the same sentiment after the dull draw last weekend, having reading his comment on "TODAY" this morning - pictured below.) I'm sure most of the folks out there are pretty skeptical about our chances against the "mighty" Vietnamese.. After all, who can blame some of you for having that though when you up against one of the in-form teams of the region. Anyway, the result (after some final scares) spoke for itself.. Keep on moving boys.. With some of the audience catching the game at J8's "Best Denki".. Could only catch the last 20 minutes of the game because I just knocked-off Hassan Sunny was the hero of the evening but can't blame him for his inability to stop the PK. Enough said.. Keep up the tempo..

(Pictures from TV...) Nice stadium, giving that nice "kampung" feeling... I can't really image what would happend if the lately under-fired terrestrial MediaCorp did not beamed this game over Channel 5. After all, when was the last time we saw the any of the Singapore team on free-to-all channel , be it the national or the U-23 teams? Coach Raddy at the top of his voice.. Anyway, the commentator of the match (who is it, anyway - Bernard Lim?) kept stressing the disatrious outcome if the game ended in draw.. (man, this is pretty annoying) though the biggest drawback was his failure for calling the team - the LIONS, when it actually they are the CUBS. Other than that should we forgive for calling Isa Halim as "Mohd Isa" and Jantan Jumaa't instead of Jumaa't Jantan.. As this is not the first time the CUBS starting off in this manner, I keep my opinion WIDE OPEN.. but just don't come back straight after the Official Opening ceremony, CUBS!! End of th...