BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

This morning, got a text message from a colleague said my letter to TODAY was being published on the final day of 2008. As published on "Voices" (TODAY's feedback page) on 31st Dec 2008 For the benefit of all readers, supporters, visitors etc., I felt I have the obligation to reveal what's the actual content of my letter (attached below) to TODAY, sent on 25th Dec 2008. "PrtScr" of the letter sent Sometimes, I don't blame the editors, due to space and time constraints, for shrinking my letter but I would be glad if they just spend a few more seconds going thru' the content of the letter before the editing. As it happened before in one of my previous letters that one word being omitted by them had eventually MISINTERPRETED the whole meaning of it. Happy New Year, anyway...

Happen to be at Jalan Besar Stadium and saw these two notices The top is a notice to inform the public that the plastic surface of the stadium will be closed for upgrading from 7/12/2008 -31/1/2009. While the second notice (before the first) informed the national team's upcoming home schedule will be played on the 28th January 2009, against the Jordanians in the Asian Cup qualifiers.

I bought this white plastic frame meant for cap washing in Perth years ago, but seldom use it despite my enormous cap collection which Ma isn't too pleased about it ("collect dust only" as she laments many times.) Since I been wearing BOCAP quite often nowadays as a sort of self promoting this blog, it's inevitable that it's now for its first shower..... So here you go... BOCAP had its first shower and also it proved that the plastic frame can withstand the grills and spins of that of a washing machine... AFTERMATH I actually paid the price for washing it, as I later realized that the "Velcro" strap is a bit worn after the wash . Now I would have to use "spring press stub" (as above) to enhance the fastening of the strap.. I got to be honest here... Lesson learnt: Ensure your "velcro" is fasten when doing your laundry

Followed up from my last visit to the Floating Platform , I decided to drop in for another photo session from the playing surface. Little did I expected that the place is sealed off from public because of the preparation of the "Countdown" party. "(I) thought it was cancelled ? I got the news from the internet." I told the security lady-in-charge, after she explained why the platform was sealed from public. Nonetheless, she was kind enough to direct me to another spot for my photo-taking (above, though it wasn't the desired spot for me at all, ok then let's not spoil the Christmas mood). I was at the platform because of the news below. But before that the relevant authority and organizers shall resolve these grouses below. As I finished my session at the side of the platform and proceed to take train to somewhere else, I passed by at probably the most valuable green belt of this island - Padang (below). "How about have it at Padang, instead?" as th...

The top of the picture is copy of yesterday's "Mypaper" and the mid portion to bottom (with the masthead - MY SAY) of it being the one I picked up just now. At least, there's some sort of balance here as two different schools of thoughts were given adequate coverage here on this free handout. The previous day's edition highlighted the frustration and criticism from fans, who posted on net forums, whereas on the feedback pages today, some loyal supporters jumped into the Lions' defence and blasted those comments made by those "fair-weather" fans (as one writer labelled them as) . A friend of me has this to say, "simply put an article with net forum's quotes as its headline, is unacceptable." "if a mainstream paper can get quotes out of the net, then we no need reporters" Which is why they need a blogger eh, for this instance? hahahaha

" That's the sad fact.. all in the name of "grooming" youth players for the bigger stage but fail to realize professional league is not a developmental league " Ko Po Hui INTRODUCTION  Ok, this annual review will depart from the previous ones, and as such, I would like to talk about the milestones this blog been achieved so far. ".com" finally BoLASEPaKO.com made its debut on the 1st of January 2008, just as the world ushered in the year 2008 simultaneously.   It was a dream fulfilled after a decade of sharing views, thoughts, and ideas via the website (newsletter) format and later in blog format (just imagine the fact that I wondered if the site would survive then as it was first created out of a shared computer).  Blogging from Stadium Shah Alam OVERSEAS BLOGGING The year also marked the blog's first overseas blogging entry from Shah Alam, Malaysia. It may appear insignificant but for an OMO (One-Man-Operation) blog, it's a moment to be rem...

I just came back from Kallang.... What a sad end to the tournament... We had our chances (with Ah Long's countless efforts) but the luck wasn't there at all... The Vietnamese had their chance and capitalized on it and made us paid for the price. The general consensus was "Why Noh Rahman, who had a good game as the right-back, was replaced by an attacking-minded Ismail Yunos?" And because of the gap left by Ismail on the right, allowed Nguyen Quang Hai to score a tap-in from a Le Cong Vinh cross from the - right... Perhaps Ismail's long throw was the reason why coach Raddy wanted to utilize that and hoped one of our tall guys could head home a goal? As quoted what coach Raddy mention here - “We must now prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers as that will be a more difficult task as we will face strong teams like Iran and Jordan. “This team has been together for some time and they can play together for the next two to three years,” Look forward ahead and don't d...

Was at Jalan Besar yesterday afternoon to take a look how the ticket sales, when the organizers decided at the eleventh hour to put the tickets on sale on Saturday, which was slated as a non-sale day. Although there was no long queue for the tickets, the fans slowly turned up at the ground to buy their tickets. When asked how they came to know the tickets were on sale, many of them replied that they got to know "last minute" sale via the papers and from the internet. Next stop to the National Stadium and saw the staff busy prepare the deco for the match. The thing is everybody can just walk into the National Stadium to catch the team in training, although one must be discreet in snapping pictures while the training session is on, as coach Raddy is rather particular about this. Coach Raddy was given a "BOCAP" as a souvenir after the end of the training session...