BoLASEPaKO.com - A Blog on Singapore Football

Click on the "envelope" for a bigger view Scribed this on the back of an envelope.  Please don't be confused by those "arrows" and the hideous handwriting (it was a scribble-on anyway), allow me to explain with some help from the "wiki" pages on the subject.  As you can see for yourself on the top of the envelope, I scribbled "Top 8 (AFL)" , while on the lower half of it, you should notice the words - "Super League (RL)" .  With SAFFC very likely to wrap up their unprecedented "fourth-peat" (their fourth consecutive league titles) in days to come, I wonder what's the point of carrying the regular league fixture since there's nothing more to fight for (except for the remaining prize monies)?  Since there's no relegation/promotion format in the league set-up, the rest of the pack are merely fighting for their pride to complete their fixture, thus there's absolutely no reason for fans to pay to come and see

SINGAPORE, 23 September 2009 - Ticket sales for the 2009 Sultan of Selangor's Cup will commence tomorrow (24 September 2009) at the Jalan Besar Stadium. This eighth edition of the Sultan of Selangor's Cup, that is hosted by Singapore for the third time, will be played at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday, 4th October. The main match between the Singapore Selection and Selangor Selection will kick off at 7.30pm, while the curtain-raiser match between both Veterans team featuring football legends the likes of Fandi Ahmad and Dollah Kassim will start at 6.15pm. Upbeat performances by Revalina and Bloco Singapura will entertain the early arrivals from 5.00pm onwards on matchday, with lots of cash and attractive prizes to be won during the half-time game. Ticketing details Price Grandstand (Entry via North or South Entrance) - $8.00 Gallery (Entry via East Entrance) - $5.00 Sales Venues Jalan Besar Stadium: 24 - 25 Sep (12pm-8pm) 28 Sep - 2 Oct (12pm-8pm) Hougang Stadium: 28 Sep (6p

(P.S: Those wonderful guys at SoccerPro seeking this blog as a platform to spread the message of helping the less-privileged) The recent-concluded Homeless World Cup saw Ukraine crowned as the world champions of this tournament , by beat Portugal en-route to clinch the honour. Despite the fact that this tournament had ended on 13th September, the spirit of this event did not. So in aid to help to fund the future tournaments, SoccerPro together with the event organizers " Homeless World Cup " had decided to sell the T-Shirt depicted below in order to raise the necessary fund to do so. (Picture credit: SoccerPro ) Please help to spread this message of helping the less-privileged through the game we love. For more information, please log on to the following links for more details To buy 2009 Homeless World Cup Tee Shirt - Limited Edition More information of "Homeless World Cup" organization

Competition area for the One Asia Cup Final for EA SPORTS FIFA Online 2 platform , inside the event hall of the GCA 2009. Some of you may think how would a football blogger like me be covering a game event (Games Convention Asia) at Suntec City? In the past, the idea of earning a livelihood from playing computer game would be deemed IMPOSSIBLE and being ridiculed upon. Participants from other South-Asian countries completing against one another for the US$100,000 worth of cash and prizes. But as the gaming industry gaining bigger market share, it's inevitable that some game makers, in order to gain larger market share, start organize tournaments with cash prize monies to entice budding gamers to pit against each other (which some top gamers eventually making a living on those winnings plus endorsement deals). Staying focused is one of the key in playing online games Perhaps from those passions and determination shown by those gamers can teach a thing or two to those existing footb

(P.S: Got an email from SoccerPro who asked if I keen to do another review of a product from their stock list. Which I obliged and here's another piece of product review of the blog - " Adidas Samba Millenium " indoor soccer shoes. Opinions expressed below are sole personal from the blogger himself , without any form of interference from whosoever entity or individual.) PREFACE "Never take it for granted." I said to myself after I decided to take up this reviewing offer. In my last review for the " Nike First Touch II FS - Varsity Royal " boots I did last year, I took it for granted by using my conventional shoes size to determine the size of the reviewed product , thus the tight-fitting of the shoes caused some uncomfortableness whenever I wore them. This is the first pair of Adidas Soccer Shoes I wearing. Which turned out to be good lesson learned, as I realized that one shall never gauge the size of the soccer shoes using his or her conventional

Not since the early 1980s when we last seen some of our top footballers left for greener pasture. Coincide with Singapore's second pulled out from the Malaysia Cup in 1982, stars like Fandi Ahmad, Terry Pathmanathan, David Lee packed their bags and ventured to either the Malaysian or Indonesian leagues then. When Terry Pathmanathan joined Pahang in 1982, it caused quite a storm Fast forward 20-odd years later, some of the island's top players are heading to the south to the Indonesian league. Thanks to the new 3+2 ruling that allows Indonesian clubs to employ two players from any AFC member country, thus out of sudden Singaporean players become hot commodities. The only piece from the "mainstreamers" I across over the move The funny sight was that, while the media speculation was rife with the Jakarta press (was once shown a clipping from one Indonesian papers with pictorial graphics and details), the local media seems to be caught unaware of it (some form of embargo

Click for a bigger view So what did I tell you? It's not easy to be a sports photographer! Factors like ground survey before the game, the lighting of the venue, etc. And the likeliness of having players crashed onto you! Like the depicted collage which compiled the frame-by-frame shot of Balestier's Korean import Oh In Kyun being overpowered by DPMM's Sairol Sahari and Safari Wahit. The next thing I know was yours truly, who positioned himself behind the advertising billboard, was knocked by Oh when he lost his balance and crashed onto the board! That's the job hazard as a photographer and luckily the camera escaped without any damage. For the record, DPMM beat Balestier 3-1.

It's not easy to take action photos, and I just realized that a few hours ago. Armed with my newly-purchased "Fuji S2000" , I decided to try it out (not without having some "interactions" with one of the "jagas", again!) While I was snapping this shot of Geylang's players warming up from this position, I was advised by one of the "jagas", "Sir, you are not allowed to take pictures from here as you can only do so from behind the goal-line."   Frankly and to be honest, my mood dampen a bit when told of this "restriction" when just a moment before that I did ask about the "Dos and Don'ts" when roaming about the field area.   Luckily, the air was clear and I went on taking a few more shots (like the above pictured the match officials doing their own warming-up). Not before long, I was suggested by Aundry Gan , the local renowned photo sports photojournalist, to position myself behind the goal (depicted abo

Just wonder how many of you guys were being shown concern by our "caring" jaga at the grounds??

Bangkok Glass' style of play is similar to what we saw by their fellow Thai side - TTM Samut Sakorn on last Friday. Glass Rabbit fans... Wondering we would get to see the famed Glass Rabbit cheerleaders (depicted below) anytime soon? (Picture credit: Bangkok Glass FC Facebook group ) - the Glass Rabbits cheerleaders Patient is the key in orchestrating any attacking play, a logic never seems to adapt by many of the local clubs who would prefer that "kamikaze" style of football (kick and rush before allowing your opponents to hit you hard when at vulnerability). Just as we thought it was all over for Phnom Penh Crown when the Glass Rabbits scored their third before the end of first, a gusty fightback by the Khmer side saw them drew level in the 56th minute (as illustrated above). But it wasn't good enough as the Cambodians were knocked out from the Cup. PICTURES FROM POST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE "We are not happy with the draw." said the Cambodian team manager

Duric - 人在江湖,身不由己?   (whose existence in the team beyond his control?) A colleague of me (whom I call him "阿兄"- "Big Brother" in Teochew dialect) offered a different perspective on the current state of the national team a few days ago. "We need a complete overhaul of the system." said my colleague, an avid football follower stayed in Hougang. "Doesn't it tell you a lot things when our frontline still depend on the likes of (Aleksandar) Duric and Indra (Sahdan Daud), who're already in their sunset years as a striker?" he asked. National skipper Indra Sahdan would face the chop if "阿兄" is the national coach. "If I'm the national coach, this are the things I will do!" as he continued. "First, I would set an age limit of 25 for the team, and gradually phrased out those above that age. This is maintain the energy level of the team." "Secondly, I would set a criteria of only those who are