BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

My colleague was humming this tune (clip above, credit:  insorlow ) to another colleague before I replied, "Road to Wembley, lah!" "It was a time when we were able to watch football (on TV) without paying extra (money)." I continued with that bit of reminiscing feel after listening to that humming of the tune that was played at the start of the iconic program that showcased the highlights of the FA Cup matches back in the 1980s to 1990s on the long-gone Channel 12 – the terrestrial channel that broadcasted most of the sporting programs in those days. WHEN ENGLISH FOOTBALL FIRST CAPTIVATED US It was also during that period when many of my peers first got to know about English football and started to pick a team to follow (with me no exception until I decided to localise wholeheartedly in the early 1990s). How we watched football in the past   Not surprisingly, what we saw in the highlights from the program and those of the weekend's live matches on Channel 12 bec...

Muangthong United (MTU) is one of Thailand’s most recognised football clubs with an impressive domestic to boost with. However, when it comes to playing against Singaporean teams in AFC club competitions, the Thai giants have consistently struggled. From past encounters with SAFFC and Tampines Rovers to their most recent hitting-the-kerb against Lion City Sailors, Muangthong’s struggles in Singapore remain a recurring theme. EARLIER SETBACKS AT JBS That bumpy ride of "Twin Qilins" in began in the 2010 AFC Champions League playoff against SAFFC at Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) - the main venue of Asian club tournaments for Singaporean clubs. René Desaeyere - MTU coach in 2010 Despite their reputation, the Nonthaburi-based club failed to secure victory, missing out on the group stage of Asia’s elite club competition. Their frustrations continued in the 2011 AFC Cup group stage when they faced Tampines Rovers. The match ended in a 1-1 draw , further underscoring Muangthong’s inabil...

The FAS logo at Jalan Besar Stadium years ago I think being the president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is one of the toughest roles in the republic. Being tasked with helming a high-profile sport like football, one must be a brave person, ready to put themselves under intense public scrutiny. After all, have we not seen over the years that whosoever holds this position is put to task when things are not going our way? A ROLE THAT DEMANDS RESILIENCE Of late, a report by The Straits Times stated that Lion City Sailors owner Forrest Li is "seriously considering" the presidency of the local game's governing body. Since nothing is confirmed at this stage, it is premature to draw any tangible conclusions. What do fans think However, given the high-profile nature of the role, one must constantly be in the spotlight, prepared to brace and face challenges from all directions. It is definitely not a role for someone who is accustomed to staying low-profile. A L...

1950 Malaya Cup Winners - Singapore Without slight exaggeration, my eyeballs were literally popped out when I saw a black-and-white picture that came after a text message from a friend. "Bro, you might be keen on this iconic picture from 1950" texted my friend, who attached a post-match shot of the Singapore team who just won the Malaya Cup that year. I replied: "Goodness me, it was the first Malaya Cup win for us after the War." , after taking note of the handwritten description on the reverse side of the picture. "1950 Malaya Cup Final ... Singapore beat Penang 2-0" were part of the description hand written on the reverse side of the picture, which I believe was detached from an old photo album based on the visible black mark on the top right corner of it. The first XI of the 1950 Malaya Cup winning team As mentioned, the 1950 victory was the first triumph for the then British crown colony following the resuming of this popular competition after the Wo...

The 10,000-seater stadium in TPID (credit: Playmaker SG ) The groundbreaking of the Toa Payoh Integrated Development (TPID) earlier today (5/1) at the former site of the Toa Payoh Sports Centre should bring some smiles to football fans in this country. One of the key features of the new development, which is scheduled to be completed in 2030, is a 10,000-seater stadium that should answer the prayers of those who long to see another football-centric arena besides those at Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) and Jurong East Stadium (JE). AT LEAST THREE ATTEMPTS IN LAST 30 YEARS Based on what I gathered, there were, at least, three attempts to have such arena for that sole purpose in the last thirty-odd years. Tampines Rovers SC's blueprint in 1992 (NLB Archive) The first plan I came across was mooted by Tampines Rovers Sports Club (not to be confused with the Singapore Premier League club of the same name) in a TNP (The New Paper) article back in January 1992 . Another plan for "one...