BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

It's ironically that since that 3-1 defeat to Thailand on Saturday , this blog recorded its biggest viewership since its establishment as it surpassed the previous record set on 20th May 2009 . So as a basic courtesy, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those folks who had flocked in over the past few days that made it possible to this new record. And it the meantime, active discussions have been taken place since that heart-breaking defeat with many opinions, views, thoughts etc. being shared on and off the line. It's seems to be always the case whenever we suffered any defeat or sort, all kind of brickbats would be thrown at the players or whosoever involved and even when we won or performed credibly the players, at times, would be discredited because "YOU have FTs" or "YOU're just plain LUCKY" etc. I scanned through some of those discussions took place on whatever platforms, you can easily noticed that there's nothing much constructive exce...

SHORT SCRIBE OF THE GAME The first thing you noticed at the ground was the heavy security at the stadium. Given the stakes were high and big crowds were expected that the organizers had decided to segregate both groups of fans from one and other. And like most games played in Kallang in the recent years, it would always be the away fans who drummed up the atmosphere (Why are we the passive lot??). Saw this fan dressed up for occasion..hope he had a good business selling those flags . Things got off the worst possible start for the Lions after Noh Alam Shah was judged to handle the ball and Sutee Suksomkit made no error from spot against his old mate Hassan Sunny who dived the wrong way in the 12th minute (interesting fact: all three were playing for Tampines together months ago). Before the KICK-OFF... It was not going according to the Lions' planning as they struggled to make their presence felt as the Thais seems perfectly alright on a surface we thought would be their Achilles...

The setting for the media conference. I was at the pre-match media conference, held at the Amara Hotel at Tanjong Pagar, of the utmost important Asian Cup Qualifier between Singapore and Thailand. Singapore coach Raddy (pictured above) said he's glad with the media turn out today that he felt this must be something good about the game tomorrow. Thailand's coach Bryan Robson (below) this is first time he comes to Singapore in a capacity as a coach and he's looking forward to the game and challenge ahead. At the meantime, the former England skipper gave an update to the media on his team preparation and said,"everything is going well.", but he highlighted a problem many national teams' coaches are facing - the lack of time to prepare the team when some of the overseas-based players "can't stay long enough". Coach Raddy thinks that's not better occasion than Singapore versus Thailand to have the local fans come out in force to give the team the ...

Jeremy Christie (R) shields Joan Capdevila of Spain from the ball during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup match between New Zealand and Spain ( Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images Europe) I had a chance to chat with New Zealand international midfielder Jeremy Christie, who was in town recently for a trial selection session organized by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to kick-off next February. Jeremy was brought to our shores by Trebol Sports International , a local scouting and soccer talent management company, set up by ardent S-league fans. The New Zealand footballer is one of many top calibre players that Trebol Sports will like to bring to Singapore and other Asian leagues. "I used to play for Perth Glory before I decided to return to New Zealand to play for Wellington Phoenix” said the 26 year-old Kiwi who joined the New Zealand-based A-League franchise while still having a year left in his contract with the Western Au...

The annual marquee event of the local football fraternity returned to Caldecott Broadcast Center after a two-year break, as all involved came together to honour the best of the best of the who and who of Singapore football. As I was tasked something else in the event, I did not watch the whole proceeding like two years at Suntec City , while hopping in and out of media at Orchard Hotel last year . SOME PICTURES FROM THE EVENT The registration counter at the entrance of the venue. The TV Theater was the main event hall of the night. A small section of the lobby outside the TV Theater turned into a makeshift media work area. Gombak United's star winger OJ Obatola claimed the first award of the night - Yeo's Young Player of the Year Award, before adding the "People's choice" award to his collection. Actress Rebecca Lim was about to make her way out, after some photo opportunity with "Assistant Referee of the Year"- Jeffrey Goh, when I snapped this... Sorry ...