The Cambodian Elephants Charge On: A Chat with ISI Dangkor Senchey’s Jean Botioba
Jean Botioba is a symbol for many. The Cameroonian is the face of Phnom Penh-based outfit ISI Dangkor Senchey (ISI) and has been a hero for its fans. The Cameroonian had an interesting playing career that saw him play in Southeast Asia, including the V.League. Turning only 38 this year, he hung up his boots…
The Engine Never Stops: Mustafa Zazai’s Tale From Afghan Refugee to Afghan International
Mustafa Zazai is well-known for being a true midfield engine in Cambodia and he possesses one of the highest work rates for a midfielder in the Southeast Asian region. The German-Afghan player has come a long way since his humble beginnings and I had the pleasure of helping with some aspects of his past. This…
All Fired Up: Timorese Stalwarts Raring to Go for SEA Games After Missing Out on AFF
When the final whistle blew at the Padang Dan Belapan on November 8, 2022, players from Timor-Leste fell to the ground in despair. They had clinched a 1-0 victory against Brunei in the second leg of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Qualification Playoff. However, the win was not enough to turn over the 4-goal deficit…
A Tournament To Forget? Looking Back At The Lions’ 2022 AFF Championship Campaign
Scuffed clearances, mistimed tackles, and the ball hitting the back of the Singaporean net became the tune of the night as the Malaysians drove at Singapore with all guns blazing. With their backs against the wall, the men clad in blue tried their best to ride the relentless waves of Malaysian attacks but to no…
Against All Odds: How Oleg Starysnki Turned The Tides With Phnom Penh Crown
The 2022 Cambodian Premier League’s Ultimate Comeback Story At the end of Round 1 of the 2022 Cambodian Premier League (CPL) Campaign, many were shocked to see reigning champions Phnom Penh Crown struggling in 6th place. While the reduction in the number of teams in the CPL meant that the level of competition was going…
Plugging The Gaps: Who can fill in for Ikhsan Fandi and Adam Swandi for the 2022 AFF Championship?
When Singapore’s leading marksman Ikhsan Fandi crumpled to the ground in the 38th minute during the Lions’ final warm-up game against Maldives, fans held their collective breath, fearing the worst as the forward was stretchered off the pitch. As fans awaited news of the extent of Ikhsan’s injury, tragedy struck again. In the 61st minute,…
“Not Mission Impossible”: Lee Lim-saeng Weighs In On Brazil vs Korea
In a matter of hours, the South Korean national team will face their sternest challenge yet in the 2022 World Cup – Brazil. The Seleção have arguably fielded their strongest squad in decades and many have tipped them to claim their 6th World Cup this year. Should the Brazilians do so, they would certainly cement…
Feeling At Home In Singapore : A Chat with Talismanic Tadanari Lee
This article is part of a two-part series collab action between Junpiter Futbol and us. If you haven’t read the first portion where I dive into Tadanari’s incredible career before gracing the Singapore Premier League this season, do click here to access it. In this article, we look at Tadanari’s reasons for playing in the…
2022 FIFA World Cup Preview
Different time, not great location, but same tournament we all find a way to love… The time is finally upon us. The 2022 FIFA World Cup is right around the corner. And while the timing is much weirder, the weather is much colder (at least where I am), and injuries are much more of an…
A First In Singapore: The Albirex (S) GK Wars Cup
If there’s one person who doesn’t stop innovating in the Singapore football scene it’s Habil Hakim. The Albirex Niigata (S) Academy Director has helped solidify the Japanese outfit’s presence in our city-state’s youth football and his latest initiative helps strengthen that further. Goalkeepers are the arguably biggest unsung heroes in world football. Literally the last…
“All Part of the Plan”: Jaguars Gunning For Singapore Cup Victory
When one looks back at the 2022 Singapore Premier League season Tanjong Pagar United have had, you can’t but help wonder what could have been. While the Jaguars retained the core of the squad, they lost defensive lynchpin Shakir Hamzah to injury during the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup and parted ways with some key members…
Goals Galore: “Lionheart” Timothy Okereke & His Imminent Return
Timothy Okereke is a familiar name for many in the Cambodian football fraternity. The Nigerian is known for his pace, strength and natural finishing instincts – qualities that many managers desire in a forward and Timothy has proven himself across various Cambodian outfits during the Metfone C-League era. After all, he managed to slot in…
“ASEAN Football Is More Exciting” – Ultra-Nippon Leader Asahi Ueda Targets Southeast Asia
If you haven’t already, do catch Part 1 of this two-part series on Junpiter Futbol. In that article, I discuss Ueda’s beginning as an Ultra and Japanese football’s development in the 1980s and 1990s through his lens. The Decline of Japanese Football Enthusiasm When Japan finally reached the World Cup in 1998, it was a…
The Path Less Taken : Mukundan Maran’s Journey To The Singapore National Team
When the Singapore National Team squad for the Hung Thinh International Football Tournament was announced, many quickly noticed a new custodian among the goalkeeping contingent. Mukundan Maran’s name surprised many at first, but after thinking about it, it was the right call by Takayuki Nishigaya. The Hougang United keeper has put in some solid performances…
Clawing Their Way To The Top: The Garuda Lions Project
It goes without saying that Indonesians love the beautiful game. The football-crazy nation is home to some of the best teams and some of the best-supported sides in the region. Sides like Bali United, Arema Malang, Persija Jakarta, and Persib Bandung have millions of fans and countless fan groups. Indonesia is scattered with numerous teams,…
A Step In The Right Direction? A Review Of The 2022 Cambodian Premier League
The Cambodian Premier League (CPL) kicked off on March 5th earlier this year and it surely has been a roller-coaster of an experience, especially since there have been some major changes by the Cambodian Football League Company (CFLC), helmed by Satoshi Saito. In October last year, it was announced that Saito’s CFLC would take over…
Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable: Matthew Orr’s Story
It is often said that in order to achieve excellence, one must push themselves beyond their limits. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Matthew Orr (安永佳) embodies just that. In his tumultuous journey to becoming Kitchee SC and Hong Kong’s talisman, he’s encountered many setbacks. However, he never once let them deter him from what he always…
Small Countries, Big Dreamers
Hong Kong, like Singapore, is a small country. They’ve got a big noisy neighbour and at times can get lost in the world of elite football due to their size – just like us. This past week’s double header of friendlies for our Lionesses against Hong Kong showed that there is a gulf in experience.…
Raising The Bar: Woodlands Lions Sends Quartet For Croatia Training Stint
While most 16-year-old Singaporeans will be busy burying their faces in books during this June Holiday as they prepare for their upcoming GCE ‘O’ and ‘N’ Level examinations, three promising footballers from Woodlands Lions will be given a golden opportunity to live a European dream. Woodlands Lions is undoubtedly a team that loves to make…
The Next Lion Up: Glenn Kweh
Donning the Singapore jersey brings something special out of Glenn Kweh. With three goals in nine games for the U23s, he’s the next Young Lion’s player to have been called up to the senior team and deservedly so. He dazzled fans at the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam as well as last year’s…
Leading the Line, What it Means to be A Number 9
The number nine, a number synonymous with goals, excitement and above all responsibility. Vasileios Chua, better known as Zikos or Bill to the Singaporean football community, is a dying breed, a traditional number nine with proper striker instincts. To Zikos, ‘leading the line’ is something that he’s had to grow into in his young career.…
Better Late Than Never: How Jared Gallagher Turned Pro for His Love Of The Game Part 2
Personally, I find it rather interesting that Jared wrote an article on unorthodox pathways to Singapore professional football. Perhaps, it’s a way to express his own story – one where he himself undertook an alternative route. In part 1, we looked at Jared’s footballing journey in Shanghai and Hong Kong, where he turned out for…
Our 2022 SPL Team of The Week #5
The Singapore Premier League was back in action following a two-week international break that saw the Lions edge past Malaysia and the Philippines in the Tri-Nation Series. With great results at the national stage, we hoped that this would translate into higher quality fixtures over the weekend. Friday evening saw Lion City Sailors take on…
Our 2022 SPL Team Of The Week #4
Game Week 4 sees all four teams in action once again with yet another barrage of goals for us to feast on. There were two fixtures on both Friday and Saturday evenings. On Friday evening, Tampines Rovers took on Hougang United following their certainly eventful fixture against Lion City Sailors where they had two disallowed…
Our SPL Team of The Week #3 (Feat. SG Football Podcast.)
The weather may not have been the best this weekend, with the downpour delaying certain fixtures. But the goals also rained this Singapore Premier League Game Week, with a total of 19 goals spread across the four matches – also worth pointing out that it’s great to have all teams finally feature this weekend. For…
“I am Proud of My Boys” – Salvador Valero Garcia Defies Odds in AFF U-23 Championship
The Thailand national team showed their immense quality when featured in the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup with a rather youthful side. If their recent exploits at the AFF U-23 championship are anything to go by, they certainly have a bright future ahead for the generations to come. To the outsider, the job that Salvador Valero…
Our 2022 SPL Team of The Week #2 (Feat. Lions Of Asia)
We’re joined by our friends from Lions Of Asia for this week who will co-pick the team! Another weekend flew by us as we saw witnessed entertaining fixtures that demonstrated some plausibly serious ramifications for the title race. Kim Do Hoon reshuffled his Lion City Sailors starting eleven for their fixture against Geylang International and…
My Cambodian Diary: Reflections On the AFF U-23 Championship
As I trudged off the field, hearing the cheers and roars of the thousand Vietnamese fans in attendance, seeing my teammates limping into the tunnel, knowing that we had not just lost, but lost in that fashion, I was distraught. Regardless of the circumstances which plagued the team, I didn’t perform to my potential. We…
Our 2022 SPL Team of The Week #1
We’ve decided to bring back the Team Of The Week series for yet another season! The Singapore Premier League has finally returned and we were once again delighted to another weekend of thrills and spills. Albirex Niigata (S) suffered a shock defeat to Tanjong Pagar United as the Jaguars held firmly to their lead, denied…
A Stunning Season Opener: Clinical Jaguars Shock White Swans
Since returning to the league in 2020, Tanjong Pagar United have made Jurong East Stadium their home and co-share the venue with Albirex Niigata. Thus, the “Western Derby” was born. Following last season’s 4-4 thriller between both sides on the last day of the season, fans knew that it was going to be a cracker…
“I Didn’t Have To Think Twice About It” : Karan Sobti Joins Tanjong Pagar United On Loan
Just when you thought Tanjong Pagar United have concluded their transfer business this window, it seems like they have a few more additions to make. One of these signings is the ever so talented Karan Sobti, who joins Tanjong Pagar on loan from Lion City Sailors. Still only 17, Karan has often been touted as…
A High Stakes Encounter : The 2022 AIA Community Shield
In a few hours, Lion City Sailors and Albirex Niigata (S) will draw swords and battle for the 2022 AIA Community Shield. Many label Community (or Charity) Shield fixtures as over-glorified friendlies, with teams often fielding fringe players in their lineup. The traditional curtain-raiser for the season may not be taken seriously in many parts…
Changing Stripes: A New Chapter Begins For Oriol Mohedano at Svay Rieng
When I last interviewed Oriol Mohedano, the Tiger Tactician was approaching his 100th game for Angkor Tiger and finished the 2021 campaign as a centurion. In the current global football landscape, it is indeed rare to witness football coaches reaching this pinnacle. However, after 5 seasons with the Tiger, Oriol crossed the 100-game mark, transforming…
Understanding Tanjong Pagar’s Goals For 2022: A Chat With Noh Alam Shah
The previous year was surely one to remember for Tanjong Pagar United. The club notched its first win in 2,361 days (obviously they sat out of the league for several years but they suffered a winless 2020 season). More importantly, we witnessed the Jaguars finally live up to their “Dark Horse” tag in the latter…
An Alternative Route To Singaporean Professional Football
In a sport that is equally political as it is reliant on skill and determination, we often forget that even in the small market that is Singaporean football, many players take atypical routes to the top of the game, making their rise more remarkable and commendable. This can definitely be said for Ryhan Stewart, who…
Better Late Than Never: How Jared Gallagher Turned Pro for His Love Of The Game Part 1
Many Singaporeans would remember the wonder-strike by Nur Adam during the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualification fixture between the Singapore U-22s and the Korea U-22 teams. While Nur Adam’s goal was certainly memorable, it was another moment during the last few minutes that I would forever cherish. As the game was drawing to a…
Introducing Our Newest Addition: Singapore U-22 and Young Lions Player Jared Gallagher
It’s the transfer window but Singapore Premier League clubs aren’t the only ones that are shopping. We’ve done some wheeling and dealing of our own and we’ve snapped up a great addition to the squad. We are pleased to announce that Singapore U-22 international and Young Lions utility player Jared Gallagher has joined the SoccerKakis…
Is Amy Recha The Missing Piece In The Hougang United Puzzle?
When Amy Recha announced his departure from Geylang International last season, many were curious about where the “Fox in the Box” would land. After all, Amy had a stellar 2021 season. He was a standout player and a consistent performer for the Eagles, with 12 goals and 3 assists. After months of speculation, his decision…
Kyoga Nakamura and Tampines Rovers Have Set a New Precedent With This Five-Year Deal
When news of Kyoga Nakamura’s five-year contract extension first came to light, I was overjoyed. The Tampines Rovers midfielder has been a consistent performer in the Singapore Premier League and is a true joy to watch whenever he takes to the field. The thought of seeing such a talented player him feature in the SPL…
The Search For Tatsuma Yoshida’s Successor Needs Time. But Will Singaporeans Be Patient?
Tatsuma Yoshida resigned, and his departure means that Singapore is now missing a national team head coach in addition to a permanent technical director. If the local football fraternity isn’t concerned, it better be. For one, if we really want to transform the dream of reaching the 2034 World Cup into reality, we need competent…
The Fox in the Box: The Amy Recha Story Part 2
In part 1, we looked at how Amy began his football journey. He started his professional career with Geylang International in 2011 and finished the 2015 season with Young Lions. In this second part, we continue his journey by looking at what transpired following his return to Geylang in 2016 until the 2020 AFF Suzuki…
![The [Almost] Christmas Miracle: Down to 8 Players and a valiant defeat, but Singaporeans brought back the Kallang Roar](https://soccerkakis.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/add-a-heading-1200-x-670-px.png?w=800&h=600&crop=1)
The [Almost] Christmas Miracle: Down to 8 Players and a valiant defeat, but Singaporeans brought back the Kallang Roar
One missed penalty. Three red cards. Six goals. These are the figures that will be imprinted on the mind of every fan that tuned in to catch the second leg of the semi-final fixture between Indonesia and Singapore. The first leg was a tense battle between both teams as they tussled for the winning goal,…
Spreading The Festive Spirit – A Tampines Rovers Initiative to Help Migrant Workers
Before the pandemic outbreak, migrant workers had always been a marginalised and often forgotten community in Singapore. Yet, they have become increasingly isolated once COVID-19 restrictions kicked into full gear. As things stand, these migrant workers have been largely restricted to the confines of their dormitories, and they have minimal ability to travel out for…
We need to Keep Things In Perspective – Aftermath of Thailand 2-0 Singapore
When the final whistle blew, a chorus of boos echoed throughout the National Stadium, drowning out the applause from a select few of the Singapore faithful. It was abundantly clear that Singaporean fans were disappointed by the national team’s performance against Thailand. With eleven changes made by Thailand head coach Alexandré ‘Mano’ Pölking, there was…
Drama, Records & Goals: What Made Philippines 1-2 Thailand A Thrilling Affair
Sheer physicality, abundant pace, and luck. These are the ingredients supposedly necessary for Southeast Asian sides to take away points from Thailand. The Philippines came close. While they had the former two features, the latter one eluded them in the final 13 minutes of regulation time. Lead Up to The Fixture The past decade has…
Song Ui-young is Singapore’s Trump Card : Why this Call-up may Fundamentally Augment the Lions’ Future
The Singapore national team will finally feature in the New National Stadium after a two-year absence due to the global pandemic in less than a few hours. This fixture marks the first AFF tournament for several Singaporean players, but many fans will have their eyes fixed on one particular name – Song Ui-young. Song has…
A Mainstay In The Years To Come: Why Albirex Niigata (S) has Carved a Permanent Space in the Singapore Football Landscape
A few weeks ago, we published an article by the Swan Army. The Albirex Niigata (S) fan group submitted an article discussing that their beloved club is not like any other foreign team featured in the S.League or Singapore Premier League. Instead, they argue that Albirex Niigata (S) has become a localized club. Many other…
Our 2021 SoccerKakis SPL Team of The Season
The 2021 Singapore Premier League season had its fair share of thrills and spills and will be memorable for numerous reasons (depending on who you ask of course). That being said, we have finally created our picks for the SPL 2021 Season – well we had for some time now but the global pandemic has…
On Singapore’s Upcoming International Friendlies: Results Matter But Positive Performances Matter More
As part of Singapore’s preparations for the upcoming AFF Championship, the national team has recently flown to Dubai to play two friendly fixtures in the next few days. On 11 November, the Lions take on Kyrgyzstan in an official ‘A’ international fixture. A few days later, on 14 November, they take on the Moroccan ‘A’…
The Fox in the Box: The Amy Recha Story Part 1
When Geylang International started their 2021 campaign, it seems like the Eagles were struck by lighting. A dark cloud seemed to loom over the club and setback after setback fell upon them. Of course, most eyes would have been on Lion City Sailors and their journey to the Singapore Premier League title, but if you’re…
How Do We Raise The Stock Of Singaporean Football Players?
While the eternal optimist in me sees positives from our World Cup Qualifiers, many reckoned that Singapore’s showings were abysmal. Likewise, I think Tampines Rovers displayed a lot of grit and showed determination in their AFC Champions League run, but to the uninformed and ignorant external observer, they would look at the scoreline of the…
A New Era: The Danger Of Lion City Sailors’ Long Term Dominance
After seven long years, we finally have a Singaporean club lifting the Singapore Premier League. Seven long years of sheer frustration watching foreign sides lifting the league title, of withstanding ridicule from our Southeast Asian neighbours, of bitter disappointment with our domestic football predicament. Lion City Sailors have emerged as champions. If the lead up…
Bob The Builder: Meet Bo Bae Park Who’s Laying The Building Blocks For Future Filipino Stalwarts
Suppose you ever find yourself at Far Eastern University in Manila. In that case, you may want to keep a lookout for a certain South Korean, Endearingly referred to as Bobby by those who know him, Bo Bae Park is the head coach of the University football team and is a man on a mission…
We Want Your Input For The SoccerKakis Team Of The Season
Link to vote: https://forms.gle/6M95ZtpSJP9PiYqa9 At the start of this Singapore Premier League season, we decided to do an unofficial team of the week series, honouring the best-performing players of the week. After 18 Game Weeks and 21 Matchdays, many players have been featured in our weekly edition, so we felt it is only fitting that…
Our Singapore Premier League Team of the Week #18
It was another weekend of SPL action and we experienced yet another twist in the title race. Tampines Rovers, who has struggled since returning from their maiden AFC Champions League voyage, put in a solid performance to hold Albirex Niigata to a draw and deny them valuable three points. However, that draw meant nothing unless…
The Cup Specialist Returns? Why Lee Lim Saeng Helming A Southeast Asian National Team Makes Sense
The recent AFF Championship Group Stage draw reminds us that the regional tournament is truly around the corner. My love for Singapore football blossomed during this competition with the thrill and spills it had to offer over the years. While the global pandemic has demonstrated time and time again that everything is subject to change,…
The Arctic Fox – Danny Kim
On the 1st of November 1983, Kim Pan-keun made history for the football-mad nation of South Korea by attaining a National Cap at the young age of 17 years and 241 days. The record still stands today. Nicknamed the ‘Ground Fox’, he won the K-League twice while racking up a reputation for being one of…
Our Singapore Premier League Team of The Week #17
Better late than never… First and foremost, apologies for the delay for the team of the week for last week. A packed schedule meant that it was going to be a while before I could churn this out. Regardless, what a weekend it was. Albirex Niigata and Lion City Sailors put on an entertaining display…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #16
It hasn’t been the best of weekends for the Eastside clubs, with Geylang International and Tampines Rovers getting smashed by Albirex Niigata (5-0) and Hougang United (7-3), respectively. As a result, Tampines are in a precarious position and are dangerously flirting with the prospect of missing out on continental competition next season. On Sunday, Lion…
On the Under-23 Rule: Let’s Keep It At One, But We Need The Prime League To Return
Back in January, I wrote an article about why it’s time for the Football Association of Singapore to consider re-evaluating the U-23 rule. Perhaps they read my article, because they’re supposedly revising the rule. If the alleged changes come to effect, then only one under-23-year-old player needs to start each game instead of the three…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #15
Gear up folks, we’re in for a nail-biting finish. The conclusion of last week’s fixtures means that 4 games remain for the majority of the teams, while Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers have five games remaining each. Matchday 17 certainly produced thrilling matches with Lion City Sailors and Hougang United battling it out in…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #14
The Singapore Premier League was back in action this past weekend and the “weekend” kicked off on Thursday where Balestier Khalsa took on Tampines Rovers who were looking to bounce back from their 4-1 thumping by Lion City Sailors. Unfortunately for the Stags, they slumped to another heavy defeat again – this time a shock…
An Unrecognized Saviour Between The Sticks- Zainol Gulam Shares It All
Yep, that’s right. Zainol Gulam has left Geylang International, and it looks as if he’s going to embark on a new chapter in his career. When I found out about this, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer and sprung into action. Singapore, we have a goalkeeper crisis on our hands. Zainol’s departure from the…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #13
So finally, Tampines Rovers play their first Singapore Premier League fixture following their AFC Champions League expedition. As a result, we have all eight teams battling it out over the weekend for the first time in months. It wasn’t just the stags that returned, though, but we also witnessed a goal-fest again after a surprising…
Making Up For Lost Time – Jun Tan’s Untold Football Story Part 2
Do Read Part 1 If you have not already~ For younger and newer fans to the Singapore Premier League, Balestier Central merged with Clementi Khalsa at the end of 2002 to form Balestier Khalsa. Yes, that’s right Balestier Khalsa, existed as two separate teams nearly two decades ago. But enough of a lesson on the…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #12
Happy National Day everyone! Singapore turns 56 today! The Singapore Premier League is full of twists and turns. Hate it as much as you want but you cannot deny that it is an entertaining competition. Even though there weren’t many goals this time round, this week’s fixtures did produce two shocks – Tanjong Pagar United…
Making Up For Lost Time – Jun Tan’s Untold Football Story Part 1
If you’re a follower of the Singaporean football scene, Jun Tan is a name that should be familiar to you. If it isn’t, then his company Junpiter Futbol would indeed ring a bell. For the past decade or so, Jun has been photographing matches and interviewing players all around Asia. From meeting footballing icons like…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #11
And we are back with yet another weekend of football filled fun. Matchday 13 sees more action but we wanted to wait till the end of the Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers match before making our selections. However, that match got called off and instead, these are the contenders worthy to be included in…
Setting Foot In Unchartered Territories – Razeen Khalid’s Unorthodox Career Part 3
Read Parts 1 & 2 if you have not already. After his stint in Thailand, England and Singapore would be his next destinations. What happens next? Read on to find out more. England & Singapore – Finally Signed But For How Long? Razeen’s family resided in Reading, and since he wanted to spend more time…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #10
After a two-month break, the Singapore Premier League is finally back. This past weekend saw the return of our beloved sides battle it out and with the return of fixtures, comes the return of the SoccerKakis Singapore Premier League Team of The Week series. The second leg of the SPL started off with a banger…
Our SPL Stars To Watch: A SoccerKakis X Lions Of Asia Initiative
Payers Jointly Selected By SoccerKakis and Lions Of Asia In a matter of days, we see the resumption of the second leg of the Singapore Premier League. While we will be closely monitoring the Singapore Premier League title race, we plan to track a number of players until the end of the season. Who is…
The Brain Gain: Evaluating Singapore’s Reverse Football Brain Drain – Short Term Benefits & Next Steps?
The Singapore National Team has always had several players plying their trade overseas. Truth be told, we need it. While the Singapore Premier League and its former iteration as the S.League has always produced a decent level of football, our best footballers should be forging moves abroad. Playing in an overseas league is challenges these…
Setting Foot In Unchartered Territories – Razeen Khalid’s Unorthodox Career Part 2
Do read part 1 if you haven’t already! After A Hiatus, The Football Dream Continues For the next six years, Razeen Khalid would be working as an engineer for ExxonMobil but football would not be completely missing from his life. Playing regularly in the state league, Razeen did his best to fulfil his perpetual need…
The SPL Resumes: The Rest Of The Pack
How can I leave the other teams out? Of course, I wasn’t going to. Also, if you haven’t already, do take a look at the title race preview that I previously wrote. Balestier Khalsa Balestier Khalsa find themselves leading the rest of the pack, and it will be hard for the team to bridge the…
Setting Foot In Unchartered Territories – Razeen Khalid’s Unorthodox Career Part 1
If the name Razeen Khalid rings a bell, you may remember him from my previous interview with Central African Republic international and former Home United stalwart Franklin Anzité. I briefly mentioned Razeen, who was his agent in Malaysia. Razeen was a central figure during Franklin’s footballing chapter in Malaysia. Yet, make no mistake. Razeen is…
The SPL Resumes: The Title Race Preview
With the Singapore Premier League resuming in a matter of days, I decided to take this time to preview the second half of the SPL season. Even though there are only 8 teams in the SPL, the title race is certainly exciting, and every team in the top half of the league is certainly a…
What would the Singapore National Team look Like with less than 50 caps? Part 2
In Part 1, we looked at the defense, and collectively, they had a total of 13 caps, which leaves me with 37 caps to play with for my midfield and attack. I know it’s been a few days since the previous part, so if you’re wondering why I’m doing this – here’s a short recap:…
Woodlands Lions Potentially Joining The SPL Next Season? How We Can Help To Make This A Reality!
Fill this survey and help Woodlands Lions take part in the SPL next season! Ever since Woodlands Wellington pulled out of the S.league in 2014, the North has been relatively silent. With zero representation, some fans have stopped watching the local game after their beloved local side pulled out. Yet, a new entity is on…
Grooming Thailand’s Future Stars – Meet Thailand U-19 Head Coach Salva Valero Garcia
If you have never heard of Salva Valero Garcia, then you may want to start remembering his name. Only 28 years old, he’s the current Thailand National U-19 Team head coach, and he’s responsible for grooming some of Thailand’s most promising prospects. I had the pleasure to speak to Salva on his career thus far…
The S.E.A Farer – Franklin Anzité’s Southeast Asian Expedition Part 2
In part 1, I looked at Franklin’s time in Singapore and Thailand and in part 2, the Southeast Asian expedition continues as he describes about his time in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia before discussing his time with the Central African Republic National team. Venturing Into Vietnam Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC in the V.league 1…
Come On You Rovers! Taking Inspiration From SAF FC’s 2010 AFC Champions League Run?
When Tampines Rovers take on Asian titans Gamba Osaka on Friday, it will be a real David versus Goliath encounter. On one hand, you have the runners-up to the Singapore Premier League who will feature in Asia’s premier continental competition for the first time. Regarded as minnows by the wider Asian football fraternity, you might…
What would the Singapore National Team look Like with less than 50 caps? Part 1
Previously, I wrote a three-part article looking at what the Singapore national team looks like with zero caps (links are at the end of the article). Besides players with zero international caps, there is a slew of other players that have represented the Singapore national team before but have been frozen out of the team…
The S.E.A Farer – Franklin Anzité’s Southeast Asian Expedition Part 1
Yes, I have a knack for finding former Étoile FC players. When the 2011 Étoile FC team first got announced, a few names caught my eye. These players had international caps for African nations before their stint with Singapore. Jonathan Justin had turned out for Mauritius. Mohamed Doumbouya clocked in an appearance with Mali in…
Electric Elijah! Meet Geylang International’s Spark in Midfield
If you had been watching Geylang International’s matches this season, you’d notice that for a good period of time, the club was in a state of chaos. The team was ravaged with injuries, and the ever-inspirational Barry Maguire was on the sidelines for a lengthy spell. Yet, there was a silver lining in that storm…
What would Singapore’s National Team look Like with 0 caps? – Celebrating the #NOCAP Squad Part 3
Take a look at Part 1 & Part 2 if you have not already! When we look at players over the age of 23 (born before 01/01/1998) with zero caps, we can potentially form a 19-man squad. I once again re-emphasize this is not including a host of youngsters that have featured prominently in the…
What would Singapore’s National Team look Like with 0 caps? – Celebrating the #NOCAP Squad Part 2
As mentioned in part 1, I’ve decided to dedicate some time to players I feel deserve some much needed praise and recognition – players who have been robbed of chances to play in the national team. This is Part 2 of a multi-part series. When we look at players over the age of 23 (born…
What would Singapore’s National Team look Like with 0 caps? – Celebrating the #NOCAP Squad Part 1
When Tatsuma Yoshida first took the reins of the national team, he ushered in a new era of Singapore football. Under icons V. Sundramoorthy and Fandi Ahmad, the national team had unfortunately grown stale during their tenures as national team managers, but Yoshida’s management was refreshing. Fans were behind the former Jurong FC player, and…
Harimau Muda B 2.0? Not Quite – Part 2: Necessary Conditions For Singapore to Benefit
There are both pros and cons to the addition of JDT III to the SPL with any decision. Although, as I mentioned in the previous article, the pros outweigh the cons if certain conditions are established. If these conditions are met, then JDT III or other foreign teams would help the Singapore footballing landscape. The…
Harimau Muda B 2.0? Not Quite – Part 1: Thoughts On JDT III’s potential inclusion in the SPL
Recently, the Crown Prince of Johor and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim revealed that he is interested in sending their President Cup squad to play in the Singapore Premier League. If the move does materialise, it shares many similarities with the Harimau Muda B team [The Malaysia Under-21 National Football Team]…
Hold Your Heads Up Boys, You’ve done us Proud: Singapore 0 – 3 Saudi Arabia
My palms became sweaty and my heart was in my mouth as the Saudi players launched attack after attack. As each Saudi attack fizzled out for a goal kick or throw in, it allowed me to catch my breath. However, it was but a momentary respite before play resumed again and my anxiety returned. Despite…
‘El Loco’ – The Continental Tale Of Blake Ricciuto
You can learn a lot from a football player by his goal celebration. Kylian Mbappé’s understated shoulder fold comes to mind, a shout-out to his brother’s celebration of choice after scoring a goal in FIFA.A larger-than-life athlete, however, deserves a more glorious trademark – which calls to mind Cristiano Ronaldo and his now iconic (and…
A Chat With The Mouth Of The North: R. Vengadasalam Part 2 – Stories to share and Thoughts on Football today
Do read Part 1 if you haven’t already! Launching The Woodlands Lions A private landscaper right now, he still contributes to the footballing scene with his most recent initiative, Woodlands Lions. Woodlands Lions was launched by Venga because he felt there was a need to establish a proper youth team. While the rest of the…
Uzbekistan 5 – 0 Singapore: Some Positives In Another Crushing Defeat?
Given the 4-0 thumping by Palestine, Singapore’s chances of qualifying for the next round have become seemingly impossible. It doesn’t help that our last two fixtures are against the favourites in the group: Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. The national team knew that beating the Uzbeks would be an insurmountable task but this is football after…
A Tale Of Two Halves? Palestine 4-0 Singapore
The boys in red walked out of the tunnel, onto the pitch and lined up for the national anthem. As Majulah Singapura played, I couldn’t help but smile at the sight before me. I know that co-writer Kim was probably singing his lungs out at 2AM in the morning. International football has finally returned for…
Majulah Singapura, It’s Time To Support The Lions
I will have the fortune of watching my Singapore national team compete in a matter of hours or so. We take on Palestine who have a lot to play for given the grave situation in the nation. I am also thankful to watch the Lions feature twice more in the week to come. Three matches…
The Mouth Of The North: A Chat With R. Vengadasalam Part 1 – A Brief Overview
When it comes to controversy and immense passion for Singapore football, you don’t have to look much further than R. Vengadasalam. Endearingly called ‘Coach Venga’ by fans and players alike, he also goes by another moniker, ‘The Mouth Of The North.’ An apt name for the Woodlands Wellington icon who runs his mouth and isn’t…
Addressing The Singapore National Team Selection
Our recent article featuring an interview with Kenny Poh Yi Feng certainly raised a few eyebrows. While we are grateful for the opportunity to share Kenny’s story, what caught my attention was the number of reposts of his article. Specifically, people were reposting his featured quote: “You will always think you have a chance but…
Our Singapore Premier League Team Of The Week #9
The final fixtures before the international break have concluded. For the next month or so, we will not have any Singapore Premier League action, which means that we will not have any editions of our Team Of The Week until the resumption of the league in July. However, do not fret, for we have a…
Meet Oriol Mohedano: The Tiger Tactician
Football in Cambodia is less renowned than other leagues in Southeast Asia, but make no mistake, it is a sleeping giant about to wake from its long slumber. Cambodians are passionate about the sport, and as more funds are being invested into the football landscape, it will certainly grow expediently. Only 34 years old, don’t…
Part of a Forgotten Generation: The ‘Nice Guy’ Kenny Poh Yifeng Part 2
In Part 1, we looked at Kenny’s beginnings as a footballer, his time with Balestier Khalsa, and how he moved to Warriors FC. In this second part, we look at Kenny’s thoughts on the end of his career, his solitary national team cap, and what he has been up to today. For the next 4…
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