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…
Groundhog Day on Merseyside
Another crisis has arrived at Goodison Park… (Edit: since this was written, Everton pulled out a gritty 1-0 win over Arsenal, their first win since October and first game under Sean Dyche. New Manager Bounce? Signs of revival? We will have to wait and find out.) Everton are, once again, staring into the abyss. 2-1…
On the Extension of Didier Deschamps
How the runner ups of 2022 build to the future with their same leader in charge… Many of the post-2022 World Cup dominos are beginning to fall, and one of the greater questions has been answered. France came mere kicks of the ball away from repeating as world champions. Their penalty shootout defeat to Argentina…
Back to Scandinavia For A Different Adventure: Oriol Mohedano Signs With Raufoss IL
After spending more than 6 years (cumulatively) in the Khmer Kingdom, Oriol Mohedano is someone that fans of the Cambodian top flight are all too familiar with. The Spaniard crafted his legacy at Angkor Tiger, where he managed 100 games across 5 seasons with the Siem Reap-based outfit before being appointed as Assistant Coach at…
Gregg Berhalter and American Soccer Absurdity
What does the United States do about their manager situation? As of 12:01 AM on January 1, 2023, the United States Men’s National Team no longer has a manager. And there is a very, VERY long story as to why. Gregg Berhalter, the man at the helm for America’s journey back into being good enough…
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…
The 2022 Football Year in Review
Your superlatives for the year we just witnessed… So by the time you are reading this, 2022 has come and gone. It was a year of ups and downs, of news and elections, of geopolitical headlines and economic downturns. And for our purposes, it was a year where a lot of balls were kicked by…
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…
Beyond the Numbers: Jack Grealish’s importance to Manchester City
Looking in on a surface level, it would be easy to jump on the hate bandwagon and label Jack Grealish as a “flop” or a “mismatch” to the Manchester City system. As a left winger, his 17 appearances this season have just yielded a solitary goal and 2 assists. After all, it is not unreasonable…
Interpreting the Legacy of Olivier Giroud
Learning to appreciate the scope of work from France’s Mr. Reliable… Olivier Giroud is now France’s all-time top men’s goalscorer. Let that sink in. Giroud’s first half goal in France’s 3-1 Round of 16 win over Poland cemented the veteran striker into the history books. His 52nd goal for Les Bleus launched Giroud past France…
Our Picks For The 2022 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament
The best performers from what could have been the best World Cup in recent memory… So, that final was wild, huh? There seemed to be no better way to end one of the craziest World Cups in recent memory than to cap it all off with quite possibly the best World Cup Final ever played.…
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,…
Is It Time for Africa?
Why the biggest winner of the 2022 World Cup was actually a whole continent… I think it is safe to say nobody expected to see what we did from Morocco. The Atlas Lions’ run to the semifinal of the World Cup was historic in many ways. In a competition largely dominated by sides from Europe…
Those Baby Yanks
How the United States has already found success in Qatar… Football is an emotional sport. Never more so than in the final minutes of a close game. Every touch, every pass, every shot carries the weight of a people longing to celebrate, and all of these emotions are magnified in a setting like the World…
“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…
The Quiet Evolution of Antoine Griezmann
Football’s great rebranding… France have started this tournament relatively well. Aside from their wildly weird and not great loss to Tunisia in their final game, France have comfortably seen off Australia and presumptive-dark horse Denmark to advance to the Round of 16 as group winners. The reigning champions certainly have as good of a shot…
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…
2022/23’s Breakout Young Stars: Part 2
Who else to look out for this year… Moisés Caicedo (Brighton/Ecuador) You have probably learned by now, reader, that there is a type of player I cling to more than most. The central midfielder, the jack-of-all-trades player who makes everything go, is one that sticks out more than many. And here is one more who…
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…
2022/23’s Breakout Young Stars: Part 1
Who are the youngsters to watch out for this season? And we are back. New season, new breakout stars to keep an eye on. These are the kids who will be lighting up the world and your Career Mode saves on FIFA and Football Manager very soon. You know the drill, so let’s get rolling.…
“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 2022/23 LaLiga Preview: The Title Race
¿Hay Liga? Ok, it’s time to talk about Barça and Madrid. It seems fairly obvious to everyone involved that the destination of the LaLiga title this season is going to come down to these two age-old rivals. Real Madrid coasted fairly comfortably to their record-extending 35th league title last season, and while Ancelotti’s side retained…
The 2022/23 LaLiga Preview: The Chasing Pack
Who has the potential to gate-crash the Champions League places? The LaLiga season this year appears to have a very defined top two. Despite this, there is serious potential for those other two spots to be occupied by one of many teams. While we already talked about Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, who I think will…
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,…
“No Más”
The racism problem that Spanish football now needs to face… UPDATE: This article was written in the immediate aftermath of the Madrid Derby, but Atlético Madrid have since published a statement on the incidents before and during the match, which you can read in English HERE. LaLiga has a problem. Spanish football has a problem.…
The Resurgence of Bedok: Mohd Noor Ali’s Tactical Masterclass
An Article by Isaac Yeung from NoorAliTV From Moresche to Zuzul, Yuki Ichikawa to Rio Sakuma, Maguire to Tezuka, Geylang International’s squad surely has seen loads of changes. Being looked down on at the start of the season due to heavy squad rebuilding – with star players like Zainol Gulam, Moresche and Barry Maguire leaving…
The 2022/23 LaLiga Preview: The Top Four
Preview en español… Welcome to the beginning of the LaLiga season for 2022/23. The curious, cramped, World Cup season is bound to be an interesting one on the Iberian Peninsula, and we are here to break it all down for you, similar to how we did for the Premier League previously. Unlike the Premier League…
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…
The Teams to Watch in the 2022/23 Season
The teams that you might not know about but should be watching… As we go into this 2022/23 season, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for the return of European football at all levels. Several exciting moves and additions to Europe’s biggest teams makes discussions around league titles and Champions League winners incredibly…
The 2022/23 Premier League Preview: Post-Season Awards
Who will be the big names this season? JT: Player of the Season: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City I think De Bruyne has safely established himself as at least among the two or three best players in the league over the last half decade. The Belgian is simply bafflingly good, able to break open a…
It’s Time to Talk About VAR
The difficult conversations about officiating at the top of football… To say that there has been some officiating controversy in the Premier League this weekend would be an understatement, wouldn’t it? You could really say that about the last two weeks, if not more. Maybe over the last year? Two years? Wrongly chalked-off goals, offside…
The 2022/23 Premier League Preview: The Title Race
Who will be champions of England? JT: To put it simply, Manchester City will be champions once again. City are a phenomenal team, one of the best in the world, and while there are still some issues that might hurt them in Europe (namely in defense), I do believe the overall quality and depth will…
Our Very Own Swannies: Albirex Niigata (S) writes its next chapter
Back in March 2022, the FAS announced our Singapore Women’s National Team squad for the Tri-Nations friendlies and in that list, there was a surprise inclusion. Unsurprisingly, Nadhra Aqilah was called up but the FAS reflected her current club as Albirex Niigata Singapore. As soon as that post was published, ripples of conversation were sparked.…
The Class of 2019 – A Brief Journey with the Title-Winning Tampines Rovers COE U18 Side
An article by Pang Jia Tai of The Yellow Knights My obsession with local youth football started out way back in April 2019. It was a random night when I happened to have a craving for live football. I still remember my very first game. It was my local club, Tampines Rovers, and their U18…
The 2022/23 Premier League Preview: The Race for Europe
Who is finishing in and around those coveted Champions League places… JT: To start with, we all accept who will be finishing in the top two places, right? We all share the collective understanding that City and Liverpool are the two best teams in England, correct? No additional discussion should be needed there. Spurs are…
The 2022/23 Premier League Preview: The Relegation Battle
Starting our preview of the Premier League at the bottom of the table… Well, a new season is upon us. By the time you are reading this, the 2022/23 Premier League season has begun. After the thrills, spills, and everything in between of last season, where most major decision points on the table went down…
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…
Beers And Cheers With Liverpool FC’s Fabinho & Thiago Alcantara
It’s no big secret that the Reds are in town here in Singapore for their pre-season friendly match against Crystal Palace later today, and the festivities continued with an exclusive Meet & Greet session with media, fans and VIPs. The event, exclusively organised by Carlsberg, the main sponsor of LFC since 1992 (Fun Fact :…
Record Breaker: On Darwin Núñez’s Move to Liverpool
Can the Uruguayan phenom fill the big shoes he has been given? Man, this summer transfer window is going crazy, huh? Liverpool have seen Manchester City’s acquisition of Erling Håland and decided that they needed to make a move of that level, and boy have they. The Reds have gone out and made a deal…
La Décision: Money, Politics, Legal Challenges, and Rules That Do Not Matter
On…well…everything else surrounding Mbappé’s decision… For all of the sporting stories that can be spun from Mbappé’s decision, from all of the specifically on-pitch ramifications that come from Mbappé staying in Paris and not going to Madrid, there is something that is still hanging over this whole saga. An ugly, dark truth lurks in the…
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.…
La Décision: Los Blancos Left At the Altar
How Real Madrid should deal with rejection… Well, Real Madrid, are we ok? Are we dealing with this well? Because I have seen some of the reactions to the Mbappé decision in the Spanish media, and it appears we clearly are not dealing with this in a responsible and reasonable manner. It is ok, Madridistas.…
La Décision: Mbappé Stays
On Kylian Mbappé’s transfer saga and the coming future in Paris… Well, it is finally over. Kylian Mbappé is staying in Paris. The wonderkid forward signed a three year contract with PSG, keeping him at the club until 2025. After months upon months of transfer speculation, theories, and assumptions, Mbappé finally got it over with…
The Missing Piece?: On Erling Håland’s Move to Manchester City
And now we will witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station… Well, the inevitable has happened. Erling Håland has chosen his next team, and it is the one we all expected it to be this whole time. Erling Håland will sign for Manchester City after agreeing to personal terms with the…
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…
Galácticos 2.0? : On Antonio Rüdiger’s Move to Real Madrid
The first major domino of the summer transfer window has fallen, as Chelsea’s stalwart German center back Antonio Rüdiger will be moving to Real Madrid on a free transfer. His contract saga was one of the main stories of the Premier League season, and when paired with the ownership issues at Chelsea, the departure of…
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…
Magic of the Copa
Real Betis, Valencia, and the cup final that football fans didn’t know we needed… It is Saturday as I write this. The day of the Copa del Rey Final, the crowning match of Spain’s biggest cup competition. It was an occasion years in the making for multiple reasons, but from an outside perspective, it just…
The Swan Army: Saluting Fairoz Hasan
From Staring The Face Of Retirement To The Albirex’s First Singaporean Captain When Fairoz came in during the mid-transfer window of 2020, not many Swans knew who Fairoz was and what he could bring to the team. Yet, question marks were erased when Fairoz gave us a spirited performance, bringing passion and aggression on the…
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…
Manchester United Are Going Dutch
On Manchester United’s newly announced manager and the positives, and concerns, about the United project… So…it’s going to be ten Hag. As initially reported by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Manchester United have reached an agreement in principle with Ajax manager Erik ten Hag to be the next man on the touchline at Old Trafford. While…
Burnley’s Hero Says Goodbye
On Sean Dyche’s shocking dismissal and where Burnley must go from here… Well, I was not quite expecting for us to be here, but here we are… Burnley announced about a week ago that they have parted ways with long-time manager Sean Dyche effective immediately. The longest tenured active manager in the Premier League, as…
We All Live In the Yellow Submarine
Villarreal CF’s hilariously improbable rise to where they are now… Today we are going to discuss some human geography. The town of Villarreal, or Vila-real in local dialect, is a small community located in the province of Castellón and within the autonomous Valencian Community along the eastern coast of Spain. It is a town of…
Diego Simeone’s War Against Football Aesthetics
And why the rampant condescending complaints about “Cholismo” are exactly that… Earlier this week, Manchester City defeated Atlético Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match up in a grueling and difficult game at the Etihad Stadium. While not an ideal result for Los Colchoneros, having likely wanted the 0-0 in…
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…
Where Have You Gone, Marcus Rashford?
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you… Disappearing on the pitch. Absent off the pitch. Abused by supporters. Criticized by the media. Man United future in question. Dropped out of the England team. What in the world is wrong with Marcus Rashford? It is the question on everyone’s mind this season. The English winger…
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…
Remontada
A recap of just how much has changed based on those famous 45 minutes in Madrid… So…the magic of the Champions League, huh? The ability to feel down and defeated in one moment and be brilliantly on top in the next. The ability for the story to change in a split second. It only takes…
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…
Looking In The Mirror
On Roman Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea, football fans’ introspection regarding the state of the game, and the blurred lines between football and geopolitics… We could truly be reaching the end of an era. Roman Abramovich, the controversial Russian billionaire oligarch who has been the owner of Chelsea Football Club since 2003, has announced today that…
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…
The Yellow Knights: A Super Short Preview of the 2022 Season for Tampines Rovers FC
2021 PAINS AND PEEKING OVER THE FENCE As a Tampines Rovers fan and a member of The Yellow Knights (TYK), it pains me deeply to see my team struggle as a whole to complete the 2nd half of last season. In fact, the final two games of the season perfectly encapsulate the 2021 season for…
The Swan Army: Japan Is The Aim
Since 2014, Albirex Niigata (S) have embarked on efforts to nurture young Singaporeans with the establishment of Yuhua Albirex Football Academy. Now, some eight years after, the White Swans have Singaporean players in their youth and Senior teams. So, what is the long-term goal for Albirex? Before 2018, the purpose of Albirex was to provide…
2021/22 LaLiga Stories Part 5: The Mighty Rayo
How a small team from a barrio in southern Madrid are taking on the giants this season… In Part 4, we looked at one of the best stories of the season for one of the teams outside of the top four. Now, we will look at the team that might be the surprise of the…
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…
2021/22 LaLiga Stories Part 4: The Brothers Williams
How the resurgent and youthful Lions of Bilbao also share one of the league’s most heartwarming stories… In Part 3, we examined the struggles of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid which took them from expected league title contenders for merely fighting for their right to be in European competition next season. But now, we will look…
2021/22 LaLiga Stories Part 3: Fallen Giants
The plight of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid… In Part 2, we talked about Sevilla and Real Betis, the surprise title chargers who have taken LaLiga by storm and positioned themselves well within the top four places in the league. But when two places at the top open up for others, it means those top teams…
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…
2021/22 LaLiga Stories Part 2: Solid Sevilla and Brilliant Betis
The Andalusian fire at the heart of the title race in Spain… In Part 1, we talked about Real Madrid. The obvious story. The global behemoth that is currently sitting atop the LaLiga table. But now we need to talk about the opposition, those that are coming for the royal, white-clad league leaders. There are…
2021/22 LaLiga Stories Part 1: The Indomitable Real Madrid
A familiar name at the top of the pile…for now? There have been many interesting stories and headlines around Europe’s Top Five Leagues so far this season, and maybe none of the leagues has been quite as intriguing as LaLiga. Spain’s top flight has a routine current leader, sure, but it becomes more curious and…
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…
The Swan Army: When a Singaporean Had A Japanese Dream
A pioneer is an individual who is one of the first few to do something and paves the way for the next generations to continue. In more ways than one, Adam Swandi was a pioneer for all Singaporeans back in 2018 when he played for Albirex Niigata Singapore. It was a bold step to join…
2022’s Potential Breakout Stars: Part 2
A few more to finish out the side… If you have not read Part 1 yet, you can find it here. Now, we finish out this series with a few more bright stars poised for a breakout season. Charlie Patino, Arsenal/England Arsenal’s Hale End Academy has been one of the topics of choice for English…
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…
Podcast: The UCL Redraw, Europa League Predictions & AFF Suzuki Cup Thoughts
This week, we finally unveil the mystery man that is Jack Transou – SoccerKakis co-founder and chief editor – as we finally launch our video podcast series. But besides this monumental face reveal, we will be discussing several key topics in this episode. Watch the full episode via the link above! If you don’t like…
2022’s Potential Breakout Stars: Part 1
The young future talents to keep an eye on in the new year… As we tick over from 2021 to 2022, we all wonder as football fans what this new year will bring for the teams and players we love. Who will win the major trophies? What will the world’s biggest stars do? How will…
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…
2021’s End of Year Superlatives
Capping off our best of the best in 2021… We’ve had quite a year, haven’t we? Ups and downs. Surprises and shocks. Big games. The return of fans. 2021 has been fun for European football, and I am here to celebrate some of the best players, games, moments, and other things as a way to…
My Team of the 21/22 Season So Far
Kicking off our end of 2021 discussions with a look at this season… So, we are not quite sure when you will be reading this, so just to make sure we cover our bases… Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Joyeux Noël. Feliz Navidad. Frohe Weinachten. Buon Natale. Whatever holiday you may celebrate, whether it be Christmas…
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…
2020 AFF Suzuki Cup Semi-Finals Second Leg: Indonesia 4 – 2 Singapore
Photos Taken By Visvani Jayakumar
![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=400&h=400&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…
The Toffee Tragedy
The current state of Rafa Benitez’s Everton and how the train so quickly fell off the tracks… If you would allow me a moment to indulge in the misery of supporting Everton, I think it would help me update the readership on how the Rafa Benítez era has gone at this club. I wrote twice…
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