Author: Lion City Sailors
As the final whistle sounded, players on the bench ran onto the pitch to celebrate with their teammates while fans on the stands broke out in chants of “Campeones”.
Water from the mineral water bottles was doused over heads, with head coach Yeong Sheau Shyan and team manager Shuhadah Sinwan amongst those not spared as the entire team, including the coaches and officials, were drenched by the time the lights were turned off at the Yishun Stadium.
These jubilant post-match scenes on Saturday (10 September) night came after the Lion City Sailors Women swept Still Aerion FC aside 4-0 to seal their first-ever Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title with two games to spare.
Specially-designed “Champions” T-shirts were also donned as the team and the fans celebrated in unison on a stellar achievement by the club.
Madison Telmer struck the opener on the stroke of half time, before second-half goals from Paula Druschke, Dorcas Chu and Ho Hui Xin wrapped up the victory – which meant they moved eight points clear at the top and would not be caught by second-placed Tanjong Pagar United.
With that, the Sailors became the 14th different winner of the WPL in 21 seasons, ending the four-year reign of Warriors FC between 2016 to 2019. The WPL was not played in the Covid-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
Sheau Shyan was pleased with how her charges recovered from a sluggish first-half display to turn on the style after the break and officially confirm their status as 2022 WPL champions.
“In the first half, we didn’t execute the game plan the way we wanted to. There was a gap between the backline and the frontline – the connection wasn’t there and we resorted to a lot of long balls, which isn’t our style,” analysed the 44-year-old.
“I felt our defence wasn’t taking it seriously enough and our opponents could have scored a couple of goals on the breakaway. I had to tell them off a bit and remind them not to be complacent at the back, so I’m definitely happy that the second-half performance was way better than the first.”
With the team having only one training session together in the lead-up to this match due to the FIFA international window, the Sailors looked a pale shadow of their usual selves in the beginning and were unable to produce their usual slick passing football.
It was only until the latter stages of the first half with a band of Sailors fans started streaming in – they travelled from Our Tampines Hub where the Singapore Premier League game was played – when the women started to get their act together, as Madison surged through the middle to fire the Sailors into the lead.
“It was as if we waited for the fans to come in with the cheers to pick up our performance,” chuckled Sheau Shyan. “But I’ve to say the support from them helped to bring us to a different level and they are really our 12th player.”
Things started to flow in the second half, with Paula whipping a stupendous free kick into the top left corner on 54 minutes to double the Sailors’ advantage.
The substitutes then stole the show towards the end, with Dorcas heading home Paula’s outswinging corner in the 79th minute before Hui Xin netted a gorgeous strike from range to complete the rout.
Reflecting on the title triumph, Sailors captain Ernie Sulastri paid tribute to the dedication and hard work put in by the team.
“This team deserves to win the title because we put 100 percent into every training. It’s not easy for most of us who have been managing both club and international duties, but everyone has been willing to sacrifice time for the cause.
“Credit also goes to the coaches and officials, who have been very patient with us and trying to get everyone to gel. For us it’s not just about winning the title, it’s about how we got together as a team to execute the coach’s game plan,” elaborated the 33-year-old.
The Sailors’ final two matches are against Tiong Bahru on 24 September and Tanjong Pagar on 2 October, with Coach Sheau Shyan already looking forward to the latter game to correct some previous wrongs.
“We didn’t get a goal against Tanjong Pagar the last time (in a 0-0 draw which was the only occasion that the Sailors dropped points this season) so we definitely want to get that win,” she said.
“As a team, we still have things to work on including trying to break the low block. Once the season is finished, then we can properly celebrate as a team.”
Singing from the same hymn book, Ernie said, “We cannot stay stagnant and be comfortable even if we’ve already won the league. We need to work hard to further improve our team chemistry and see how we progress as a team.
“It’s not just about scoring goals; we want to be more composed on the ball, know how to release the ball quicker, circulate the ball and most importantly play beautiful football for our fans to enjoy.”
After a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Geylang International the last time out, the Lion City Sailors will be looking to rebound when they go on the road to face another Eastern side, Tampines Rovers, at Our Tampines Hub (OTH) on Saturday (10 September) evening.
Spearheaded by 28-goal league-leading scorer Boris Kopitović, third-placed Stags have been in good form of late – winning five out of their last six matches. Acutely aware of the challenge against Gavin Lee’s men, goalkeeper Hassan Sunny has urged his side to put in a much-improved display to return to winning ways.
“Tampines are obviously a quality team and they’ll be playing with the backing of their fans at OTH. So it’ll be tough for sure, but we have quality players in our ranks especially in our attacking front who can hurt anyone.
“First things first, we have to play as a unit and everyone has to turn up in order for us to get the victory,” said the 38-year-old.
Not one to mince his words, Hassan acknowledged the team didn’t “turn up” against the Eagles last Sunday as they fell to their first defeat in four matches under interim Head Coach Luka Lalić.
“We have to admit Geylang wanted it more than us and they fully deserved the win. We were punished rightly for our poor performance. Having said that, we’ve been hard at work this week trying to get everything right for this upcoming match.”
The Sailors can take confidence from winning all three encounters against Tampines in 2022, but will have to cope without the suspended duo of Hariss Harun and Hafiz Nor, while Brazilian centre-back Pedro Henrique is unlikely to be fit due to injury.
Hassan believes this is where the squad depth and players’ versatility comes in to play a crucial part for the team.
“This is not something new – we have had players out before and had to rely on some of us playing in unaccustomed positions. So we definitely have the depth as well as the flexibility to cope,” said the veteran custodian.
The title race is now finely poised going into the final five matches of the season, with the Sailors level on 51 points with Albirex Niigata (S) but holding the advantage courtesy of a better goal difference by +10.
In a situation not dissimilar to last season when the Sailors held their nerve to win their first-ever SPL title on the final day, Hassan is calling for calm heads to see the team through and eventually retain their domestic crown.
“Last year we also had players missing and a change of coach, but we pulled through so I don’t see why it won’t happen this year. Yes, there is pressure for sure, but only with pressure will you be able to see the difference between good and average players,” said Hassan, who was also part of the Warriors FC side that clinched the title on the final day of the season back in 2014.
“These last five games won’t be easy and even Young Lions will try to make it difficult for us in our following match. But we’ve been in this situation before so it’s not new to us.
“The coaches and backroom staff have done their part to prepare us, now it’s up to us players to perform on the pitch and do justice to their efforts.”
With three games left in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), the unbeaten Lion City Sailors Women have the chance to seal the title by beating Still Aerion FC at Yishun Stadium on Saturday (10 September) night.
Currently five points clear of nearest challengers Tanjong Pagar United with a game in hand, a win is all the table-topping Sailors need to ensure they will not be caught by any other teams.
The Sailors women beat Still Aerion 4-0 in July, and even as they look odds-on to claim their maiden WPL crown, captain Ernie Sulastri has vowed that there will be no letting up.
“We may be one win away (from the title), but we have to stay level-headed,” said the 33-year-old defender.
“We need to be focused and cannot allow complacency to creep in. We will go into this match like how we approach any other game and everyone in the team has a role to play.”
Ernie is acutely aware of the threat Aerion can pose, but she wants the team to focus on playing attractive football as a reward for their fans.
“The scoreline is not the most important thing to us,” she added. “Instead, it is how we play beautiful football and make sure our fans enjoy the match.
”It will be an interesting match for the neutrals. We are aware that Aerion have got speedy and aggressive players who can cause damage and it will not be an easy game for us.”
While preparations have not been the most ideal with the majority of the team away on international duty with Singapore the past week, Ernie is unperturbed.
“Off the pitch, we believe that the players have the discipline to do training and analysis for our next game on their own,” said Ernie, who is also skipper of the Lionesses.
“In addition, coach (Yeong) Sheau Shyan typically prepares for games a few days prior and lets us know what she expects. We just have to trust the process and believe that we can execute the game plan well to get the three points.”
Looking back at the WPL campaign so far, Ernie is glad for the support received from the fans and everyone at the club.
“I’m not forgetting my teammates who have pushed one another during the course of the season. They have made this season a memorable one,” said Ernie, pointing to the likes of Danelle Tan, Sara Merican and Summer Chong who have left Singapore for education or work pursuits.
“We are always learning to be better players and contributing to the team. At the end of the day, I believe in the motto: “We play as a team, win as a team” and we are all raring to go against Aerion.”
An off-colour, error-ridden display saw the Lion City Sailors go down 3-1 to Geylang International at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (4 September) evening, in what was their first defeat under interim Head Coach Luka Lalić.
Despite taking an early lead through Maxime Lestienne, the champions allowed Geylang to net three in a remarkable turnaround as the Eagles saw out the result to maintain their impressive run of form – Noor Ali’s side have now won eight and lost just once out of their last 12 Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches.
“It wasn’t really about what Geylang were able to do, it’s about what we allowed them to do. We made several errors at the individual and team level, they utilised it perfectly for a couple of goals and that’s the reality,” lamented Luka.
“But credit goes to Geylang, they wanted it more than us today and they fully deserved this win against us.”
Having kept nine out of the 11 players that started the 9-4 victory over Hougang United a week ago – Diego Lopes and Adam Swandi were not fully fit – the Sailors got off to a smashing start and broke the deadlock after just eight minutes.
Released by an excellent Faris Ramli ball over the top, Kim Shin-wook had the presence of mind to tee Maxime up for an emphatic finish that gave the Belgian his 11th league goal of the season.
It looked like the Sailors were on their way to a fourth win in as many games under Luka, but Geylang showed spirit to draw level just four minutes later with Vincent Bezecourt sweeping home after some untidy defending in the box.
The Frenchman, who used to play for New York Red Bulls in USA’s Major League Soccer, repeated the trick in the 36th minute as he darted into the six-yard box to convert Ilhan Noor’s deflected cross to put the Eagles 2-1 up.
The visitors then scored a third on 43 minutes, with Hazzuwan Halim – who was on the pitch for just four minutes after replacing the injured Šime Žužul – benefitting from yet another deflected ball, this time from Bezecourt, to flick past a stranded Hassan Sunny in the Sailors goal.
The Sailors rallied in the second half, but there was no way past a resolute Geylang backline led by captain and goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam.
The two best chances fell to Shin-wook, but he was first denied by a sprawling save in the 57th minute before Zaiful got the slightest of touches to tip his goal-bound header onto the bar on 83 minutes.
Eventually going down to a deserved fourth defeat of the season, the Sailors are now level on points with Albirex heading into the final five matches but remain top courtesy of a superior goal difference.
Luka is determined to take the lessons from this loss and backed his charges to bounce back as they visit Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub next in the SPL this coming Saturday (10 September).
“We need to take a close look in the mirror, analyse what we did wrong in the game, and fix these issues as soon as possible. This result does us no favours in the title run-in and we’ve made things harder for ourselves.
“But we’re going to dig in, work harder and I’m confident these boys can get back to their usual selves in the next game,” he said.
“I hope our fans will continue to stand behind us and we’ll make sure we get things right in the coming weeks.”
After celebrating his 30th birthday with a long-awaited brace in a record-breaking 9-4 win over Hougang United, Faris Ramli is chomping at the bit to build on that as the Lion City Sailors host an in-form Geylang International side at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (4 September) evening.
Having come off the bench to make assists in three straight Singapore Premier League (SPL) games, the Sailors attacker took advantage of his first start in a month against the Cheetahs to net his first brace since September 2020 when he was playing for Terengganu in the Malaysia Super League.
“I was making an impact off the bench, but it always feels better to start, get on the scoresheet and help the team win games,” said Faris. “It was my birthday two days before the game (against Hougang) and everyone wanted me to score, so I have to thank them for helping me get the goals.
“It hasn’t been an easy year, but now I’m slowly getting back into shape and into the flow of what I’m capable of. There was a lot of hard work and patience involved to get back to full fitness, which is slowly paying off. Now I just want to keep going in this manner, do even better and help the team achieve our goal of retaining our SPL title and be Singapore Cup champions.”
It could well be a tricky task against the Eagles, who are in great form – winning seven and losing just once out of their last 11 matches. The impressive streak has propelled them into the top four with six games remaining, this after languishing in the bottom two for large parts of the season.
Noor Ali’s men have also proven to be stubborn opponents for the Sailors in 2022, they beat Hariss Harun and company 1-0 at Our Tampines Hub – the first of the Sailors’ two defeats this season, with the other coming against Albirex Niigata (S) – then held the defending champions 1-1 at the same venue in July.
The Sailors secured a narrow 1-0 win over Geylang at Jalan Besar in May, but Faris is not taking anything for granted.
Even so, he believes the team’s growing confidence – on the back of 26 goals scored in three straight wins under interim Head Coach Luka Lalić – can power them to another victory.
“Geylang is not just solid at the back with Zaiful Nizam keeping the most clean sheets (eight) in the league, but they also have quality attackers. We cannot afford to let our guard down for sure,” said the 2019 SPL Player of the Year.
“But we’re focusing on ourselves and how we can improve further. It’s our fourth week with Coach Luka and all I can say is training’s been very intense – which some of us required some adjusting to – but everyone is putting in a lot of effort.
“The best part is that we’re all pushing each other and wanting to do better as a team. We’ve been adapting well to Coach Luka’s style of play and we’re going all out to deliver another three points for the fans.”
In a rejuvenated Faris, the Sailors have an invaluable weapon in their arsenal going into the business end of the season and the man is determined to drive even harder towards the finish line.
“There were chronic issues that bothered me earlier this season, but now I’m feeling really good after a lot of rehab work with our strength and conditioning staff.
“I knew I had to fight for my position especially with the quality players we have, so it’s great to have Coach Rodri who has been working with me and the other attackers like Maxime (Lestienne), Diego (Lopes), Song (Ui-young) and (Kim) Shin-wook to practice finishing and he has been very detailed,” said Faris, in reference to Rodrigo Costa, Head of Technical Training at the Sailors’ Academy, who has been brought in to bolster the first-team setup.
In what has been an enthralling title race, the Sailors now lead the eight-team SPL standings by three points but Albirex could go level if they beat Balestier Khalsa on Friday (2 September).
Faris called for his team to focus on their own tasks going into this final stretch, because he believes that single-mindedness will make a big difference.
“It doesn’t matter which club plays first or second on a matchweek, that doesn’t affect us. We as a club – players and officials – have agreed on one thing, to focus on ourselves.
“It may sound like a cliché, but it’s really about taking each game as it comes. Our aim is to win these last six games and we’re firmly driving towards that target.”
The Lion City Sailors were ruthless and single-minded, thumping Hougang United 6-0 at the Yishun Stadium on Saturday (27 August) night to go within touching distance of clinching the 2022 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title.
A terrific Madison Telmer hat-trick and a goal apiece from Nur Izzati Rosni, Miray Hokotate Altan and Sara Merican – all inside the first 45 minutes – meant they easily swept aside the bottom-placed Cheetahs.
Five points ahead of nearest challengers Tanjong Pagar United and with a game in hand, the Sailors Women could seal the title with two games to go if they defeat Still Aerion FC in their next fixture on 10 September.
Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan was pleased with the professional display from her charges despite them not being able to find further goals in the second half.
“It’s good in terms of our objectives and how we followed the game plan in the beginning, we’re happy to get the six goals. Second half, it would naturally get harder because Hougang don’t want to concede more goals. They sat deeper and deeper, so it was difficult to lure them out,” said the 44-year-old.
“We did well as a team. Madison has been playing really well but her goal tally doesn’t quite match up – so it’s good for her confidence to get a hat-trick.”
On a rain-soaked evening, top scorer Izzati put the Sailors ahead with her 10th strike of the season just five minutes in before Miray doubled their advantage in the 10th minute.
Canadian teenager Madison then struck two minutes later to make it 3-0, before further strikes in the 32nd and 39th minute helped her to a memorable first WPL hat-trick.
Sara rounded off the scoring two minutes before half time and in turn, rounded off her WPL campaign with her first-ever league goal.
The 26-year-old will fly off to the UK in September to pursue a one-year Master’s Degree in Film and Screen Studies at the University of Cambridge, and will miss the Sailors’ final three games of the season.
“Finally, the weight is off my shoulders,” said a relieved Sara. “I felt a bit of pressure to have to score because I’m playing in a forward role. I came close a few times before and was disappointed not to convert.
“It feels good to finally score, but I feel the whole process was equally as important. I’m glad that we managed to play some nice and exciting football as a team. No matter who our opponents were, we tried to play according to Coach Sheau Shyan’s philosophy and that’s a positive,” added Sara.
“To develop and adapt to different tactics was great for me as a player. I’ll be going away, but rest assured I’ll be back soon!”
And there will be a guaranteed spectator from afar, should the Sailors go on to lift the trophy.
“I was asking everyone when we could mathematically win the title and it happens to be the next game. It’ll be sad that I won’t be able to celebrate with the team in person, but I’ll be cheering all of them from overseas and hopefully be able to catch the live stream from where I’ll be at.”
The Lion City Sailors continued to thrill under the tutelage of interim Head Coach Luka Lalić as they swept aside Hougang United 9-4 in an incredible game at Hougang Stadium on Friday (26 August) night.
This was the third straight big-margin win following 10-1 and 7-0 victories over Young Lions and Tanjong Pagar respectively.
The game went down in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) record books, with the total of 13 goals the most ever scored in a single match in the league’s 27-year history. The previous record of 12 took place on four previous occasions, most recently in May 2017 when Home United beat Brunei DPMM 9-3.
Despite the team chalking up 26 goals in three outings and going six points clear at the top of the table – albeit temporarily, before Albirex Niigata (S) take on Tanjong Pagar United on Saturday evening (27 Aug) – there were still issues that irked Luka.
“We created a lot of chances and scored a lot of goals, sure. But we also made several silly mistakes. Hougang had a really good plan; they exposed us a few times, which we cannot and shouldn’t allow. There are several lessons to take from this game,” said the 35-year-old.
“And we cannot speak about this game without talking about Hougang’s goalkeeper – he’s really young and a super talented boy. He shouldn’t be that disappointed after tonight; without him, the score could have been much more,” said Luka, who along with Sailors captain Hariss Harun, walked to Aizil Yazid immediately after the final whistle, put their arms around him, and offered consoling words.
“So, commiserations to him and I’m sure he’ll bounce back from this.”
The Cheetahs’ 17-year-old custodian was making just his fifth professional appearance.
The night did not get off to the smoothest of starts for the Sailors as they went behind for the first time under Luka’s reign, with Shawal Anuar hooking in Kristijan Krajček’s free-kick after just nine minutes.
That stung the champions into action, with Pedro Henrique prodding home a rebound and Diego Lopes meeting Hafiz Nor’s cross with a firm header in the 11th and 13rd minute respectively for a quick turnaround.
Faris Ramli then benefitted from Maxime Lestienne’s low cross to sweep home a third on 28 minutes, before Kim Shin-wook – who has been in fine form lately – got onto the act with goals in the 33rd and 44th minute to net for a fifth straight game.
The Sailors led 5-1 at the break and scored a sixth through an emphatic Maxime drive that evaded Aizil at his near post on 51 minutes, before Hougang rallied and pulled two goals back through Amy Recha in the 54th and 58th minute to narrow the deficit to 3-6.
Luka’s charges kept piling forward, with Maxime setting up Shin-wook for the latter to score his fourth hat-trick – and 20th goal – of the campaign on 67 minutes. The Belgian then made it a hat-trick of assists for himself, laying the ball on a plate for Faris to convert his second of the night just a minute later.
Song Ui-young then came off the bench to net a terrific piledriver from the edge of the box in the 80th minute to make it 9-3, before Pedro Bortoluzo scored Hougang’s fourth deep into injury time to round off a goal-packed evening at Hougang.
With three convincing wins in as many games, Luka has gotten off to a good start as Sailors interim Head Coach but he is already looking ahead to their next task – a home game against Geylang International next Sunday (4 September).
“I mentioned before that we’re going to play attacking football, so it’s going to be more of the same. It’s obvious that we have individual quality in the team and we need to take full advantage of that,” said Luka.
“It’s nice to see them enjoying and expressing themselves on the pitch, but we’re not going to stop here. There are several things to improve on and we need to keep improving. There are six more games to go and our minds are firmly set on retaining the title for the club.”
The elite trainees of the Lion City Sailors Football Academy will now have the opportunity to match their football progress with equally robust academic development at St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) International.
The SJI International-Lion City Sailors Elite Development Scholarship was announced at St Joseph’s Institution International’s 15th Anniversary Dinner held on Friday evening (26 August), with SJI International Chairman Mr Roy Quek outlining details of the programme to guests that include Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Mr Edwin Tong, and Sailors’ Chairman Mr Forrest Li.
The scholarship programme, aimed at providing Singapore’s top footballing talents with the opportunity to pursue both academic and sporting excellence, is made possible by a donation from Sea.
The Elite Development Scholarship
The SJI International-Lion City Sailors Elite Development Scholarship that will witness its first batch of scholars enrol in January 2023, is a full scholarship that covers all associated school costs incurred during the course of the scholarship programme either leading up to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) – equivalent to the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) that will allow its holder entry into local polytechnics and junior colleges – or for some scholars, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
The Scholarship Programme will see students receive football and academic education in two best-in-class institutions: SJI International and the Lion City Sailors Football Academy, and aimed at nurturing the future of Singapore football while ensuring that scholars develop academically in a conducive and supportive environment.
The Programme includes the added flexibility for selected scholars to take up early enlistment for National Service (NS) after completing the IGCSE under the Lion City Sailors Early Enlistment Bond that is aimed at equipping scholars for a career in professional football.
A meeting of minds and values
“We are heartened and awed by the generosity of Sea, especially Mr Forrest Li, in partnering with SJI International to enable us to launch this Scholarship. This will add scale and diversity to our existing scholarship programmes as we seek to provide deserving students the opportunity to be part of the SJI International community of learning, service and excellence,” said Mr Quek.
“As a former athlete and lifelong sports fan, I fully appreciate the challenges that young athletes face as they juggle demands of schoolwork and sporting achievement. In our short 15-year history, SJI International has supported many top-class athletes who have done the school and nation proud by combining learning with achievement, success with humility and leadership with service.”
SJI International has an established history of producing national athletes as well as notable young practitioners in other sectors, including race car driver Andrew Tang.
Andrew was Asia’s top junior racer before he was picked up by British F1 team McLaren to join their young driver development programme. He moved to Guildford, England to join the programme, completing his IB education with SJI International via an online plan designed by the school.
He returned to enlist for National Service before being selected by Porsche to race at Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) on Singapore’s very own Marina Bay Street Circuit in the lead up to the Singapore Grand Prix in 2016.
“As a not-for-profit school, we rely heavily on like-minded donors and benefactors who share our beliefs and values to fund our various programmes. I am grateful to Forrest and his team for choosing to support and work with SJI International for the Elite Development Scholarship,” added Mr Quek.
Sailors’ Chairman Mr Forrest Li was equally elated at the prospect of the holistic school life that lies ahead of Sailors trainees who will enter the Programme.
“SJI International shares our belief that sporting endeavour can go hand in hand with academic success, and we are honoured to partner with them on this initiative,” said Mr Li.
Optimism for the future
The Sailors have among their ranks student-athletes who have already demonstrated the ability to match their counterparts in top football academies in Europe. The club’s elite squads have had two European training stints – in November 2022 and again in June this year – with the teams overcoming various challenges to secure wins in matches against the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and FC Utrecht.
“We expect to see the Scholars demonstrate the same courage and determination that they have shown on the football pitch in search of sporting success, in the classrooms of SJI International in the pursuit of academic excellence and service to the community. It is our hope that they will be models for other young budding athletes in Singapore,” said Mr Quek.
Said Mr Li: “It is our hope that in the near future, we – the Sailors and SJI International – will be able to see more national footballers nurtured through our collective efforts.”
It may be their maiden season in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), but the Lion City Sailors have already established a reputation for themselves as a team that plays an attacking, exciting brand of football.
Indeed, despite the constant chopping and changing of personnel within the Sailors squad, the team has consistently managed to produce the same playing style and quality on the pitch.
With the Sailors currently top of the seven-team WPL – just two wins away from securing the league title – head coach Yeong Sheau Shyan believes that the consistency in adhering to a playing philosophy has evidently paid dividends.
“It was important for us as a new team to be clear with our playing philosophy and style. We don’t have a huge squad, as many of our players are moving in and out of the country for studies,” Sheau Shyan mused.
“But I’m happy that our playing style is noticeable. We’ve been able to take huge strides this season, but the biggest progress I see so far is in the players’ willingness to play with quick exchanges, and their movement off the ball to be available for their teammates. The players’ understanding of when and where their teammates will move to has improved a lot.”
Apart from winning the WPL title, the Sailors will also have a chance of writing themselves into the history books by going the entire season unbeaten.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, their upcoming opponents, cellar-dwellers Hougang United, have yet to win a single match this campaign, and have a total of two points to their name to date.
Despite the Sailors being overwhelming favourites to secure a comfortable victory against Hougang at the Yishun Stadium this Saturday (27 August), Sheau Shyan insists her team will not take the three points for granted.
“I’m not worried about the team being complacent at all. We have clear objectives every week and the players know what they have to focus on,” said Sheau Shyan. “This uninterrupted run of games that we’ve had has also been very helpful for us, and we are determined to keep building on this momentum.”
Sheau Shyan also warned that Hougang could potentially spring an upset if the Sailors were not focused, as she explained: “They (Hougang) are a new team with daring young players. They’ve got nothing to lose and sometimes these are the teams that may come out and surprise you. So we must be switched on right from the start, and treat this game like any other by working hard for the win.”
These days, Adam Swandi is playing with a swagger that has not been seen for quite some time and it is not hard to see why.
Entrusted to play in midfield for the last three matches, the silky playmaker has been one of the standout performers for the Lion City Sailors. And he is set for a fourth straight start as the Sailors take on Hougang United at Hougang Stadium in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) on Friday (26 August) night.
After a difficult period of injuries and non-selection, Adam is delighted that he is seeing light at the end of the tunnel and has rediscovered the form that has reminded the football fraternity why he was previously touted as Singapore football’s next big thing.
“Of course, for every player, the main thing is to play and directly contribute to the team. Nothing can beat the feeling of performing on the pitch and being there to cover for your teammates,” said the 26-year-old.
“It was frustrating and I felt I can contribute more, but at the same time I do understand we have a huge pool of players so I just have to work hard and wait for the right timing.”
The right timing did come in early August as he took advantage of the injury-enforced absence of Shahdan Sulaiman and M. Anumanthan, starting at the heart of the Sailors’ midfield against Balestier Khalsa and acquitted himself well enough in the 4-0 win – completing his first 90 minutes since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in July 2019.
Adam was then kept in the lineup for the subsequent two matches – 10-1 and 7-0 victories over Young Lions and Tanjong Pagar United respectively – marking the first time he started in a extended run of games since that horrific injury.
And he is now hungry for more.
“I was nervous at that time because I haven’t played a full 90 minutes for a while and I wasn’t certain of my match fitness. But with the help of my teammates and the coaching staff, I managed to play a decent game (against Balestier) and stake my claim in the team.
“That really was a confidence booster, and I’m happy that I’ve been starting and contributing to the team directly. Hopefully this is just the start – I want to keep going in this manner till the end of the season,” he asserted.
Usually deployed as a no. 10 or a winger earlier in his career, Adam acknowledged it has been “odd” to be deployed in a deeper midfield role of late, but he is relishing the experience and enjoying the responsibilities that come with it.
“As players, we learn to adapt and I knew I just had to do my best for the team, regardless of what position I play. At the end of the day, it’s a team game,” he said.
“Now it’s a different ball game – I’m deeper into our own half. It’s not so much the assists or goals, but more of the passes that lead to the final passes. I’m starting to love it and it makes my job a lot easier when I turn, look up and see the top-quality players we have in the attacking third – guys who can make even a simple pass look good.”
It is still early days under the interim charge of Luka Lalić, but the Sailors have looked slick on the pitch and against Hougang they are targeting a third straight win under the Serbian.
“It’s been a positive start under Coach Luka, we’re adapting well to a new system under him and everyone’s been trying hard to prove their worth going towards this stage of the season (with eight games left),” said Adam.
“Hougang is a pretty good team with quality national players and fast attackers. But whatever it is, we’re going to give our all to get the three points. We’re on a quest to defend our title and earn the right to compete in the ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League) again next year.”
