Category: Feature
He sauntered into the Lion City Sailors Training Centre, bag slung over relaxed shoulders, and a gait that can only be described as a floaty swagger. Richairo Živković was clearly already at ease with his new surroundings – a somewhat breezy approach that could well be a sturdy launchpad for what has already been an eventful career.
The 26-year-old has reached the dizzying heights of the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and Europa League (UEL), but he is convinced that joining the Sailors is the right step for his career.
“When my contract was expiring in Holland, I was thinking of going on a new adventure so I was really happy when the Sailors contacted me,” said Richairo, who scored five goals in the 2022/23 season with Dutch side FC Emmen.
“This is a project with a clear vision all the way from the Academy to the First Team, and that’s one aspect that I really like, and feel that I can get behind – it was easy for me to come to a decision once I found out what the Sailors are about.”
Wearing a languid smile throughout his first video interview with the Sailors, it quickly became clear that Richairo is at ease with his past.
A simple Google search with the keywords “Richairo Živković wonderkid” tells the story of 17-year-old Richairo who was a transfer target for English giants Liverpool and Manchester City, but opted to sign for his dream boyhood club Ajax Amsterdam.
He played in Ajax’s 4-0 group stage win over APOEL in the 2014/15 UCL, coming on as a late substitute and was prolific for the club’s Under-21s, but being unable to become a first-team regular led to him leaving from greener pastures in the summer of 2017.
Since then, the former Dutch youth player had spells in Belgium, China and Serbia, as well as a loan stint at Sheffield United where he made five appearances in the English top tier – including a 26-minute substitute appearance at Old Trafford against Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s Manchester United.
But Richairo is not one to cry over spilt milk, not any more.
“At the beginning, I felt a lot of pressure because of the expectations people had of me. Everything I did was in the media and everybody had an opinion – sometimes it went well for me, but sometimes it was also against me. I was very young and I probably didn’t appreciate it as much when I was there (at Ajax),” he said.
“I’ve learnt over the years not to care about what people say and to deal with the pressure better. And I don’t have any regrets right now,” said Richairo.
Now acclimatising well in Singapore, Richairo has been getting up to speed by watching his new teammates.
Choosing to don the number 34 jersey in tribute to former Ajax teammate Abdelhak Nouri – who suffered cardiac arrhythmia in 2017 and is still recovering – the 1.87m Richairo is looking to impart his experience and plunder goals in the blue and white of the Sailors.
“Why am I coming here? Simple – to play football, to score goals,” he answered with a sniff of nonchalance. “I want to bring my experience and help my teammates here. I’ve many ambitions here – I think we definitely have what it takes to win the league and we can do well in the AFC Champions League.
“Everything starts with full commitment. For myself, I have to make sure I adapt well to the team and the league to make sure I’m successful here.”
Looking at this rocket of a strike that Richairo scored just a month ago for FC Emmen in the Eredivisie play-offs, the ingredients for success seem to be well in place.
Richairo now begins life under Aleksandar Ranković, a man he faced in the Eredivisie in May this year when Ranko was still FC Utrecht assistant manager, and he, an FC Emmen forward.
“Funny how football works, eh?” said Richairo.
Indeed it will be, if both of them now work in tandem – away from Europe – to deliver success in the Lion City.
He has played the entirety of his professional career in England, amassing over 400 games across the English second-tier Championship, and in the English League One across four clubs. He has played in front of sellout crowds at Sunderland’s iconic Stadium of Light, emerged victorious twice at Wembley, and featured at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
But Bailey Wright had no qualms travelling more than 10,000km away to carve out a new chapter of his career in Singapore with the Lion City Sailors – and not for a “holiday” either.
The Australian centre-back, who has two goals in 29 caps for the Socceroos went a tad off tangent when asked about his targets with the Sailors, already looking beyond Singapore shores to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club – and even international competitions.
“I want to win the league here and help the club do well in the AFC Champions League (ACL), hopefully with many clean sheets along the way. But outside of club football, I still very much have big ambitions to keep playing for Australia,” said Bailey, who last pulled on a Socceroos shirt earlier in March when he played the full 90 minutes in Australia’s 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in an international friendly.
“We’ve got the AFC Asian Cup next January to look forward to and opportunities for the national team do not come easy, so I want to make sure I’m in my best form to give myself the best chance to be selected for that. First and foremost, though, my focus is playing well for the Sailors and I know the rest will take care of itself.”
Bailey’s ambition is crystal clear, and by his own admission, it was easy to make a decision once the Sailors came calling.
Someone who embraces new and unique challenges, the prospect and excitement of being involved in the wildly ambitious Sailors project – one that is based off the state-of-the-art Training Centre at Mattar Road – is one that proved too enticing to turn down.
“I’ve experienced some great occasions with big successes, but I’m always thinking: “what’s my next challenge?” From the moment I had discussions with people at the club and saw the direction that the club wants to take, I developed a real sense of passion and pride in the big project that’s building here,” said the Melbourne-born 30-year-old.
“I know the Singapore Premier League (SPL) is not the strongest in Asia yet, but this club wants to change things and create a team that everyone can be proud of. It’s a long-term project and I quite like the challenge of being part of something big, something beyond just the first team and creating something exciting from the Academy upwards,” he added.
“I want to play my part in winning games for the club, but also improving football here as a whole.”
Bailey got proper emotional in his farewell interview with Sunderland and understandably so, it was not easy leaving a club where he spent three-and-a-half years – making 107 appearances, most of them as captain, as he helped the team to win their first trophy in 48 years in the 2020/21 Papa John’s Trophy and earning promotion back into the second-tier in 2022.
And he received a heartfelt farewell from club and supporters alike.
He will feature heavily in Season Three of the famous fly-on-the-wall documentary, Sunderland ’Til I Die, which showcases the Black Cats’ memorable 2021/22 promotion-winning campaign – with the release date still yet to be confirmed.
“When you’ve gone through those highs and lows, and created friendships and bonds with people throughout the club, it’s always difficult leaving. My two baby girls (two-year-old Koa and nine-month-old Tia) were born in the Northeast of England, which makes it a special place forever for me – and it was nice to get the send-off that I had from there,” said a pensive Bailey.
“I think we don’t always like change, but change is sometimes the best thing we can have so that you can go through new experiences and have opportunities to start building new connections.”
There is at least one clear reason why Bailey has been a fan favourite at virtually every club he has been at. At Preston North End, Bristol City and Sunderland, he was constantly involved in club charities and work in the community – something which he has won several awards for.
“I think we’ve all been in that situation before when we’re kids and we’re looking up to the first-team players in our local team, it means a lot when they meet you and share their experience with you. If there’s the opportunity to have a large impact on people just from being who you’re, then I think we should do it,” said Bailey, a four-time Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Community Champion in 2015/2016, 2018/2019, 2020/2021 and most recently in 2021/2022.
“I’ve always enjoyed the community side of things, especially answering some crazy but honest questions from the kids, so I’ll definitely get involved again in this at the Sailors.”
While there is a soft side to him, Bailey’s face changes when he crosses the white line: he is a fierce competitor who leads by example with astute leadership qualities and leaves it all on the pitch with his full-blooded style – quite literally.
With blood pouring from a gash on his head, he soldiered on to lead Sunderland to a playoff semi-final win over Sheffield Wednesday in 2022 – a win that proved pivotal in the Black Cats being promoted to the Championship – before receiving 10 stitches for his troubles.
Sunderland utilised that image – now seared into the Wearside psyche – on Instagram for his farewell post.
View this post on Instagram
“Away from the pitch, I’m pretty chilled and easy-going, but I guess I’ll become a little bit different when I get on it. There’s the competitor in me and that’s what you see on the football pitch. I like winning and having that fire in the belly every day when I train and play – that’s how I am,” said Bailey.
The defender also suffered a concussion seconds into his first appearance at his Rotherham United loan stint in early February when he got struck by a stray elbow.
He said of his heart-on-sleeves approach that is blended with a healthy dollop of what-doesn’t-kill-me-makes-me-stronger: “I’m someone who naturally likes to lead – to be able to influence people around me and try to get the best of others. I like driving and pushing my teams forward.”
Bailey’s commitment to his approach again came to the fore when he spoke of his best memories in football. One might have suspected it was playing at the World Cup or securing promotion with Sunderland, but it was none of those.
“There are great moments in my career, but the moments that kick you on the furthest are the biggest setbacks you have. There was a large spell when I was at Bristol City few years ago when I just couldn’t stay fit. I couldn’t quite figure out what’s going on every time I tried to get fit, but it kind of just forced me to keep getting stronger mentally and physically. Those moments are the ones that push you on and make you more resilient in your character,” he shared.
Bailey already has eyes beyond the game – he completed a Master’s Degree in sports directorship from the University of East London last year – but for now, his focus is fully on settling into Singapore and propelling the Sailors to reclaiming the SPL crown.
With his competitive spirit complementing the team’s early good signs under new Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković, the Australian international firmly believes that the Sailors can reach lofty targets.
“I’ve played in Europe my whole career so there’s an adjustment period for me to get used to the football style and culture here, but everyone’s at the club is going above and beyond to make me feel settled. And now that I’ve met everyone, it already feels like it’s a home away from home,” said Bailey.
“Having trained with the boys a few times now, and watched a few of our matches, I have to say we have a great team with some really good technical footballers. With Coach Ranko’s new philosophy and ideas, I think we’re building a great platform and there’s a lot to be excited about.
“I want to bring my experiences validated by my career and try to make an impact in and around my new teammates, but at the same time it’s not just about me. There’s a strong sense of belief within the group that we can win the league and we’re out to win all our (seven) remaining matches to achieve the target set out by the club,” said Bailey, in a rallying call to his new teammates.
“From the way we’ve gone about our business in the last few matches, I don’t see anyone stopping us.”
From the moment Aleksandar Ranković sat down in front of the cameras at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre, it became crystal clear this man is not here to mess about.
He listened intently to the thinking behind the club’s First Interview series, settled into his seat, and delivered firm answers at the first time of asking. Perhaps more importantly, he did not flinch in the face of tough questions.
While this is his first foray into Southeast Asian football – he has spent his entire coaching career in Holland – he is already fully on board with the Sailors project.
Known as Ranko to his colleagues, the 44-year-old is looking to make an impact that goes beyond just the first team.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe in this project, and it’s not just the facilities we have here. More importantly it is the people in and around the club who are contributing in different roles and the way that things are organised here,” he said.
“It is really like a European organisation and I think there is a lot here at the Sailors for a lot of clubs in Holland to envy,” said the 44-year-old Serb, who holds a UEFA Pro coaching license.
“I’m really proud to be part of the Lion City Sailors; I think I’m going to enjoy working here because I have the same vision about the game as the people here – that is not just limited to things in the first team, but also in the Academy.”
Having carved out a career in a country where Total Football originated, Ranko – who held coaching positions in Eredivisie first teams including Vitesse Arnhem, Sparta Rotterdam and FC Utrecht – looks set to implement a style of football to excite Sailors’ fans.
“Obviously my origin is Serbian, but I always say that I’m a Dutch coach since I spent most of my career – both as a player and as a coach – in Holland,” said the former ADO Den Haag head coach.
“What fans can expect to see from my team is one that plays very attacking and dominating football; creating a lot of chances while on the other hand, not giving our opponents a lot of space to hurt us.”
Ranko already has a vision of how he wants the Sailors to play, but he is acutely aware of the critical balancing act between the short-term goal of getting results to stay in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title race and the long-term objective of growing into a force to be reckoned with in the region.
“To achieve success here, I have to make the players understand exactly how we want to play; it’s not so much the system, but more of the principles of play. The system may change from game to game, but the principles are a constant and that’s something I want us to always display on the pitch,” said the Belgrade native, who worked under experienced Dutch trainer Henk Fraser at three different Eredivisie clubs.
Ranko has big ambitions for his version of the Sailors, and while he is especially enthusiastic about the club’s second foray into the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL), Ranko understands the importance of the immediate goal – to reclaim the SPL title.
“I know how the club did in the ACL last season and we have to build something to do even better this time around. Especially when we’re playing at home, we have to be very hard to play against – even against the top teams in Asia.
“But I’m not looking too far ahead now, the main priority is the SPL. There’s still a gap between us and the top of the table and I’m coming in during the middle of the season, but we’re going to fight for the title till the last day,” he declared.
With a young and hungry squad that has soldiered on despite some teething problems, Ranko is firm in his belief that the club has all the tools to achieve success.
“I’ve watched a few matches of the team and now that I’ve been here for a few days, I can see that we have a very good squad and a real positive energy around the team. There’s no doubt about it – we have to challenge for the league title and play a significant role in the ACL,” he said.
“We want to be the best and the only place to earn the tag of being the best is on the field. We’ve a great setup here to help us, so it’s our job now to push the club towards achieving these objectives.”
“What’s your first impression of Mom?” was the first question Nathan Mao shot across the table at his father, Lincoln.
His second question was equally probing, pointed even: “Would you have preferred to have a son who focuses purely on studies and did not play football?”
The father-son pair were playing the Sailors’ Father’s Day game: Jenga Jive-talk – the Sailors’ own twist on the classic Jenga – with each tile corresponding to specific questions crafted to spark both inane and meaningful conversations between players. The game comes with “joker” tiles that allow players to ask questions of their own as well.
And it quickly became clear that this chip – Nathan and his straight-forward cheeky maturity – came off the old block.
Lincoln did not flinch at either question crafted by his son. His first response demonstrated a very clear – and heartwarming – memory of Nathan’s mum, Grace. His answer to the second question came lightning quick, and like every good dad joke, drew from references that the child is well-familiar with – and will inevitably squirm at.
“Definitely not,” was Lincoln’s immediate response to the question: “Would you have preferred to have a son who focuses purely on studies and did not play football?”
The cheeky dad-joke-punchline – a sweet one – came a second later: “You’re my choice in any multiverse.”
Nathan was hit so hard by the line he failed to find his words. “(That’s) too chummy, or rather too cheesy!” he remarked behind a visible squirm you would expect from any 15-year-old.
Nathan made history as the Singapore Premier League’s youngest-ever player at 15 years and 5 years old when he came on in the 4-3 defeat against Tampines Rovers on 31 March, playing with a maturity beyond his lean years, and it was clear the family approach to football had some part to play in this.
Jenga Jive-talk was designed to create banter between father and child, but in the case of Nathan and Lincoln, it drew out the close relationship they share.
“I feel that with all the coaches and video software at the club, Nathan’s getting a lot of feedback already,” said the 44-year-old.
“My role is more like a cheerleader. The conversations we have at home revolve around character, resilience rather than actual performances. Football is a wonderful thing with so many teachable moments that can be translated outside of the pitch.”
It is an approach from his biggest supporter that Nathan appreciates.
“My dad’s been there, he does all the small things that you only notice a few years later, things that you don’t really give a lot of appreciation when it actually happens,” said Nathan.
“He’s so busy with work but he still makes time to go out and spend time with me. He’s definitely a role model for me.”
Like most fathers Lincoln’s hopes for his son extend far beyond the sport.
“My wish for him is to continue to do our best, stay humble, stay thankful and continue to grow as a person and as a player. At the end of the day, it’s about the journey – not the destination.
“I hope he ends up wherever he wants to be – which is to be a successful football player. But even if he doesn’t, it’s important he enjoys the process and is thankful for every step he takes.”
It is evident that Nathan remembers every step of his journey thus far, and it is also evident that alongside the game of saccharine-sweet words, Nathan also packs cheeky barbs in his arsenal.
When Lincoln pulled the question: “What activity am I really bad at, and how did you find out?”, Nathan pounced.
“Football,” he said, flinching just a little, even as it was Dad who squirmed and chuckled uncomfortably this time.
“I knew that when I was six years old, and I was already better than you.”
In celebration of Father’s Day, we sidestep pleasantries and get properly stuck into the family lives of our Sailors and their relationship with their dads.
We sit our Sailors across from their fathers and pit them against one another in a friendly game of Jenga – with a sneaky Sailors’ twist – to cut through the noise and fuel real conversations.
From cutting jibes to heartwarming revelations, the responses to the Sailors’ very own Jenga Jive-talk were as varied as they were interesting.
In the first of this two-part series, we put Sailors Women’s Team forward Lila Tan on the spot with her father, businessman, David Tan.
Lila Tan sat across from her dad, David, in the Lion City Sailors Training Centre’s player recreation room and posed a question which momentarily stumped him.
“What is one thing that your daughter or sons will change about you?”
Seconds of silence hung heavy in the air before David responded with a bludgeon.
“I think there’s nothing to change. For them about me: nothing to change,” he said, before adding, “Maybe they want me to have more time with them – this is the only change.”
The father-daughter pair were playing the Sailors’ Father’s Day game: Jenga Jive-talk – the Sailors’ own twist on the classic Jenga – with each tile corresponding to specific questions crafted to spark both inane and meaningful conversations between players.
And the Tans were right up in it.
David went next and picked a question for Lila from the Sailors’ from-left-field category: Would you want your dad to be in your crew during a zombie apocalypse?
“I would not because you would run very slow and we probably would die,” said Lila. “You have a knee injury so you can’t run very fast.”
Her words drew a quick riposte from Dad.
“My pick-up (acceleration) is better than yours,” he spat back. “It’s just the speed (that loses out) only.”
Lila’s face immediately twisted with a wild incredulity that seemed to encapsulate at least half of what Jenga Jive-talk was designed for, and the Tans did not disappoint, fully embracing the other side of the game as well – real conversations.
“He is so stubborn! He’ll never let me or my mum win in an argument – he’ll always try to have the last word,” said Lila, who threw in what seemed like a sharp finishing jab for good measure. “Right?”
David seemed to prove his daughter’s point, but what seemed like a move to grab the last word went a tad further into the realm of real emotions – emotional baselines, if you will.
“To her, it’s stubborn, to some other people it’s wisdom – it’s how you perceive it. We’ve been through certain things in life before, so we want to advise you and not want you to go ‘bang the wall’, he explained.
“Okay, sometimes it’s good to bang the wall and learn things the hard way, but sometimes it’s good to heed advice so that you no need to go through so much hardship or obstacles in life. After all, parents just want our kids to head to a bright destination and fulfil all their potential.”
It appeared that tough love – but real and deep love – was bubbling to the surface. And right behind that raw emotion, came a fragment of David’s philosophy of life.
“Sports actually help my kids in their studies,” he declared, with a smile that went against the grain of Singapore culture.
“A lot of parents have the misconception that if their kids spend too much time on sports, their studies will deteriorate – but it’s the reverse,” explained the 53-year-old who dabbled in various sports, including track and field and football.
And David has ensured that his children embrace that neat little trick of leveraging sporting passion to drive what future academic success he believes will inevitably follow.
Lila and her three younger brothers have all committed to football. She is now starting to establish herself in the Singapore Women’s National Team, while 18-year-old Louka is with Hougang United’s Under-21s, 15-year-old Lukyan is with the Sailors Under-15 side, while youngest sibling, 8-year-old Lael trains with the ActiveSG Football Academy.
“When you use more time to do sports, you have less time for studies,” admitted David. “And that’s when effective time management comes in. So, when they study, they’re focused so their results could actually be better that way.”
And David goes even further.
Apart from joining his children in casual kickabouts, David also takes the time to go through videos that illustrate good examples of passages of play, coaching philosophy of top-class managers, all to help develop a better understanding of the game in his children.
As Jenga Jive-talk went on there was a soft touch to David’s approach that came to the fore, surprising even Lila.
“In three words, describe my ability in the kitchen,” asked Lila.
David paused. Lila squirmed.
And just as Lila was going to surrender to a snarky remark about her cooking, David exclaimed: “Not so bad!
“If it’s something that you want to do, you’ll do it well – even food. I’ve tasted your cooking and it was good – she cooks pasta and omelette quite well, I have to say,” said David, to more squirming from Lila, who came back with a soft touch of her own.
“I appreciate the effort he puts in (sending) us to training and back. Despite it being late at night around 10.30pm and after a long day of work, he’ll be there, nonetheless, for us – I’ve never really told you this, but I really do appreciate it.”
Having just turned 20, Lila is still trying to figure out her direction in life – she is currently fussing over which university to go for and whether to pursue football long-term, and she has David firmly in her corner.
“I want her to be happy – and to do what she has passion for,” he said, with Lila nodding quietly to herself.
“If she’s doing what she truly likes, she will be happy and that’s really the biggest factor.”
They stroked the ball around patiently, moving the ball smoothly from back to front before a sliver of an opportunity peeked through the crowd with the ball slipping through the same gap, nestling in the back of the net.
The score read: Lion City Sailors 1-0 FC Porto.
This was the Sailors Academy’s Under-12 Elite team, up against Portugal’s finest, and storming into the lead in the quarterfinals of the inaugural Porto International Youth Cup – as Asia’s sole representative.
They eventually lost the game 5-2, but their fearless execution of the Sailors’ Academy philosophy of passing football won the admiration of those watching – something they did throughout the tournament that took place from 6th to 8th April 2023.
The Sailors’ Academy boys were Asia’s only representative in the 12-team competition, and flew the flag proudly, giving a good account of themselves against academies more steeped in history, bringing immense pride to Sailors’ Academy Head of Foundation Ashraf Ariffin.
“We knew we’re going to face strong teams that are better than us, but did we prepare for it specifically? No, not really. We continued to prepare in the same way as we did for our weekend matches in the domestic PUMA Youth Champions League (YCL),” he said.
“Our coaches are trying to instill belief in our teams and the boys truly stuck to our principles of play, and they applied our game principles at levels beyond their usual, especially that opening goal against Porto.
“We did eventually lose – one of those goals were conceded due to us trying to build from the back – but I didn’t want to alter our football just because we were playing against a very strong team. And I must say I’m really proud of the boys.”
Played in a seven-a-side format with 20-minute halves, the Porto International Youth Cup saw the Sailors’ Elite U12 team consisting of players born in 2011 line up against the likes of Benfica, Braga and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the group stages.
The aim of participating in the competition was for the players to test themselves against the cream of the crop in Europe – a rare opportunity for aspiring Sailors trainees.
With the top four from the two six-team groups qualifying for the quarter-finals, the Sailors did enough to finish fourth to set up a last-eight clash with hosts Porto where they eventually bowed out.
It was a creditable performance, especially considering a number of players had to cope with fasting during a tournament that took place during the month of Ramadan.
“They had to wake up around 4.30am for Sahur every morning and most of them fasted at least half, if not three-quarters of each day, until they could not take it. I salute them for their determination, and they didn’t let that affect their performances.
“Some of them really stepped up and showed they could play at levels that they haven’t hit before. They gave a really good account of themselves and that was clear to me watching the team scoring in most games and even if we did lose,” he said.
While it was an encouraging overall display, Ashraf is under no illusions of the improvement needed for his trainees to make the step up and go neck and neck with their European counterparts.
“In Singapore, we are usually the aggressors, playing with more intensity and at a higher tempo. But when we went to Porto, the tables were turned.
“In terms of 1v1 duels and the level of aggression, we definitely need to improve. Being exposed to this level of football only serves to make our boys realise how much they need to work to get to where they aspire to be,” he said.
“Back here, they’re doing pretty well playing against players one year older than them in the YCL but they now realise they’re still quite far away from their peers in Europe.”
The Sailors’ U12s Elite side has continued to do well since returning to Singapore, recently crowned champions of the U12 category in the second YCL season, and are already looking forward to more such overseas experiences.
And these are written into the Sailors’ Academy structure.
Its Elite Under-13 and Under-15 teams are on their way to two-week training trips to Feyenoord Rotterdam and Porto respectively between 27 May to 11 June, while the U11 boys will travel to Sweden in July for the Gothia Cup.
In celebration of Mother’s Day, we take a deeper look beyond on-field heroics and into the stories of the unsung heroes who shaped our Sailors – their mothers. In this two-part special series, we delve into the childhood lives and experiences of our Sailors, told through the loving eyes of their mothers.
In the second part of our series, we look deeper into the multi-faceted roles that mothers play in the lives of players across the Sailors’ stable.
A big tear rolled down her cheeks as she choked up. It looked like the floodgates were going to burst open, but Mdm Roziah Abdul Aziz recovered her poise – just for a moment – before a second tear pulled a steady stream from her watery eyes.
“I’m very grateful for the way you brought us up, even though it was a very strict upbringing. I know me and my siblings often say ‘Why did you never let us go out? Why did you never let us do this, or that?’ But for me, it was very useful because it made me the person I am today.
“It was actually a blessing for us because now we’re more responsible, more disciplined, all thanks to you,” said her son and Sailors wide man, Danish Qayyum.
Those words gave Mdm Roziah – a stay-home mum – both vindication and gratification. And what is more, perhaps encapsulated the sheer impact a mother can have on the person – and athlete – her child grows up to become.
“Yes, I’m a tigress – like what Qayyum described me as. Every mum wants the best for their child and sometimes our good intentions are misunderstood. So, I want to thank him for understanding me,” she added, cheeks still damp.
While house rules and lessons can provide a setting for the development of young athletes – a clearly observable setting – young ones often fail to recognise the platform on which they stand to launch into the future.
Mom, the provider
Mdm Rohaini Hassan, a single parent, knew that she had to work doubly hard to raise Hami Syahin, ensuring she earned enough to fuel her young son’s dreams. His first love was football, and at her core, she knew she needed to do all she could to empower him to flourish.
And that she did, sending him for football lessons at Fandi Ahmad’s now-defunct Team-17 Soccer Connection academy from age five, and subsequently to the Singapore Sports School.
“The fees were quite expensive, and I was already paying for his older brother, so I didn’t want to send him there initially. But coach Fandi kindly gave us a discount, so I decided to let him go. It wasn’t easy, every Sunday we had to take a taxi to and from Bukit Panjang to Yio Chu Kang,” she said.
“At age 12, he was chosen to go Sports School and that cost $500 monthly – quite expensive to me – but because he loves football so much, I tried my best to support him and get the help of his uncles and aunties to chip in a bit to buy him boots and jerseys.”
Sacrifice, par for the course
Mdm Jenny Tan – a single mother of 13-year-old Celine and 16-year-old Chloe Koh who are part of the Lion City Sailors Girls Programme and Women’s Premier League (WPL) team respectively – wears different hats.
She has to, to make ends meet and to support her daughters and their football dreams.
On top of being the team manager of the Sailors WPL team and doing administrative work for the Sailors Girls Programme, she also crochets for extra income.
“My day starts at 5.30am and we’ll leave the house around 6 plus am. I’ll drop Chloe at Bugis MRT where she takes a direct train to school, before dropping Celine directly at her school. I then go home to do my crochets – I try to do as many as I can before reporting to the Training Centre for work.
“On weekends, there are matches for the WPL team so basically all my days are very packed. Income-wise, I’m still struggling a bit, but it’s all worth it for the girls,” she said.
“Usually when I’m sending them home after training, they will share with me how their day went and I’ll be encouraging them if they’re feeling a bit down.
The work has already started to pay off for Jenny who felt an immense sense of pride watching Chloe score two goals in her competitive debut for the Singapore Under-16s in the AFC Under-17 qualifiers at Jalan Besar Stadium last month.
A cheerleader, especially in tough times
Mdm Rafeah Awang is well familiar with having footballers in the household – three of her sons pursued football as a career with two of them, including Sailors full-back Zulqarnaen Suzliman, now playing professionally.
She was the biggest supporter and confidante when Zulqarnaen was out injured for a long period in 2022.
“Last year, he went through an op and was feeling really down. He was concerned about his recovery and kept telling me things like ‘I cannot tiptoe, Mummy’, ‘I’m useless, Mummy’,” she recalled, her heart clearly breaking all over again.
“I had to be there to encourage him, telling him that he’s still young, so just focus on rehab and doing physiotherapy. I wanted him to believe that he can get back to his best.”
And he has since returned strongly with several good performances in 2023, including a stirring display against Geylang International in which he produced three critical defensive challenges to help the team to a 2-1 victory.
A mother undoubtedly plays multifaceted roles in the life of her child – from discipline master to cheerleader and chefs, even nurse.
Dreamer, believer, constant
Perhaps most importantly, a mother is a young athlete’s first coach, shaping their worldview as they embark on their chosen sporting path.
In Jenny, Chloe and Celine have an enabler who believes studies and sports can come hand in glove, and that football – still somewhat of an out-of-the-norm dream for Singapore girls – is a sport they can and should commit to.
“I used to be a Combined School softballer, so I know how sports can really help kids develop resilience, time management and learn about teamwork. I believe that sports participation will definitely help my girls in school group projects or even when they go out to the corporate world to work,” she said.
“As long as they try their best in school and can be promoted every year, I’m okay – I don’t need them to be top A-star students. I want them to be all-rounded people who can excel in a few areas in life.”
It is clear that even as sportsmen are at the age that they are fully able to take care of themselves, mothers still play a big role in their lives.
From setting the stage and providing a platform for their young to grow, one thing is clear. Mothers never stop, even – in the eyes of their children – at the expense of being embarrassingly naggy.
“Sometimes she will still give advice in front of my friends and that makes me very malu!” said a sheepish Hami.
“But I guess that’s what mums are and will always do. They’ll always be there to be our guiding hand, ensuring we stay on the right path in life and be a righteous human being.”
In celebration of Mother’s Day, we take a deeper look beyond on-field heroics and into the stories of the unsung heroes who shaped our Sailors – their mothers. In this two-part special series, we delve into the childhood lives and experiences of our Sailors, told through the loving eyes of their mothers.
In the first part of our series, we turn the spotlight on goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad and his mother, school teacher, Madam Nailul Azmi Ismail.
Brows furrowed as he steps onto the pitch, Zharfan Rohaizad walks to his spot in the Lion City Sailors starting lineup, then stops. Lips turned downwards, dragging both moustache and beard to complete the picture of focused aggression, his eyes squint as they scan the stands for his target: mommy dearest, Madam Nailul Azmi Ismail.
With a simple wave of his right hand to his mother, the 26-year-old goalkeeper completes his pre-match ritual, before walking into his castle, the Sailors’ penalty box.
“She comes for every game, rain or shine,” said Zharfan. “Sometimes when my dad can’t take her, she will make her way herself to matches and make it a point to be there when we walk out of the tunnel. It’s my ritual to see her sitting there and to wave at her.”
Despite Zharfan’s machoman persona, Mom’s influence extends far beyond his pre-match ritual, and it runs deep.
“There’s never a day that I don’t hear her voice inside my head saying: “you can’t do this” or “you shouldn’t do that”,” he said, of Mdm Nailul, his most ardent supporter.
She insists that Zharfan’s grizzly exterior is merely a front, one that falls to the ground when they speak.
“He’s such a darling lah – every now and then, he will do something that will touch my heart. He looks like a very tough boy on the outside, but he’s actually very gentle and thoughtful on the inside,” she said, eyes glistening.
“Every time I’m going out on my own, he will check on me ‘Mum, are you sure you can manage or go on your own?
“We talk a lot too, and he shares with me what’s up with him every day. Every morning, I will text him to say “I love you”– just to motivate him because I know a professional footballer’s journey is not easy,” she said.
It has indeed been quite a journey, for both Zharfan and his school teacher mom, Mdm Nailul.
After a bout of fever, 7-year-old Zharfan was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a rare heart condition that occurs in around two per cent of the population. In sufferers, the mitral valve of the heart does not close smoothly, allowing a small amount of blood to leak backward when the heart contracts.
While it is harmless in most cases, this shook Mdm Nailul.
Her brows furrowed as she recalled: “I couldn’t take it then – I remembered speaking to my husband, “how come of all people, it’s him?”
She was constantly in vigilant-mother mode, looking out for her child. From monitoring his food intake to dishing out daily advice, while a happy-go-lucky Zharfan merely dropped football for a “less vigorous sport”.
“When the doctor finally discharged him, it was like our world instantly became so much brighter!” she said, recalling the conversation with 11-year-old Zharfan’s heart surgeon.
Mdm Nailul had to juggle the role of protective-mom with that of bad cop – the multi-role facet of life that most mothers are well-familiar with – because health condition or not, rambunctious boys often continue to be just that.
She smiled as she recounted various incidents in the life of a young and playful Zharfan.
“I remember once he called me “Ibu (mother in Malay), are you free tomorrow?” so I asked him what had happened, and he simply told me I had to meet his discipline master. The moment I stepped out of the taxi, he was already waiting at the school’s lobby looking sheepishly at me.
“Evidently he let his friend copy his test, and as a result his friend passed, and he got a zero as a punishment!” she exclaimed, chuckling.
“I was very fierce and firm as a mother. I once told him in primary school, the moment there is one mistake or one complaint about you, I will step into your class and give you one slap in front of your friends!”
Zharfan has clearly taken these childhood lessons on board.
“Her advice is always firmly inked in my mind and has helped me grow to become a responsible adult. The most important thing she taught me was to be respectful to my peers and whoever I’m talking to. To earn respect from others, you first need to give respect.
“It has taught me to have a clearer vision around me and to be a better version of myself,” said Zharfan, who admitted he was on the hunt for a nice gift for Mdm Nailul’s 54th birthday – which coincidentally falls on Mother’s Day this year.
“Throughout my 26 years of living, she has been there for me – telling me what’s good, what’s not, advising me what to expect in life,” said Zharfan, his voice quivering.
“She has gone great distances just to see me being happy and to succeed, so I just want to tell her “l love you”. And I’ll never stop making you happy and proud.”
Mom has one wish for Zharfan, to become the no. 1 custodian for the Singapore national team. And she has one more target for her grizzly son too, one that comes with a clear deadline.
“I hope I can have a daughter-in-law soon, maybe in two years’ time?” she said, laughing as her voice trailed off in hope.
Zharfan laughed too, squirming uncomfortably in his seat, as his tough exterior lay in a dismantled heap at the foot of Mdm Nailul who may soon have a companion in the stadium when Zharfan lines up on the pitch and waves at the stands.
In the spirit of International Women’s Day (IWD) that is celebrated annually across the globe on 8 March, we delve into the lives and experiences of our Sailors Women to better understand their struggles, challenges and inspirations as they make their mark in what is a male-dominated Singapore football industry.
In this, the third and final instalment of our IWD special, we turn the spotlight on Lion City Sailors Women’s team goalkeeper Beatrice Tan and Yingying Seah, Business Development Manager of the Lion City Sailors Football School.
She is standing under the Esplanade Bridge with Diego Lopes on one side, Umairah Hamdan on the other, and a wince drawing awkward lines on her face.
The photographer calls for a pose with street attitude, and suddenly the game is on: her elbow rises to rest on neighbour, head tilts groundwards and hand follows, sliding over thigh. When her eyes rise off the floor, the gawky discomfort seems to have melted away and it is a completely different Beatrice Tan who meets the camera lens.
This was a photoshoot to launch the Sailors 2023 jerseys, and the 30-year-old Beatrice is not a runway model. But it is no surprise that the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team goalkeeper can turn it on on demand.
She is also the National Women’s Team custodian, an elite athlete, and a role model for aspiring female footballers, including those she oversees in the Lion City Sailors Girls Football Academy.
“Yeah, I absolutely love it that I’m contributing to the future of the women’s game in Singapore, and not just as a player. And I can’t begin to say how heartwarming it is that the girls actually remember my name and greet me when we run into each other at the training sessions,” said Beatrice, who by day, serves as the Academy’s Special Projects person.
The former Singapore Sports Hub venue manager oversees a range of unique projects at Mattar Road including the Academy scholars’ academic progress and the development of the Academy’s all-girls programme – that she sees as her real calling.
“I definitely feel more affinity for the girls’ football role, largely because the boys’ game tends to grow organically, but there needs to be a push if we want to help the girls – and the girls’ game – grow.”
At the frontlines of that, Beatrice has a comrade in arms in what has become a bit of a personal mission for both women.
“I’m certain that there are many young Singaporean girls who love football, like I did when I was a child, and it’s fantastic to see more and more young girls play – and with parents who are supportive of their efforts too,” said Yingying Seah, the Lion City Sailors Football School’s Business Development Manager.
The Football School is the revenue generating arm of the Sailors Academy.
“The perception that football is only for boys is changing – perhaps slower here in Singapore than it is across the globe – and I’m delighted to be able to contribute to that in my own little way.”
Even before she finished that last sentence, Yingying’s eyes lit up, as a young trainee walked by and waved hello. She knows his name, of course, and chirped a greeting of her own as he trotted off towards the pitch at Mattar Road.
Her high pitched voice immediately dropped an octave as she finished her interrupted thought:“It’s also important that for football lovers like me who can’t play or coach that we have options in the sport too, and that we have someone to look up to,” said Yingying who only had one female colleague – current Sailors Women’s Head Coach, Yeong Sheau Shyan – when she joined the Sailors in 2020.
Yingying is a Psychology and Marketing Double Major graduate from the Singapore Management University, and she is adamant that skills beyond the football pitch are very much in demand at football clubs, and women need not fear embracing the sport.
“It was challenging at the start because it was a male-dominated environment, and I felt it was a bit harder to be taken seriously, and I had to adjust – like step up in conversations – and I think in the end, like in football, performance will speak for itself,” she said, revealing that trainee numbers more than doubled in her three years at the Football School, with the girls’ programme also seeing some 50 girls train and play every weekend.
Female trainee numbers are a source of pride for both Beatrice and Yingying, but it has not exactly been an easy journey working to grow figures.
“It was clear that to see regular participation, we need to understand what issues the girls were facing – and engage their parents in the conversation as well,” said Beatrice. “Some girls feel bad that they can’t keep up with the boys they train with, others are just more comfortable in the social environment that comes with playing in an all-girls team.
“I see our role as helping to remove barriers and make it easier for girls to enjoy and embrace football,” added the 2022 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) Golden Glove winner.
While she only played for six months as a teenager and stopped because she was a self-confessed “terrible player”, Yingying shares the same drive to encourage female participation in the game, with the Football School perhaps best equipped to jump start moves towards all-girls football environments that encourage more to stay in the sport.
“Our Football School is still a business, and if it’s all men making decisions, there is a danger of losing alternative perspectives that can make impactful change. Talking to children is one example where having a softer touch helps, even talking to parents, to understand the needs of families,” said the 29-year-old Yingying.
“Then it’s just about being assertive enough to drive those changes internally, and follow through with making sure we implement what we set out to do.”
It is perhaps this need to manage different needs between a male-dominated office and family-focused training environment that has honed the ability of both women to code-switch at will, but Yingying would not have it any other way.
“My colleagues would never leave me out of anything, even the guy-talk,” she said eyebrows furrowing before her eyes lit up once more, and the same chirpy voice returned, as her thoughts floated to the Academy’s trainees like Nur Ain Salleh and the other Sailors’ women the likes of First Team manager Huong Tran and Operations Manager Carolyn Chia.
“But it has been rewarding and enriching: I love kids, I love football and I love what I’m doing. I hope I never leave football, and maybe even encourage more to join us – the women and girls like Ain, Huong, Beatrice, Carolyn, and me – in the sport.”
In the spirit of International Women’s Day (IWD) which is celebrated annually across the globe on 8 March, we delve into the lives and experiences of our Sailors Women to better understand their struggles, challenges and inspirations as they make their mark in what is a male-dominated Singapore football industry.
In the second of a special three-part IWD series, we turn the spotlight on Huong Tran and Carolyn Chia – the team manager and operations manager in charge of the Lion City Sailors first team.
It is some three hours away from kick-off on a Singapore Premier League matchday, and Bishan Stadium is bustling.
The emcee’s voice booms over the speakers as flag-bearers line up in the tunnel, running over the very steps they would take later, when Hariss Harun and his Lion City Sailors would line up behind them, game faces on.
But even this far away from kick-off, game faces are already on everywhere across the stadium.
Out on the track, with one finger on the ear-piece plugged into her left ear and a clipboard in her right arm, Carolyn Chia stands with her back straight, eyes trained upwards towards the stands that are hive of activity.
She doesn’t realise it, but her game face only breaks – into a broad smile – when her arm is touched by a petite figure whose ponytail was still swinging to a stop.
The ponytailed Huong Tran, the team manager in charge of day-to-day administration and logistics for staff and players of the Sailors first team, had just arrived at Bishan. The synergy between the Huong and Carolyn is all too evident, and decked in the similar simple dark uniforms of Sailors staff, the pair look like every other cog in the club machinery at Bishan.
But they are hardly mere cogs. Simply put, both Carolyn, the Club Operations Manager, and Huong are integral to the operations of the Sailors – the heartbeat of the club – and in what is a male dominated Singapore football industry, the two have had to make some adjustments, including putting up with raised eyebrows every now and then.
“I believe women can inject new and fresh elements into football and we all have a part to play. Things have changed so much that it is not so gender-oriented now, so women don’t need to be afraid to step into this industry,” said Carolyn.
One key facet of Carolyn’s responsibilities is ensuring that Sailors’ home games run smoothly: from VIP registration to fan posters and banners, even broadcast matters, she is essentially on the frontline of the overall match-experience at Bishan. This also includes safeguarding the club from falling foul of SPL competition regulations.
With almost 20 years of experience in events management and sports development, Carolyn has been an asset to the Sailors since coming onboard in February 2022, this despite the fact that the Sailors is her first football-centric role in her field.
Huong on the other hand, is firmly entrenched in football, but continues to apply the same fearless approach Carolyn alluded to, to firmly establish herself in the sport, and indeed, at the Sailors.
“You have to feel comfortable in a dressing room setting with all the strong characters and not feel shy just because they’re changing in front of you. The players have started to observe more decorum when I’m around, and now they are very comfortable with me because they treat me like a sister or a mother,” said Huong.
“I know there aren’t many women in Asia taking on the team manager role, but it’s really all about how you talk to the players and earn their trust. I always say that to do such a job, you need to embrace the manly characteristics within yourself,” added the 39-year-old.
“The most important thing is that players feel your sincerity. Whenever they need help, I always try to see things from their viewpoint and try to help. Of course all these things take time – for them to warm up to you and share their real issues.”
This is Huong’s first time working at a football club, but she has been in and around the sport for 18 years, wearing different hats, and even then, she believes she continues to learn more every day.
Her journey into the sport started in 2005, as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 21-year-old who volunteered to be the Liaison Officer (LO) for the Singapore women’s football team who were participating in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Championship in her native Vietnam.
Huong later served as a competitions officer for the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) for three years and worked her way up to become a Match Commissioner for AFC regional competitions and SPL matches for several years before eventually joining the Sailors in November 2021.
A Match Commissioner ensures that all matches are organised strictly according to rules and regulations of the AFC and SPL.
While both Carolyn and Huong come with bags of experience in their respective fields, it is perhaps their alternative approach – best described as a balance of affability, grit, and that je ne sais quoi magic of feminine energy – to managing personalities in a testosterone-fuelled football industry that sets them apart.
This is perhaps especially manifested when they take command of situations in the course of work.
“Maybe at the start, there’ll be some people who think you can’t carry out tougher tasks or menial work just because you are female. But after working with me for a while, most of them know I have no problems with getting my hands dirty and am very used to the flow of operational work,” said Carolyn, whose previous experiences in the Beautiful Game came when she represented her school at tertiary level.
Huong is also well-familiar with gender-based flash judgements, and like Carolyn, she has embraced the approach of getting stuck in, especially in challenging situations.
Huong recalled travelling to destinations like Bangladesh, Lebanon and even Palestine when she was an AFC match commissioner, gigs that most tend to avoid.
“There are certain countries that many people don’t want to go to because of the associated danger, the thinking that facilities are not the best, and less than conducive environments to work in. But I always went wherever my bosses assigned me – I still don’t mind taking up challenges because I want to keep learning and improving,” she said.
Huong has also had to learn to strike that fine balance between work and family life, a considerable challenge for a mother of two young girls, a one-year-old and a nine-year-old.
“I have to arrange the daily schedule at home for my two daughters and our helper before reporting to work. My family time really depends on the football calendar and team training schedule – and those can change at any time so it’s quite difficult to plan for family holidays or time off in advance,” she said, with the wry smile of a person who is accustomed to rolling with the punches.
Family is similarly a source of strength for Carolyn, who looks towards her 82-year-old grandmother – someone who raised five children single-handedly in a different and much more difficult Singapore environment through sheer tenacity of spirit – for inspiration.
“She didn’t have the privilege of attending school hence had to take up multiple odd jobs to provide for the children. Can you imagine how tough life was back then with everyone living under one roof in a space that’s roughly about 15 square meters?
“Learning about her younger days often got me reflecting on how much more comfortable life and living conditions are now, but she is still looking out for everyone at age 82 this year. Her resilience and perseverance are constant reminders to myself that everyone should strive to be at their best and take on challenges in their stride,” said Carolyn.
And the essence of grandma’s approach continues to be manifested when Carolyn puts on her Sailors Operations Manager hat.
“I simply like putting things together whatever the challenges, then seeing the event, our matchday operations and experience, turn out successful,” she said. “That’s a feeling that always gives me the most satisfaction and I hope to be able to continue to run things as smoothly for the club, as we continue to drive towards higher standards of professionalism.”
At the Sailors, Huong and Carolyn have colleagues they can rely on in that united push towards excellence, and in what is a quaint little side effect of the club’s own efforts to #EmbraceEquity, the women have started to find inspiration in the boys and men who have embraced their feminine energy.
“Every day when I wake up or when I’m on my way to Mattar, I’ll always think of the players – they have become my motivation to come to work. They are the core of the club and I would do anything for them,” said Huong.
With a motherly tenderness washing over her face, she added: “But what I really enjoy is this process of helping them and seeing them grow as sportspersons in the arena, and into fine adults for their families off the field.”
