SINGAPORE - The suspense over the identity of the new national football coach will linger for another three months after the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said on Thursday (March 7) that the recruitment search will drag on until June.
FAS general secretary Yazeen Buhari said: "We are at the tail end of the process. And we should be appointing one (the new national coach) before the next competition window (official Fifa match dates) in June."
The Lions have been without a coach since exiting the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup in the group stage in December last year. Then, FAS' head of youth Fandi Ahmad led the team for six months.
Tatsuma Yoshida, a 44-year-old Japanese and former S-League player with Jurong FC and an ex-coach of Japanese J-League club Kashiwa Reysol and Albirex Niigata, has been mentioned as a possible front runner for the hot seat.
On Thursday, it was announced that Singapore will take part in the AirMarine Cup held in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium on March 20 and 23.
For this assignment, ex-Lions captain Nazri Nasir will lead the squad. The other teams involved in the quadrangular are hosts Malaysia, Afghanistan and Oman.
The Lions will meet the Tigers of Malaysia in a Causeway battle on March 20 while Oman play Afghanistan on the same day. The winners of the opening games will proceed to play in the final three days later while the losers will contest the third-placing match, also to be played on March 23.
FAS vice-president Teo Hock Seng, who will be the head of the delegation for the AirMarine Cup, added: "This is a great opportunity for Singapore football. Malaysia did pretty well in the recent Suzuki Cup (they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Vietnam in the two-legged fFinal), but I don't think we are too far away from them.
"I will be going up (as the head of delegation) to ensure that we will play to win."
Calling the appointment "a privilege and honour", Nazri, 48, said: "This (the game against Malaysia) needs no introduction.
"It will be do-or-die, there are no friendlies against Malaysia. I expect them (the Lions) to do their best. We are all ready to go."
Picking a squad of 22, Nazri decided to go for a youthful line-up and decided not to call up 35-year-old veterans Shahril Ishak (138 caps) and Baihakki Khaizan (134 caps) although he did not rule them out for future selection. Veteran goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, 34, is currently injured.
"Bai and Shahril had done a lot for the country over the years," Nazri explained.
"They had also done their part in the Suzuki Cup supporting and guiding the younger players. But now is the time to select more younger players."
Also missing is Home United forward Adam Swandi, the reigning Singapore Premier League Young Player of the Year. Although he was tearing defences apart with his trickery for former club Albirex Niigata last year, the 23-year-old has made a quiet start with the Protectors.
Nazri noted: "I look at players based on performance and current form and the style that we want to play, it is good for him (Adam) to take a break."
And the former midfield hard man has a clear vision of the football he wants the Lions to dish out.
"I am looking at a very attacking team," he added. "We want players who have pace, aggression and are explosive. I want to see midfielders coming into the box, taking on players and shooting from outside the box."
Lions squad
Goalkeepers: Izwan Mahbud (Nongbua Pitchaya, Thailand), Syazwan Buhari (Tampines Rovers), Zaiful Nizam (Balestier Khalsa)
Defenders: Amirul Adli, Irwan Shah (both Tampines), Emmeric Ong (Warriors FC), Faritz Hameed (Home United), Nazrul Nazari (Hougang United), Safuwan Baharudin (Pahang, Malaysia), Shakir Hamzah (Kedah, Malaysia)
Midfielders: Izzdin Shafiq (Home), M. Anumanthan, Zulfahmi Arifin (both Hougang), Hariss Harun (Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia), Huzaifah Aziz (Balestier), Shahdan Sulaiman, Yasir Hanapi (both Tampines)
Forwards: Faris Ramli, Iqbal Hussain (both Hougang), Gabriel Quak (Warriors), Khairul Amri (Tampines), Khairul Nizam (Warriors)
(REUTERS)- Chris Wood scored twice as Burnley virtually assured Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Cardiff City on Saturday (April 13) which left the Welsh club deep in
Chris Wood double gives Burnley win over Cardiff in
Football Athletics Rugby Higuain must earn permanent Chelsea deal . Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is confident Gonzalo Higuain can be the short-term solution to his side's need for goals
Higuain must earn permanent Chelsea deal - Sarri
Arsenal win in Napoli to reach Europa League semi-finals Alexandre Lacazette's free-kick secures victory on the night and a 3-0 aggregate win for the Gunners.
UPDATED: Arsenal beat Napoli to reach Europa League semi
ZAGREB, March 21 (Reuters) - Croatia were forced to dig deep as they came from behind to beat unfancied Azerbaijan 2-1 at home in their opening Euro 2020 Group E qualifier after forward Andrej Kramaric scored a 79th winner on Thursday. In the group's other fixture, Slovakia eased to a 2-0 home win
Football: Kramaric nets late winner as Croatia beat
Soccer Football - Premier League - Huddersfield Town v Arsenal - John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield, Britain - February 9, 2019 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with Iwobi, Lacazette lead Arsenal to win at Huddersfield
Iwobi, Lacazette lead Arsenal to win at Huddersfield
Football: Kane could be out for rest of the season, says
If she's taking her sweet time to get back to you, it's one of the biggest signs for how to tell if a girl is playing hard to get. Playing hard to get often means making the other person wait, even when it personally pains you to do so.
Is it ever a good idea to play hard to get — when you're
Rodgers closing in on EPL return with Leicester, Football
Milan - Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus will play the pre-season International Champions Cup in Asia and not in the United States amid the Portugal star's rape investigation there, the New York Times
Ronaldo, Juve will not travel to US amid rape investigaton
Maurizio Sarri has downplayed Pep Guardiola's suggestion that Chelsea are still in the Premier League title race as he prepares his team to face leaders Manchester City on Sunday. The 60-year-old Italian said his side were "lucky" to beat City in December when they ended the champions' 21-match unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
EPL: Chelsea Not In Premier League Title Race, Says Sarri
Mourinho put on Ranieri's initials consequence of his sacking by Leicester last year, a sign of respect to the man who nine months earlier had taken them to the title. The Portuguese is having a hard time at Old Trafford with the Reds in eighth place,18 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City and eight from the top four.
Premier League Sacking Season kicks-off as Fulham Fires Jokanovic
AC Milan is just the latest in a long line of European football clubs to be taken over by Chinese investors. Under football fan president Xi Jinping, China has ambitions of hosting the World Cup and the country's top companies and richest entrepreneurs have rushed to pick up stakes in foreign clubs and buy foreign players for huge wages.
Di Maria dramatically better - Blanc | FourFourTwo
0 comments:
Post a Comment