tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34310085559249617272024-03-14T16:03:07.368+08:00A Cheetahs Fan BlogA Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-52622904291172855162013-11-13T13:56:00.000+08:002013-11-13T14:02:44.144+08:00I believe after a year long of missing-in-action this blog needs to be reinstated.
It started out as a stand-in website for Hougang United FC when it re-branded itself in 2011. But when the club finally got it's website done up, this blog sought of became obsolete.<br />
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But then again, it's would be such a waste to give this blog up since compiling over 2 years of football material. And I shan't let it go just like that.<br />
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Therefore, I have decided to re-open a new chapter for this blog and try my very best to update this space with news regarding Hougang United.<br />
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For now, I'll be looking forward to the merchandise of 2014 Hougang United kit. Rumour has it that the club has already secured it's apparel for 2014 and that the colours will return to orange and black. Thank God.<br />
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More updates to come...A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-19940897766793319202012-12-31T13:39:00.001+08:002012-12-31T13:58:31.739+08:00Don't Forget Your S.League Day version 2.0<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: LATW crew</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LatwLionsAllTheWayCrew" target="_blank">LATW - Lions All The Way crew</a>'s second edition of Don't Forget Your S.League Day is here and Hougang HOOLs is proud to be part of this initiative!<br />
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<b>Date : </b>Tuesday, 1st January 2013<br />
<b>Meeting Time :</b> 12 noon <br /><b>Meeting Venue : </b>City Hall MRT Station<br />
<b>Flyer Distribution :</b> Various Neighbourhoods in Singapore Attire: LATW Crew tee / Hougang United club jersey / Club colours.<br />
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<b>Details: </b>This year, the event will be decentralized. After collecting the unique flyers for each clubs, fans of every club can go back to the neighbourhood where their favourite club is located and distribute the flyers to GAIN AWARENESS on the S.League and their clubs.<br />
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For example, fans of Hougang United will take the flyers back to e.g Hougang estates/ Hougang Mall. Strict rules will apply as accordance to the law and no flyer shall be distributed inappropriately like putting on people's cars! For those who are interested, do indicate in this post or in the Lions All The Way crew fan page; and just meet up at City Hall MRT on the date and time and look our for the LATW crew members :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!</b></span></div>
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<br />A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-15346882361552470102012-11-22T16:10:00.000+08:002012-11-23T10:16:48.358+08:00Save Woodlands Wellington Campaign<i>UPDATE: In a story reported by The New Paper this morning, Woodlands was alleged to have fallen into financial hardship when the tabloid quoted a source close to the Football Association of Singapore which claimed that the Rams were unable to show their financial plan for the 2013 S.League season. However, Tay rubbished the report and commented that all players, coaches and staff were paid on time throughout the season, suggesting that the Rams were in fact, in stark contrast to the earlier report, pretty much in the pink of health financially. <a href="http://woodlandswellingtonfc.blogspot.sg/2012/11/tay-assures-supporters-of-rams.html" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a></i><br />
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Dear fellow HougangHOOLs,<br />
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Our fellow friends in Woodlands Wellington are gathering to rally support and create awareness for the plight of their illustrious club.<br />
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As per Hougang HOOLs tradition and founding principle, we stand in solidarity with our fellow like-minded S.League fans from the north, and once again ask our fellow Hougang friends to be with the Woodlands friends - like the legendary Hussain Razzak (leader of the Black Sheep) - to join them in the rally.<br />
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We the Hougang HOOLs want the Woodlands Wellington, and the good fans of Woodlands, to continue to survive, thrive and contribute to our Singapore football, our S.League, our community. Do not let any recent undesirable element within the club to deter us from that founding principle to stand by them, it's the right thing to do.<br />
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See you tonight at Woodlands, cheers!<br />
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On behalf of Hougang HOOLs<br />
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Content extracted from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/unofficial.wwfc.supporters.club" target="_blank">The Unofficial Woodlands Wellington Supporters' Club (The Black Sheep)</a>:<br />
<img height="145" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/21890_246373232157760_482572302_n.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<i>Following the news of Woodlands Wellington Football Club's possible pull-out from the 2013 S.League season as reported in The New Paper this morning, the Black Sheep would like to call for a supporters' awareness campaign to save our club tonight at Woodlands Stadium.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>Woodlands Wellington has been in existence for 25 years since it was formed in 1988, and the forthcoming 2013 season would be it's 18th season in the top flight of Singapore football. The club is not just any other football club. It is the heart and soul of the Woodlands community, an inspiration for budding young footballers, and a humble source of income for our team of beloved players, backroom staff and their families. If the club were to sit out of the league in 2013, it would be too late for these players and staff members to find another club right now.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>We will be meeting at 8pm at the main stadium entrance. Supporters are encouraged to come dressed in Woodlands Wellington tops or any yellow shirt for this cause. We would also like to invite you to bring along any family and friends to join us in this awareness campaign as we tell the club's board, its members and our local communities what our club mean to Woodlands and the tens of thousands of families which call this place home.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>This is a very delicate moment. Let us show our support to the club and the players in this moment of crisis. Never Surrender!</i><br />
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<br />A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-35335548466153251082012-11-21T14:32:00.000+08:002012-11-26T14:34:59.170+08:00Friendly: Hougang United 1 - 0 Singapore U-23By www.hgfc.com.sg<br />
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<b>HGFC 1</b><br />
<b><br />Singapore U-23 0</b><br />
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It was a friendly game against the Singapore Under 19 team, who is representing the Lions City in the upcoming NEX Cup tournament, facing the world famous academies of Manchester United, Liverpool and Sporting Clube de Portugal.<br />
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Headed by Cheetah's new head coach, Alex Weaver, Hougang faced a coach who was familiar by the Cheetahs hierachy, former Hougang head coach, Aide Iskandar.<br />
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Aide, who first joined Hougang's predecessor Sengkang Punggol as player in 2007, then turned coach in 2009, following the dismissal of Jorg Steinbrunner. He had a memorable season in 2011, where he led Hougang to their best placed finish in the S-League so far, and led the Cheetahs to the League Cup final and fourth place in the Singapore Cup.<br />
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On Wednesday evening, the NEX team had a warm up game, where Hougang had new faces in the team.<br />
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Shahir Hamzah of Lions XII, with the addition of Fairoz Hassan from Gombak, and Jeremy Chiang had all came to Hougang, and signed with them next season. With five foreign triallist hoping to secure contracts for next season, the Cheetahs would love to impress in front of their boisterous fans, who specially came to watch Weaver's debut match in charge.<br />
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It was no surprised that two of the foreign triallists combined for the only goal of the match. Right winger Shane slot the ball in the path of towering midfielder Thomas Beattie, who slot passed the Cubs' custodian to win the game.<br />
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Perhaps this was the showing of the foreign triallists, who are very much interested in donning the orange and black of Hougang United. Weaver's tactics impressed, and he promises the fans for a rejuvenated Hougang next season, which promises an all-out attacking football.<br />
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For the Cubs, the Cheetahs' fans would like to wish good luck in the NEX Cup Tournament, particularly their sole representative, Ignatius Ang, who will be leading the line for the Cubs. <a href="http://hgfc.com.sg/home.html" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-47150815634578598712012-11-20T11:29:00.000+08:002012-11-22T11:11:19.987+08:00Shahir Hamzah and Fairoz Hasan go back to Hougang United rootsBy Kenneth Tan<br />
Goal.com<br />
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The 2012 S.League season may have just ended but for an aspiring club like Hougang United, preparations for the 2013 season is already underway.<br />
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18 men were gathered for their first pre-season training on Monday evening at the Khalsa Association and there were plenty of new faces spotted, although regulars like Ridzuan Fatah Hasan, Mamadou Diallo, Hasree Zais and Basit Hamid were missing due to personal reasons.<br />
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With Guinean striker Diallo the only one retained from the foreign legion of 2012, there will now be space for four more foreigners to join the 2013 team.<br />
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Five foreign trialists were spotted gearing up during the training session as they vied to impress new coach Alex Weaver.<br />
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Among the five, there was a familiar face in Adrian Butters. The towering centre back made 10 appearances for Woodlands Wellington last season before leaving in the mid-season transfer window.<br />
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When approached by Goal.com Singapore, the 24-year-old revealed the training session was good but that he was also going for trials with Tanjong Pagar United.<br />
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There were three new faces on the local front, although only two will be signing terms with the club.<br />
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Former Home United full-back Jeremy Chiang is rumoured to have joined the club although he was not seen at the training session, while K. Vikraman, who was amongst the 18 players, is understood to be joining Patrick Vallee's revolution at Tanjong Pagar United instead.<br />
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The two boys who will be donning the Cheetahs' colours in 2013 - pending official confirmation - are two old boys, Fairoz Hasan and Shahir Hamzah.<br />
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Photos: S.League & FAS</td></tr>
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Fairoz spent the early part of his career at Sengkang Punggol until 2008 before progressing to Young Lions the following season and subsequently Gombak United.<br />
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With the Bulls sitting out next season, the 24-year-old jumped at the chance to re-join his former club.<br />
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"I called [techical support manager] Bruce Tan to ask for permission [as to] whether it's okay for me to come back here," he revealed.<br />
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"It all now depends on the coach. Hopefully I'm staying and I just can't wait to get the season started with them."<br />
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For Shahir, a major restructuring of the LionsXII outfit meant he had to accept an offer which was available to him long before the announcement.<br />
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"I was here in 2010 before moving to Young Lions then LionsXII," he recalled.<br />
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"Actually I still had a contract here before I went to National Service in September that year. They called me in September to offer me a new contract [but] I didn't accept it then because I thought the opportunity for LionsXII will open up again.<br />
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"However, it changed at the eleventh hour and thus I'm back here right now."<br />
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The 23-year-old only recently returned to full fitness following an operation on his knee in May and failed to make a single appearance for the Malaysian Super League outfit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUPUnGZ6TvM/UKr3ia2AOMI/AAAAAAAAB2M/9DCgJaH6SM8/s1600/Alex+Weaver.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUPUnGZ6TvM/UKr3ia2AOMI/AAAAAAAAB2M/9DCgJaH6SM8/s1600/Alex+Weaver.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Examiner.com</td></tr>
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Although the club has refused to comment on the confirmation of his appointment as yet, Weaver has already updated his profile in social networking site Linkedin as 'Head Coach of Hougang United'.<br />
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New gaffer Weaver was keeping a keen eye on the charges throughout the two-hour long training session, constantly providing feedback to the players and trialists alike.<br />
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His CV includes being the Director of Football for six years at the Manchester United Soccer Schools in the UK, in addition to being an Academy coach at English Premier League side Stoke City for two years. <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3880/singapore/2012/11/18/3525425/shahir-hamzah-and-fairoz-hassan-go-back-to-hougang-united" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-22361905742274599832012-11-14T15:02:00.000+08:002012-11-21T21:56:51.970+08:00Cheers all around at Awards NightBy Kenneth Tan<br />
S-League<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Muhammad Yusuf (FAS) </td></tr>
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Fans, officials and players of the S.League fraternity came together for a time of joy and celebration at the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League Awards Night 2012, which was held at ITE College East on Sunday evening.<br />
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And it was an occasion that saw accolades go out all around, as players, media and even sponsors walked away satisfied with what they had enjoyed at the end of the event, which ran smoothly for a little over two hours.<br />
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Unlike the case in previous years, the annual marquee event to celebrate the finest achievements of the fraternity was held in a school-setting for the first time – with the ceremony held in the spacious ITE College East auditorium and most ably hosted by ESPN presenter Colette Wong.<br />
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And it was a mixture of experienced faces and new men earning honours for the 13 awards that were presented for the night.<br />
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In another change from past years, the awards, which used to take the form of towering trophies, took on a new look this year, bearing a carved crystal form shaped like the S.League logo.<br />
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Each award, produced by La Belle Collection Pte Ltd, weighs 1.7kg, with a length of 35cm and a height of 4.8cm.<br />
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Prior to the ceremonies, representatives from all the S.League member clubs, sponsors, fans and friends of the league bore witness to the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Football Association and the Institute of Technical Education.<br />
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The new Memorandum of Understanding marks a new era of partnership between the two parties, which will aim to promote football at ITE level and attract more budding school stars into building happy and successful careers in the game.<br />
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It was then the turn of sponsors to receive awards of appreciation for their contributions to the local game, as each and every major supporter was honoured.<br />
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Then came the main event, which kicked off with the Tiger Beer Goal of the Year award, with SAFFC midfielder Shukor Zailan the proud recipient.<br />
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Shukor’s award-winning strike came from a league encounter against Woodlands Wellington in September – a blistering 30-yard full volley off a half-cleared cross, which was simply artistic in its trajectory as it sailed over hapless Rams custodian Ahmadulhaq Che Omar.<br />
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That goal set the stage for a 2-1 win for the Warriors, which snapped a three-match losing run in the league.<br />
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It was then time for members of the media to receive their recognition, as online media platforms made a significant breakthrough by claiming both awards on offer.<br />
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20-year-old Nicholas Neo of FootballOPOD.com picked up the Story of the Year prize ahead of more established faces in the mainstream media, as his story on Hougang United defender Syaqir Sulaiman’s quest to balance football and his NTU undergraduate course earned the winning nod.<br />
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Zeng Liwei of Goal.com Singapore then picked up the Singapore Pools Picture of the Year award, which was won by The New Paper’s Benjamin Seetor in 2011.<br />
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Zeng’s entry beat off competition by The New Paper photographer Gavin Foo, Cheng Jing Hean of FootballOPOD.com and BP Chua of Axrosstheline.com.<br />
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In the refereeing categories, two men at opposite ends of their careers garnered the honours.<br />
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Young Eugene Chan picked up the Waga Assistant Referee of the Year award, while the experienced Abdul Malik Bashir picked up the Great Eastern Referee of the Year award.<br />
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44-year-old Malik, who has refereed in a number of high-profile tournaments in Asia over the years, including the first leg of the AFC Champions League final in 2008, is understood to be retiring in 2014.<br />
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While on the topic of the men in black, an FAS Special Award was presented to Maniam Murugiah, former vice-chairman of FAS the Referees Commitee and a dedicated man who spent a large part of his life in the officiating side of the game.<br />
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Orange was the winning colour for clubs as two associated with that bright shade for the past season emerged as winners for the evening.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Photo: Muhammad Yusuf (FAS)</span></center>
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S.League second runners-up Albirex Niigata (Singapore) picked up the Singapore Pools Fair Play Award, while unheralded Hougang United picked up the POLAR Fan Club of the Year prize, ahead of 2011 winners SAFFC and the Courts Young Lions.<br />
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Things then got personal as the remaining five awards were presented, as the hard work of various individuals were recognised.<br />
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Home United forward Frederic Mendy unsurprisingly coasted home to collect the winner of the RHB Top Scorer award with his haul of twenty league goals, which was enough to hold off the challenge of Geylang United’s Jozef Kaplan and 2011 winner Mislav Karoglan, among others.<br />
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It was the second time Mendy has won this prize, having first picked it up in 2010 in his maiden S.League season with French outfit Etoile FC.<br />
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Harimau Muda winger Wan Zack Haikal then collected two awards on the trot, the YEO’S People’s Choice Award and the YEO’S Young Player of the Year prize.<br />
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The 21-year-old pipped a strong field that included teammate Gary Robbat, inheriting the crown that was worn by Tatsuro Inui last year.<br />
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For the second successive season, a man coaching a foreign outfit won the MIKASA Coach of the Year award as DPMM FC’s Vjeran Simunic walked up to triumphantly receive the prize that had gone to Albirex coach Koichi Sugiyama last season.<br />
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The Croat’s victory was not in dispute despite facing a stiff challenge from Balestier Khalsa’s Dareen Stewart and Kanan Vedhamuthu of Geylang, considering the way he rallied the unfancied Bruneians to a runners-up finish in the league.<br />
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Concluding the evening was the award that attracted the most intrigue, as first-time nominees Jamil Ali, Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin and Shahrazen Said joined third-time nominee Mendy and two-time winner Aleksandar Duric in the chase for the Great Eastern Player of the Year award.<br />
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In the end, it was Duric who made history by winning his third award, bringing the curtains down on what, for him and so many others, has been a long and hectic season of S.League football.<br />
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<b>Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League Awards Night 2012</b><br />
<b>Roll of Honour</b><br />
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<b>Great Eastern Player of the Year:</b> Aleksandar Duric (Tampines Rovers)<br />
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<b>YEO’S Young Player of the Year:</b> Wan Zack Haikal (Harimau Muda)<br />
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<b>MIKASA Coach of the Year: </b>Vjeran Simunic (DPMM FC)<br />
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<b>RHB Top Scorer:</b> Frederic Mendy (Home United)<br />
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<b>Tiger Beer Goal of the Year:</b> Shukor Zailan (36’, SAFFC vs Woodlands Wellington on 13 September)<br />
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<b>YEO’S People Choice Award:</b> Wan Zack Haikal (Harimau Muda)<br />
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<b>Great Eastern Referee of the Year:</b> Abdul Malik Bashir<br />
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<b>Waga Assistant Referee of the Year:</b> Eugene Chan<br />
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<b>Singapore Pools Fair Play Award:</b> Albirex Niigata (Singapore)<br />
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<b>POLAR Fan Club of the Year:</b> Hougang United<br />
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<b>RHB Story of the Year:</b> “A battle between boots and books” by Nicholas Neo (FootballOPOD.com)<br />
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<b>Singapore Pools Picture of the Year:</b> “Two Captains – Present and Future” by Zeng Liwei (Goal.com Singapore)<br />
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<b>FAS Special Award:</b> Maniam Murugiah <a href="http://www.sleague.com/news-features/news/2012/november/cheers-all-around-at-awards-night" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-82112602547635326752012-11-07T15:56:00.000+08:002013-11-06T20:00:31.675+08:00Synergy, ferventness, cause, samagat ...Whatever you want to call it, can only happen when ordinary Singaporeans converge towards creating something extraordinary - to bridge the gap between the disenchanted fans and the league authorities.<br />
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We decided long ago that complaining about it was as good as not doing anything productive. Writing letters and suggestions to the press is simply a waste of time and not our forte.<br />
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We would rather get ourselves to the stadium, lend our visual & vocal support than to sit behind a computer screen conjuring your brilliant remedy for S-league; and then waiting for your article to be published - stroking your ego while you admire your own text. Sorry hor, we were not formed to be keyboard warriors.<br />
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Neither were we formed to win some silly "Fan Club" of the year - that's the last thing on our minds - Seriously, what can you do with this award? Decorate our home? Stroke our egos again? Yawn...<br />
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Hougang Hools was formed to galvanized support for S-League and for Hougang United. To show Singaporeans and the football fraternity that organic fan support is vital to our league's survival and that our chants and songs unequivocally lifts the spirit of our club.<br />
<br />
And Hougang Hools will continue to do so in our own fashion.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Sprouting across the island are not just the official fan clubs but pockets of unofficial supporter groups have also started up - join their cause and support your team.<br />
<br />
If you want to wait for the league authorities to make things happen, you might as well ask your grandma to do it instead cos she can do it better, faster and maybe cheaper too!<br />
<br />
All grandma needs is to arm herself with the S-League pride & her season pass; and she'll be out of the house walking to the nearest stadium to catch some S-League action.<br />
<br />
"Free tickets are for free loaders," she'll say.<br />
<br />
S-League is our home grown football product; and we have to support it - because a football league or a club is only as great as it's fans and supporters. See you at the next match! :)<br />
<br />
<br />
Hougang Till I Die!A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-68227145241525873452012-11-06T09:51:00.000+08:002012-11-07T09:49:13.781+08:00Hougang Hools night futsal-cum-makan!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PBJGwwbmnh0/UJm93_tKywI/AAAAAAAABy0/OfnHf9i6Idg/s320/ffutsal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Redsports.sg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Date: Friday, 9th November 2012</b><br />
<b>Time: 7.30 pm</b><br />
<b>Venue: The Rainforest Sports Hub, TURF CLUB, Bukit Timah</b><br />
<br />
Calling the Hougang United faithful!<br />
<br />
Join the Hougang HOOLs as we celebrate a night of appreciation of our Hougang United heroes for their gallant efforts season 2012! All are welcome!<br />
<br />
Do RSVP in this event page, unfortunately due to the restriction of space, only fans who have RSVP'ed and willing to contribute the S$20 per pax for the futsal+makan can join in (fee not applicable to Hougang players and staff: this night is for you!)<br />
<br />
Click link:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/529652077062657/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/events/529652077062657/</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-957938342950667852012-11-05T10:02:00.002+08:002012-11-05T10:08:14.605+08:00Support is the lifeblood of footballBy Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee<br />
The New Paper<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="208" src="http://news.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/news/11Nov12/20121101.112657_npsleague.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: TNP</td></tr>
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SINGAPORE - Halfway around the globe, in the more modest environment of the S-League, those words (left) by Shankly and Platini still ring true.<br />
<br />
As Tampines prepare to take on Harimau Muda in their most important match of the season tomorrow, their fans are also prepping themselves for the huge clash.<br />
<br />
Win, and the Stags will retain their league title. Lose or draw, and it will all depend on what DPMM do in Brunei against Balestier Khalsa.<br />
<br />
Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, Tampines die-hard fan Haikel Mohd, a 26-year-old student, said: "I'll definitely be there at Jalan Besar for Friday's game.<br />
<br />
"I have class that day, but I've already decided I'm going to skip it. It's not every day your team are playing in a title-decider."<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The Stags have continued to boast a healthy turnout at home games this season, even after they made the switch from Tampines to Clementi in February due to redevelopment around their former stadium.<br />
<br />
Haikel, who stays in Tampines, admits that travelling all the way to the west has been a challenge, but it has not stopped him from making the trek.<br />
<br />
"I grew up watching the team, taking part in their football clinics as a kid, and they're special to me," he explained.<br />
<br />
"Plus, I feel that now, more than ever, the S-League needs all the support it can get. So I turn up for games whenever I can."<br />
<br />
<b>Smaller clubs</b><br />
<br />
Passionate fan support is not the exclusive privilege of title-chasing teams like Tampines.<br />
<br />
Week in, week out, the likes of the Hougang Hools, The Black Sheep (Woodlands Wellington), The Eagles Ultras (Geylang United) and the Courts Young Lions' fan club will be at various stadiums, excitedly willing their favourites on.<br />
<br />
Never mind the fact that they back four of the six sides at the bottom of the 13-team S-League.<br />
<br />
The faithful don't number in the thousands or hundreds, and in some cases, the group is made up of 10 to 30 members.<br />
<br />
But, you can bet there will always be pockets of faithful fans at various S-League matches who make it a point to show up for every week's matches.<br />
<br />
Cheetah fan Ernest Lim, 37, has not missed a single home game at the Hougang Stadium, where he sells scarves and flags on a voluntary basis.<br />
<br />
Said Lim: "I went to the first game of the 2011 season with a friend. We beat Woodlands 1-0 and the atmosphere was great. The Hools sang for the entire 90 minutes and I was hooked.<br />
<br />
"I had not been to an S-League game before that. I was more of an armchair fan who watched televised matches.<br />
<br />
"I thought the league was doing okay. Then I started to realise that the support was declining.<br />
<br />
"I wanted to enjoy the football atmosphere more and as I was about to move to Sengkang around that time, so I decided to follow Hougang United. "Give your local team a chance," he added.<br />
<br />
"The football is better than you think and every new fan will go a long way in helping revive Singapore football and the S-League."<br />
<br />
Look harder at the Hools and ang moh Chris Harvey will stick out.<br />
<br />
The 54-year-old engineer comes from Torquay, England, but has been living in Singapore for the past 20 years.<br />
<br />
Not only does he travel from Yishun to attend the team's matches, he is also present at youth games as well as Prime League matches, and volunteers to take pictures to be posted on the Internet as well.<br />
<br />
"We have got to reach out to everyone associated with the club," he said. "Most of the boys who play for our Under-14s and Under-16s come from Seng Kang Secondary School, and do you know the grandstand was packed with genuine supporters from the school when they played a match against Hong Kah Secondary School?<br />
<br />
<b>Family backing</b><br />
<br />
"My hope for the club is to grow the level of support, in particular, the family-oriented typed of support."<br />
<br />
Like Lim, Geylang fan Muhd Firdaus felt he had to do something in the light of waning support, so he helped form the Eagles Ultras with a bunch of like-minded buddies.<br />
<br />
The 26-year-old said: "I happened to watch a game at Bedok Stadium last year and I was shocked there was hardly anyone there.<br />
<br />
"About 10 years ago, Bedok was always full and people had to queue to buy tickets.<br />
<br />
"I wanted to do something for the fans and the players, create some sort of atmosphere."<br />
<br />
Creating an "atmosphere" is what Hussain Razzak does at every Woodlands Wellington game.<br />
<br />
The 49-year-old has been a Rams faithful since 1998, when he moved to Woodlands.<br />
<br />
Boasting a voice like a loudhailer, Hussain can be heard at every Woodlands game, home or away, leading the team's group of fans in chants, songs and banter.<br />
<br />
"I enjoy it very much. It helps me reduce stress, keeps me alive and kicking," he said.<br />
<br />
"I've been involved in football in the north since the days of (now-defunct) Gilbraltar Crescent, so I've carried that on until now.<br />
<br />
"Okay, I might be very loud, and maybe even vulgar at times during games, but after that I'm normal.<br />
<br />
"Anyway, I think we need that at games... loud, colourful characters."<br />
<br />
Being quiet is definitely something the Lee family cannot be accused of.<br />
<br />
A fixture at every Young Lions home game at Jalan Besar Stadium, Sunny Lee and his family of six are there with like-minded families.<br />
<br />
There are less foul-mouth tirades, and more heartfelt encouragement from their seats.<br />
<br />
Said 57-year-old Lee: "We were supporting Tanjong Pagar United from their first S-League season as Tiong Bahru United in 1996 until they withdrew after the 2004 season. Then we started following Young Lions because we wanted to help motivate the promising young local players.<br />
<br />
"It is unthinkable that they should play without any fans watching.<br />
<br />
"So all six of us, my wife Yana and I, our three sons Syafiq, Taufiq and Moris and daughter Crystal Adriana, have been there for every home game.<br />
<br />
"It is not cheap because there are six of us and we also go for LionsXII and national team games.<br />
<br />
"But we make it a point to follow the teams as they groom the future of Singapore football.<br />
<br />
"If Singaporeans don't support local football and the S-League, who will?" <a href="http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20121101-380811/2.html" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-77061520774732975142012-10-30T11:36:00.004+08:002012-10-30T11:38:04.912+08:00Harimau top-three bid dented by HougangBy ESPNStar.com<br />
Gabriel Tan<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1M4gUMMoWfA/UI9KeeA7lJI/AAAAAAAABuI/R5btFsgmgCM/s320/20121029210034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Chris Harvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>HGFC 0<br /><br />HARIMAU MUDA 0</b><br />
<br />
Harimau Muda's bid to finish in the top three of the Great Eastern-YEO's S.League were handed a small blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Hougang United.<br />
<br />
In a fairly open game, both sides had their fair share of chances but the Young Tigers found their path to goal blocked by an inspired Fadhil Salim, who produced a string of outstanding saves to deny the visitors.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, it was the Cheetahs who came closest to scoring in the 84th minute when left-back Fazly Hasan sent a long-range freekick smashing back off the crossbar.<br />
<br />
While the result was enough to take Harimau above Albirex Niigata into third place, they arguably have the tougher of the final-round fixtures as they take on leaders Tampines Rovers who are still vying for the title, while the White Swans visit 9th-placed Gombak United.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
One minute in, they created their first opening when Irfan Fazail played a visionary pass through to Ahmad Hazwan who looked poised to fire a shot away, only to be denied by a great recovering tackle by Lau Meng Meng.<br />
<br />
11 minutes later, it was Hougang's turn to carve out a chance when Azhar Sairudin embarked on a driving run through the middle and picked out Sobrie Mazelan, who shifted the ball out right to Jordan Webb. Unfortunately for the hosts, the Canadian delayed his shot for a second too long and allowed Shahrul Saad to weigh in with a vital block.<br />
<br />
Hazwan, who entered Monday's game as Harimau's leading scorer with seven goals to his name, then had another sighting in the 19th minute when his snapshot was deflected into the side-netting, after he latched onto a left-wing cross by V. Kavichelvan and spun past Hasree Zais to create space for himself.<br />
<br />
Fadhil Salim, who was having a relatively quiet outing up to that point, then reacted well in the 22nd minute to keep out a firm effort by Syahid Zaidon and two minutes later, he did even better to keep deny Hazwan, sticking out a leg in time to keep out the youngster's low shot.<br />
<br />
Eight minutes before the break, the Cheetahs keeper came to his side's rescue again when he produced a remarkable reflex save to keep out a bullet header from point-blank range by Syahid, after he had been picked out unmarked inside the area by a brilliant first-time cross from D. Saarvindran.<br />
<br />
Saarvindran then had a shooting chance of his own two minutes later when he found space down the right and cut inside Fazly Hasan, before unleashing a terrific left-footed shot that sailed just over the top corner.<br />
A minute after the break, Hougang had a good opportunity when Webb rose highest inside the area but he was unable to capitalise on the opponents' slack marking, sending his header narrowly over the bar.<br />
<br />
The visitors were then left wondering if they were ever going to find a way past Fadhil Salim in the 52nd minute, after the 29-year-old produced a fantastic save to keep out a bullet header from Hazwan at the back post, after Kavichelvan had picked out his team-mate with a terrific cross.<br />
<br />
Eager to end their season on a winning note, the hosts started to display more intent and six minutes later, Mamadou Diallo went on a driving run through the middle and left two men in his wake before threading a past through to Sobrie. But just as he looked set to test Farhan Abu Bakar in the Harimau goal, Nazirul Naim slammed the door shut in his face with a perfectly-timed challenge inside the box.<br />
<br />
Three minutes after the hour mark, Farhan was finally called into action when he did well to keep out an effort from Webb down low, after Nurhilmi Jasni had sliced open the visitors' backline with an incisive pass.<br />
<br />
Ten minutes later, Saarvindran, who was giving the opposition all sorts of problems, sent another searching cross into the box but Hazwan just failed to reach it, when the slightest of touches would have probably seen him put the ball past a stranded Fadhil.<br />
<br />
Six minutes from time, Hougang were extremely unlucky not to finally break the deadlock when Fazly went straight for goal with a 35-yard freekick and could only watch as it came back off the crossbar.<br />
<br />
A minute later, Harimau had one final chance to steal all three points and bolster their hopes of a top-three finish when Saarvidran found space down the right and skipped past Fazly, before smashing an effort towards goal. However, Fadhil once again produced a stunning save and parried the shot wide, leaving both sides to settle for a share of the spoils.<br />
<br />
<b>Hougang United:</b> Fadhil Salim, Lau Meng Meng, Hasree Zais, Syaqir Sulaiman, Fazly Hasan, Jordan Webb, Faizal Amir, Azhar Sairudin (Farhan Rahmat 75'), Fazli Jaffar (Nurhilmi Jasni 46'), Sobrie Mazelan, Mamadou Diallo (Ignatius Ang 61').<br />
<br />
<b>Harimau Muda:</b> Farhan Abu Bakar, Raphi Azizan (Ferris Danial 78'), Affize Faisal, Shahrul Saad, Nazirul Naim, Azzizan Nordin (Amer Saidin 61'), Irfan Fazail, D. Saarvindran, Syahid Zaidon, V. Kavichelvan (Wan Zaharulnizam 53'), Ahmad Hazwan. <a href="http://www.espnstar.com/football/sleague/news/detail/item881544/Hougang-dent-Harimau's-top-three-hopes/" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-38357168160000768882012-10-30T08:00:00.000+08:002012-10-30T16:25:02.438+08:00Another season concludes, another job well done! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="264" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029214248.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><img height="269" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029214356.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<img height="137" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029214120.jpg" width="200" /> <img height="137" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029221930.jpg" width="200" /><br />
<img height="140" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029215650.jpg" width="200" /> <img height="141" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0//20121029220435.jpg" width="200" /><br />
Photos: Chris Harvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://hougangunited.com/_012403/306//Ckharvey/20121029-hougang-harimau-0-0/e2f445b48b6bed1a" target="_blank">More pictures</a></div>
A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-87718674439745346292012-10-29T16:30:00.004+08:002012-10-29T16:32:41.526+08:00Bacina rallying Cheetahs for the last hurrahBy Kenneth Tan
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WA4KaUpSpYk/UI4-NVAESuI/AAAAAAAABsk/WJkXl9J4tdU/s320/hougang_bacinaorder_home_lg2012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Aundry Gan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Taking a step forward is indeed essential for Hougang, but whether Bacina will be around to nurture the squad next season is another matter, with the uncertainty surrounding his position.<br />
<br />
The 41-year-old revealed that the Cheetahs management yet to talk to him regarding plans for 2013, adding that talks will only start after their match against the Harimau Muda is finished.<br />
<br />
In the immediate term, however, he is likely to miss out on the services of creative playmaker Ante Barac due to a troublesome calf problem, while Fazli Jaffar may miss out with a back injury sustained against DPMM.<br />
<br />
Bacina can however consider taking some tips from his Malaysian counterpart Ong Kim Swee, who is no stranger to developing young players.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Ong’s notable experience in Malaysian football and meticulous preparation ensured the Young Tigers punched above their weight in their maiden season in the S.League.<br />
<br />
With his pre-season target of finishing among the top five already in the bag, the Malacca-born man was not keen on his side resting on their laurels.<br />
<br />
“If you take a good look at it, we have an average age of 21, and we were without key players for most of the season,” he examined.<br />
<br />
“The boys showed good character in terms of fighting against the big boys, who have four to five foreigners. There’s nothing else I can ask of them.<br />
<br />
“Even though we’ve surpassed our target of finishing in the top five, now we have chance to go third. Thus it’s a challenge for the boys to finish as high as possible.”<br />
<br />
Ong’s side will be short on numbers again, though, with Thamil Arasu, Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria, Affize Faisal and Ariff Farhan all rated as ‘doubtful’.<br />
<br />
Only 15 players will therefore be available for this clash, a marginal improvement over the 13 they had against Geylang United last week.<br />
<br />
Their schedule since returning from the Vietnam Newspaper Cup triumph looks tight, as they take Hougang on five days after beating Geylang, before facing league leaders Tampines Rovers another four days later in a key title-decider.<br />
<br />
With so little time available for rest, Ong admitted that his charges are getting minimal preparation for this game, having stayed around their hotel area after their arrival in Singapore on Sunday noon.<br />
<br />
“There’s nothing much we can do,” he commented.<br />
<br />
“After the Geylang game, we went back to Kuala Lumpur the next day. The players had a Hari Raya Haji break on Friday, and then we had a light session before coming over to Singapore.<br />
<br />
“With a tight schedule, it’s not a matter of training hard. It’s more of how to get the boys into good condition and to recover well.”<br />
<br />
Knowing how tricky this task against Hougang will be, the 41-year-old called on his players to maintain the foundation of their game that has brought wins in their last two league outings.<br />
<br />
“I know Hougang have only lost once in their last ten matches,” he pointed out.<br />
<br />
“They’ve improved tremendously under a good coach, so it’s not as easy as others expect.<br />
<br />
“I’ll watch how the situation develops during the match to decide what we should do, but importantly, it’s a matter of patience. We need to keep discipline, just like how we played against Balestier (Khalsa) and Geylang.” <a href="http://sleague.com/match-preview/s-league/2012/october/2012-10-29/hougang-united-fc" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-60619690432531533302012-10-27T14:24:00.003+08:002012-10-27T20:01:12.541+08:00Kelantan The Red Warriors SupportersA short introduction/lesson for our league authorities, stake holders, S.League fans and those who have not heard of the word - ULTRAS. <br />
<br />
They are the un-official supporter groups that promote non-violent loyalty and vocal support for their beloved football clubs; and are an essential ingredient in the football scene with their elaborate displays of banners, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tifo" target="_blank">tifos</a>, chants etc. With ultras, a football stadium will always look and sound like a football stadium; and not a quiet library.<br />
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<br />
Kelantan FA shows you why their ultras a.k.a <b>Red Warrior Supporters</b> played an important part in the club's mercurial rise.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g8p573MRfNw" width="440"></iframe></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
Kelantan FA's climb to the summit wasn't an over night success but <a href="http://football.thestar.com.my/2012/10/25/a-journey-through-kelantans-dramatic-rise-in-malaysian-football/" target="_blank">a long and winding one</a>. During the mid 1990's Malaysia's football suffered various setbacks e.g match-fixing, corruption and internal administration problems plagued the football fraternity.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
The turn around came in 1994 when the state of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelantan" target="_blank">Kelantan</a> experienced social changes that allowed the newly appointed President of Kelantan FA Tan Sri Anuar Nusa to tap on the new found energy of it's football supporters a.k.a Red Warriors Supporters.<br />
<br />
Since then, the club never looked back and the supporters are now renown to be the fiercest in Malaysia and even though they may seem like an annoyance to folks who would prefer a more sterile environment, ultras' on and off pitch presence and contribution to their club cannot be ignored - a force to be reckon with throughout the region. </div>
A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-63774566650333940042012-10-26T13:54:00.000+08:002012-11-08T14:09:03.180+08:00S-League: HGFC 1:3 DPMM<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9yKxXN7CJwI" width="440"></iframe>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>S-League</b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Wednesday 24th October 2012</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Hougang United 1 : 3 DPMM</div>
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Hougang Stadium</div>
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<br />
Hougang United - (Jordan Webb 10')<br />
DPMM - (Azwan Salleh 25', Patrick Roberto 52', Ampuan Azami 60') </div>
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A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-5626162530201717652012-10-25T10:00:00.000+08:002012-10-25T10:00:06.594+08:00DPMM win brings title race to the wireBy ESPNStar.com<br />
Gabriel Tan
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hougang United vs DPMM FC: Patrick da Silva, Hasree Zais" height="179" src="http://www.espnstar.com/servlet/file/878201_33_preview.jpg?ITEM_ENT_ID=878201&ITEM_VERSION=1&COLLSPEC_ENT_ID=10&FILE_SERVICE_CONF_ID=33" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: FAS</td></tr>
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<b>HGFC 1</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jordan Webb 39'</span><br />
<br />
<b>DPMM FC 3</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Azwan Salleh 25', Patrick Roberto 52', Ampuan Azami 60'</span><br />
<br />
The Great Eastern-YEO's S.League title race will go down to the final week after DPMM FC stayed in contention with a 3-1 win over Hougang United on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
After the hosts took the lead in the 10th minute through an opportunistic strike by Jordan Webb, DPMM hit back six minutes before the half-hour mark when Azwan Saleh curled home a delightful freekick.<br />
<br />
Patrick da Silva then scored six minutes after the break to put the visitors in front, before Ampuan Nurul Azami made sure of the three points when he added a third from close range.<br />
<br />
The victory was enough to keep alive DPMM's title hopes as they are now three points behind leaders Tampines Rovers, but with a better goal difference, but things were far from smooth-sailing as they fell behind after just ten minutes, when their failure to clear a Fazly Hasan cross saw Webb pounce inside the area and plant a shot into the back of the net.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Five minutes later, Azwan swung in a dangerous cross that Fadhil Salim did well to tip away before Shahrazen Said could connect, but in the 24th minute, the DPMM dead-ball expert duly equalised when he scored with a sublime curler, after Da Silva had been tripped on the edge of the area by Syaqir Sulaiman.<br />
<br />
Despite being six places below DPMM, Hougang showed no signs of being daunted by their opponents and came close to reclaiming the lead four minutes later when Sobrie Mazelan flashed a left-footed half-volley just wide after a good passing move had resulted in Azhar Sairudin picking him out with a floated ball.<br />
<br />
A minute after the hour mark, it was the visitors' turn to come close when Da Silva pounced on a loose ball inside the area and slid a pass out left to Azwan, who drilled a shot inches wide of Fadhil's far post.<br />
<br />
Four minutes before the break, DPMM came close once again when Basiru Osman darted towards the near post to meet a good cross by Shahrazen but just failed to keep his effort on target.<br />
<br />
However, there was no denying them in the 51st minute when Osman went on a terrific run straight through the middle before playing the ball to Da Silva, who showed plenty of composure to bring the ball under control and create space for himself before placing his shot into the bottom corner.<br />
<br />
Nine minutes later, Vjeran Simunic's men surged further in front when Shahrazen met an Ivan Jerkovic corner with a firm header that forced Fadhil into a fantastic reflex save, only for Ampuan to react quickest and stab home at the far post.<br />
<br />
Despite their opponents now holding a comfortable lead, Hougang refused to be deterred and should have pulled one back in the 66th minute when Mamadou Diallo sent a free header wide from ten yards out, after Fazly had broken down the left and swung in a good cross.<br />
<br />
Osman, who was beginning to pose all kinds of problems to the Cheetahs backline, then came close to adding his name to the scoresheet in the 71st minute when he went on another driving run and left two players in his wake, but could only fire a fierce drive into the sidenetting.<br />
<br />
11 minutes from time, Hougang came excruciatingly close to pulling one back when Fazli Jaffar picked out Ignatius Ang, but the substitute could only watch in disbelief as Wardun Yussof kept out his point-blank range effort with a fine save.<br />
<br />
The hosts had one final chance to set up a tense finish to the came seven minutes from time when Webb swung in a dangerous delivery into the box, but Syaqir, who had did well to rise above his marker, could only send his header wide.<br />
<br />
In the end, it was DPMM who were left to celebrate what could prove to be a vital win at the final whistle.<br />
<br />
<b>Hougang United: </b>Fadhil Salim, Lau Meng Meng, Hasree Zais, Syaqir Sulaiman, Fazly Hasan, Faizal Amir, Mamadou Diallo, Azhar Sairudin (Ignatius Ang 76'), Fazli Jaffar, Sobrie Mazelan (Nurhilmi Jasni 64'), Jordan Webb.<br />
<br />
<b>DPMM FC: </b>Wardun Yussof, Ampuan Nurul Azami (Shahrulrizal Abd Rahman 69'), Pg Sallehuddin Damit (Abdul Aziz Tamit 87'), Sairol Sahari, Helmi Zambin, Rosmin Kamis, Ivan Jerkovic, Azwan Saleh, Shahrazen Said, Basiru Osman, Patrick da Silva (Adi Said 90'). <a href="http://www.espnstar.com/football/sleague/news/detail/item878136/DPMM-win-brings-title-race-to-the-wire/" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-72674291843695150232012-10-25T08:00:00.000+08:002012-10-25T12:02:57.407+08:00Semagat regardless the score<div style="text-align: center;">
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A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-79130528734395133542012-10-24T10:22:00.000+08:002012-10-27T13:17:44.807+08:00Match Preview: Hougang United vs DPMM FCBy OPOD<br />
Jia Hui Chicharito and Nicholas Neo
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Mohd Safwan bin Saiful Sopian</td></tr>
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The equation is simple for DPMM - Win, or they can forget about winning the title.<br />
<br />
With only four points separating them and league leaders Tampines Rovers, three points against Hougang United will close the gap between them and the Stags to just a point as both teams head into the final fixture.<br />
<br />
A draw at the Hougang Stadium would be enough mathematically, but they Wasps will still need Harimau Muda to do them a favour by beating Tampines next week to ensure that it happens. A defeat, of course, would mean that they finish runners-up. <br />
<br />
DPMM beat struggling Woodlands 2-1 in their last game on Sunday to record their fourth consecutive victory, albeit unconvincingly as they needed captain Rosmin Kamis’ second-half goal to earn the win against the Rams who had taken a shock lead in the first half. Lucky for them, they had Striker Shahrazen Said, who scored the equalising goal just before the break.<br />
<br />
Their opponents for tonight are the eighth placed Cheetahs, whom they beat 5-1 during their first meeting in May at the mighty Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. But DPMM will not find the going easy against the resurgent Cheetahs, who have shown vast improvement since that thrashing and are currently on a nine-match unbeaten run which began earlier this June.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Coach Nenad Bacina has drilled Hougang into a well-oiled unit this season, and are no longer pushovers in the league. As evidence of their newfound prowess, they have held both Home United and Tampines to draws and recorded a victory over Albirex Niigata (Singapore) recently.<br />
<br />
Apart from a minor blip in form early this season, Bacina has done an excellent job with the limited resources has in his hands, as the Croatian masterminded several tactical changes in his formation. For example, the deployment of traditional striker Mamadou Diallo in midfield has paid plenty of dividends.<br />
<br />
One man the Bruneians will have to look out for in the Hougang side will be winger-cum-forward, Jordan Webb. The Canadian has been firing on all cylinders this season and is currently the club’s top scorer with 11 goals this season.<br />
<br />
His pace and his trickery down the flanks has caused many problems for opposing defences and with DPMM missing defensive stalwart Tales Dos Santos, Webb would fancy a goal or two here in front of the vocal home fans.<br />
<br />
However, Brunei DPMM boast quite a strike force, with the likes of Brazillian Patrick Da Silva and talismanic striker Shahrazen Said up front, and the likes of defender Syaqir Sulaiman and Lau Meng Meng will need to be on the top of their toes.<br />
<br />
In addition, they will need to watch out for midfield maestro Ivan Jerkovic, who can thread plenty of deadly through balls to their forward men. If Hougang’s Ante Barac can keep him silent, they might just win the midfield battle.<br />
<br />
Hougang last five games: DWDDD<br />
DPMM last five games: WWWWD<br />
<br />
Previous meeting: DPMM 5 Hougang 1 (Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium) <a href="http://www.footballopod.com/Team_home.aspx?id=1257">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-18743528481149453862012-10-12T10:55:00.001+08:002012-10-12T11:50:46.267+08:00Heavy friendly defeat not fazing TayBy S-League<br />
Kenneth Tan
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Chris Harvey</td></tr>
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<div>
<b>HGFC 5</b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fazli Jaffar 13', Ante Barac 19' (pen), Jordan Webb 27', Azhar Sarudin 59', Diallo Mamadou 68'</span><br />
<br />
<b>TRFC 1</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sead Hadžibulić 17' (pen)</span><br />
<br />
Tampines Rovers were given a stern reminder of how badly defeat could sting them when they visited Hougang Stadium for a friendly outing against Hougang United on Thursday evening.<br />
<br />
If the outcome of the match was anything to go by, the Stags will do well to be wary when they step out on the Jalan Besar Stadium pitch to take on SAFFC in the penultimate league game of their season in a week’s time.<br />
<br />
Falling on the wrong end of a 5-1 mauling might have mattered little in itself, given that there were no points or trophies at stake, but there were worrying signs in the manner of the defeat.<br />
<br />
Perhaps Tampines wanted to conserve their energy for the upcoming challenges – they meet the Warriors as well in the RHB Singapore Cup final – or perhaps the absence of Aleksandar Duric, Jufri Taha and Fahrudin Mustafic due to national team commitments weakened them somewhat.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The distinct lack of enthusiasm in their play throughout the 90 minutes was distinct, however, whereas the hosts appeared to be up for every 50-50 ball.<br />
<br />
Fazli Jaffar opened the scoring after only 13 minutes by slotting into an empty net, after Jordan Webb’s unselfish pass inside the box caught Stags goalkeeper Sasa Dreven by complete surprise.<br />
<br />
The visitors managed to level matters four minutes later when Sead Hadzibulic pulled off an Antonin Panenka-like finish with his penalty kick after Ahmed Fahmie was brought down by Faizal Amir, but that was all they were to muster in this game.<br />
<br />
Barely two minutes after the goal by Hadzibulic, a infringement by Benoit Croissant inside the area was spotted by the linesman, and Ante Barac duly stepped up to send Dreven the wrong way.<br />
<br />
On 27 minutes, the Cheetahs extended their lead as Webb was allowed to slalom through unmolested before slotting past a stranded Dreven.<br />
<br />
Other than a long shot and a Noh Alam Shah header that went wide, the Stags did virtually nothing in the attacking third for the rest of the first half.<br />
<br />
Stags coach Tay Peng Kee proceeded to rest his first-team players at the break, with Dreven, Anaz Hadee, Ismadi Mukhtar, Sazali Salleh and Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin all coming off for their Prime League counterparts.<br />
<br />
The inexperience of that second-half lineup was duly exploited by Hougang in the second half.<br />
<br />
Azhar Sairudin bundled home from close range on 59 minutes off a Mamadou Diallo cutback, while the Guinean hit one of his own nine minutes later with a 20-yard grasscutter that fizzed past Stags substitute goalkeeper Arif Ali.<br />
<br />
Other than a Fahmie lob that went wide of the post, the Stags were largely under the cosh in the closing stages as they fell to a four-goal defeat.<br />
<br />
Tay appeared unperturbed by the defeat when speaking to sleague.com after the match, saying quite little on the game.<br />
<br />
The former Singapore international preferred to focus on the fact that his players were able to gain some match fitness from this outing, as the league takes a break for the international weekend.<br />
<br />
Despite the huge margin of the victory, Hougang coach Nenad Bacina believed the Stags still have what it takes to retain the S.League title.<br />
<br />
“SAFFC may give them some trouble in their next game, but Tampines are a good team,” noted the former Warriors skipper.<br />
<br />
“They’re still the team to beat this season.” <a href="http://sleague.com/news-features/news/2012/october/heavy-friendly-defeat-not-fazing-tay">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-13224990817698694072012-10-11T13:28:00.000+08:002012-10-11T14:17:37.796+08:00New league format, revised prize monies?By Mervin Tan<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Goal.com</td></tr>
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With the announcement of the new S.League format next season, there are widespread apprehension and even derision (once again) in effecting any changes for our league, whether for better or poorer. Like what Bolasepako.com predicts about that widespread skeptism about anything to do with our very own Singaporean national league: <a href="http://www.bolasepako.com/2012/10/lack-of-sustainability-resulted.html">http://www.bolasepako.com/2012/10/lack-of-sustainability-resulted.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>S.LEAGUE FORMAT 2013</u></b><br />
<br />
Anyway, a recap of our <a href="http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC121010-0000044/A-new-format-for-S-League-next-year">new league format</a>:<br />
<br />
- Usual 2-round home-and-away format, followed by 2 post-season mini-leagues:<br />
- Top 7 teams to playoff in a top-half mini-league (let's call it "Div 1")<br />
- Bottom 6 teams playoff in a bottom-half mini-league ("Div 2")<br />
- To determine final league positions<br />
<br />
As expected, widespread skeptism, including this writer, abounded:<br />
<br />
- "Who's going to watch Div 2?"<br />
- "Takes away the unpredictability of, say, Hougang shocking <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-sg/match/76096/albirex-niigata-singapore-vs-hougang-united-fc/report" target="_blank">Albirex 3-2</a>!" (basically, every lower-end club wants the excitement to be king-makers, right?)<br />
<br />
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and so on (more on discussion forums like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kallangroar/posts/420190461364099">Kallangroar.com's</a> FaceBook discussion thread.<br />
<br />
And so, to delve into the minds of the policy-makers in FAS and/or S.League CEO Lim Chin's team:<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b><u>WHY?</u></b><br />
<br />
Apart from the usual trying-to-create-buzz-bring-back-fans attempt, two sound rationale came to mind:<br />
<br />
1) Too few games/too many games<br />
2011, 3-round format. Way too long.<br />
2012, 2-round format. WAY TOO FEW GAMES.<br />
<br />
Here we have our Hougang United players and fans, sitting around waiting for ONE WHOLE MONTH after drawing with SAFFC 2-2, for our next huge match vs Brunei DPMM. That loss of momentum is probably our bigger threat to our record (thus far) 9-match unbeaten run than DPMM itself!<br />
<br />
So, if 2 rounds too short, 3 rounds too long - might as well have 2 and a half right?<br />
*started to warm up to the new format*<br />
<br />
2) Promotion-relegation criteria<br />
<br />
Question: who thinks we should have a permanent-relegation league system?<br />
Yes, almost all of us - for this writer, it's primarily because he wants S.League to score more points with AFC for our future Asian Champions League spot!<br />
<br />
Now, hand on heart: who thinks our amateur NFL Div 1 league is ready to send their teams up to the professional S.League?<br />
Therein lies the problem. In creating a mini-league, is our baby step towards hopefully our far-future full-fledged promotion-relegation system. And who knows, maybe earn a few points towards getting increased allocation of Asian Champions League / AFC Cup slots for our S.League sides.<br />
*getting warmer now*<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>BUT!</u></b><br />
<br />
With hardly any incentives for bottom-teams to fight hard for league positions (let's put aside rumoured mis-management of clubs by, well, a few club managements for now), by itself the implementation of the post-season mini-leagues is doomed to abject failure. Who's going to bother about Div 2??<br />
<br />
Hence, the post-season mini-leagues have to be implemented in conjunction with...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>NEW MONETARY INCENTIVES</u></b><br />
<br />
FAS also announced new carrots for the league champions - S$250,000 prize money (up from the S$100,000).<br />
<br />
Not that money is an only incentive, but given that monetary incentive can be quite the motivator for a competitive league - even the English Premier League has monetary award for every league position finish - here's a suggestion:<br />
<br />
Div 1<br />
Champions to be awarded:<br />
S$250,000 (with AFC cup slot / future ACL slot)<br />
Runners up: S$150,000 (future AFC cup playoff with Div 2 Plate winner)<br />
3rd: S$100,000<br />
<br />
4th: S$80,000<br />
5th: S$60,000<br />
6th: S$40,000<br />
7th: S$20,000<br />
<br />
Div 2<br />
8th (plate champions): S$30,000 (future AFC cup playoff with Div 1 runners-up)<br />
9th: S$10,000<br />
10th: S$8,000<br />
11th: S$5,000<br />
12th: S$1,000<br />
13th: No award (Timber!)<br />
<br />
Total monetary incentive budget: S$354,000<br />
(even less than an earlier suggestion of S$576,000 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kallangroar/posts/420190461364099?comment_id=4463185&offset=0&total_comments=45">by this writer</a>!!)<br />
<br />
Rationale:<br />
- This way, most teams would try to vie for Div 1 (due to greater monetary incentives overall);<br />
- Those in Div 2 will still try to get the top spot (as the Div 2 champion will earn more than the last position), maybe even be awarded a Plate trophy.<br />
<br />
Who knows, eventually maybe even have a qualifying run-off for an AFC Cup spot if the S.League is awarded one more AFC Cup slot (e.g. Div 1 runner-ups vs Div 2 plate champion?)<br />
- Every league position will be fought for, similar to that in the EPL where EVERY league position is rewarded financially.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, FAS needs to invest big and creatively, to create a competitive league where fans are emotionally invested in each team's success. Then the return of fans would begin. Small baby steps, long-term investments, future success.<br />
<br />
Long live our S.League!<br />
(and to keep the dream of our Hougang United in the Asian Champions League alive!)<br />
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A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-35264267769815876792012-10-11T10:37:00.000+08:002012-10-11T10:37:25.813+08:00Clubs set for bigger carrot<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Tampines Rovers pocketed S$150,000 when they won last </div>
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year's S-League. Next year's champions could bring home </div>
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S$250,000 if the S-League chief's plan is approved.</div>
Photo: TODAY</td></tr>
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<b>Bigger prize for league winners part of efforts to boost standards, interest</b><br />
<br />
SINGAPORE - Clubs in the Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League are set for a cash boost in the form of subsidies to lure marquee names to Singapore next year.<br />
<br />
If S-League Chief Executive Lim Chin and his team have their way, more money could also be thrown into the prize pot for the club that wins the league.<br />
<br />
If approved, the monetary reward for the 2013 S-League champions will jump, from the current S$150,000 to S$250,000. The cheque for the winners of the RHB Singapore Cup will also grow from S$80,000 to S$100,000.<br />
<br />
It is not clear if the teams that finish behind the winners will also see a corresponding increase in winnings. Currently, the runners-up in the S-League take home S$80,000 while third place fetches a S$40,000 reward.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
"All the changes we are trying to implement are designed to make the league more competitive, while injecting excitement and interest that we hope will boost attendances," said Lim who declined to elaborate further. "That goes for the increase in prize money, change in league format, as well as marquee player initiative."<br />
<br />
The proposed increase will see the S-League start to catch up with the other regional leagues that have stronger financial clout.<br />
<br />
This season, the LionsXII finished second, one place shy of snagging the top prize of RM750,000 (S$300,000) in the Malaysian Super League.<br />
<br />
The Thai Premier League reportedly paying 10 million Baht (S$400,000) to its champions, while Vietnam's V-League champions take home US$150,000 (S$184,000).<br />
<br />
Regional leagues still pale in comparison - in monetary terms - to the top leagues in the world. Chelsea bagged £16 million (S$31.5 million) when they were crowned 2009-2010 English Premier League champions.<br />
<br />
But Shasi Kumar, a former player and coach in the S-League, believes any money lured into football will be good for the game here.<br />
<br />
"A S$100,000 increase is a massive jump, it is a big amount of money that can make a big difference," he said. "While money should not be the only motivation for professional footballers, the promise of a bigger prize will definitely motivate players and clubs."<br />
<br />
The former Woodlands Wellington coach added that while clubs are entitled to the winnings, the majority of any prize money should filter down to the players.<br />
<br />
The increased prize money is one of several changes mooted by Lim and his team to inject life into an S-League that has seen crowd figures fall to an all-time low of 932 at the halfway mark of the 2012 season.<br />
<br />
Next year will have a new league format, new-look mandatory fitness test, as well as an influx of star quality with marquee players being lured to the Lion City.<br />
<br />
Said Lim: "We are still waiting for formal approval for a few of our initiatives and we will make formal announcements when we get it." <a href="http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC121011-0000053/Clubs-set-for-bigger-carrot" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-73296121852723557212012-10-10T14:21:00.000+08:002012-10-11T10:37:44.505+08:00S-League format set for revampBy ESPNSTAR.com staff
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<b>Changes to the format of the Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League are in the works as Singapore's top professional football league reinvents itself in a bid to win more fans.</b><br />
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The current format of the S-League sees the 13 teams in the league play one another in home and away fixtures, with the final standings of the teams decided after all 24 rounds of games have been played but next season could see an additional component added to this set-up.<br />
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Following the conclusion of the initial 24 rounds of games, the S-League champions will then be decided in a mini-league competition between the top seven sides in the table, whilst a separate mini-league will also be created for the remaining six sides to compete for their final position.<br />
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Speaking to TODAY at a S-League club chairmen's meeting, chief executive Lim Chin revealed: "S-League 2013 is starting to take shape, the league format has been decided ... and the fitness test is also more or less decided.<br />
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"We will be making formal announcements in two weeks when we get final approval for subsidies for clubs to sign marquee players next year.<br />
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"But there is some good news: The funding (request) is already being processed."<br />
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Lim refused to disclose further details of the marquee player scheme but did confirm that passing the dreaded<br />
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Beep Test would no longer be a requirement for players to be able to play in the league.<br />
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In its place, players will have to pass a 2.4km run; the passing time for outfield S-League players has been set at 10 minutes 15 seconds, while the passing time for Prime League players is 10 minutes 45 seconds.<br />
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Goalkeepers will have to complete the run within 12 minutes.<br />
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Interest in S-League games has seen a dramatic dip this season, due in no small part to the participation of the LIONSXII in the Malaysia Super League, and these proposed changes are aimed at increasing fan attendance to the games.<br />
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The last games of this season's S-League will take place on 4th November and the new season will begin in February next year. <a href="http://www.espnstar.com/football/sleague/news/detail/item871248/S-League-format-set-for-revamp/" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-2935995691037977612012-10-05T16:20:00.001+08:002012-10-05T16:26:22.671+08:00He needs extra timeStory reproduced from NTU’s magazine, HEY!
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SINGAPORE - This guy wishes there were 25 hours in a day. Then he can squeeze in a little more work, a little more planning, a little more thinking.<br />
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That extra hour could either give him the chance to finish his university assignment or map out his strategy against his professional football club's opponent in an upcoming match. Or finalise his thoughts on what to tell the boys he coaches.<br />
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For Syaqir Sulaiman, leisure is a dirty word.<br />
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This constant race against time is being run with one mission: to prove to his dad that he can make it in life.<br />
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Says the third-year Sport Science & Management undergraduate: "If I want to be a footballer, I have to first show him that I can do well in my studies."<br />
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When he was a teenager, he had overheard his parents discussing how he was the least likely of three siblings to make it to university. The words hit home like a red card.<br />
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That day, he scribbled a note on the inside of his cupboard: "You can do it. I'm going to prove abah (Malay for 'father') wrong."<br />
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Fast forward to 2012. Syaqir, 26, is hastily scribbling the final answers in an examination hall. The whistle blows for full-time, and even as his peers huddle to discuss the test, Syaqir has zipped off for another - one that begins in less than an hour.<br />
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Dribbling his way through peak-hour traffic from the bright lights of the exam hall to the spotlights of Hougang Stadium, he must again overcome Father Time: in one split-second on the football pitch, he must decide whether to commit to the challenge or stand his ground.<br />
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He goes for the jugular and wins the ball. The Hougang United fans roar their approval for the strapping 1.78-metre tall athlete who can play as a centre-back or defensive midfielder.<br />
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Syaqir gets no such adulation in school, where he keeps a low profile. But in the local, professional S League, he attracts attention from teammates who tease him for "being too clever for football".<br />
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After all, as one who juggles full-time studies and professional football, Syaqir is a rarity in the league.<br />
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During one of his earliest training sessions with Hougang, he was asked to lead the warm-up as "the sports professor". It may have been a joke but it was a fitting one given that Syaqir is also a coach to young footballers from Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Anglo-Chinese School (Junior).<br />
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He guides the boys two to three times a week, using science to back up his approach.<br />
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For instance, from his NTU module on sports psychology, he learnt how to handle people from different age groups. "Youngsters have short attention spans, so I let them play training matches or work with them on the basics like passing. Learning is more fun this way," he says.<br />
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The extra income he gets from his passion lets him "help with the family expenses" and pays part of his university tuition fees and second-hand car.<br />
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The car is his steadfast ally in tackling time when he must rush from club training sessions at Hougang Stadium - held in the evenings five times a week - to school ones at NTU.<br />
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Yet, despite his busy schedule, which includes five modules this semester, he is a committed member of the NTU football team.<br />
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There, he wears the no.7 jersey, like his hero David Beckham used to. But he is no prima donna. Despite being a professional footballer, he still tries his best to be at every campus training session.<br />
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Back on home ground, he chats with his parents after a long day out balancing football and school. He explains: "I don't want them to think I treat the house like a hotel where I just come home to sleep."<br />
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His day then enters extra-time. He puts what little time he has left to good use by spending 30 to 45 minutes each night recapping the day's lessons. "You shouldn't have this mindset that you will do your readings later - you will just keep on procrastinating," he says.<br />
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Good results are vital because he knows he cannot play football forever. Once he hangs up his boots at "around 31 or 32", his goal is to hold court in a school field. "I love teaching. I get a sense of satisfaction, be it from teaching others to play football or other sports. If my students are happy, I'm happy."<br />
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And his winning goal? To start a company to provide underprivileged kids with football coaching, something he couldn't afford as a child.<br />
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Then, his life would have come full circle. Ole, ole, ole…<a href="http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/features/people/1354588/He_needs_extra_time.html" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a><br />
<br />A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-4620828403600111702012-10-02T16:59:00.000+08:002012-10-10T16:59:50.566+08:00S-League: HGFC 2:2 SAFFC<div style="text-align: center;">
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Saturday 29th September 2012</div>
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Hougang United 2 : 2 SAFFC</div>
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Hougang Stadium</div>
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Hougang United - (Jordan Webb 35', Azhar Sarudin 50')<br />
SAFFC - (Mislav Karoglan 33', Shimpei Sakurada 68') </div>
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A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-51603297874573882432012-10-01T12:48:00.000+08:002012-10-04T10:38:56.217+08:00Hougang coach Nenad Bacina 'proud' after draw with SAFFCBy Goal.com<br />
Yeo Kheng Hui
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: ST He Photography</td></tr>
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<b>HGFC 2</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jordan Webb 39', Azhar Sairudin 59'</span><br />
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<b>SAFFC 2</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mislav Karoglan 33', Shimpei Sakurada 68'</span><br />
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The ex-Warriors captain was happy with the 2-2 draw against his former side which extended their unbeaten streak to nine games, while Richard Bok was happy with a point as well.
"I thought it was a good game; I'm satisfied with the point," explained SAFFC coach Richard Bok after the game.<br />
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"Overall, we had good movement, we worked well down the flanks, and we took our goals well."<br />
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"In terms of our play, I'm satisfied with the way we played. I hope we can continue or improve in the Cup game," noted Bok, referring to the coming semi-final against Gombak United.<br />
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Even with Hougang United only a point behind, Bok was not overly concerned about SAFFC's league position.<br />
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"I just wanted the team to go out and play a good game of football," explained Bok. "If the result goes our way, good; if not, at least the performance has to be there. I think we achieved that in terms of performance."<br />
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He did, however, express concern about the manner in which the Cheetahs snatched an equaliser to stay in the game.<br />
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"It is always a key moment just after one team has scored. There is a tendency for the other team to want the goal back, and we just didn't close them down quick enough. Hopefully we can address that," noted Bok.<br />
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Bok was not unduly concerned that his players would be tired out for their Singapore Cup game, noting that Gombak United would also have a match to play before the first leg of their Cup tie.<br />
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Hougang United, on the other hand, would have the luxury of a long break - three weeks, to be exact - before their coming 'Cup ties' against title contenders Harimau Muda and Brunei DPMM.<br />
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"We have to try to stay fresh and positive for these two last [league] matches. It looks like we will be involved in deciding the championship," chuckled Hougang coach Nenad Bacina.<br />
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"We have not planned any trips overseas," Bacina revealed. "It is the end of the season, and it will be hard to keep the players focused. I will give the boys a few days off first, then we might arrange a friendly in the last week."<br />
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"It will not be easy, but it is a good challenge to us to play against top teams and so far, we [have] proved we were able to upset all of them," said a satisfied Bacina.<br />
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"We stopped Home United, drew 1-1 with Tampines and beat Albirex, so we are looking forward to DPMM and Harimau Muda."<br />
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The Croatian also felt that the result on the night against SAFFC was fair.<br />
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"We have to say it's fair because both teams scored two goals. We have to be proud because this is our 9th game undefeated," he claimed.<br />
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"Of course, I know the boys are also quite sad because we didn't win the game although we were leading 2-1. Somehow, we didn't manage to stop them, but against top-class players like these it is always hard."<br />
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"If you give players like Inui the time and space, they will definitely send [in] a good cross," reflected Bacina. "We used to have Sobrie on this side doing the covering, but he had just switched with Webb before, who isn't really used to this. I guess that is a slight tactical mistake on my part."<br />
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Bacina was at least relieved that the recent trend of conceding late goals had been stopped.<br />
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"I was a bit worried about that, but at the same time I was a bit confident that maybe we could score a late goal.<br />
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"At the end of the day, of course, I have to give full credit to my players. I think they showed desire and good fighting spirit." <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3880/singapore/2012/09/30/3412842/hougang-coach-nenad-bacina-proud-after-draw-with-saffc" target="_blank">(SOURCE)</a>A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431008555924961727.post-44904578727862563452012-09-30T12:54:00.000+08:002012-10-02T12:55:05.208+08:00SAF held, Hougang's unbeaten run continues<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><img height="147" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20120929-hougang-saf-2-2//DSC_0029.jpg" width="200" /> <img height="147" src="http://hougangunited.com/iotaWave/Library//Ckharvey/20120929-hougang-saf-2-2//DSC_0081.jpg" width="200" /><br />
Photos: Chris Harvey</td></tr>
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<a href="http://hougangunited.com/_012403/266//Ckharvey/20120929-hougang-saf-2-2/53d1d767d08eae30" target="_blank">More pictures from Chris</a></div>
A Cheetahs Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12569078116920160165noreply@blogger.com0