Connect with us

Community

My Wish List for S-league 2011

Published

14 years ago

on

By Damon Yeo

The S-league is widely expected to kick off its 16th season on 7th February, a couple of days after the celebration of the Chinese New Year in Singapore. This year, more eyes will be on the domestic league, after a very unfortunate 2010, which many had described as the darkest year for Singapore football.

Source: skitguys.com

Below is my personal wish list for the upcoming season:

1) Tanjong Pagar United (and playing in the Queenstown Stadium)

I grew up as a Tiong Bahru United fan and had followed the club since before its heydays in the late 1990s. When I first read that they are planning for a comeback to the S-League, I felt that it would do domestic football a good deal. Very few people will disagree with me when I say that I rather Tanjong Pagar United be the 12th club in the S-League than Beijing Guoan (or ANY other Chinese club).

Also, the Jaguars need to play in Queenstown. I fondly remember the times huddling into the small sheltered portion of the stadium on rainy days and rustic feel to the whole place. Current incumbent Etoile FC did generate a fair bit of crowd during their stay there, but let’s be fair – the French-based club does not really aim to draw fans from around the proximity of the stadium in the first place.

2) Free entry / better accessibility for all

Last season, there was much media spotlight on the small number of paying spectators attending S-league games. According to media reports, there were less than 100 paying fans for many of the games. Doing a quick mental sum, a club probably earns less than a thousand dollars per game from gate receipts. If the gate collection is so meager, why not make all the games in the S-League free?

Free entry to all S-league games will encourage the younger crowd (whose few dollars mean a lot more) to turn up to games. In any case, this anticipated larger crowd will help generate higher sales at the various stalls inside and around the stadium. This may not be the one and only solution to bring the crowd back to S-league games, but by the simple economic theory of pricing, I cannot see why this wouldn’t help.

How about free bus shuttles for away fans during match days? Yes Singapore is geographical small, but trips from Tampines to Chua Chu Kang on weekdays can still deter some fans from turning up.

3) Scrap the League Cup/Expand the Singapore Cup

Source: sportsbizasia.com

Personally, I see little value in the League Cup in Singapore. Interest is already thin for the main S-league competition itself, why dilute it further by organizing another tournament for the 12 clubs? The Singapore League Cup, in its various incarnations since 2007, never had a consistent format and time frame, swinging from knock-out to round-robin, from pre-season to mid-season.

I wish to see an expanded version of the main Singapore Cup. I personally like the conception of foreign teams in the Singapore Cup. I attended several Cup games last year which involved Bangkok Glass. I am impressed by the turnout of the contingent of Thai supporters, their flag waving and chanting of unique chants (in Thai). There was much gripe in the media when Bangkok Glass won the competition but I don’t think that is a fair reflection on the quality of the local teams at all. Tampines Rovers were unlucky to lose that Final and our Young Lions also finished fourth.

If the Singapore Cup can be expanded to, say, 24 teams (12 S-league; 12 foreign) and the format be changed to round-robin, more interest can be generated. The invitation can be extended to our counterparts in Malaysia and Indonesia – I am sure many fans here will relish a SAFFC-Selangor match in a Cup tie or Noh Alam Shah playing against his ex-club Tampines Rovers.

4) Increased Local Media Coverage

Media companies are in business for the same reason as any other companies – profits. That I understand, but as the most popular source of local media, national papers like The Straits Times and The New Paper need to realign their focus to local football.

It is always very discouraging for me to see our local papers devote pages and pages of reports to the Premier League and just have a small section at the tail-end for the S-league. The local media have a responsibility to sell S-league to its readers and at the moment they are not doing enough of that. Back in the our Malaysia Cup days, people feel that they know our then-players inside out, because they read about them all the time in the local papers. This proximity and support is definitely missing now and the media has the opportunity to bring all that back, if only they want to.

Also, how about more “live” games on television? The “one-game-a-week” tie-in with MediaCorp is by no means enough. Cable TV also broadcasts local football games, but I propose more “free-to-air” games on the MediaCorp channels to reach out to the wider group

5) New Foreign Players

No disrespect to the current crop of foreign players in the S-league now, but recycling the pool of foreign players year in year out is not going to generate more interest. A decade ago, Geylang United managed to sign an Iranian duo that went out to play in the 1998 World Cup Finals. In recent history, a certain Issey Farran Nakajima launched his career in the S-league before moving to Europe and playing for the Canadian national team. The S-League is now crying out for players like them.

I have taken the liberty to find the below list of relatively well-known players who are not attached to any clubs at the moment. If we can sell the concept of living in an urban city like Singapore to them …

i) Jeremie Aliadere (Ex-Arsenal / Ex-Middlesboro)

ii) Michael Mifsud (Ex-Coventry City / Malta National team captain)

iii) Celestine Babayaro (Ex-Chelsea)

iv) Febian Brandy (Ex-Manchester United trainee)

v) Stelios Giannakopoulos (Ex-Bolton / Euro 2004 winner with Greece)

vi) Lee Hendrie (Ex-Aston Villa)

vii) Khalilou Fadiga (Ex-Inter / Ex-Senegal international)

viii) Andy van der Meyde (Ex-Ajax /Ex-Everton)

Damon Yeo is a life-long supporter of the Lions and has previously written for sleague.com and Football Weekly.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Arts & Culture

M’sia Guan Gong Cultural Association apologises for China flags waved in Perak event

A video showing people waving China flags during a 24 October procession in Teluk Intan, Perak, sparked online uproar. The event organiser has since apologised, explaining that the flags were held by a delegation from China attending the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival and clarifying that this was not part of the planned programme.

Published

4 hours ago

on

25 October 2024

By

PERAK, MALAYSIA: A video depicting a group of people waving China flags during a procession outside Menara Condong, Teluk Intan, Perak, has caused an uproar on the internet.

Uploaded on Thursday (24 October) by the TikTok account @sadiqsegara, the video shows the group waving several Chinese national flags while chanting “Heng, Ong, Huat!”—a Hokkien phrase meaning “Prosperous, Lucky, Rich!”

The caption read: “suddenly felt like in China.”

A subsequent video from the same account also showcased a lion troupe and a dragon dance accompanying the procession.

Although the original video of people waving the Chinese flags has since been deleted, it has been widely shared by other netizens.

Opposition Politician Criticises Incident, Calling China Flag Display “Overboard”

Opposition politician Mohd Hafez Sabri from The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) expressed his concern over the video, criticising the behaviour as “overboard.”

He questioned, “Why are they so excited to raise the flag of other countries while in our homeland? What kind of ceremony is this?”

The Deputy Head of PAS Youth further highlighted that under the National Emblem (Control of Display) Act 1949 (Act 193), Section 3 states that no person shall display any national emblem, including the flag of a foreign country, in a public place or school.

Organiser Clarifies Chinese Flags Were Waved by Visiting Delegation at International Guan Gong Festival

In response to the incident, Soon Boon Hua, chairman of the Guan Gong Cultural Association, issued an apology.

He clarified that the Chinese flags were waved by a delegation from China who participated in the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival.

“This was never part of the programme,” he said.

 He explained that the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival has been held for many years, taking place in various states from Johor to Kedah, with Perak being one of the involved locations.

He assured that the organisers typically raise the Malaysian flag, Jalur Gemilang, as a symbol of patriotism during celebrations in different states.

“The procession and celebration in Teluk Intan on 24 October was no exception,” he added.

“As the organiser, I apologise for the incident and will look into how we can improve this programme.”

Continue Reading

Community

Singaporean activist shares experience of spending a night with refugees in Lebanon

Gilbert Goh shared his experience of spending a night in a car park with approximately 300 displaced individuals in Lebanon. He described the freezing conditions and the difficulties of finding rest, emphasizing the health concerns facing refugees as winter approaches and the urgency for humanitarian assistance.

Published

1 day ago

on

24 October 2024

By

Singaporean activist and founder of Love Aid Singapore, Gilbert Goh, recounted his experience of spending a night in a car park with the displaced individuals in Lebanon in an Instagram post on Wednesday (23 Oct).

The car park, home to approximately 300 people, serves as a temporary shelter for those Goh and his team are endeavouring to assist.

Goh explained that he had missed the last bus home following a late-night food distribution at Saida Lebanon.

Describing the experience, he noted that the freezing temperatures characterised the night, as the location is situated near the Mediterranean seafront, where a strong draft made for an uncomfortable sleep.

To stay warm, Goh borrowed a thin jacket and wrapped himself in two thick blankets while lying on a foam mattress at the side of the car park.

He observed that many of the displaced individuals huddled together under thick, form-less blankets, with most having at least one to keep warm.

Around the middle of the night, a commotion broke out when a woman screamed for attention, causing everyone to awaken and assess the situation.

Goh, a light sleeper accustomed to a familiar sleeping environment, struggled to find rest, waking frequently from the cold rather than any other disturbances.

The consistent draft circulated throughout the open-air car park, exacerbating the discomfort.

As dawn broke at approximately 5 am, people began waking up to wash and prepare for another long day ahead.

When Goh departed around 7.30 am, he noticed that more than 70% of the individuals were still asleep, oblivious to the bustling sounds of early risers.

A few motorbikes roared to life as their riders set off for work, attempting to make productive use of their time.

Urgent Need for Safe Haven Before Winter

Goh mentioned the potential involvement of a charity group that is considering offering shelter for the displaced homeless, although no firm plans had been established yet.

With winter approaching, he expressed hope that these individuals would soon find a suitable place to rest, as conditions are expected to worsen by November.

“Let’s hope that they will get somewhere decent to rest their bodies soon as winter approaches and things will get very difficult by November,” he wrote.

Throughout the night, Goh noted the frequent sounds of coughing and sneezing, raising concerns about the health of the frail individuals with poor diets, who may be more susceptible to illness over time.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amidst Intensified Airstrikes

The escalating conflict and intensified Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon are inflicting a devastating toll on civilians, prompting an increasing number of people to flee to Syria.

Each day, more individuals are displaced, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

On 14 October, evacuation orders were issued for 20 villages in southern Lebanon, with approximately a quarter of the country now under Israeli military evacuation directives.

In response to these orders, many families are seeking refuge in open public spaces, desperately trying to escape the bombings while struggling to find adequate shelter.

The Government of Lebanon has estimated that around 1.2 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and a resolution to the conflict.

Continue Reading

Trending