Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Bad Night for Local Sides
SAF - out
Perak - out
Kedah - out
Home - out
Perak got beat 5-0 in Beirut and are probably still on their way home now. Two of their players quit last week... they loved football but it was money that put the food on the table not the love so they found jobs that paid a salary.
SAF lost 3-0 in Oman against Al Nahda going out 4-2 on aggregate.
Kedah lost 2-1 at home to Muharraq, bowing out 7-1 on aggregate.
You know what? I've been thinking. Malaysia of course are dead in the water next season but would Singapore do better if they ditched the salary cap? SAF for example are tied up on the domestic front chasing a double and with a small squad Asian glory was always going to be a big ask.
But what if they weren't limited by home much they could spend on wages? Perhaps then they could have bid for either Noh Alam Shah, ok a big ask given his ties to Tampines, or Khairul Amri. By adding strength to their squad perhaps coach Richard Bok could have afforded to rest one or two players while not diluting the rest of the team.
I understand of course why there is a cap in the Singapore game, and Tampines have benefited by adding these two strikers for next season if the can keep them, but can a side from this region strike a real challenge for Asian silverware with such paper thin squads?
Perak - out
Kedah - out
Home - out
Perak got beat 5-0 in Beirut and are probably still on their way home now. Two of their players quit last week... they loved football but it was money that put the food on the table not the love so they found jobs that paid a salary.
SAF lost 3-0 in Oman against Al Nahda going out 4-2 on aggregate.
Kedah lost 2-1 at home to Muharraq, bowing out 7-1 on aggregate.
You know what? I've been thinking. Malaysia of course are dead in the water next season but would Singapore do better if they ditched the salary cap? SAF for example are tied up on the domestic front chasing a double and with a small squad Asian glory was always going to be a big ask.
But what if they weren't limited by home much they could spend on wages? Perhaps then they could have bid for either Noh Alam Shah, ok a big ask given his ties to Tampines, or Khairul Amri. By adding strength to their squad perhaps coach Richard Bok could have afforded to rest one or two players while not diluting the rest of the team.
I understand of course why there is a cap in the Singapore game, and Tampines have benefited by adding these two strikers for next season if the can keep them, but can a side from this region strike a real challenge for Asian silverware with such paper thin squads?
# posted by Me @ 4:33 PM 
