Thursday, January 21, 2010
A kick in the balls for Singapore football
The arrival of two new foreign teams in the SLeague hasn't gone down too well in Singapore with some fans calling for a boycott of games in the upcoming season. A bit drastic that when no bugger goes anyway.
Etoille and Beijing Guoan have of course replaced DPMM and Super Reds. But why do we have to have two foreign clubs replace two domestic clubs? Do 25% of the teams competing in the SLeague have to be foreign?
The French team looks like it's going to be made up of journeymen currently plying their trade in the lower leagues of France. If this is to be the case then how does Singapore benefit from this? Is Etoille going to be a serious football club aiming to provide young players with an opportunity to shine in this region or is it going to be a retirement home for aging legs and aching muscles, eking out a final pay packet in the tropics.
Saying that David Ginola is going to be a roving is ambassador is as pointless as saying the folk buy Frosties because the Queen of England is patron of Frosties. People buy Frosties because they think the taste is Greeeat, not because some aging harridan (bless ya Ma'am, I know you read this site) they have never met says so.
What if Etoille win the SLeague? Then what? They can't qualify for the AFC competitions so why bother?
It's unfair to say Beijing Guoan are going to be a disaster just because Simchi, Liaonang and Dalian were disasters. They could surprise people and do well which may disappoint the pools company. Just because there are a few high profile divorces in Hollywood doesn't mean that every marriage in the west ends in divorce (believe me, if I had a dollar etc...), likewise with the new Chinese side.
Think back to why the SLeague was formed, about why Singapore left the Malaysia Cup (cue old farts reaching for their tissues and wailing for Fandi Ahmad to reseurrect his career.) I'm guessing the reason was to improve the standard of Singapore football by developing a strong nationwide league. Well, if that's the case then by their own benchmarks they are currntly failing. How can it be otherwise when a rebranded Yishun Super Reds, a known commodity with a good name already among football people, were kicked into touch, in favour of yet more foreigners?
For me a win-win situation would have seen Yishun keep their place and accept the Malaysian bid. Yishun because someone is having the guts to try and build something and in Singapore that should be supported and Malaysia because football teams love a good road trip. Hostile atmospheres are what footballers love, they get a buzz.
And you can't beat a good old fashioned rivalry on the terraces!
Etoille and Beijing Guoan have of course replaced DPMM and Super Reds. But why do we have to have two foreign clubs replace two domestic clubs? Do 25% of the teams competing in the SLeague have to be foreign?
The French team looks like it's going to be made up of journeymen currently plying their trade in the lower leagues of France. If this is to be the case then how does Singapore benefit from this? Is Etoille going to be a serious football club aiming to provide young players with an opportunity to shine in this region or is it going to be a retirement home for aging legs and aching muscles, eking out a final pay packet in the tropics.
Saying that David Ginola is going to be a roving is ambassador is as pointless as saying the folk buy Frosties because the Queen of England is patron of Frosties. People buy Frosties because they think the taste is Greeeat, not because some aging harridan (bless ya Ma'am, I know you read this site) they have never met says so.
What if Etoille win the SLeague? Then what? They can't qualify for the AFC competitions so why bother?
It's unfair to say Beijing Guoan are going to be a disaster just because Simchi, Liaonang and Dalian were disasters. They could surprise people and do well which may disappoint the pools company. Just because there are a few high profile divorces in Hollywood doesn't mean that every marriage in the west ends in divorce (believe me, if I had a dollar etc...), likewise with the new Chinese side.
Think back to why the SLeague was formed, about why Singapore left the Malaysia Cup (cue old farts reaching for their tissues and wailing for Fandi Ahmad to reseurrect his career.) I'm guessing the reason was to improve the standard of Singapore football by developing a strong nationwide league. Well, if that's the case then by their own benchmarks they are currntly failing. How can it be otherwise when a rebranded Yishun Super Reds, a known commodity with a good name already among football people, were kicked into touch, in favour of yet more foreigners?
For me a win-win situation would have seen Yishun keep their place and accept the Malaysian bid. Yishun because someone is having the guts to try and build something and in Singapore that should be supported and Malaysia because football teams love a good road trip. Hostile atmospheres are what footballers love, they get a buzz.
And you can't beat a good old fashioned rivalry on the terraces!
# posted by Me @ 9:38 AM 
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Think back to why the SLeague was formed, about why Singapore left the Malaysia Cup (cue old farts reaching for their tissues and wailing for Fandi Ahmad to reseurrect his career.) I'm guessing the reason was to improve the standard of Singapore football by developing a strong nationwide league. Well, if that's the case then by their own benchmarks they are currntly failing. How can it be otherwise when a rebranded Yishun Super Reds, a known commodity with a good name already among football people, were kicked into touch, in favour of yet more foreigners?
-----
Abt this, FAS left becos of reason other than improving Spore football
The admin at that time was nt that far looking or they wld have a plan in place already & not have to wait for 1 year gap to plan the S-league. (And only after being pushed by then PM-Goh of Spore)
In truth, John Koh (Mah Bow Tan cannot be forgotten as well as the year he came in as 'adviser', he further spend $ we had little left)was the MAIN person responsible for killing off the domestic football
He had broke promises to local clubs (that was make by his predecessor to spend more efforts & $ in local football)
The moment he took over, he allowed a local club to fall while pumping over millions in the FAS side in Malaysia & accepting the increase FAM levy of 15%. So,he give millions to Malaysia at a time while local football needed that.
It lead to local clubs revolt as they closed down their youth development as well as pare their spending in local football & told John Koh to form his own Malaysia team.
That was why local clubs were weak when John Koh (ironically)lead it into the S-league era as a result of nearly half a decade of neglect & 3 recessions in 5 years were hardly helpful thus it has taken a decade to repair it as we are just starting to have a stronger club core of 5 - SAFFC, Home, Geylang, Tampines, Gombak.
But, John Koh & the Mah Bow Tan rewrote that history by now claiming they had the idea of S-league as early as 92 when J-league was formed (So the qn is why they never formed S-league then as Spore economy was booming & we had millions but it was given to FAM instead)
If we had formed S-league in the booming years of 92-97, the clubs wld have the $ & no doubt the time (As AFC had not broke up the East-West Divide thus Spore club football wld have the chance to build it reputation in the East which had weaker leagues)to stabilise in their early pro years instead of getting hit by 3 recessions within 5 years of their birth.
It was a chance lost.
-----
Abt this, FAS left becos of reason other than improving Spore football
The admin at that time was nt that far looking or they wld have a plan in place already & not have to wait for 1 year gap to plan the S-league. (And only after being pushed by then PM-Goh of Spore)
In truth, John Koh (Mah Bow Tan cannot be forgotten as well as the year he came in as 'adviser', he further spend $ we had little left)was the MAIN person responsible for killing off the domestic football
He had broke promises to local clubs (that was make by his predecessor to spend more efforts & $ in local football)
The moment he took over, he allowed a local club to fall while pumping over millions in the FAS side in Malaysia & accepting the increase FAM levy of 15%. So,he give millions to Malaysia at a time while local football needed that.
It lead to local clubs revolt as they closed down their youth development as well as pare their spending in local football & told John Koh to form his own Malaysia team.
That was why local clubs were weak when John Koh (ironically)lead it into the S-league era as a result of nearly half a decade of neglect & 3 recessions in 5 years were hardly helpful thus it has taken a decade to repair it as we are just starting to have a stronger club core of 5 - SAFFC, Home, Geylang, Tampines, Gombak.
But, John Koh & the Mah Bow Tan rewrote that history by now claiming they had the idea of S-league as early as 92 when J-league was formed (So the qn is why they never formed S-league then as Spore economy was booming & we had millions but it was given to FAM instead)
If we had formed S-league in the booming years of 92-97, the clubs wld have the $ & no doubt the time (As AFC had not broke up the East-West Divide thus Spore club football wld have the chance to build it reputation in the East which had weaker leagues)to stabilise in their early pro years instead of getting hit by 3 recessions within 5 years of their birth.
It was a chance lost.
Sure, no problem but it may need a touch up
-----
About this, FAS left Malaysia Cup becos of reason other than improving Spore football.
It was for the root of all evil - $.
We cannot afford FAM terms anymore as losses were in the millions while profit barely went past $100K in 94 & a possible disaster 95 campaign would have easily surpass FAS record loss of S$1.5 million in 92(Ironically, the year our man of the moment John Koh took over) as that 94 team was expensively (and in certain ways, un-affordability) assembled.
The admins at that time was certainly not that far looking or they would have a plan in place already & not have to wait for 1 year gap to plan the S-league when we left. (And only after being pushed by then PM-Goh of Spore)
In truth, then general-secretary John Koh (Mah Bow Tan cannot be forgotten as well as the year he came in as 'adviser', he advocated we further spend more $ - the $, we had little left) was surely the MAIN person responsible for killing off the domestic football.
He had broke promises to local clubs(that was make by his predecessor to spend more efforts & $ in local football)
He had clearly forgotten why SPL - Singapore Premier League - was set up in 88. (It was to safeguard Spore football as a result of the first Malaysia Cup expulsion back in mid 80s for we noted how vulnerable we were to FAM terms)
That was why the moment he took over, he allowed a local club to fall while pumping over millions in the FAS side in Malaysia & accepted the increase FAM levy of 15%.
So,he give millions to Malaysia at a time while local football needed that.
It lead to a local clubs revolt as they closed down their youth development as well as pare their spending in local football & told John Koh to form his own Malaysia team.
That was why local clubs were weak when John Koh (ironically)lead it into the S-league era as a result of nearly half a decade of neglect & 3 recessions in 5 years were hardly helpful.
Thus, it has taken a decade to repair it as we are just starting to have a stronger club core of 5 - SAFFC, Home, Geylang, Tampines, Gombak.
But, John Koh & the Mah Bow Tan rewrote that history by now claiming they had the idea of S-league as early as 92 when J-league was formed.(So the question is why they never formed S-league then as Spore economy was booming & we had millions but it was given to FAM instead)
If we had formed S-league in the booming years of 92-97, the clubs wld have the $ & no doubt the time (As AFC had not broke up the East-West Divide thus Spore club football would have the chance to build it reputation in the East which had weaker leagues)to stabilise in their early pro years instead of getting hit by 3 recessions within 5 years of their birth.
It was a chance lost.
-----
About this, FAS left Malaysia Cup becos of reason other than improving Spore football.
It was for the root of all evil - $.
We cannot afford FAM terms anymore as losses were in the millions while profit barely went past $100K in 94 & a possible disaster 95 campaign would have easily surpass FAS record loss of S$1.5 million in 92(Ironically, the year our man of the moment John Koh took over) as that 94 team was expensively (and in certain ways, un-affordability) assembled.
The admins at that time was certainly not that far looking or they would have a plan in place already & not have to wait for 1 year gap to plan the S-league when we left. (And only after being pushed by then PM-Goh of Spore)
In truth, then general-secretary John Koh (Mah Bow Tan cannot be forgotten as well as the year he came in as 'adviser', he advocated we further spend more $ - the $, we had little left) was surely the MAIN person responsible for killing off the domestic football.
He had broke promises to local clubs(that was make by his predecessor to spend more efforts & $ in local football)
He had clearly forgotten why SPL - Singapore Premier League - was set up in 88. (It was to safeguard Spore football as a result of the first Malaysia Cup expulsion back in mid 80s for we noted how vulnerable we were to FAM terms)
That was why the moment he took over, he allowed a local club to fall while pumping over millions in the FAS side in Malaysia & accepted the increase FAM levy of 15%.
So,he give millions to Malaysia at a time while local football needed that.
It lead to a local clubs revolt as they closed down their youth development as well as pare their spending in local football & told John Koh to form his own Malaysia team.
That was why local clubs were weak when John Koh (ironically)lead it into the S-league era as a result of nearly half a decade of neglect & 3 recessions in 5 years were hardly helpful.
Thus, it has taken a decade to repair it as we are just starting to have a stronger club core of 5 - SAFFC, Home, Geylang, Tampines, Gombak.
But, John Koh & the Mah Bow Tan rewrote that history by now claiming they had the idea of S-league as early as 92 when J-league was formed.(So the question is why they never formed S-league then as Spore economy was booming & we had millions but it was given to FAM instead)
If we had formed S-league in the booming years of 92-97, the clubs wld have the $ & no doubt the time (As AFC had not broke up the East-West Divide thus Spore club football would have the chance to build it reputation in the East which had weaker leagues)to stabilise in their early pro years instead of getting hit by 3 recessions within 5 years of their birth.
It was a chance lost.
I believe so.
If I go any deeper, I have to write from the first Malaysia Cup expulsion. After that, I go deeper. It become a book :P
Any publisher interested.
I promise to ask less than those footballers that are being pay million to write their lifestory at 20 ;)
If I go any deeper, I have to write from the first Malaysia Cup expulsion. After that, I go deeper. It become a book :P
Any publisher interested.
I promise to ask less than those footballers that are being pay million to write their lifestory at 20 ;)
S.League 2010 schedule is now out:
http://balestierkhalsafc.com/Excel%20File/S-League%20Fixtures%20and%20Results%202010.xls
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http://balestierkhalsafc.com/Excel%20File/S-League%20Fixtures%20and%20Results%202010.xls
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