Monday, March 15, 2010
Time for Singapore football to raise the bar
Looks like I'm running out of things to whine about in Singapore. Old bugbears regarding media coverage have been kicked in to touch. Indeed this morning I nearly choked on my roti seeing a match report in the ST about last night's game at Clementi Stadium.
Please look back on what I dun wrote innit. A match report. SLeague. ST. It's as unlikely as Harry Redknapp, Tottenham and Premier League Champions. At least I always thought so. But I read it with my owneyes, Not match fixing, not players having a fag but an actual match report.
And a two page spread in the TNP as well. My Singapore world has been torn to shreds.
TV is also doing its bit with two live games and, perhaps more importantly, a highlights show. OK the timing may be naff but these things are flexible and hopefully it may change in future. But it's a start.
I've long claimed that on the field Singapore football is as good as any in the region, and last night's game between Home United and Etoile is further proof of the quality. Remember Home boast some of Singapore's finest young talents.
With the football right on the field, with increased media coverage, just what the hell can I find to complain about?
I referred to Home's young players. But who is who on the field? Yeah, we get the MC yelling out the player's names gatling gun style but seriously is anybody listening? Can everybody catch the names?
I spoke with Sasikumar after the game last night. The former Singapore international is advising Etoile about marketing and they have obviously been listening. They produced a match programme for their home game against Woodlands midweek and plan on doing so for every home game.
But why is a French club doing this? I asked Sasi why he wasn't helping the local clubs and his rather predictable answer was simple. They weren't asking him.
Why can't fans know the players names? We don't all get access to the team sheets that are given to the media. In fact many probably are unaware they even exist.
Football match is an experience. In many countries a whole culture revolves around going to the match. It's not just 90 minutes on the pitch. It's meeting your mates, its the journey to the stadium, It's whole day out. It's about identifying with your club, feeling part of the club.
It's difficult to identify with the club when you don't even know the players names.
We have the football. We now have the media coverage. Now it's time for clubs to embrace the paying punter.
Please look back on what I dun wrote innit. A match report. SLeague. ST. It's as unlikely as Harry Redknapp, Tottenham and Premier League Champions. At least I always thought so. But I read it with my owneyes, Not match fixing, not players having a fag but an actual match report.
And a two page spread in the TNP as well. My Singapore world has been torn to shreds.
TV is also doing its bit with two live games and, perhaps more importantly, a highlights show. OK the timing may be naff but these things are flexible and hopefully it may change in future. But it's a start.
I've long claimed that on the field Singapore football is as good as any in the region, and last night's game between Home United and Etoile is further proof of the quality. Remember Home boast some of Singapore's finest young talents.
With the football right on the field, with increased media coverage, just what the hell can I find to complain about?
I referred to Home's young players. But who is who on the field? Yeah, we get the MC yelling out the player's names gatling gun style but seriously is anybody listening? Can everybody catch the names?
I spoke with Sasikumar after the game last night. The former Singapore international is advising Etoile about marketing and they have obviously been listening. They produced a match programme for their home game against Woodlands midweek and plan on doing so for every home game.
But why is a French club doing this? I asked Sasi why he wasn't helping the local clubs and his rather predictable answer was simple. They weren't asking him.
Why can't fans know the players names? We don't all get access to the team sheets that are given to the media. In fact many probably are unaware they even exist.
Football match is an experience. In many countries a whole culture revolves around going to the match. It's not just 90 minutes on the pitch. It's meeting your mates, its the journey to the stadium, It's whole day out. It's about identifying with your club, feeling part of the club.
It's difficult to identify with the club when you don't even know the players names.
We have the football. We now have the media coverage. Now it's time for clubs to embrace the paying punter.
# posted by Me @ 8:06 AM 
