Saturday, November 28, 2015
Singapore's Septimana Horribilis
It's Latin and it means bloody awful week and it hasn't been the best seven days in the history of Singapore football.
It started of course with LionsXII being unceremoniously removed from the Malaysia Super League and probably finding out about it via social media; certainly the Malaysian FA made a thing about saying how they hadn't informed their counterparts south of the Causeway.
And now we have the Singapore Cup Final which was played yesterday. Albirex Niigata lifted the trophy after defeating Home United after coming from behind to win 2-1. It was the Japanese side's first success in the trophy after finishing runners up against the same opponent back in 2011.
It also ensured a clean sweep of the major trophies for foreign sides providing a major humiliation for the FAS who talk big about strategic plans but fall well short in delivery. Before the season began Tanjong Pagar were removed from the league and Woodlands Wellington were 'merged' with Hougang United in a bid to improve the quality but that plan has, like so many others, backfired spectacularly. Hougang finished bottom of the table!
SLeague - DPMM
Singapore Cup - Albirex Niigata
League Cup - Albirex Niigata
With Albirex Niigata also finishing 3rd in the SLeague Singapore could be left scrambling for teams to fill their AFC Cup slots next season!
In a rare glimmer of good news, LionsXII keeper Izwan Mahbud, so impressive for club and country through 2015, is rumoured to be interesting Chonburi in the Thai Premier League where Hassan Sunny, his compatriot between the sticks, has been earning rave reviews for his performances with Army United.
Funny, isn't it. A decade ago the best Thai players were heading to Singapore, including a certain Therdsak Chaiman. They have long since returned and Izwan faces up to the prospect of playing alongside the evergreen Therdsak next season if the move goes through.
It started of course with LionsXII being unceremoniously removed from the Malaysia Super League and probably finding out about it via social media; certainly the Malaysian FA made a thing about saying how they hadn't informed their counterparts south of the Causeway.
And now we have the Singapore Cup Final which was played yesterday. Albirex Niigata lifted the trophy after defeating Home United after coming from behind to win 2-1. It was the Japanese side's first success in the trophy after finishing runners up against the same opponent back in 2011.
It also ensured a clean sweep of the major trophies for foreign sides providing a major humiliation for the FAS who talk big about strategic plans but fall well short in delivery. Before the season began Tanjong Pagar were removed from the league and Woodlands Wellington were 'merged' with Hougang United in a bid to improve the quality but that plan has, like so many others, backfired spectacularly. Hougang finished bottom of the table!
SLeague - DPMM
Singapore Cup - Albirex Niigata
League Cup - Albirex Niigata
With Albirex Niigata also finishing 3rd in the SLeague Singapore could be left scrambling for teams to fill their AFC Cup slots next season!
In a rare glimmer of good news, LionsXII keeper Izwan Mahbud, so impressive for club and country through 2015, is rumoured to be interesting Chonburi in the Thai Premier League where Hassan Sunny, his compatriot between the sticks, has been earning rave reviews for his performances with Army United.
Funny, isn't it. A decade ago the best Thai players were heading to Singapore, including a certain Therdsak Chaiman. They have long since returned and Izwan faces up to the prospect of playing alongside the evergreen Therdsak next season if the move goes through.
# posted by Me @ 8:51 AM 
