Candid view on S'pore soccer


Bukitimah

Senior Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,281
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Singapore
Soccer attracts the most fans here in Singapore and the government has given this sport lots of attention, not to mention $$$. We had various foriegn coaches, technical experts working with various parties within. Even some ministers sit in the FAS board. Why are we going nowhere?

This morning, I was listening to 97.2 radio talk and I was surprised with the number of foreign experts we have engaged to have the various national groups to nature soccer. Most of these FTs are way above 55 or even 60 years old with vast experiences at international level.

Few weeks ago, we hear from a former local coach airing some unhappiness within FAS and that FT advisor rebutted. This is followed by high level FAS official telling all to keep quiet.

I think we should look at other sports and see why they did well but others don't. They are facing the same challenges our soccer are facing too. Look at swimming, OK that is an individual sport. Lets look at water polo team. Can they bring the people from water polo over to teach them what when wrong?

I don't think it is about technical skills but management issues with FAS. What is you take?
 

Soccer attracts the most fans here in Singapore and the government has given this sport lots of attention, not to mention $$$. We had various foriegn coaches, technical experts working with various parties within. Even some ministers sit in the FAS board. Why are we going nowhere?

This morning, I was listening to 97.2 radio talk and I was surprised with the number of foreign experts we have engaged to have the various national groups to nature soccer. Most of these FTs are way above 55 or even 60 years old with vast experiences at international level.

Few weeks ago, we hear from a former local coach airing some unhappiness within FAS and that FT advisor rebutted. This is followed by high level FAS official telling all to keep quiet.

I think we should look at other sports and see why they did well but others don't. They are facing the same challenges our soccer are facing too. Look at swimming, OK that is an individual sport. Lets look at water polo team. Can they bring the people from water polo over to teach them what when wrong?

I don't think it is about technical skills but management issues with FAS. What is you take?

U just said it "ministers sitting in the board". What do ministers know?

SMRT also got ministers sitting in their board. And the breakdowns are getting worse.

personally, I think FAS has this problem of looking down on local talents and AMDK mentality.

They think football is ang mo game, so must bring in foreign talents. They completely forgotten that our football culture is different from western football culture.
 

Import a foreign team :D

..........reminiscent of Goal 2010 ........total flop .......... ask GCT and Marlboro Tan ...... :rolleyes:
 

A few pointers from my point of view:
- Any sports that is successful at national level starts in the backyards of the country. Show me any HDB blocks where you can see kids kicking a ball after school.
- Such sports are done as hobby, pastime activity, organized in clubs. It costs money, it does not give any financial returns. Does this sound promising for any family given the reward / return focused education system and the 'quick return / award' mentality?
- Such sports need a critical mass. It's like a pyramid with many many hobby and pastime kickers at the bottom and a few professional clubs forming the top layer.
- Hobby sports need government funding. Amateurs cannot afford paying lots of money for sports grounds, halls and facilities. How much funding do the local soccer clubs get? How much do they have to pay for the usage of the various stadiums? It still looks to me as if some people think that with $xx funding they can reap $yy the next year. Wrong. It's a constant funding. Every year.
- Identification and support even in hard times. So far I can see that people support the Lions XII and National Team when they do well, but they are equally fast to slam them teams in case of a loss. In other countries, soccer club fans are loyal even in difficult times. People welcome the teams back home with street parades even if they only achieved 3rd place. In SG I see people flipping through EPL clubs: Manchester today, Liverpool tomorrow, Newcastle next week... None of them has anything to do with Singapore.
- Last but not least: It is pointless to force feed soccer to Singapore. Instead, hobby sports should have its time to develop. It seems that running and cycling takes off fairly well here with the various events I can see. Fund everything and see what grows. But yeah, that costs money.
 

We don't have swimming pools overall the island. Even public pools are lesser than football fields. Why them water pool team can be so good leh?
 

We don't have swimming pools overall the island. Even public pools are lesser than football fields. Why them water pool team can be so good leh?
Your thread is about soccer, right?
Do your own analysis for swimming, some of my points can be used as well.

An article that just went around in FB:
http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/grass-patch-not-a-suitable-place-to-play-football
Well, with such an attitude no hobby sports can grow. There will always be some grumpy bone making noise...
 

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OIC so it is the people that are complaining fault for today soccer standard. If FAS could get schools to open their field, we should be in the world cup soon.
 

We don't have swimming pools overall the island. Even public pools are lesser than football fields. Why them water pool team can be so good leh?


Swimming is an individual sport...... jump into the sea or the longkang can swim already ........ very much harder to find football kakis leh........ :)
 

Wow jump in longkang can swing but kick a ball at your backyard cannot play soccer. I do agree swimming can be an individual sport but water polo is a team sport.

They are different sports but something behind them makes that different. It could be the people behind it have more passion?
 

Wow jump in longkang can swing but kick a ball at your backyard cannot play soccer. I do agree swimming can be an individual sport but water polo is a team sport.

They are different sports but something behind them makes that different. It could be the people behind it have more passion?

Maybe if water polo team get to lose a few times, the players will lose their passion ................... then everybody can start off equal......... :bsmilie:
 

I was involved in local football and S.League for nearly a decade. I say was because we were shut down by the FAS. They don't like competition. They don't like criticism. And they only want to control.

They have a marketing budget but they buy tonnes of items like Coffee Bean membership cards, movie tickets, donuts, burgers, to give away for FREE in hopes of attracting spectators. guess what, nobody's interested. and they are green with envy when a club takes ownership of its own marketing and does well.

There is no culture or tradition because they open, close and merge clubs like nobody's business. And they expect supporters of club A to support club B when they merge both clubs and retain club B's name. Players have no job security. On a 11 month contract with benefits far and few between.

Then they dilute the spectator base by creating this pseudo national team known as LionsXII, creating divide amongst spectators, players and staff as they pour all primary budget and effort into chasing silverware in another country.

Yet they still have the largest budget out of all the sporting associations in Singapore, and despite the horrendous mismanagement of it all, they expect more. Because they are the 'biggest sport' (also the most poorly managed).

At the end of the day when things are bad, they blame the lack of funding, they blame the critics, the BPL, yada yada yada. never themselves. FAS is above criticism.
 

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From what you have shared, it is the people who runs FAS that need to change. The question is who should sit in the board?

Look at singapore squash association. Compare the board members for the different terms, you will realize the different standard. Make the controlling body report to the people/fans not the coaches or manager. Don't perform, sack the board.
 

You need businessmen or people who have the passion and desire to make football a thriving industry that people want to be a part of. Not just any politician or retired army colonel who claims to be a 'football fan'. Any random Ah Huat or Ali on the street in a BPL jersey is also a football fan. We don't have to chase results or trophies. They will come naturally when you have a proper functioning industry. Right now S.League matches are just like RC events or political teatime. Nobody wants to attend them unless they have some tangible benefit.

Can you believe the Chairman of Tanjong Pagar United which closed shop at the end of last season, is still sitting on the FAS Council?
 

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OIC so it is the people that are complaining fault for today soccer standard. If FAS could get schools to open their field, we should be in the world cup soon.

Much cynicism. But seriously, the attitude is the problem.
 

I think many of us have experienced this situation in our work place. When there is a project or task, you get many people giving all sort of 'suggestions' and directions on how it should be done. Everyone seems to be involved.

Then when the task or project runs into problem, you turn about, there is nobody. All these people are not responsible. So when you have all these actors, they must be held respobile and not get away easily. Don't simply pull out a lamb and say that is the problem and repeat the same story.
 

I always got this problem with the local players.. the interviews with them as well as the coach is always "we always do our best..etc etc".. very mild words.. I haven't heard anyone ever say "we are going to shred the opposition apart.. grab them by their necks".. we need to be more hungry for success.. speak it in our speech and our actions will follow..
 

You need businessmen or people who have the passion and desire to make football a thriving industry that people want to be a part of. Not just any politician or retired army colonel who claims to be a 'football fan'. Any random Ah Huat or Ali on the street in a BPL jersey is also a football fan. We don't have to chase results or trophies. They will come naturally when you have a proper functioning industry. Right now S.League matches are just like RC events or political teatime. Nobody wants to attend them unless they have some tangible benefit.

Can you believe the Chairman of Tanjong Pagar United which closed shop at the end of last season, is still sitting on the FAS Council?

They are cronies.......
 

I always got this problem with the local players.. the interviews with them as well as the coach is always "we always do our best..etc etc".. very mild words.. I haven't heard anyone ever say "we are going to shred the opposition apart.. grab them by their necks".. we need to be more hungry for success.. speak it in our speech and our actions will follow..

It won't happen. all it takes is for someone on the other side to cry to FAS and the interviewed party will get a warning or sanctioned with a fine.