Sent this to FAS. Instead of just complaining, I have done an analysis of the various issues, and believe that by making 2 policy changes, SIngapore football can be improved.
Recent events highlight some issues facing Singapore football, the low interest in S-League and how to continue building up the standard of the national team. Invariably, these 2 issues are linked. If we are able to increase the support for s-league and interest in local football, the national team is likely to benefit with better players emerging to the fore.
The issue of low support for s-league team is a fundamental problem due to the underlying social fabric of Singapore, and is therefore hard to solve. Allegiance to a local team is likely to form if a team can represent the cultural, religious or racial distinction of the area. However, in SIngapore, a person living in Seng Kang is not much different from a person staying at Bishan, and the family is likely to have shift houses between these estates rather than having stayed in an area throughout his life-time. Which means Sengkang Punggol football club does not make much difference to him from Gombak United. and there's no inherent rivalry to be built upon. Contrast this with teams from the various provinces in the Indonesian Super League, a team from Irian Jaya would represent a cultural, religious or racial difference too a team from Jakarta, which then the locals would embrace.
The 1st policy shift would be to introduce these cultural differences, introduction of foreign teams would be such a way. However, the crucial consideration for such foreign teams is to ensure that these teams would have ready local support. An African team would not have local support. One would think that teams from around the region, e.g. Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia can garner substantial support in SIngapore through their expats working here. When singapore teams play these teams, the Singaporeans are then likely feel some cultural or national rivalry, and hence more likely to be interested and lend support.
The 2nd policy shift is to attract regional interest and fans. Other than introducing regional teams with "ready support", if s-league can attract some star players from the region to ply their trade here, interest in the league can only grow. FAS can tune the foreign import policy to mandate that 2 out of the 5 foreigners be from the Asean countries. The Indonesian Super League is already implementing this, and already see interst in the league going up in the region. This policy shift is also designed to improve Singapore football in another subtle way.
For some time, the Singapore National team, and in fact the s-league teams have been observed to play defensively, and the employ the long-ball approach when it comes to attacking. This may work in the Asean region, but when we face an opponent equal or superior in terms of physical size, this approach will not work. This style of play may have it's root in s-league's policy of allowing 5 foreign players. The traditional approach by the clubs is to employ foreign "giant strikers", and the local's role in the teams were reduced to defensive work and pumping long balls to these strikers. Over time, this became the only style of play that local players are adept. Mandating that 2 foreigners be from Asean can then help to reduce the reliance on these "giant strikers" and over-time, adjust Singapore's football style to one that is more suited for us.
On an interesting note, Malaysia's success at the seagames came after they disallowed foreign imports in the malaysian league.
Re: The solution to s-league and National Team issue
Quote:
Originally Posted by soccermage
For some time, the Singapore National team, and in fact the s-league teams have been observed to play defensively, and the employ the long-ball approach when it comes to attacking. This may work in the Asean region, but when we face an opponent equal or superior in terms of physical size, this approach will not work. This style of play may have it's root in s-league's policy of allowing 5 foreign players. The traditional approach by the clubs is to employ foreign "giant strikers", and the local's role in the teams were reduced to defensive work and pumping long balls to these strikers. Over time, this became the only style of play that local players are adept. Mandating that 2 foreigners be from Asean can then help to reduce the reliance on these "giant strikers" and over-time, adjust Singapore's football style to one that is more suited for us.
Re: The solution to s-league and National Team issue
Quote:
Originally Posted by soccermage
On an interesting note, Malaysia's success at the seagames came after they disallowed foreign imports in the malaysian league.
interesting to note also, that the mesian clubs struggled to compete at AFC Cup. last year Johor FC finished bottom of their group, drew once, lost 5 games rest. while Kedah, did better, although got trashed 8-2 by Vietnam's Binh Duong.
earlier this year, Selangor literally begged FAM to let them sign foreigners for AFC Cup, but got declined.
until FAS cares, we still can only complain/bitch/analyse, about the issues in this forum... all we can do is, you see your monitor, i see my monitor, that's all
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"I will not die for my country, I will make the enemy die for his." A wise man.
Re: The solution to s-league and National Team issue
Quote:
Originally Posted by hairi33
interesting to note also, that the mesian clubs struggled to compete at AFC Cup. last year Johor FC finished bottom of their group, drew once, lost 5 games rest. while Kedah, did better, although got trashed 8-2 by Vietnam's Binh Duong.
earlier this year, Selangor literally begged FAM to let them sign foreigners for AFC Cup, but got declined.
until FAS cares, we still can only complain/bitch/analyse, about the issues in this forum... all we can do is, you see your monitor, i see my monitor, that's all
Pls ppl ... if u have any solutions to the NT.. pls published it in the Newspaper... FAS will definately ans back
Re: The solution to s-league and National Team issue
I don't understand why we should go back to 5 foreigners again. With 2 from Asean some more!? Aren't we going to deprive our youngsters more playing opportunities by increasing the # of foreigners while grooming our Asean neighbours at the same time? You're better off using the $ for the 2 star Asean foreigners to employ 1 good foreigner from J/K, middle east, thai or indo leagues. The thing that will draw Singaporeans are big name European based players not Asean players.
The solution to s-league and National Team issue
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