Singapore’s ‘Malaysia Cup’ team aims top 5 league position
The Singapore team, making a return to the Malaysia Cup after a 17-year hiatus, is gunning to bring back the glory days.
The team is aiming for a top five position in the Malaysian Football League and at least a spot in the finals of either the Malaysia Cup or the Malaysia FA Cup.
This was revealed by former star striker V. Sundramoorthy who was officially announced as head coach at a press conference on Monday evening.
Football Association of Singapore president Zainudin Nordin also unveiled the squad’s new name – LionsXII.
The number 12 in the name refers to the Singapore fans whom officials say, will play a huge factor.
“I remember whenever we travelled, 17 years ago, when I walked out, one hour before the match, all the Singapore fans will be there cheering us already. I want this atmosphere to come back now and I believe with good performances we can bring back the fans to the stadium,” said Sundram who will be assisted by former international player Kadir Yahya.
Sundram “The Dazzler” became a household name in Singapore and Malaysia during the 1980s and 1990s, when he wowed spectators with his flair and goal scoring talents.
He will be banking on skipper Shahril Ishak and vice-captain Hariss Harun to lead the relatively young squad.
Hariss, who was not even in primary school when Sundram and the "Dream Team" won both league title and the Malaysia Cup in 1994, said he’s keen on turning nostalgia into reality.
“I’ve watched some of the old footage on YouTube and it was certainly unbelievable and I’ve also heard a lot about the Malaysia Cup from my dad and all the old-timers and I can see the passion when they talk about it. And the passion flows into me as well,” said the 21-year-old.
But bringing back any silverware from across the Causeway will not be a simple task.
The team will have to face Malaysian state teams, who are allowed to sign three foreign imports and field two at any one match.
LionsXII, which will be spending around $2million to take part in the competitions in Malaysia, will rely on local talent.
Both Zainudin and Sundram said there are no plans to bring in foreign imports and that their main aim is to groom local talent.
Another huge challenge will be balancing football duties with National Service (NS) commitments as about one-third of the squad will be involved with NS duties during the competitions.
However, football officials are hoping to find a good balance.
“Along the way we’ll continue to engage the authorities and our players to ensure that they will get the necessary release to play for the team. Our counterparts in Malaysia have been very understanding and have given us the opportunity to have a bigger squad to help with our challenges as well,” said Zainudin.
The FAS president added that there will be measures to prevent match-fixing, a problem that plagued Singapore and other teams in the 1990s.
“We will engage the players, talk to them, and let them be aware of the dangers when it comes to match-fixing,” he said.
“I cannot handcuff them, make sure they stay in one room before the match and say they cannot talk to anybody. I mean, we have to be realistic in the way we manage them. These are young players but they are professional,” added Zainudin.
There is hope that the LionsXII’s foray into Malaysia will benefit the S-League as well.
“If, for the M-league, we can fill up the stadiums and the hype is there, there’ll definitely be some spillover for the S-League as well,” said Sundram.
He noted that Malaysian coaches have already begun to do their homework on his squad.
“They are looking at our selection and spying on our friendly games and all. It’s part of the game. I’m doing the same thing when I go over and spy on them,” laughed the 46-year-old.
LionsXII will only know next week who they will be facing and where their first match will be on 10 January. Interest is expected to be high among local fans who have been clamouring for Singapore's return to the Malaysia Cup.
Plans are underway to broadcast both home and away matches but fans will have to wait for further announcements according to the FAS.
The 28-member line up:
Goalkeepers:
Izwan Mahbud, Hyrulnizam Jumaat, Al-Faiz Ishak
Defenders:
Safuwan Baharudin, Juma'at Jantan, Shaiful Esah, Irwan Shah, Shakir Hamzah, Sevki Sha'ban, Shahir Hamzah, Madhu Mohana
Midfielders:
Hariss Harun , Safirul Sulaiman, Izzdin Shafiq, Isa Halim, Taufiq Rahmat, Raihan Rahman, Shahdan Sulaiman, Yasir Hanapi, Shahril Ishak , Firdaus Kasman, Pravin Guanasagaran
Strikers:
Khairul Amri, Gabriel Quak, Fazli Ayob, Khairul Nizam, Agu Casmir, Sufian Anuar
