S'pore coaches work wonders From relegation candidates to I-League champions in a year, Chennai City proved there are more to football miracles than just Leicester City's stunning English Premier League triumph in 2016. In achieving the improbable, head coach Akbar Nawas and his assistant K. Balagumaran also showed that Singaporean trainers are capable of producing such magical moments after leading the Indian club to the league title on Saturday. The duo are believed to be the first local coaches to win a professional football league outside South-east Asia. Former Tampines Rovers coach Akbar told The Straits Times yesterday: "There is great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year." When the 43-year-old took over the reins last year, Chennai had three games to stave off relegation from the I-League. They beat Churchill Brothers 3-1, lost 7-1 to East Bengal, before securing safety with a 2-1 win over Minerva Punjab in their final match. A year later, the remarkable turnaround was completed in front of 8,000 fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on Saturday with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Minerva as both club and head coach clinched their first league title. For Balagumaran, this is his second league title as assistant to V. Sundram Moorthy after winning the 2013 Malaysian Super League title with the LionsXII.
A SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT There is great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year. AKBAR NAWAS, Chennai City head coach, on the I-League side's dream season.
With 13 wins, four draws and three defeats, Chennai amassed 43 points, one more than second-placed East Bengal. And they did it in style, scoring 48 goals in 20 matches, and never relinquishing their place at the top of the 11-team league from the third match week. The Times of India summarised their triumph as "befitting their dominant campaign, the fulcrum of which was a sustained possession-based football". Akbar said: "Winning the title was the end result of good scouting, our attacking football philosophy, how we trained, prepared and executed our plans during the games. "The club gave me the freedom to impart this to the players despite initial scepticism about whether this will be successful in India. "I never lost sleep over the title race because we were focused and trusted our processes - there was great synergy among the owner, backroom staff and players. In fact, I lost sleep only after we won, with the many phone calls and text messages coming in!" Astutely building the team around five Spaniards from Europe's lower leagues and former S-League star Jozef Kaplan, Akbar also made room for local talents to shine.
PUTTING THE SHINE ON When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished... now they have won their first professional league title. K. BALAGUMARAN, on the humble backgrounds of many of their players.
Incredibly, Chennai won the league without a single Indian international in their squad. Yet, the goals flowed from every department. Striker Pedro Manzi may be the league's joint-top scorer with 21 goals, but the winning goals against Minerva came from 20-year-old centre-back Gaurav Bora. Balagumaran said: "When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished. "Many of them are playing in their first professional season and now they have won their first professional league title. "Credit has to go to Akbar for his attacking philosophy because defending was not our strength - we drew 3-3 with Neroca after blowing a 3-0 lead - and to the players for being open to his ideas. "This is definitely the highlight of my career, but I hope there is more to come." That could well be the case as Chennai are now eligible for the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifiers, while sources also told ST that the duo are now on the All India Football Federation's radar, with India's national coach position currently vacant. Representatives from Swiss club FC Basel, who have a 26 per cent equity stake in the Indian club, were at Chennai's coronation and are said to be impressed by the work of Akbar and Balagumaran. While Akbar declined to comment on speculation over his future as he has one more year left on his contract, Balagumaran said: "I hope this achievement shows there are good coaches from Singapore and opens the door for more Singaporean coaches to venture abroad. "If we can start from humble beginnings, work hard with what we have and still find success, there is no reason local coaches can't aim for a job in a professional league in Asia, or perhaps youth teams in Europe."
Gianni Infantino sole candidate for FIFA presidency in June vote The 48-year-old has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the Football: Gianni Infantino re-elected FIFA president
It has emerged in locations like China, Europe, the United States, South America, India, Australia, South Korea and Japan. The Straits Times reported on Tuesday that 11 here have been infected since 2012. Three of those infected, including one of two deaths, were treated at Singapore General Hospital between 2012 and 2017. NewspaperSG - The Straits Times, 28 February 2001 eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Issue/straitstimes20010228 Home now says it's going for double too Gerard Wong SOCCEF THE intense annual rivalry between Home United and Singapore Armed Forces FC has begun. And all it took to kickstart the anticipated S-League title race between the two clubs from the uniformed groups yesterday was a six-word statement from
Gigi Buffon has told Paris Saint-Germain to show "a spirit of sacrifice for the team" with Edison Cavani joining Neymar in missing the trip to Manchester United. However, the goalkeeper is unhappy by the form and attitude of the French Champions after the 1-0 league win over Bordeaux. Gianluigi Buffon, Chief Executive Officer at Buffon & Co. SRL
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom (AFP) - Liverpool struck late through Divock Origi to move back top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 win at Newcastle on Saturday (May 4) and keep their hopes Liverpool back on top with Newcastle win but lose Salah
Rice scores first Hammers goal to defeat Arsenal. The victory in Saturday's early kick-off saw the Hammers move up to eighth in the Premier League table, on 31 points, ahead of the bulk of the Rice Scores First Hammers Goal To Defeat Arsenal - iAfrica.com
Ex-Man Utd hero Phil Neville wants his players to show plenty of Neville wants his Lionesses to hit the ground running against the French. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent England must keep being ruthless - Phil Neville - YouTube
Man Utd to play Inter and Spurs to face Juve in International Champions Cup United face Inter on July 20 th and the game will be "AIA is proud to be the Presenting Partner of the 2019 Man United v Inter, Juve v Spurs in Singapore in July, Latest
Jurgen Klopp hails Liverpool 'giants' after special night at Anfield to eliminate Barcelona difficult things in the world of football. "Winning against Barcelona when you're 3-0 down, makes it Jurgen Klopp praises his Liverpool players after
Football: Pochettino takes blame but slams 'sloppy' Spurs. Pochettino takes blame but slams 'sloppy' Spurs. "Watching now of course I can accept it was a mistake the shape we used. But 'I made a mistake': Pochettino takes blame but slams 'sloppy
At Thursday's WADA executive committee meeting in the Seychelles, members approved a lesser version of the first point - an acceptance of the IOC's Schmid Report, which endorsed the core Postmedia Solutions Young Lions stay in hunt for finals, Football News & Top
Sergio Aguero recorded a hat-trick to fire Manchester City back into second place with a 3-1 victory against Arsenal at the Etihad. The Blues are now two points adrift of Liverpool, who travel to soccer tv live football streaming reddit watch premier league live streaming free watch uefa champions league live streaming free online watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool watch champions league live streaming ptv sports watch soccer am online live streaming watch soccer live live football streaming cr7 watch premier league live streaming vk watch coppa america live streaming eng watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree how to watch uefa champions league live streaming watch coppa america live streaming online watch soccer aid live stream online watch coppa america live streaming sctv watch coppa america live streaming jamaica watch coppa america live streaming mexico watch coppa america live streaming zee5 watch champions league live streaming xfinity where to watch free live soccer streaming online watch premier league darts live stream watch soccer online free streaming live south africa watch coppa america live streaming online free watch soccer online free streaming live first row watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek watch coppa america live streaming reddit watch champions league live streaming bein sport watch premier league live streaming quality watch champions league live streaming pakistan watch soccer live stream apk watch coppa america live streaming free watch soccer live streaming qatar watch champions league live streaming jamaica watch soccer online free streaming live dracula watch coppa america live streaming pc watch coppa america live streaming free online watch soccer live streaming kenya watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online watch coppa america live streaming mobile watch indian premier league live streaming watch coppa america live streaming vivo watch coppa america live streaming usa khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines watch coppa america live streaming portugal watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league watch coppa america live streaming xfinity watch coppa america live streaming zip watch premier league net live stream channel watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online where to watch champions league live streaming watch us soccer live stream watch premier league live streaming yify watch coppa america live streaming indonesia watch champions league draw live streaming free watch coppa america live streaming xbox watch champions league live streaming crictime watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia watch coppa america live streaming bt sport watch champions league live streaming live free watch coppa america live streaming sub eng watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united watch coppa america live streaming live free watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe watch soccer online free streaming live p2p watch premier league live in stream watch soccer online free streaming live iphone watch live soccer streaming on android cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018 watch live soccer online free streaming now watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube watch live premier league football streaming online for free soccer tv live net stream watch champions league final online free live streaming watch soccer games live stream free watch premier league live streaming vf watch premier league live streaming xfinity watch coppa america live streaming spain watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal watch soccer live streaming reddit watch epl live streaming on iphone watch coppa america live streaming match watch champions league live stream uk watch coppa america live streaming live watch coppa america live streaming in india watch coppa america live streaming bein sport watch coppa america live streaming manchester united watch premier league live streaming qatar watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7 watch soccer live stream hunter watch coppa america live streaming barcelona watch premier league live stream reddit watch soccer live streaming hd how to watch champions league live streaming watch champions league live streaming malaysia watch soccer live streaming xfinity www.watch premier league live stream.com watch soccer live streaming xbox one watch soccer live stream links watch epl live streaming free no sign up watch champions league soccer live streaming live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com watch champions league live streaming live watch premier league live streaming live free apps to watch live streaming soccer super soccer tv live streaming garuda select watch coppa america live streaming xbox one watch soccer online free streaming live reddit watch soccer online free streaming live hd watch soccer online free streaming live no registration watch champions league live streaming juventus watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net watch champions league live streaming xbox watch soccer online free streaming live english watch soccer online free streaming live world cup how to watch premier league live streaming watch champions league final live streaming watch english premier league live streaming hd watch soccer aid live stream watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit how to watch soccer live streaming free watch soccer online free streaming live app watch english premier league live streaming watch champions league live streaming match watch live soccer streaming free android watch premier league live streaming xbox watch live streaming soccer games watch premier league live streaming xbox one watch barclays premier league online live streaming watch champions league live streaming canada watch coppa america live streaming quality watch coppa america live streaming hd watch coppa america live streaming ufc watch premier league live streaming youtube watch live soccer game today watch champions league live streaming video watch champions league live streaming pc watch soccer world cup live streaming watch premier league live stream hd watch soccer online free streaming live watch soccer online free streaming live canada watch champions league live streaming mobile watch soccer online free streaming live bbc watch coppa america live streaming crictime watch champions league final live streaming online #linkstreaming #rugby #zinedinezidane #bestshishacafedubai #ronaldo #girlsniteout #bundesliga #MSport #manchesterunited #chocolatecoffee #realmadridcf #alissonbecker #watchlive #risate #vandijk #ignoranza #frasirap #Barcelona #leicestercity #soccermemes #portsmouthfc #juventus #mancityvsliverpool #seriea #comics #Celtic #4Series #barcelona #afcnews #realmadrid #footballmeme #kroenkeout #manunited #henderson #manchestercity #nikesoccer #fcbarcelona #liverpoolfans #vip #panini #premierleague #manchestercity #knuckleball #ballondor #Barca #insegreto #midnight #football #footballdubai #Suarez #soccerbible #paulmcartney #mane #24x7 #pagani #soccer #oasis #Liverpool #championship #visubal #champion #footballstreaming #serieatim #lovefootball #valcea #Vip45 #crossfit #oudmehta
0 Comments