Hassan Sunny, 41, wants to hang around, not hang up his gloves
Former national goalkeeper Hassan Sunny will be 42 when his contract with Albirex Niigata ends after the 2025-26 season. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
SINGAPORE – A familiar face between the sticks, Hassan Sunny has been a symbol of longevity in the local game. As his 18th season in the Singapore Premier League draws to a close, the 41-year-old has not put a date to when he intends to retire.
'I have never wanted to stop playing football... My stance has always been to uphold my name. I wouldn't want people to say that Hassan is old, and therefore, he is not performing. It is important that I maintain my level of performance,' said the Albirex Niigata goalkeeper.
In June 2023, midway through an SPL title-winning campaign with Albirex, Hassan extended his contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.
He will be 42 by the end of his contract, surpassing other veteran goalkeepers who played in the Singaporean top flight, such as David Lee (retired at 41) and having already eclipsed the likes of Shahri Rahim (39), Amos Boon (38) and Rezal Hassan (37).
Hassan, who announced his international retirement in 2024 after becoming the most-capped Lions custodian with 115 appearances, added: 'I believe I can still contribute. So, I am not thinking about retirement. My job is to help the club and contribute to whichever team I am playing for. '
But even the goalkeeping stalwart admitted that the season has been 'a very long one', having played in 28 of Albirex's 30 SPL matches and conceded 62 goals in their first full campaign as a local club.
'It's not where we want to be in terms of the league table... I'm not saying it's a success, but from where we were at the start of the season, right at the bottom of the table... I would say it's good progress,' he said.
With two games left, Albirex will be aiming to secure fifth place in the nine-team table. After snapping a five-game winless run by defeating third-placed Geylang International 4-1 on May 11, they are just a point above a resurgent Brunei DPMM.
Albirex coach Keiji Shigetomi, who replaced the sacked Kazuaki Yoshinaga in July, admitted that it has been a challenging campaign.
'But the team pushed through under tough circumstances,' he said, ahead of their match against Tanjong Pagar United at the Jurong East Stadium on May 16. 'It's also been a difficult period for our fans, but I hope we can all finish the season on a positive note together.'
Also hoping for a good end to the campaign is Tanjong Pagar coach Noh Alam Shah. The Jaguars will end the season with the wooden spoon, but he believes their recent improved showings have not come too late.
The former national striker, who took the reins in December, said: 'They are just starting to understand how the playing style is supposed to be, but it's good because at least they understand now, then we can start focusing on next season.'
This will be Albirex's last home game of the season and Hassan has rallied his teammates. 'We spoke among each other and we were saying that these are the last two games we will play together... Let's cherish these moments... and end the season well,' he said.
Since his last international appearance in June 2024 – a 3-1 loss to Thailand in a World Cup qualifier in which his heroics enabled China to qualify for the next round at the Thais' expense – his fame has spread in China.
Washington-based United Sports Football Club, whose founder is a former assistant coach of the China national women's team, invited him to participate in mentorship sessions with their young goalkeepers from April 28 to May 5. The club play in the fourth-tier United Premier Soccer League.
Thanking Albirex for allowing him to go on the trip, which included a luncheon with World Cup 2026 ambassador Cliff McCrath, Hassan said it was an eye-opener as he gained new experiences.
He will hope to pass on those insights to his teammates ahead of next season , where he believes that with 'a good balance of quality foreign and local players,' the club can compete for top honours once again .
Brunei DPMM v BG Tampines Rovers (May 17, 8.15pm, Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium)
Having extended their SPL unbeaten run to seven matches (five wins, two draws), sixth-placed DPMM will be aiming to leapfrog Albirex by beating Tampines at home for the second time this season, following a 3-2 win in September. Tampines, meanwhile, have won five of their last six SPL matches and have secured second spot behind champions Lion City Sailors.
Young Lions v Hougang United (May 19, 7.45pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)
The Young Lions, who have already avoided the wooden spoon for the first time since 2020, lost 2-1 to third-placed Geylang at the Jalan Besar Stadium on May 15. While they took the lead through Kan Kobayashi in first-half injury time, the Eagles hit back through Rio Sakuma (68th minute) and Ryoya Taniguchi (90th) to extend the Young Lions' winless run to nine league games. Their season-ending clash against seventh-placed Hougang United at the same venue will now be a dead rubber.
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