Latest news with #Balestier
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Balestier Khalsa bid farewell to coach with 3-2 victory over Albirex Niigata
Balestier Khalsa FC players celebrate by pouring a container of ice over their departing coach Peter de Roo after their Singapore Premier League match against Albirex Niigata. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE – When Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo took over a Tigers side who were second-last in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) in September 2022, he introduced a style of football that combined possession with aggressive pressing during transitions. In his final match at Bishan Stadium on May 25, his charges did well to showcase his football philosophy, giving the Dutchman the perfect parting gift with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Albirex Niigata — a team Balestier have not beaten since 2015. Substitute Reycredo Bukit, who scored his first goal for the club and the winner in the 95th minute, said: 'I (dedicate) my performance today to coach Peter de Roo. Thank you for giving me the experience of playing in my debut professional season. 'It's so amazing… A very good start for me, and I keep going.' Victory against Albirex, who in 2024 transitioned from a team comprising mainly Japanese players to a local outfit, on the final day of the SPL saw Balestier finishing fourth in the league in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997 and 1998. De Roo, who was inundated with requests for photos and autographs by fans after the final whistle, said: 'I am proud the guys gave it their all to the end. We wanted to go out with a bang. We worked extremely hard. 'We wanted to repay the supporters for their faith in the last two and a half years. We did not do that with the best football, but as always, the boys played their socks off and worked so hard.' Members of Balestier Khalsa FC (in red) and Albirex Niigata FC (in white) compete for the ball during the final round of 2024-25 SPL season at Bishan Stadium on May 25. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The 55-year-old's swansong was all the more satisfying as he had finally broken the hoodoo against Albirex after eight losses in as many league meetings, including his first game in charge, a 3-5 home defeat. The Tigers began the game with just a third of the possession, but patiently waited for opportunities on the transition. They opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Jared Gallagher whipped in a deep cross that was met by Anton Fase, who rose highest at the back post to power a header into the top corner. Just before the interval, Balestier top scorer Kodai Tanaka combined with former Albirex teammate Masahiro Sugita for their second goal. Tanaka produced a neat flick into Sugita's path and the winger shimmied past a flailing Hassan Sunny before sweeping the ball home. After a brief VAR check, the players wheeled away in celebration, heading straight to the bench to share the moment with their departing coach. The White Swans threatened to spoil the party as they pulled one back soon after the restart. A cross floated in by Arshad Shamim was nodded in by defender Koki Kawachi for his first goal of the season. An unmarked run by Kawachi during a corner resulted in another bullet header past Balestier keeper Hafiz Ahmad to level the game. Throwing bodies forward in search of a winner, the hosts' persistence paid off when Reycredo spotted Hassan off his line and sent a shot into the back of the net. While disappointed with the stoppage-time loss, Albirex coach Keiji Shigetomi said: 'We wanted to finish the season with a win. We really wanted to give our fans a result they could celebrate… But I believe my boys didn't give up, and they showed our fighting spirit.' Over at the Jurong East Stadium, Tanjong Pagar United stunned third-placed Geylang International as they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw. Earlier on May 24, Brunei DPMM brought their SPL chapter to a close with a sixth straight win, edging Hougang United 3-2 in a hard-fought encounter, courtesy of a brace from top scorer Davis Ikaunieks (12 goals). They are set to rejoin the Malaysia Super League in the 2025/26 season. Tampines Rovers and Lion City Sailors eked out a 0-0 stalemate on the same day after the latter rotated their outfield players for the match, retaining only substitute goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad from the first leg of the Singapore Cup semi-final against DPMM as they gear up for the second leg on May 27. Analysis Balestier showcased some attractive passages of counter-attacking play, but were nearly undone by some pedestrian defending. A late offensive onslaught paid dividends as they notched the late win for their departing coach. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Balestier Khalsa's departing coach Peter de Roo urges FAS to get out of comfort zone to improve SPL
Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo says there is a lack of effort from the football authorities in making the game better. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU SINGAPORE – For most of the last decade, Balestier Khalsa had become a team known for their defensive, uninspiring brand of football rather than flair or ambition. That perception has been turned on its head under Dutchman Peter de Roo, who became their full-time head coach in 2023. With one game left, Balestier are fourth on 45 points – three more than their next opponents, fifth-placed Albirex Niigata – and are just a point away from securing consecutive top-four finishes in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) – the first time the club has achieved this since 1997 and 1998. The 55-year-old has done this while having introduced a possession-based, attacking style of play that has won fans and plaudits alike. But the de Roo era will end on May 25, after their season finale against Albirex at Bishan Stadium (6pm), as he has informed the club that he will not be renewing his contract. His decision was prompted by several factors, including difficulties in taking the next step at a club that he felt has reached its maximum potential with 'limited resources'. De Roo said: 'We compete with clubs who have a much higher budget than us and in the top four, we are the only club that doesn't have national team players. 'When you are successful in a club like Balestier, the budget is not going to improve in the next season, but the players want to earn more money and the expectations go up. To stay at the same level or even improve in terms of the results, is going to be a massive challenge. 'Where I come from, if you do well, you generate more income, there are more people watching, you get more money from broadcast and commercial arms to improve the team and the salaries of players. Simply, if you do well, the budget goes up. At Balestier, it is not like that. I must accept that.' Noting that he has achieved his objective of making an impact at the club, he added: 'You better leave two months too early than stay for one day too long.' While he exits 'with pain in my heart, because I love these boys, I love the club', de Roo said he also felt the need to be honest as he felt there was so much untapped potential in football here. Without mincing his words, he added that the football authorities' lack of effort and innovation has also contributed to his decision to leave. 'I've been part of the SPL for three years and what I noticed is that there is a lack of effort from the people (in charge) in trying to make it better and more attractive. I see a lot of people who take things for granted here and are too comfortable,' said de Roo. He mentioned, for example, that on several occasions, he had raised the issue of time-wasting by SPL teams with FAS. This had contributed to dull matches and, by his own tabulation, a below average ball-in-play time of the 'low 40s'. The average ball-in-play time in the English Premier League is 57 mins. 'It is disrespectful to people who watch it, and it's certainly not what young players should be seeing. FAS can do a lot about these things as well. We must do better, and we owe it to the people who watch our games to address these things,' de Roo said, adding that more should also be done in terms of fan engagement. While admitting he did not have all the answers, he stressed the need for innovation. He said: 'We need to try to encourage and promote and make the competitions better, but I get the feeling that everybody is sort of being comfortable. Being comfortable isn't going to lead to anything. They need to think outside the box.' The departure of club vice-chairman Darwin Jalil in April had also played a part in his own exit. De Roo credited Darwin for raising the standard at the club and being a crucial figure behind the Tigers' growth in the last two years. De Roo, who served as technical director at the Football Association of Malaysia from 2017 until the end of 2020, had initially joined as Balestier's interim head coach for the last six matches of the 2022 season after Akbar Nawas left to join Thai second-tier side Udon Thani. But he eventually accepted an offer to stay on as permanent head coach for the 2023 season before agreeing to extend his contract again for the 2024-25 campaign. The Dutchman said he accepted the role even though the Tigers' best offer meant taking a pay cut of up to 60 per cent compared to his previous salaries. Since leaving his appointment in Malaysia, he has been based in Singapore, where his wife works at the Netherlands Embassy. For now, de Roo has not thought of the next step in his career, but reiterated that he has enjoyed being in the Republic and hopes to see changes to improve local football. He added: 'During my time here, I have studied the history of the country. Look at where Singapore was then in the 60s or in the 70s, and where they are now. You're so good at planning and building so many things. So to me, it is weird that we can't get football organised. 'If you can transfer that mindset of how the nation was built into football, things will improve.' Hougang United v Brunei DPMM (May 24, 6pm, Our Tampines Hub) While DPMM will be looking to finish the season and their Singapore sojourn with a sixth consecutive win in the league, the Cheetahs will be looking to end a five-game winless run. BG Tampines Rovers v Lion City Sailors (May 24, 6pm, Jalan Besar Stadium) The champions have a chance to assert their dominance over runners-up Tampines. Eight points separate the two sides, and their previous encounters this season have produced one win for each and a draw, setting the stage for a decisive showdown. Tanjong Pagar United v Geylang International (May 25, 6pm, Jurong East Stadium) The 2024-25 season's wooden spoonists have just three wins all season, but they can draw confidence from their lone victory in the past 14 matches – a 1-0 win over Geylang in the Singapore Cup group stage back in March. Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Reinvented Balestier Khalsa striker Kodai Tanaka no longer fixated on goal targets
Balestier Khalsa striker Kodai Tanaka is reinventing himself to become a more well-rounded player. PHOTO: BALESTIER KHALSA SINGAPORE – Terrorising defences with aplomb, Kodai Tanaka registered 33 goals and 11 assists as he won the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) title with Albirex Niigata in his debut campaign and was also crowned Player of the Year. While he is still bulging the net with 20 goals in 26 SPL games for Balestier Khalsa this season, the Japanese is now reinventing himself as a more well-rounded player. No longer is he fixated on scoring, as the 25-year-old, who had set himself a 40-goal target at the start of the term, believes that he has added another dimension to his game, adapting his playing style to create more chances for his teammates. 'I don't want to set a goal target any more, I'm not that focused on scoring any more because I also assist a lot, create chances, which is also good for me,' said Tanaka, who has 14 assists, behind Geylang International's Ryoya Taniguchi (18) and leader Maxime Lestienne (20) of the Lion City Sailors. Contributing to his mindset shift was an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee in March 2023, just two months after joining the Sailors, which left him sidelined for eight months. He then signed for Balestier in 2024. 'My body is different now, of course as I get older, my thinking changes,' Tanaka added. 'Now if a defender comes to me and I create the space for my team to score, that's okay. Last time was different, when I only thought about scoring, now I have a different mentality, helping the team defensively and creating chances.' Balestier Khalsa coach Peter de Roo believes that striker Kodai Tanaka is 'phenomenal' without the ball. PHOTO: BALESTIER KHALSA While Tigers coach Peter de Roo would have liked Tanaka to score more this season, he also lauded the player for his off-the-ball contributions. The Dutchman said: 'Kodai is renowned for his goalscoring abilities, but also for his work rate off the ball. Without the ball, I think Kodai is phenomenal.' Tanaka will face one of his closest friends in compatriot Shodai Yokoyama on April 24 (7.45pm) when Balestier take on Hougang United at Our Tampines Hub (OTH) bidding to equal last season's fourth-placed finish – their highest since 1996, when they finished third. OTH, which reopened on April 20 after seven months of improvement works, will host all SPL games from April 24 to May 4 in view of the potential closure of Sport Singapore facilities ahead of the May 3 general election. The Tigers are fifth in the nine-team SPL with 33 points, three behind fourth-placed Albirex, but with two games in hand. Hougang (30) are sixth, but have played a game more than Balestier. Tanaka said of Yokoyama: 'He's the most dangerous player in Hougang because he controls the tempo. 'I've seen it many times, he passes to (Stjepan) Plazonja, who crosses to (Dejan) Racic to score. 'It's the same pass, so we must press him, so that nothing will happen. 'I need to press him more and sometimes kick his legs,' he joked. 'But that's only in the game, after the game we are good friends again.' While de Roo believes the Tigers are the best side among the teams fighting for fourth, he also feels that they have not shown that yet. 'I think what people forget is that we're the only team that doesn't have national team players, and we don't have the same budget as the other teams,' he added. 'Lion City Sailors have $8 million more than we do, give me $8 million more, and we will be 10 points away from the rest too... I'm convinced of that.' Ahead of their clash, Cheetahs interim coach Robert Eziakor said: 'It will be a tough match as this will be our last encounter between us. We know their capabilities and we will focus on our performance.' Albirex Niigata v Lion City Sailors (April 25, 7.45pm, Our Tampines Hub) If the Sailors beat the White Swans and also win their game in hand against the Young Lions on April 30, they will likely need only five more points to ensure an unassailable lead over BG Tampines Rovers to clinch their second SPL title. Geylang International v Brunei DPMM (April 29, 7.45pm, Our Tampines Hub) DPMM will look to build on their 3-0 home win over Albirex on April 19. They will be coming up against a player whom they have declared an interest in signing – SPL top scorer Tomoyuki Doi, who has scored 42 of the Eagles' 87 goals in 27 games. Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
