Latest news with #BalestierKhalsa
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Balestier Khalsa footballer under police investigation after alleged nightclub incident
SINGAPORE – A foreign player from Balestier Khalsa is assisting the police with investigations after an incident at a nightclub, the Singapore Premier League side confirmed on May 28. The Straits Times understands that the footballer was accused of molestation during a night out with his teammates at Zouk in mid-May. He was taken to the police station and later released on bail. He would go on to play in the club's final SPL game of the season, a 3-2 win over Albirex Niigata at the Bishan Stadium on May 25. A spokesman from Balestier Khalsa confirmed that one of their players is under police investigation but declined further comment. The Tigers finished fourth out of nine teams in the recently concluded season, and achieved back-to-back fourth-place finishes for the first time since the late 1990s. However, they are headed for a transition with the departures of vice-chairman Darwin Jalil and coach Peter de Roo. ST understands that former Balestier player and coach Marko Kraljevic – who is Hougang United's head of youth development – is set to take over as their head coach. The 59-year-old German-Croat played for the club when they finished third in 1996 and fourth in 1997 and 1998, and had two spells as their head coach from 2014 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2021. He helped the Tigers win the Singapore Cup in 2014, when he was named the Coach of the Year. David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. 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
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Balestier Khalsa tighten their grip on fourth, edging out Hougang United 2-1 in SPL clash
Balestier Khalsa winger Riku Fukashiro up against Hougang United's Anders Aplin in their 2-1 win on April 24. PHOTO: BALESTIER KHALSA Balestier Khalsa tighten their grip on fourth, edging out Hougang United 2-1 in SPL clash SINGAPORE – Balestier Khalsa took a major step towards equalling last season's fourth-placed finish in the Singapore Premier League, as they defeated Hougang United 2-1 on April 24. Goals from Anton Fase (10th) and Riku Fukashiro (70th) at Our Tampines Hub helped the Tigers leapfrog Albirex Niigata into fourth spot. Both clubs are on 36 points, but Balestier have a game in hand over Albirex and sixth-placed Hougang (30 points). The Tigers are on course to finish fourth in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997 and 1998. Their best finish was third in 1996. Tigers coach Peter de Roo believes his side deserved the win, although there are still areas where they could do better. The Dutchman said: 'We left it late in the game and should have finished it way earlier. 'We more or less kept them in the game because we didn't finish our chances. 'If we keep on improving in what we do, then the results will follow.... Our performance was good enough for a win, but I still think there's a lot of room for improvement.' Fukashiro said of his performance: 'I scored one goal, contributed to the team and we got the three points and that's good for us. 'We had many chances in the first half, but we couldn't score. That's why we see this (close) scoreline.' There were early warning signs from Balestier, when several long throws from defender Madhu Mohana found the head of Kodai Tanaka. But the Japanese striker, their leading scorer with 20 goals, failed to put his chances away. The Cheetahs were then punished in the 10th minute when Tigers captain Alen Kozar threaded a through-pass to Fukashiro. The Japanese then drilled a low cross across the six-yard box, taking a touch off teammate Masahiro Sugita before Fase tapped the ball into an empty net. Tanaka almost doubled their lead 15 minutes later, but saw his left-footed drive strike the inside of Hougang custodian Zaiful Nizam's post before going wide. Hougang United forward Dejan Racic taking a shot in their Singapore Premier League match against Balestier Khalsa. PHOTO: HOUGANG UNITED Hougang's best chance of an equaliser came in the 35th minute, when Stjepan Plazonja's shot was parried by Hafiz Ahmad before Jared Gallagher thumped his shot against the upright. Sugita almost punished them again just four minutes after the restart. After picking a loose ball up in midfield, he fired a rocket, forcing Zaiful to tip his effort onto the bar to keep it out. But Plazonja equalised for the Cheetahs in the 53rd minute against the run of play, after his cross from the left flank flew over Hafiz in the Balestier goal. The Tigers restored their lead in the 70th minute after Zaiful palmed Kozar's shot into Fukashiro's path. The Japanese made no mistake, drilling his shot into the bottom corner. 'We didn't defend very well, we were very poor in the midfield pressing, and we gave them a lot of space and time for them to threaten us,' said Hougang coach Robert Eziakor. When asked if a top-four finish is still possible, he added: 'There's a chance to fight for it. 'We still have four more games to go, so we'll keep on fighting till the end.' Analysis The Cheetahs have looked desperate for ideas at times and definitely missed the creativity of Farhan Zulkifli, who is out with a groin injury and has eight assists in the league this season. With four games left, their hopes for a top-four finish seem slim. Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. 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.
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lion City Sailors get provisional approval to host Asian Champions League 2 final at Bishan Stadium
The Lion City Sailors celebrating a routine victory over Balestier Khalsa in a Singapore Premier League match on Feb 23. PHOTO: LION CITY SAILORS SINGAPORE – The Lion City Sailors have been granted provisional approval to host the Asian Champions League Two final against Sharjah FC of the United Arab Emirates at the Bishan Stadium. This is subject to a final inspection and formal approval by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in early May ahead of the showpiece on May 18 (8pm). In a media statement on April 23, the Sailors announced the decision, adding: 'Over the next few weeks, the club will be working closely with Sport Singapore, the Football Association of Singapore and sports industry experts to make the necessary upgrades and preparations to ensure the venue is match-ready for the big night on May 18.' Ticket details will be announced soon. This comes after several days of uncertainty over the venue for the ACL2 final, which is contested by the top teams from East and West Asia, with the venue alternating between both regions yearly. For the 2024-25 edition, the host team will come from East Asia, which means the Sailors, who beat A-League side Sydney FC 2-1 on aggregate over the two-legged semi-finals, have the hosting rights. The Sailors had been scheduled to host Sharjah at the Jalan Besar Stadium, where the Singapore side had played their six ACL2 home matches this season, winning four times, drawing once and losing once. However, the Emirati club had requested that the final not be played at Jalan Besar, citing its artificial pitch and 6,000-seater capacity. AFC officials, who met SportSG and FAS representatives to discuss venue options for the showpiece last week, also carried out an inspection of the Bishan Stadium, which has a natural grass pitch and can hold approximately 6,000 spectators as well. It is also the homeground of both the Sailors and Balestier Khalsa in the Singapore Premier League. The Sailors have won 14 of the 17 domestic games, including Singapore Cup fixtures, played at the Bishan Stadium so far this season, drawing twice and losing only once. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
