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Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore to play Maldives in friendly ahead of Asian Cup qualifier with Bangladesh
Singapore striker Shawal Anuar in action against Maldives in 2022. PHOTO: FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE Singapore to play Maldives in friendly ahead of Asian Cup qualifier with Bangladesh SINGAPORE – The Singapore national football team will take on world No. 164 Maldives in a friendly match at the Bishan Stadium on June 5, the Football Association of Singapore said in a media statement on May 19. Explaining the choice of venue, national coach Tsutomu Ogura stressed the importance for the 161st-ranked Lions to play on natural turf, ahead of their Asian Cup third-round qualifier against world No. 183 Bangladesh in Dhaka on June 10. The Lions last faced Maldives in 2022 in a friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium, where they won 3-1, thanks to a brace from forward Shawal Anuar and a goal from Ilhan Fandi. Tickets for the friendly will go on sale at noon on May 21, but meanwhile, fans can sign up for the waitlist on the Football Association of Singapore and Ticketek websites. Those on the waitlist will be able to purchase their tickets from 10am, two hours ahead of public sales. Early-bird ticket prices range from $6 for category-three seats to $12 for category-one regular pricing. At the previous international window in March, the Lions drew 0-0 with 153rd-ranked Hong Kong in their opening Asian Cup Group C qualifier. All four teams in the group are level on one point each, as world No. 127 India had also played to a goal-less stalemate with Bangladesh. Only the group winners will advance to the continental showpiece in Saudi Arabia in 2027. Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Paper
28-04-2025
- Business
- New Paper
Can Forrest Li replicate Sailors' success on national level?
Optimism is rising within the local football fraternity with the arrival of Forrest Li as the new Football Association of Singapore president on April 28. The Lion City Sailors chairman has charted considerable success for the Singapore Premier League (SPL) side and there are hopes that the billionaire can replicate the same outcome at the national level. Albirex Niigata Singapore general manager Koh Mui Tee said the commitment of "rich and influential" people like Li to improving local football will inspire confidence. He said: "Forrest is a resourceful man, so hopefully he and his new team can do more things for Singapore football. With Sea Limited, he runs a successful international business, so I don't think running Singapore football in a small country will be a big problem for him. "The Sailors are doing things right by getting all the facilities and right human resources for their club, so I hope they can translate this to the national level." Former Tanjong Pagar United player Sudhershen Hariram, who is now a lawyer, agreed, and felt that Li's corporate shrewdness, combined with his experience in running a successful SPL side, will stand him in good stead. "Forrest has shown a willingness to get the best people involved while also giving them the space to do what they are good at. "With the right people making the decisions and with his willingness to involve and rely on the right expertise to carry out the decisions, I think we have reasons to be optimistic for the future." Under Li's leadership, the Sailors have been making waves since their introduction in 2020, as they won the SPL in the following year and the Singapore Cup in 2023. They are odds-on to win the league again this season and have reached the AFC Champions League Two final. While they went through several coaching changes, they have spent well on beefing up the team with imports such as Maxime Lestienne, Bart Ramselaar and Bailey Wright, who have shone on the Asian stage. Albirex's Koh wants to see the FAS make an effort to strengthen the SPL by enhancing its competitiveness and balancing the clubs' and national team's interests. He said: "For example, when the national team want extra training or an overseas tour, the league has to adjust its schedule to suit them, and there can be a few weeks' gap, which is like another pre-season for us. "The clubs would like to continue to support the national team. But not at such an expense that our schedule is compromised, our players are not conditioned properly, which could lead to injuries and is not good for either party." Another item on his wish list is the abolition of the current stadium-sharing plan, so that clubs can "build their own identity and fan base and find potential income opportunities" - such as running facilities like futsal courts, conduct grassroot coaching courses or run the Singapore Youth League. Also, to gradually wean the clubs from their reliance on handouts, he suggested the provision of subsidies based on meeting attendance or sponsorship-related KPIs. He added: "I believe FAS should equip SPL clubs to get the best coaches. Currently, youth coaches get paid more if they join ActiveSG Football Academy or School Football Academies over the SPL centres of excellence. "How can the professional clubs attract the best coaches if they have better offers at grassroots level?" Likewise, Singapore Football League (SFL) clubs are also looking to Li and his new FAS council for a leg up. GFA Victoria coach Harman Ali felt SFL teams have been "neglected" as they have been receiving $8,500 in annual subsidies for the past eight years. He also took issue with the shortage of pitches for SFL teams to train on, which he felt has resulted in the competition becoming "a retired players' league" and a "higher-quality social league". The new FAS will have its work cut out as academy owners are also asking for attention. Flair Football Academy founder Ibrahim Chemad said: "Set KPIs for academies and prioritise those who achieve objectives - such as participation in local and overseas tournaments, and overseas stints for youths - and reward them with pitch allocation and seed money to support them." However, there remains reservations from some on the ground. Former Kembangan United chairman Albert Ng is concerned about how Li will have time for Singapore football "because he needs to take care of his company first", while others in the council such as Sean Bai and Arivan Shanmugaratnam will be based overseas for work and studies respectively. He said: "Doing well at the club level doesn't mean that he will do well at the national level. It's two different kinds of handling and managing." He also felt that the FAS should focus more on the national teams, coach education and referees, adding: "The FAS should leave the running of the SPL to (national football project) Unleash the Roar, and just commission and sanction the games." One thing that most observers ST spoke to agreed on is the call for the new council to be open and transparent in their decision-making and communication with stakeholders. Sailors fan Eddy Hirono would like to see stakeholders consulted and pulled together in the same direction, while lawyer Hariram added: "I would like to see open and regular communication from the FAS, not just in the good times but also in the times where we may not be performing as well as we would like. "This regular communication will build a bond and trust with the fans as they will feel involved and heard."
Straits Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Newly installed FAS president Forrest Li wants to focus on youth
New Football Association of Singapore president Forrest Li (left) chatting with vice-president and national football captain Hariss Harun after the extraordinary congress on April 28 at the Raffles Town Club. PHOTO: FAS SINGAPORE – Forrest Li was installed as the new Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president until 2029 on April 28. At the FAS extraordinary congress at the Raffles Town Club, Li's slate that formed the council included lawyer and current BG Tampines Rovers chairman Desmond Ong (deputy president), and four vice-presidents – Bill Ng, founder of private equity firm Financial Frontiers and chairman of Hougang United and Tiong Bahru FC; national captain Hariss Harun; Lion City Sailors general manager Tan Li Yu; and Sean Bai, chief of staff at Burnley, who have recently been promoted to the English Premier League. Three council members were also elected en bloc with the rest of the slate by 29 of the 37 ordinary members – Bruce Liang, the head of strategic projects at Sea Group and SeaMoney and executive director of the Sailors; Arivan Shanmugaratnam, a lead manager at Tasek Academy and Social Services; and Roy Quek, chairman of St Joseph's Institution International. New Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li (centre) and his council members after the FAS extraordinary congress on April 28 at the Raffles Town Club. PHOTO: FAS In his first speech as president, Li highlighted a multi-pronged approach to 'improve things at grassroots and professional levels' within Singapore football. The 47-year-old said: 'We will focus on building up the fundamentals of a healthy football ecosystem, in five areas: infrastructure, youth development, partnerships, league competitiveness, and administrative effectiveness. 'To achieve all of this, we must be bold to make changes. Some projects will work, others will fail. We will learn from each failure, pivot where we need to, and celebrate every success. Most importantly, we will keep pushing forward. 'In business, and in football, no one has a crystal ball, we can only do our best to do what we think is right, and try our hardest on the field. Even if you're really good, you can lose. And even when you're an underdog, you can overcome the odds to win.' The six remaining individual seats on the FAS council went to former national forward Aleksandar Duric; ex-Lions captain Aide Iskandar; FAS medical committee chairman Dinesh Nair; Andy Tan, manager at Singapore Football League Division One side Katong FC; Syed Faris, leader of the Lions' die-hard fan group SingaBrigade; and Yeong Sheau Shyan, the Sailors' head of women's football. Yeong was automatically inculcated as part of the new team as the FAS council must comprise at least one female member. Independent candidate James Lim, former chairman of Island Wide League side Woodlands Rangers, who contested in the 2017 FAS elections, was not elected. Li, the founder of homegrown tech firm Sea, reportedly has a net worth of US$8.6 billion (S$11.28 billion). He was third among Singapore's richest in Forbes' annual list of global billionaires released on April 1. The New York Stock Exchange-listed Sea owns e-commerce platform Shopee and also operates businesses in gaming and digital finance. Later at a door-stop interview, when asked if he would inject his own funds into the association, Li said: 'At this moment, I don't know how the cash would flow in and out of FAS, I will (want to) have a better understanding on that first.' The China-born 47-year-old is a naturalised Singapore citizen and is no stranger to local football. In 2016, Garena, which is the digital entertainment arm of parent company Sea, inked a $4 million, two-year deal with Singapore Premier League side Young Lions. The partnership included a $2 million cash sponsorship, with an additional $2 million for developmental programmes for the squad. In 2019, Li joined the Home United management committee before taking over the club and privatising them as the Sailors in 2020. He also served as an FAS council member from 2017 to 2021. Under Li's leadership, the Sailors have also established a $10 million training centre – a 28,000 sq m facility along Mattar Road – in 2022 as part of a 'commitment to revitalise local football'. While Li has no specific projects that he plans to take on in mind, he hopes to focus the team's efforts on youth football. He added: 'All Singaporeans really care about Singapore football. People want the national team and our youth players to do well in all levels of different competition. 'This will be our primary focus and we hope over time, there will be more kids after school, just rather than spending time in tuition centres, (they) can get in the sun and come to the pitch and enjoy playing football. 'And there might be a higher chance we can have our own (Cristiano) Ronaldo or (Lionel) Messi from those kids many, many years down the road.' Li also expressed his thanks to the outgoing council for their stewardship over the last four years. Former president Bernard Tan said in his exit speech: 'Every decision taken by the team was made in the best interest of Singapore. Taking Singapore football forward, mistakes will inevitably remain in our game, we need to correct them and not revisit them ever again. 'It has been a great privilege to have served the Football Association of Singapore.' FAS Council 2025-2029 FAS president: Forrest Li Deputy president: Desmond Ong Vice-presidents: Bill Ng, Hariss Harun, Tan Li Yu and Sean Bai Council members: Bruce Liang, Arivan Shanmugaratnam, Roy Quek, Yeong Sheau Shyan, Aleksandar Duric, Aide Iskandar, Dinesh Nair, Andy Tan, Syed Faris. 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
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lions captain Hariss Harun happy to take on role of FAS vice-president
Hariss Harun will not be retiring any time soon despite his impending appointment as Football Association of Singapore vice-president. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR SINGAPORE – Since incoming Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li announced his slate – which included Hariss Harun as one of his four vice-presidents – over a week ago, the Lion City Sailors and national skipper has been inundated with calls and messages asking if he was retiring. With a hearty laugh, the 34-year-old told The Straits Times before the new council is sworn in at the FAS Extraordinary Congress on April 28: 'I'm not retiring, and I want to play for many years more. I will know when the time comes for me to hang up my boots, but it's not now because I feel I still can contribute on and off the pitch.' Hariss, believed to be the first active player in the FAS Council, added: 'I was surprised when I was approached because it's unheard of for an active player to be part of the council, but it's refreshing to know that they want me to be a voice for the players. 'I understand that the FAS Council role comes with a lot more responsibility, and there will be a lot on my shoulders also being the national team captain and an active player. But I will have to learn to juggle and play each role as perfectly as I can when the time comes.' One of Singapore's most successful footballers, Hariss has won the Asean Championship with Singapore, the AFC Cup, Malaysia Super League (MSL) and Malaysia Cup with Johor Darul Takzim, the MSL with LionsXII, and the Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup with the Sailors, who are also in the AFC Champions League Two final. He has been known to be not just a model professional since his national team debut at 16, but also one who cares deeply about Singapore football matters and is vocal about them. This is why he decided to step up after being approached by Li, despite having a busy schedule as a player for club and country, father of three and property agent. Hariss, who has 140 caps and 11 international goals, said: 'I feel very strongly about things on and off the pitch for Singapore football, and even more so as I grew older because I started to understand more certain things. 'I see that I have the capacity to help Singapore football. Having said that, our team acknowledges this is not a one-man job, that's why there is a diverse portfolio of people involved and everybody has to play a part to improve Singapore football.' Li, founder of home-grown tech firm Sea and chairman of Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors, has assembled a slate of nine with lawyer and BG Tampines Rovers chairman Desmond Ong as deputy president. Besides Hariss, the other three vice-presidents are Bill Ng, founder of private equity firm Financial Frontiers and chairman of Hougang United and Tiong Bahru FC; Sailors general manager Tan Li Yu; and Sean Bai, chief of staff at Burnley, who have just been promoted to the English Premier League. Hariss hopes his experience and influence as Lions skipper will help him represent local footballers and advocate for their interests, as he remains concerned that football is still not seen as a viable career in Singapore, with many dropping out in their 20s. He said: 'It's understandable if footballers retire early because of injuries, but it's sad if they do so because they don't see a future in Singapore football. 'I hope to make football a more attractive career for people who are serious about turning professional, to show that there is a pathway for them even after they retire in their 30s. 'We are a small country with a small talent pool, so we need to retain all the quality we have, and I hope I can help in this aspect.' When asked if there would be concerns about potential conflicts of interest when the FAS Council meets to decide on issues pertaining to the national team, he said he would recuse himself where necessary. He added: 'We are all very well aware of this. This is why we have a diverse group of people in the team who can make decisions, and there will be systems in place to avoid possible conflicts of interest in certain topics.' He also cited Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings, who was appointed one of three independent non-executive directors on the board for Euro 2028 – which will be co-hosted by Britain and Ireland – as an example of an active player making a difference off the pitch. Hariss said: 'This shows we are keeping up with the times and it can be done. It's something new in the Singapore context, but I'm really looking forward to contributing to Singapore football.' 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.
