10 things we'd like to see in S.League 2007
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Fans and football enthusiasts, the new S.League season is upon us! Have you made your wishlist? HereÂ’s a rundown of our top ten hopes for 2007, gathered from random sentiments that span across all walks of life. Let us know if you beg to differ.
1) All CLUBÂ’S MATCH PROGRAMMES WITH TEAM AND PLAYER PROFILES DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THEIR CONSTITUENCIES
Dedicated outreach to residents through flyer distributions around shopping malls and bus interchanges so that the estate folks have more knowledge and familiarity with who is playing for the neighbouring clubs within their estate.
The downside of unfamiliarity? Estate aunties/uncles mistakenly think Aleksandar Duric is a big ang moh tourist visiting Lot 1 Mall, Kengne Ludovick is an African student residing in Bishan, or scratch their heads wondering why a whole bunch of Japanese youngsters love hanging out so much in the Jurong East area. -
2) BOTTOM-UP PUSH – TO THE KIDS AT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL, THEN TO THEIR PARENTS
Bringing the current vibrancy of the tournaments and teams to the young so as to build up the marketing of the fan base, starting with the young.
Blitzkrieg the young through allowing school excursions to training sessions and having teams make the occasional visit to the schoolÂ’s to build up rapport and support for their neighbouring clubÂ’s - all this at the neighbourhood and district level, keeping the focus regionally and also not stretching resources unnecessarily.
3) PAST-BY-DATE PLAYERS FROM THE EUROPEAN/ASIAN LEAGUES FOR A WOW! EFFECT
Well, we are not expecting necessarily the best of the best past-by-date players, but even the lesser but no less well-known one likes Nakata, Ince, Pallister will provide the wow! factor for the league. Assuming of course that theyÂ’d be able and willing to come here on much different terms; and, well, that their skill level and bellies are still up to scratch, naturally.
Significantly, these exotic pedigrees of the past would play defensive or midfield roles, leaving the strikeforce tasks to the local lads. -
4) NEW CHINESE AND KOREAN CLUBÂ’S PRE-SEASON TARGETS FULFILLED
That the rookie newcomer teams, Liaoning Guangyuan FC and Korean Super Reds FC, live up to their pre-season prediction that they can achieve Top Three or mid-table positions respectively.
We’ve all read it before with Albirex-Niigata (Singapore), Sinchi, Sporting Afrique. All this idle talk makes it so painful when it turns out that it’s the bottom three they’re really bragging about sans Albirex-Niigata, of course. C’mon all you newbies – if you can’t make it, don’t even mumble it. Hrmph! -
5) DISTINCT AND NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT STYLES OF PLAY FROM THE FOREIGN CONTINGENT TEAMS
Well, there has so far been the Chinese, Japanese, African and Korean representatives. Short of requesting some Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese etc etc, it would be salacious for all football adherents and those who are potential converts to the S.League, if the foreign teams stamp their distinct style of play on the local theatre i.e never-say-die Koreans, diligent/efficient and flair-filled Japanese, and ‘industrious’ Chinese.
That kind of a mark has not really been indelibly etched into the local fanÂ’s psyche. It appears these teams actually appear to be adapting to the local standards of play. Nothing wrong with that but Â… Ouch! itÂ’s supposed to be vice-versa, doesn't it? -
6) IMPROVEMENT IN THE CHEERLEADING SQUADS AND GROUPS
It is putting it mildly to say that the din is put-offish at perhaps half the clubÂ’s cheer squads - if season 2006 was anything to go by. While the outfits, rhythm and chants have improved, it would be good to hear Go! Eagles Go! instead of Go! Eagle Go! and 'Protectors' not 'Protector'. At least the clubÂ’s management could have highlighted this to their fan club choreographers - given that they had about a decade to do so.
Also, because every good thing normally has a pause for a cause, cheer groups, please take a breather every few minutes. Arigato!
Humble suggestion: Personal player chants can also be introduced ala “Go Laakkad go! Ram ‘em down! Bulge the net, Noh Alam, make them stag…ger!” to that effect.
7) MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS – EXPLORE THE AFRICAN STYLES AND TYPES
New instruments along the lines of what Sporting Afrique had with their talented musical African bandboys would be refreshingly welcome to the musical tempo - with its range of rhythms, melodies and silky textures, good music is a vital communication tool for the game of football and should evolve from the current drums, drums, and more drums.
Explore new instruments that aren’t necessarily loud and bombastic by design. Some wonderfully simple African chants – Oooooo! Aaaaah! accompanied by light-on-the-ears African instruments and improvised metal canisters beaten with a metal rod.
In unison with the game, music and dance a-la the African style, will actually complement football games, attracting fans in the process. Yes, learn from the Africans! - the continent has a musical history that stretches back further than any other continent. -
LESS OF THE PUNTERS AT GAMES WHO ARE ROOTING FOR THEIR WINSÂ… NOT THE TEAMS
Punters - defined as those usually found along the perimeter of the field or at the other end of the main gallery; distinguishable also because they are either very expressive in their goal celebrations or exceptionally muted when the goals go against the grain of their bets.
But hey! Punters constitute paying fans too right! So, maybe even a dedicated punters area can be created within stadiums. The end goal is to make the punter a ‘dedicated’ fan through “familiarity by association”.
9) FHM HEARTLAND HONEYS AT FRIDAY LIVE GAMES (JALAN BESAR STADIUM)
A big Ole! for this one. Do you even realise the immense draw of such lascivious babes on the average male Singaporean? So when Liaoning Guangyuan play Home United, an FHM babe residing in Queenstown (or Geylang even) and another from the Bishan area can be appointed to join the respective teamÂ’s cheer groups.
And of course they must be football savvy or else be given a crash course before the game lest they wonder why only two of twenty-two on a patch of green can fondle the ball. Ole! Ole! -
And lastly,
10) THE GAME OF SOCCER – BETTER, BETTER, BEST! NEVER LET IT REST.
Last but most important of all – smarter and overall more attractive football. Clubs can have regular playing stints for promising local players. We have had Noh Alam Shah trying out for Luton Town, Lionel Lewis at stints in Brazil. We have the Africans, Chinese and Brazilians within the league.
A juicy prospect would be to invite teams from Holland (total football), Germany (technical), South America in the very near future, so that these experiences are imparted through playing encounters. -
oh wow i would just like to see one thing
1)That S league be closed down....waste of time nia kelong league -
Please la.. Be supportive.. Singaporeans must at least show a bit of support leh..Originally posted by GenX:oh wow i would just like to see one thing
1)That S league be closed down....waste of time nia kelong league
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oh really?I already dun feel singaporean in this land i am born in liao,soon with population at 6.5 million,i will even feel like a foreigner,how to support something you do not feel for?Originally posted by turbo_drift:Please la.. Be supportive.. Singaporeans must at least show a bit of support leh.. -
Ok.. U win lor..Originally posted by GenX:oh really?I already dun feel singaporean in this land i am born in liao,soon with population at 6.5 million,i will even feel like a foreigner,how to support something you do not feel for? -
s-league is super boring..when their opponents are trying 2 attack another team, the kena attacked team would just pump the ball upfront and their passing sucks big
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Fcuk, it's kelong soccer than can enable you to win money from betting.Originally posted by GenX:oh wow i would just like to see one thing
1)That S league be closed down....waste of time nia kelong league
Where else can you get 9-0 or 4-4 scorelines happening regularly?
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haha too bad i dun gamble deOriginally posted by charlize:Fcuk, it's kelong soccer than can enable you to win money from betting.
Where else can you get 9-0 or 4-4 scorelines happening regularly?