The Lions
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Do you still support the National Team??
Ever since they broke away from the M-league, my support for them has been waning... and its more for footballing reasons.
I want them to win.
But to use my brains and think logically, the crap players we have, i just don't bother about them anymore.
Last time we could name the First XI.
Now i don't even know who are the regulars.
The worst was when they got whacked by Malaysia. Our players getting cramps, no determination. That night, anyone from the stadium could go down and sub those players -
Semi Final Fixtures
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Dec 6th 94: Singapore v Selangor
Pahang v Kedah
Dec 10th 94: Selangor v Singapore
Kedah v Pahang
Singapore beat Pahang 4-0 in the Final on 17th Dec 94 at the Shah Alam
Stadium in front of a full house of 81000 fans. The score was 1-0 at half
time. Abbas Saad, Singapore's Australian import player, scored a hat
trick, while Singapore's own soccer legend Fandi Ahmad netted the fourth.
It was a rather one-sided match, the Pahang side was depleted with the
absence of sweeper Alan Davidson, midfielders Dollah Salleh and Zulhamizan
Zakaria were out due to injury and suspension respectively. Pahang's
young players were overawed by the occasion. So was their custodian, who
is Malaysia's 1st choice goalie. His performance was below par. I guess
it's because that night was the first time the team played in front of
such a huge crowd, more than two-thirds of whom were Singapore fans.
The fans themselves were sporting...most of the time. Except for the
times when the ref's decision was against Singapore, every such decision
would be greeted with a vulgar 5-letter Malay word. The air horn would
hoot 9 times and the fans would shout the word in a disgusting fashion.
They had no respect for the FAM President, the Sultan of Pahang and the
Crown Prince of Pahang. Also present were Malaysian ministers. I've been
to other matches involving other teams. I have to admit, that, while the
Singapore fans are the most disciplined in the region, they are also the
most vulgar.
ROLL OF HONOR
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Malaysia Cup: SINGAPORE
Premier League: SINGAPORE
FA Cup: Kuala Lumpur
Charity Shield: KEDAH
Fairplay Award: SARAWAK
President's Cup: SELANGOR
Golden Boot Award: HASHIM MUSTAPHA (Kelantan) -
Where's my jersey?
By Ryan Lim
The S-League, Singapore's very own domestic league has been around since 1996. It has also become a good ground for Jan Poulsen to look for potential talent for the National Team.
A lot have been done in the past six years to put Singapore into the path of reaching the World Cup in 2010. There are now full-time players, 12 professional S-League clubs run by full-time staff and fan clubs and clubhouses.
Kudos to the FAS (Football Association of Singapore) for promoting the local football scene and letting the good old memories of the Malaysia Cup become but a part of history.
However, there is still one very important 'element' that is missing to make sure the game gets the full support of Singaporeans and Singaporeans at heart. The Lions jersey is one integral part of football but is yet overlooked by the FAS.
Every local football fan who turned out at the National stadium used to don the Lions jersey during the 1994 season when the Lions were crowned Malaysia Cup Champions beating Pahang 4-0 at the Shah Alam Stadium.
Sad to say, it is missing now and many people don't even know where to get their hands on one.
A month ago, a German friend of mine came over to Singapore for a holiday. I took him to the National Stadium to watch Team Singapore play Uruguay in a friendly match on the 20th of May. He noticed a 'sea of reds' in the half-filled stands and thought that those fans were 'die-hard' Singapore fans donning the proud jersey of the home team.
On closer look, the 'sea of reds' was actually the jerseys of English Premier League teams of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool! It was a rare sight to see someone wearing the Singapore National team jersey except for one fan who was wearing the 1994 Malaysia Cup winning team jersey with the number "17" on his back.
I was dumbfounded for an answer when my pal asked me why Singaporeans preferred wearing the jerseys of English clubs rather than their local teams . Two days before he return to Germany, I told him that I would get him a Lions jersey as a parting gift.
The next day, I went all over the island and could not find a single shop that sold the Lions jersey. I began to panic and luckily, I managed to finally find one shop that sold the Lions jersey.
When I entered that particular shop, it was crowded with football fans buying jerseys to support their teams during the World Cup. The shop owner greeted me with a smile and said "Italy? Argentina? England? I also have Korean jerseys!" When I asked for the Singapore National Team jersey, he stared at me in disbelief. The customers in the shop start to giggle and pass some annoying remarks. I felt so humiliated but waited for the shop owner to show me the jersey (of my choice).
The Lions jersey wasn't even on the rack, it was in his storeroom. When he returned, the shop owner said with a hint of sarcasm, "Here you go, only $40. The cheapest jersey around, Thank you for being the first customer to buy it!". Needless to say, the others customers were amused by my patriotism. By the way, I also did not notice any Geylang United, Jurong or Balestier jerseys around the shop.
My German pal accepted the jersey with a lot of appreciation especially after a torrid time looking for it. But he rather curious about the brand the jersey carried, and asked me whether the logo 'TIGER' was a local sports brand. I was rather taken aback by his question remained speechless for a while. After a long explanation he understood the whole theory behind the "Tiger Issue".
A lot have been done to promote local football. The FAS is bringing in teams like Liverpool, Manchester United and now, Uruguay.
What that is truly lacking is the 'sea of reds' that has suddenly vanished since the "Malaysia Cup days".
To those who own the Singapore team jersey, I'm proud of you. I also would like to thank the guy who was wearing the 1994 jersey with 'Fandi' and that number 17 on his back during the Uruguay match. Hopefully, the 'sea of red' will return to the National Stadium and most importantly, the jerseys are made more easily available. Lastly, I would like to thank 'Tiger Beer' for being the sponsor of the national team.
By the way, I did tell my German pal that you are a beer company and not a sports brand. -
I do like the way the New Coach plays the team in terms of Tactics and the way of training. He also dealt fifferently with his no-holds-barred assessent of each match from the lions.
The new bunch of National players have a majority of new and upcoming players(from S-League nevertheless) with a blend of experienced players like Nazri, Mohd Noor Ali and Rafi Ali. So far, I have read the new players do have loads of potential but they need to give more consistency esp in international levels. -
Goal 2010?? I think Goal 2100 is more likely a realisitc target...
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that guy never state where he purchased the '94 jersey
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yah........fandi amad...abbas saad....lim tong hai.....lee man hong....super sub steven tan....malik awab.....wooooooooo..............................and the kallang wave...with the occational 'refree kayuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!' best men!!!!!!
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ya.... i used to like the defenders...
Lim Tong Hai...so boyish and cute..
David Lee.... so manly...esp when he orders the other players ard....
haiz... gone were the days...?!?
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no hunger..
no desire...
no pride...
sad... -
Lions should pick up Table Tennis instead!
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(stolen from Talkingcock.com)
HereÂ’s a little ditty for our footballersÂ…
Count Me Out, FAS
(lyrics by Gunnery, sung to the tune of ‘Count On Me, Singapore’)
They set a vision hard to follow, so naive, so naive
Goal 2010 for Singapore, cannot achieve, cannot achieve
Pardon me, with sarcastic remarks
Can't stop laughing from my heart,
Only win a Tiger Cup, dare to dream of World Cup
Oh FAS, will you wake up ?
The past Sea Games, lions always fail to achieve
ItÂ’s plain silly to ask Singaporeans to believe
Lions so weak, resemble kittens
They are pawless and toothless
Just look at S-League is slow, sleepy and sloppy
It's plain stupid, just forget it
Count me out, F.A.S.
The little cubs in deep shit and mess
There's not a chance, if we meet France,
It's real torment, if we face Holland,
There's Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Italy
Their score will be double digits
Count me out, F.A.S.
Count me out, F.A.S.
Count me out, the lions never progress
ItÂ’s never gonna happen, F.A.S.
Count me out, F.A.S. ( Give it up, F.A.S. )
Count me out, F.A.S. ( Stop dreaming, F.A.S. )
No way out, even if lions do their best
ItÂ’s never gonna happen, F.A.S.
ItÂ’s never gonna happen, F.A.S.
ItÂ’s never gonna happen, kiss my ass -
haiz~ i miss malaysia cup days...
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Yea me too.... I was just a 12 year old kid then when Singapore won the M League and Cup. and I remember when the Lions won the tiger cup, *hurrah* was not as big as the M cup.Originally posted by kopiosatu:haiz~ i miss malaysia cup days...
I think this dying support is due to the increase of european soccer tv telecast thats why... Sometimes our own people kill our own soccer.