Faris has a point to prove

TODAY’s countdown for the SEA Games focuses on the young talents who have the potential to win medals both in Myanmar and at the 2015 Games in Singapore. We shine the spotlight today on 21-year-old national Under-23 footballer Faris Ramli, who is determined to erase the bitter memories of his 2011 Games debut, and make naysayers of the current squad eat their words ...

SINGAPORE — If not for a deal struck between the football and athletics coaches of Loyang Primary School 11 years ago, Faris Ramli could well be heading to the 27th Myanmar SEA Games with Singapore’s track and field team.

As it was, Loyang’s football team needed a speedy player to carry the ball forward on the left flank and the then 10-year-old’s sprints on the tracks impressed its coach.

It did not deter him that Faris’ football was restricted to kickabouts with friends at HDB void decks and the boy was persuaded to turn out for the school football team when athletics did not demand his services.

That move eventually fired up Faris’ passion for the game and with the encouragement of 19-year-old elder brother Fahmi, he trained hard every day to juggle and dribble the ball. A year later, he dropped track and field altogether but his determination to succeed in football was strengthened after Fahmi was killed in a motorbike accident in 2005.

It began a journey that led Faris to the top 52 of the World Finals in the global football talent search by Nike last year, although he did not make the last 16. But his rising stock was recognised and he earned a call-up to the national squad from Bernd Stange after the German took charge of the Lions in May.

Tomorrow morning, the winger, along with defender Madhu Mohana, head to Naypyidaw to join Aide Iskandar’s Singapore Under-23 SEA Games team, who have been there since Tuesday. The National Servicemen’s departures were delayed as they were given the all clear to play in the tournament by the Ministry of Defence only three days ago.

For Faris, there is no question of missing out on Myanmar.

The 21-year-old wants to banish the memory of a forgettable Games debut two years ago in Indonesia, where the team failed to get past the group stage. His burning desire is to help the team answer critics who have written off Singapore’s chances of making it into the semis, let alone hitting the target of reaching the final.

The team’s prospects were questioned after they struggled to 1-0 wins over the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia earlier this year.

And despite putting six past the Philippines in last Sunday’s return friendly, the several easy chances that key strikers Shafiq Ghani and Sahil Suhaimi squandered only hardened that opinion.

“I’ve been hearing people say Singapore can’t get gold, can’t even get a medal and can’t even advance to the next round,” said Faris. “But from the squad that we have, I believe we can go far. We are of the same mind to do our best in representing the country and do Singapore proud.

“Team spirit is high and we have no injuries. We have also been working to strengthen our bonding for quite a while already and we are mentally strong about reaching our target. We can achieve the gold and it is up to us to get it.”

This belief raging in the heart of the 1.70m-tall Faris is what fuels his sizzling runs past defenders and pin-point crosses into the opponents’ penalty area. It caught the attention of LionsXII coach V Sundramoorthy, who attempted to recruit Faris last year but failed.

The former Courts Young Lions player felt he was not up to the mark yet, but could not reject a second approach this year. He scored on his debut in the team’s 3-0 defeat of Pahang, prompting the coach of the Malaysian side, former international Dollah Salleh, to hail Faris as the best player of the night.

And after a commanding performance against the Philippines, Stange also sees Faris beating a path to greater things, especially when he gets to train full time next year on completing NS.

Said the German: “Faris is a natural talent, who is fast and good. In one-on-one situations, he can make the difference with outstanding dribbling. He is a great character and wants to learn. But talent is nothing without hard work. He cannot deliver at the moment because in professional football you cannot survive with part-time training. But he has a bright future.”

That time may start in June 2015, when the Republic hosts the next edition of the SEA Games at the new Sports Hub and when the target must surely be gold. But much will depend on the development of the Young Lions squad next year that is set to have an almost all-new line-up.

“Coach Aide is putting together a Young Lions team who will stay together and, along with those eligible from the LionsXII side, play for the 2015 Games,” said Faris. “But all of us need to ... keep pushing to improve and be ready to do Singapore really proud in two years’ time.”

Factfile

Name: Faris Ramli

Height: 1.7m

Weight: 58kg

Position: Winger

SEA Games record:

2011: Debut at Palembang Games in 2-1 win over Cambodia. Campaign ended at group stage.

2013: In Group A with Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and Brunei

Singapore will meet Laos in their Group A opener on Sunday.

The match (8.15pm) will be shown live on Toggle Live. There will be a delayed telecast at 11pm on Mediacorp Ch 5