Irfan, Ikhsan get U-23 call-ups

SINGAPORE — Their father bears one of the most familiar sporting names in Singapore, but the inclusion of Irfan and Ikhsan, two of Fandi Ahmad’s sons, in the national Under-23 team for a training trip to Austria next week points to the expectation of bigger things to come from the duo.

Irfan, 17, and Ikhsan, 15, are part of the 20-strong squad to leave for Salzburg for a 16-day trip (July 7-23), with a 21-player national senior squad also making the journey. Both teams are slated to play three friendly matches there against European club sides.

Irfan and Ikhsan are both attached to the football academy of AC Banerchea, a second division club in Chile. Away since last October, both are back for a month-long break and the Football Association of Singapore’s decision to include them for the tour allows the teenagers the opportunity to have an early taste of life as a national footballer.

Said Fandi, the Singapore football icon who is head coach of the LionsXII: “I am happy for them. The FAS feels that both of them have the talent, so they want to see how they can help develop it further. Maybe they are not yet ready for international football at this (U-23) level, but the FAS wanted them in the squad for the exposure and experience.”

Added Fandi, who will also be on the trip as assistant to national head coach Bernd Stange: “They are still learning, but physically they are just as tall and big as anyone in the U-23 team, even taller than me ... must be the Chilean beef!”

For Aide Iskandar, coach of the U-23s, Fandi’s sons and other newcomers will learn much on such a trip.

“Training, bonding and getting a first-hand experience with players older than them will help them in the maturity process to become better footballers,” said Aide.

The U-23s are in the early stage of their preparation for the 28th SEA Games to be held here next June, with Singapore hoping to win gold in football for the first time. The national seniors are meanwhile readying for the year-end ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.

Stange is delighted that his senior players will get to face top professional European sides in Dinamo Moscow and Torpedo Moscow.

“Having daily training in such an ideal environment and playing against good players will definitely help in our preparations for the AFF Suzuki Cup at the end of the year. I am also using this trip to select the best players for the match against Juventus, the Italian champions, on Aug 16 at the National Stadium.”

For Aide, who coaches the Courts Young Lions in the S-League, this trip makes up for the missed opportunity in May to take part in a prestigious U-23 tournament in Toulon, France. “What we need is competitive matches against top-class opponents,” said Aide.

“Last year, the U-23 squad went to Turkey. Now we are going to Austria and maybe at the end of the year we are headed for Europe again. Playing against Borussia Dortmund will help our players understand where we are at this stage of their development. Hopefully they will be inspired to improve themselves after the trip.”

Singapore National Team:

Goalkeepers (2): Hassan Sani, Izwan Mahbud

Defenders (8): M Anumanthan, Baihakki Khaizan, Shaiful Esah, Afiq Yunos, Faritz Hameed, Shakir Hamzah, Safuwan Baharudin, Al Qaasimy Abdul Rahman

Midfielders (7): Hariss Harun, Zulfahmi Arifin, Faris Ramli, Shahfiq Ghani, Hafiz Abu Sujad, Gabriel Quak, Shahdan Sulaiman

Forwards (4): Fazrul Nawaz, Sahil Suhaimi, Shahril Ishak, Khairul Amri,

Singapore Under-23s:

Goalkeepers (3): Syazwan Buhari, Rudy Khairullah Negara, Shahul Rayyan Redzuan

Defenders (5): Ali Hudzaifi Yusof, Fadli Kamis, Sheikh Abdul Hadi Othman, Sim Teck Yi, Delwinder Singh

Midfielders (10): Amy Recha Samion, Iqbal Hussain, Shameer Aziq Razak, Nur Na’iim Ishak, Stanely Ng, S Suria Prakash, Adam Swandi, Ikhsan Fandi, Amirul Adli Azmi, Ammirul Emmran Mazlan

Forwards (2): Muhaimin Suhaimi, Irfan Fandi

Fixtures

National Team:

12 July vs FC Brno (Cze)

18 July vs Torpedo Moscow (Rus)

21 Jul vs Dinamo Moscow (Rus)

Under-23s

11 Jul vs FC Pribram (Cze)

15 Jul vs Borussian Dortmund U-23s

20 Jul to be confirmed