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Krishna wants National Stadium return for Tampines

SINGAPORE — After watching Tampines Rovers seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup on Tuesday night, Stags chairman Krishna Ramachandra now wants the home leg of his side’s last-eight match to be played at the National Stadium in September.

Tampines (in blue) at the National Stadium. Chairman Krishna Ramachandra believes the team can pull the crowds there again for their Cup quarter-final. Photo: Wee Teck Hian

Tampines (in blue) at the National Stadium. Chairman Krishna Ramachandra believes the team can pull the crowds there again for their Cup quarter-final. Photo: Wee Teck Hian

SINGAPORE — After watching Tampines Rovers seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup on Tuesday night, Stags chairman Krishna Ramachandra now wants the home leg of his side’s last-eight match to be played at the National Stadium in September.

The five-time S.League champions played at the National Stadium on May 10 in their win or bust final Group E match against Selangor FA and drew a crowd of close to 12,000 as they secured a vital 1-0 win to progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

“I was very actively involved in advocating for the Selangor game to be played at the National Stadium and right now at this juncture it is certainly going to be my intention to push for this quarter-final game to be played there as well,” said Ramachandra.

He added: “I have done my part in showing that we can pull in the crowds on an early weekday evening by generating the numbers that we did and I want to keep this momentum going and not make this a one-off to leave the fans hanging.”

Tampines became the first Singaporean side to qualify for the AFC Cup quarter-finals since 2008 after a 2-1 extra-time win against Indian side Mohun Bagan, and Ramachandra believes that fans will flock to the National Stadium to watch a local representative in a continental competition.

“I have always maintained the belief that Tampines are representatives of Singapore and fans would come down to watch a good footballing event involving a local side,” said the 44-year-old lawyer. “I think everyone was positive after the first experience and I would want this to happen with more regularity.”

However, Ramachandra believes it is essential for all parties to be agreeable to this before he can push for the match to take place.

“As much as I want this to happen, at the end of the day it is up to the relevant authorities and establishments to embrace this idea and decide whether it can boost Singapore football,” he said.

Responding to TODAY’s query, a Sports Hub spokesperson said: “The Singapore Sports Hub congratulates Tampines Rovers on being the first Singaporean side to qualify for the last-eight of the AFC Cup competition since 2008. The Sports Hub is supportive of (Tampines’) progress. Discussions are currently ongoing with the different stakeholders and relevant announcements will be made in due course.”

Meanwhile, Ramachandra paid tribute to outgoing head coach V Sundramoorthy for his contributions to the club. The former Singapore international took charge of Tampines for the final time on Tuesday night.

He will be appointed the new Singapore national coach on a one-year-deal tomorrow afternoon.

“It was a fitting farewell for Sundram and I would like to thank him for his contributions to the club,” said Ramachandra. “It is very good for the next national coach to leave on a high by winning the most significant game of our season so far.”

Qualification into the AFC Cup quarter-finals means Tampines will receive S$35,000 in prize money, a handy sum considering the club’s recent cash-flow issues as first reported by TODAY last month.

But Ramachandra believes the performances on the pitch are more important than the prize.

“Of course, any money is good money and we are happy to be rewarded for progressing,” he said. “But I think the progress we have made in the competition in footballing terms is what is key to us. The money is simply a recognition for our hard work and a bonus.”

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