Lions can roar at Suzuki Cup

SINGAPORE — They may be the joint-most successful team — along with Thailand — in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship, having won the tournament four times since its inception in 1996.

Despite that, Singapore will head into this week’s Suzuki Cup — the 11th edition of the tournament — as underdogs, with many expecting the Lions to not even progress past the group stage.

After all, the team are heading into the tournament having recorded just one win in their last seven international ‘A’ friendlies, a run of form that hardly inspires confidence, especially when V Sundramoorthy’s side have been drawn in a tough group alongside hosts Philippines, defending champions Thailand and Indonesia.

But as the Lions depart for Manila this evening, members of the local football fraternity TODAY spoke to believe it is premature to write off the team’s chances at the tournament, and pinpointed a few reasons why they can defy the odds to win the Cup this year.

THE SUNDRAM FACTOR

Since his appointment as national head coach in May on a one-year contract, Sundram has gone about moulding the Lions into a defensively-sound, hardworking and physical outfit that pride themselves on being a tough nut to crack.

It is reminiscent of how the 51-year-old transformed the LionsXII into a Malaysia Super League (MSL) winning side in 2013. Unsurprisingly, majority of the players Sundram has called up for the Suzuki Cup hail from that squad.

And former Hougang United coach K Balagumaran, who was Sundram’s assistant during the successful LionsXII campaign, believes Sundram’s astute tactical acumen, as well as the close relationship he has developed with the players, will give the team a vital edge.

“Having worked with Sundram closely, I know he’s a very good tactician,” said Balagumaran. “His style is a bit more cautious and defensively, he’ll want his team to be very tight.

“The players all know how Sundram wants the team to play, and they’ve seen from the LionsXII success that if they play according to the game plan, it can work for them.

“Sundram and the players have also developed a good relationship and this will help. In addition, there’s also Fandi Ahmad helping out ... he’ll play a different role by motivating players from behind the scenes and in all, I think they have a well-balanced coaching team.”

EXPERIENCE COUNTS

Sundram’s decision to recall veterans Daniel Bennett, 38, and Mustafic Fahrudin, 35, to the national fold was widely questioned, with many wondering if the duo still had the legs to cope with the pace and intensity of international football.

But former Singapore international Aleksandar Duric, who hung up his boots at the age of 44, insists Sundram’s plan of injecting much-needed experience will be crucial for the team, both on and off the pitch.

It also helps that majority of the players who have been called up for the Suzuki Cup this time round are those who have featured in previous editions of the tournaments.

“Experience is something that you need in the team, and right now, I think they have enough strength and experience with players who’ve been there and done that,” said Duric, who led Singapore to the Cup in 2012.

“This experience can help the team bounce back up when they’re down, and the players will know what this tournament is all about, because it’s not easy.

“I believe the squad has a very strong team spirit and enough talent in their ranks. They now need to come together and fight from the first to the last minute of every match, and I’m sure they’ll be able to succeed.”

NO PRESSURE

Unlike the previous edition of the Suzuki Cup in 2014, where Singapore were expected to reach the final, expectations for the team this year have been reduced, with Sundram being set the target of leading the team to the semi-finals.

Many have also seemingly written off the Lions’ chances of winning the tournament, with the likes of Thailand, Vietnam and even the Philippines touted as the likely victors. And this could play to Singapore’s advantage, said former Singapore international Rafi Ali.

“It’s always good to go into a tournament as underdogs because then there’s no pressure,” said the 43-year-old, who was part of the 1998 Tiger Cup winning squad. “Because then, they just need to concentrate on what they need to do on the football pitch.

“With nobody giving them a chance, it is the best time for the players to prove that they have quality. They just need to take responsibility on and off the pitch and play to the best of their abilities.”

While former national midfielder John Wilkinson believes the Thais will eventually win the tournament, he expects that the pressure might also cause Singapore’s opponents to choke on the big stage.

“This is the first time that the Philippines have lofty expectations, and they’re expected to win the Cup, so it remains to be seen if they can cope with the pressure, although I think it might get to them,” explained Wilkinson, who now works as a football analyst for Fox Sports.

“For the Thais, because of how strong they are and with their tag as favourites, I think they might get a bit complacent and they might take things for granted. Indonesia are an up-and-coming team, and they can score goals, but they’re young and not the most balanced side.”

PLAYING FOR THEIR FUTURES

With uncertainty surrounding the S.League and the club futures of Baihakki Khaizan, Shahril Ishak, Safuwan Baharudin and Hassan Sunny — local players plying their trade overseas — still up in the air, this tournament will provide a golden chance for the Lions to woo potential suitors on the international stage.

With the Thai Premier League amending their foreign-player quota to recruit more Asean players next season, along with the impending formation of the professional Philippines Football League, there will be plenty more opportunities for Singapore players to play abroad.

And Balagumaran believes this will give the Lions added motivation during the tournament in order to earn a contract with a foreign team.

“The players will want to do well, because of they will want to try and earn better contracts outside of the S.League,” said Balagumaran.

“And this is the best way for them to try and get the attention of foreign clubs, because it’s a regional tournament so the scouts and managers will be watching closely for potential new players to sign.”

Singapore’s Suzuki Cup fixtures

Nov 19 (8pm): Philippines vs Singapore

Nov 22 (4.30pm): Thailand vs Singapore

Nov 25 (8pm): Singapore vs Indonesia