SINGAPORE — As a budding young footballer, Steven “Supersub” Tan spent many happy days at the Mountbatten Football Field, honing his skills at the Milo Soccer School with his friends.

It is fitting then that the 46-year-old ex-international is returning to his roots now, with his appointment as head coach of the ActiveSG Football Academy’s programme at Kallang Cricket Field — located close to the original Mountbatten field.

Tan, along with veteran and youth coaches Richard Bok, Robin Chitrakar, Mohd Hairil Amin, and Hyrizan Jufri, were unveiled yesterday as the head coaches of the academy, with the five to front its youth programmes alongside academy principal Aleksandar Duric.

Of the five coaches, three (Bok, Chitrakar, Hyrizan) hold the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Professional Coaching Diploma Licence — the highest coaching certification in Asia, and the equivalent of the UEFA Pro Licence — and the group boasts decades of experience coaching in the S.League, National Football Academy, and schools.

The five head coaches will work with a team of assistant coaches to conduct the football programmes at five venues around Singapore, the Serangoon Stadium (Bok), Queenstown Stadium (Chitrakar), Jurong East Stadium (Hyrizan), Woodlands Stadium (Hairil), and Kallang Cricket Field (Tan).

ActiveSG Football Academy principal Aleksandar Duric said that the coaches were selected based on their track record in coaching and their work with youths.

“I really wanted them because it’s important to have coaches who know how to work with kids,” said former Singapore international Duric. “I’m very passionate about football, and I’m definitely looking to expand (the number of venues) in the future, and also for the older kids to join.

“That’s what we need, a big number of kids playing football. We’re here for the long term. We’re part of the ecosystem, and this is a quality programme that is affordable.”

The ActiveSG Football Academy Programme kicks off on May 28 with some 200 boys and girls aged from six to 12 signed on for the June Holiday Programme that will run for 14 sessions — up to three times a week — over a month.

While lessons at local academies by Arsenal and Barcelona can cost up to S$45, the ActiveSG Football Academy charges S$130 for 14 sessions, with ActiveSG members able to offset 30 per cent of the cost with ActiveSG dollars.

Aside from basic football skills, the programme aims to teach young children values such as discipline, respect and team spirit. The coaches are also hopeful of unearthing some young talents for Singapore.

“I believe in this project ... I’m trying to help, to share what I’ve learnt since my playing and coaching days,” said Tan, who is head coach of Temasek Polytechnic and Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), and technical director of the F-17 Football Academy.

“We will find talents, there are always one or two who fall out of the filter. Those with lower incomes will not be able to afford some of the other academies, so with this, we expect more kids to join as it’s easy access for them.”

Added former SAFFC head coach Bok: “When I got the call from Aleksandar for this ... it is about teaching skills to kids, teaching them life skills, and to see them not only graduate from the academy to become a better person. That’s what attracted me to join this project.”

* Find out more about the ActiveSG Football Academy Programme at https://www.myactivesg.com/start-out/children-youth/academy/Football