S'pore coaches work wonders From relegation candidates to I-League champions in a year, Chennai City proved there are more to football miracles than just Leicester City's stunning English Premier League triumph in 2016. In achieving the improbable, head coach Akbar Nawas and his assistant K. Balagumaran also showed that Singaporean trainers are capable of producing such magical moments after leading the Indian club to the league title on Saturday. The duo are believed to be the first local coaches to win a professional football league outside South-east Asia. Former Tampines Rovers coach Akbar told The Straits Times yesterday: "There is great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year." When the 43-year-old took over the reins last year, Chennai had three games to stave off relegation from the I-League. They beat Churchill Brothers 3-1, lost 7-1 to East Bengal, before securing safety with a 2-1 win over Minerva Punjab in their final match. A year later, the remarkable turnaround was completed in front of 8,000 fans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on Saturday with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Minerva as both club and head coach clinched their first league title. For Balagumaran, this is his second league title as assistant to V. Sundram Moorthy after winning the 2013 Malaysian Super League title with the LionsXII.
A SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT There is great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year. AKBAR NAWAS, Chennai City head coach, on the I-League side's dream season.
With 13 wins, four draws and three defeats, Chennai amassed 43 points, one more than second-placed East Bengal. And they did it in style, scoring 48 goals in 20 matches, and never relinquishing their place at the top of the 11-team league from the third match week. The Times of India summarised their triumph as "befitting their dominant campaign, the fulcrum of which was a sustained possession-based football". Akbar said: "Winning the title was the end result of good scouting, our attacking football philosophy, how we trained, prepared and executed our plans during the games. "The club gave me the freedom to impart this to the players despite initial scepticism about whether this will be successful in India. "I never lost sleep over the title race because we were focused and trusted our processes - there was great synergy among the owner, backroom staff and players. In fact, I lost sleep only after we won, with the many phone calls and text messages coming in!" Astutely building the team around five Spaniards from Europe's lower leagues and former S-League star Jozef Kaplan, Akbar also made room for local talents to shine.
PUTTING THE SHINE ON When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished... now they have won their first professional league title. K. BALAGUMARAN, on the humble backgrounds of many of their players.
Incredibly, Chennai won the league without a single Indian international in their squad. Yet, the goals flowed from every department. Striker Pedro Manzi may be the league's joint-top scorer with 21 goals, but the winning goals against Minerva came from 20-year-old centre-back Gaurav Bora. Balagumaran said: "When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished. "Many of them are playing in their first professional season and now they have won their first professional league title. "Credit has to go to Akbar for his attacking philosophy because defending was not our strength - we drew 3-3 with Neroca after blowing a 3-0 lead - and to the players for being open to his ideas. "This is definitely the highlight of my career, but I hope there is more to come." That could well be the case as Chennai are now eligible for the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifiers, while sources also told ST that the duo are now on the All India Football Federation's radar, with India's national coach position currently vacant. Representatives from Swiss club FC Basel, who have a 26 per cent equity stake in the Indian club, were at Chennai's coronation and are said to be impressed by the work of Akbar and Balagumaran. While Akbar declined to comment on speculation over his future as he has one more year left on his contract, Balagumaran said: "I hope this achievement shows there are good coaches from Singapore and opens the door for more Singaporean coaches to venture abroad. "If we can start from humble beginnings, work hard with what we have and still find success, there is no reason local coaches can't aim for a job in a professional league in Asia, or perhaps youth teams in Europe."
Emery wary of Valencia's recovery potential in 2nd leg Alexandre Lacazette watches as Valencia goalkeeper Neto is unable to prevent the striker's header from crossing the line to give Arsenal the Emery wary of Valencia's recovery potential in 2nd leg
Football: Valencia to face Barca in Copa final after seeing off Betis Valencia's forward Rodrigo Moreno (second right) celebrates with team mates after scoring. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Soccer: Valencia to face Barca in Copa final after seeing off
Please like, subsrcibe and comment! This video is unavailable. Watch Queue Queue Anthony Martial #11 News, Stats, Photos - Manchester United
May 29, 2019 · Sarri, whose own future at Chelsea remains in doubt after a tumultuous campaign with Juventus credited with an interest in luring him back to Serie A, admitted he had long known of Hazard's Hazard deserves Real Madrid move but boring Chelsea will be
Please Subscribe and Enjoy More That's according to popular fan show ArsenalFanTV. Unai Emery has made big changes since arriving in May, signing stars such as Lucas Torreira. Arsenal boss Unai Emery launches impassioned defence of
Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is set to be appointed as the new Inter Milan manager. Italian Conte, 49, has been out of the game since he was sacked by Chelsea last July, ending a Ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte confirmed as new Inter Milan
Crystal Palace all but banished any lingering relegation fears as captain Luka Milivojevic fired home a late penalty to secure a 1-0 Premier League victory at Newcastle on Saturday. Milivojevic penalty seals Palace win at Newcastle - Reuters
The Professional Footballers' Association is calling on social media platforms to improve their response to racism after their anti-racism campaign was met with more vile abuse. Democrats Heighten Calls for Trump's Impeachment | Voice of
Pep Guardiola coy over quadruple bid after Manchester City reach FA Cup final over Brighton City will play Watford or Wolves in the final on May 18 City labored to kill off Premier League Guardiola coy over quadruple bid after City reach FA Cup final fans upbeat, City faithful rejoice News Post Enquiry Form for Republication or Keepsake. To republish or purchase any Singapore Press Holdings articles and photographs, please fill up the form below. Singapore's 2018 Year-in-Review by PM Lee is surprisingly upbeat Football: Watford's Gray strikes to sink Everton, pile
Football: Pochettino loses his cool as Spurs slump, Huddersfield closer to relegation. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino remonstrates with referee Mike Dean after the match. Pochettino Loses His Cool as Spurs Slump, Huddersfield Closer
Investigators launched an underwater operation to recover the body that was found in the wreckage of the plane carrying footballer Argentine Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson."We are UK rescuers launch bid to recover body from Sala's plane
Players confront coach after James-less Lakers' loss OAKLAND • LeBron James' absence from the Los Angeles Lakers' 115-101 National Basketball Association (NBA) loss to the Golden State Warriors due to "load management" had been the main talking point on Saturday night. Luke Walton calls out Lakers veterans for selfish play after loss watch champions league live streaming mobile watch champions league final live streaming watch live streaming of premier league football watch soccer am live stream watch champions league live streaming bein sport watch premier league live streaming qatar watch soccer online free streaming live p2p watch premier league stream reddit watch soccer online free streaming live first row watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree watch champions league live streaming canada watch soccer online free streaming live uk live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online watch champions league live streaming now tv watch premier league live stream hd watch live soccer stream android watch coppa america live streaming free watch champions league soccer live streaming watch usa soccer live stream watch live streaming soccer games watch champions league live streaming kenya watch champions league live streaming cricfree watch coppa america live streaming juventus watch champions league live streaming eng watch champions league semi final draw live stream watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube watch coppa america live streaming nz watch live soccer streaming on android watch premier league live streaming zee tv watch soccer online free streaming live canada watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming watch live soccer game today watch soccer live - live football streaming watch champions league live streaming manchester united watch champions league live streaming pc watch coppa america live streaming indonesia best site to watch live soccer streaming watch coppa america live streaming uk watch karnataka premier league live streaming watch premier league live streaming quality super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus watch bangladesh premier league live streaming watch afghanistan premier league live stream watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live watch live premier league football streaming online for free watch coppa america live streaming live free watch soccer online free streaming live reddit watch premier league live in stream watch soccer live streaming jamaica super soccer tv live streaming indonesia watch champions league live streaming now watch coppa america live streaming xbox one live football watch free live football streaming free soccer watch premier league matches live streaming watch coppa america live streaming game watch live streaming soccer manchester united watch coppa america live streaming philippines watch coppa america live streaming twitch watch champions league live streaming crictime watch coppa america live streaming world watch champions league live streaming ptv sports watch soccer online free streaming live watch coppa america live streaming without cable watch coppa america live streaming tv watch champions league live streaming xfinity watch soccer games live stream free watch us soccer live stream watch coppa america live streaming match watch coppa america live streaming xbox watch champions league live stream uk watch champions league live streaming bt sport watch coppa america live streaming quality watch coppa america live streaming online free watch coppa america live streaming vf how to watch uefa champions league live streaming watch premier league live streaming xbox watch premier league live streaming xfinity watch champions league live streaming juventus apps to watch live streaming soccer watch coppa america live streaming india vs england watch champions league live streaming putlockers watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online watch coppa america live streaming reddit watch soccer online free streaming live bbc tv soccer live stream sky watch champions league draw live streaming free super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia watch coppa america live streaming india watch coppa america live streaming portugal soccer tv live football streaming garuda select watch soccer games online free streaming live watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming watch champions league live streaming bola watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united watch soccer online free streaming live youtube watch coppa america live streaming total sportek watch premier league live streaming online watch soccer live streaming hd watch coppa america live streaming english #soccer #fcbarcelona #oasisandbeatles #footballfans #petercrouch #golf #soccer #coys #sumbertv #chocolatecoffee #oasisengland #linkstreaming #Liamgallagher #zidane #americanfootball #elcasico #neymar #kopisusu #footballmemes #realmadridcf #arsenalnews #afcnews #firmino #transfernews #gooners #cristianoronaldo #mane #goal #england #knuckleball #league2 #footballschedule #football #messi #barcelona #salah #chocolate #klopp #league1 #adidasslipon #manchestercity #soccerbible #beatifulgame #Sunday #footballstreaming #liverpoolfans #liverpool #PartyTime #freekickerz #manunited #ronaldo #pagani #nikesoccer #BMW #liverpool #fut #bundesliga #frasirap #kroenkeout #battuteepiche #Barcelona #freekicks #uefanationsleague #frasitrap #manchestercity #livesports #championship #calciatoribrutti #acmilan #portsmouthfc #hoffenhiem #ignoranza #championsleague #comics #hotcoffee #livestreaming #villarealcf #cristiano #goodday #alissonbecker #midnight #coutinho #risate #mancityvsliverpool #crossfit #gunners
No comments:
Post a Comment