SINGAPORE - Since 2015, no local team have won the Singapore Premier League (previously known as S-League), and no team could break the Albirex Niigata title monopoly since 2016.
But a trio of regular contenders and dark horses have emerged in a bid to end the Japanese team's dominance in the 2019 season.
Five-time champions Tampines Rovers proved their mettle early on with a 4-0 pre-season win over the White Swans and will be keen to show they are way better than their fourth-placed finish last season.
With chairman Desmond Ong handing out multi-year contracts since coming on board in 2017, the Stags are benefiting from the stability and continuity as their players are showing a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities on the pitch.
Even as 19-year-old Singaporean Joel Chew and 20-year-old Serb Zehrudin Mehmedovic look set to be a revelation in midfield with their intelligent play, Tampines are also banking on those at the other end of the experience spectrum to make a difference.
Canadian Jordan Webb, 30, is entering his 10th SPL season and for a winger, has an outstanding record of 79 goals in 208 league games, while 41-year-old centre-back Daniel Bennett is into his 21st SPL season.
Possibly the longest-serving import in the local professional game, Webb has thrilled fans with his ability to take on and beat defenders. He said: "Time moves so fast. I want to play for a few more years and win some silverware.
Â
Â
Â
Â
"Having kept the bulk of players from last season definitely helps in terms of chemistry. I would be selling us short if I say we are not going for all the trophies. We have good atmosphere, good ideas and the energy levels are high."
Tampines coach Gavin Lee added: "Many are raving about Joel's talent and potential but we need to be careful with expectations and give him every chance to succeed.
"As for Daniel and Jordan, it is not about age. They are as good as any player in their positions in the local game and we wouldn't sign them if we didn't think they can contribute. Besides their abilities, they are great leaders to those learning the ropes.
"We want to be effective in and out of pre-season. It is not just the results, but the performance that defines who we are. If we can win and entertain with attractive football, that would be the ideal scenario."
Two-time winners Home United are also another local side to have gotten one over Albirex this season, when they beat the defending champions on penalties for the Community Shield last Saturday.
The Protectors were the best local side last season, finishing league runners-up and winning the AFC Cup Asean zonal final. Like Tampines, they have retained 17 of 24 players, including South Korean lynchpin Song Ui-young and the evergreen Shahril Ishak who combined for 40 goals in all competitions last term.
They also boast of arguably the league's best local Under-23 trio in forward Adam Swandi, central midfielder Hami Syahin and central defender Taufiq Muqminin.
With their last major trophy coming in the form of the 2013 Singapore Cup and their last league title in 2003, Home coach Saswadimata Dasuki said it is time to end the drought.
He added: "We want to build on our successes last season and go one better. Fifteen years without a league title is too long and we will have to work hard and keep our concentration even with our AFC Cup commitments to end that wait.
"Beating Albirex on penalties is good for our confidence and it should one of the most open seasons in recent years but we won't write them off as they can only get better training full time without National Service or school commitments.
"They played with five at the back against us and we couldn't score, so it is up to us to find ways to adapt and penetrate against such teams in the future."
Meanwhile, the dark horses in the nine-team SPL have to be Hougang United, who added considerable firepower to a team that scored a league-low of just 22 goals in 24 games last season.
While they have never finished in the top half or won any major titles, the Cheetahs are gunning for history, with coach Clement Teo declaring that "third would be an underachievement".
Retaining forwards Iqbal Hussain, Shahfiq Ghani and Fazrul Nawaz, they have since signed Faris Ramli and welcomed back Croat Stipe Plazibat and captain Zulfahmi Arifin.
They initially secured the services of 2015 and 2016 top scorer Rafael Ramazotti, only for the Brazilian to go missing and sign for Mexican club FC Juarez.
Teo was positive and saw this development as a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to shore up his defence with South Korean centre-back Kong Howon.
He said: "We wanted two foreign strikers to give us more firepower, but it was also true that Afiq Yunos was our only natural centre-back.
"The Ramazotti incident allowed us to sign Kong and it was a bonus we picked up Faris, and he will give us a different dimension with his ability to take on players. Yes, we have many attackers, but this also means there is a good and healthy competition to start a game.
"With the team we assembled, we feel we need to be in the title race. Among our players, the mindset is even a draw is an underachievement."
Zulfahmi, who has returned after one season with Thailand's Chonburi, added: "Any team can win the league this season and Albirex are beatable. It depends on who are the most consistent across 24 games.
"Thanks to our chairman Bill Ng and the management, we now have quality attackers and a great team, so we got to be more adventurous and clinical than before to fight for the targets we want to achieve."
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he was not disappointed by his players' effort despite suffering a surprise 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring for the home side at the Etihad but Palace hit back with goals from Jeffrey Schlupp and Andros Townsend followed by a Luka Milivojevic penalty.
Guardiola stays cool despite shock Man City defeat - The Edition
Ambitious Hougang show title promise, Football News & Top
If You Only Own One Kitchen Thing It Should Be This. How big are your oven, stovetop, and sink? With a purchase like a dutch oven, you could and should have this thing forever.
Neymar has denied an accusation that he raped a woman in a Paris hotel room in May.According to police documents that were obtained by the New York Times and The Associated Press, among other
Neymar: Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil superstar denies rape
LONDON: Son Heung-min once again proved there is more to Tottenham Hotspur than Harry Kane as the South Korean's late goal secured a 1-0 home win over Manchester City in an absorbing Champions
Son's late winner gives Tottenham edge over Man City
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates with Jordan Henderson at the end of the match REUTERS. Liverpool crushed Arsenal 5-1 to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday but manager Juergen Klopp still would not get involved in any talk of winning the title.
'He's great to watch, but he's not God' - Pope sets fans straight on Messi FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis receives a Barcelona soccer jersey of player Lionel Messi during the weekly audience in Saint
He's great to watch, but he's not God: Pope sets fans
Clock ticking for city to close $17.2M gap. By Elizabeth Dobbins, edobbins@lowellsun.com. The city expects additional revenue from local taxes on recreational marijuana, with a quarter of this
Small Cities Feel the Clock Ticking on Opportunity Zones
Football: Pele recovering well after kidney stone operation SAO PAULO (REUTERS) - Brazilian soccer great Pele had a successful operation to remove a kidney stone on Saturday (April 13), doctors in Sao Paulo said.
Pele recovering well after kidney stone operation - Football
Champions League: Donny Van de Beek gives Ajax edge over Tottenham in semi-final Youthful Ajax side, featuring several players polished in the Dutch club's famed academy, were too energetic for a laboured Spurs team who hardly got a kick early on in their first European Cup semi-final for 57 years.
Van de Beek gives Ajax edge over Spurs in semi-final - Al
Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey set to cash in with Juventus move: Reports Description: Aaron Ramsey is already free to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs and had been courted by a number of big names with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG and Inter Milan also reportedly interested.
Ramsey set to cash in with Juventus move | The Guardian
Madrid, Nov 10 (IANS) Real Madrid's interim coach, Santiago Solari, on Saturday praised Welsh forward Gareth Bale while calling for patience with Spanish midfielder Isco Alarcon, who has yet to
Solari remains defiant as Real go out | ClubCall.com
Football and Fascism. This page intentionally left blank Football and Fascism The National Game under Mussolini Simon Martin. Oxford New York Some images in the printed version of this book are not available for inclusion in the eBook.
Buy Conundrum Wine | Shop Thousands of Wines Online
AD
Palace's Zaha banned for referee sarcastic clap. 2019-02-07 20:08 Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has been given a one-match ban by the Football Association for improper conduct after
Palace's Zaha banned for referee sarcastic clap
watch coppa america live streaming putlockers
watch live soccer online free streaming now
free watch soccer live streaming
watch champions league live streaming live
watch champions league live streaming malaysia
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch premier league live stream hd
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch soccer live stream apk
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch coppa america live streaming eng
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch premier league live in stream
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
tv soccer live stream sky
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch live soccer game today
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch live streaming soccer games
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch live soccer stream android
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch soccer game live espn
watch live stream soccer games online free
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch champions league live stream uk
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch premier league live streaming live
watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch soccer live stream links
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch champions league soccer live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch live streaming of premier league football
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch premier league net live stream channel
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch champions league live streaming video
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch soccer aid live stream
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch premier league games live stream
watch premier league darts live stream
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch soccer online free streaming live espn
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch us soccer live stream
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming free online
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming ufc
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch usa soccer live stream
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch champions league live streaming live free
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
#henderson #liverpool #bundesliga #Celtic #gooners #watchlive #freekick #midnight #alissonbecker #calciatoribrutti #footballfans #championship #mancity #oasisandbeatles #nutmeg #24x7 #Liverpool #433skills #Barcelona #kickoff #soccerbible #liverpoolfans #frasitrap #livesports #JUVENTUS #roadtrip #americanfootball #footballschedule #MyDubai #chocolatecoffee #comics #footballmeme #liverpoolfc #nationsleague #MSport #leomessi #thomasmeunier #lionelmessi #kopisusu #ronaldo #manchestercity #linkstreaming #boxing #BMW #firmino #sumbertv #arsenalnews #liverpool #girlsniteout #goal #conference #soccer #coutinho #bestshishacafedubai #lovefootball #hoffenhiem #noelgallagher
0 Comments