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."
Champions League final: Manchester United were linked with Mauricio Pochettino, but he thinks success will matter more at Tottenham than Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's heroes welcomed home by fans in Manchester desdelabanda.com/2019/01/14/ole-gunnar-solskjaers-heroes-welcomed-home-by-fans-in/ Football: Spurs' Pochettino recalls how he cheered United counterpart Solskjaer's 1999 Champions League final goal However, he was regularly restricted to substitute appearances after Jose Mourinho replaced Van Gaal as manager later that year, and was often asked to play in a left-sided role, with Romelu Lukaku as the central attacker. Pochettino: Spurs must 'trust the universe' for Champions
Madrid plans 'robust' security for all-English Champions League final Madrid, Spain: Madrid will deploy an unprecedented number of police and security personnel for Saturday's all-English Champions League final, and use a drone for the first time to monitor fan activity. Madrid plans 'robust' security for all-English Champions worldsoccertalk.com/2019/05/30/madrid-plans-robust-security-for-all-english-champions-league-final/ Madrid plans 'robust' security for all-English Champions League final AFP May 30, 2019 AFP No Comments Madrid (AFP) - Madrid will deploy an unprecedented number of police and security personnel for Saturday's all-English Champions League final, and use a drone for the first time to monitor fan activity. Madrid Plans 'robust' Security For All-English Champions
Rangers have boosted their Scottish Premiership title chances with the high-profile loan signing of Jermain Defoe. The former England striker has moved to Ibrox on an 18-month deal from Bournemouth. Title-chasing Rangers sign Defoe on loan - sports.yahoo.com Football: Jurgen Klopp fires up Liverpool with 'It's only
Racist chanting was directed at several black England players, including Danny Rose, during Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier in Podgorica, which England won 5-1. England captain Kane, 25, who scored in the match, believes the manner of his side's victory was the "best way of proving those people wrong". Kane 'proud' of England response to race jibes - The Citizen
LONDON • Maurizio Sarri has admitted he would welcome a return to Italy after a "heavy year" at Chelsea, as Juventus edge closer to luring him back to the Serie A.. Read more at straitstimes.com. Lure of Italy strong, says Chelsea's homesick Sarri
Football: Jimenez, Jota slay Man United as Wolves reach FA Cup semis WOLVERHAMPTON, England (REUTERS) - Wolverhampton Wanderers reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1998 by beating last year's runners-up Manchester United 2-1 with a clinical second-half display in an intense atmosphere at their Molineux stadium on Saturday Jimenez, Jota slay United as Wolves reach FA Cup semis
Wes Brown recognises Ferguson fingerprints at Manchester United under Solskjaer Since replacing Jose Mourinho in December in a caretaker role, Solskjaer has put forward a near-perfect case to take Former Manchester United stalwarts Dwight Yorke and Wes Brown chennaiyinfc.com/former-manchester-united-stalwarts-dwight-yorke-and-wes-brown-meet-chennaiyin-fc-stars/ Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke was a special guest at the Indian Super League encounter between reigning champions Chennaiyin FC and Delhi Dynamos FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday evening. ISL 2017: Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown signs
Vigil van Dijk could not vote for a team mate. (Reuters picture) BANGALORE: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk says he voted for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling to be named PFA player of the year. Sterling gets van Dijk's vote for PFA award - theworldnews.net
Football: Palace punish sloppy Arsenal in 3-2 win at the Emirates (REUTERS) - Crystal Palace put a dent in Arsenal's Champions League qualification hopes after strikers Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha made the most of defensive errors in a 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (April 21). Palace punish sloppy Arsenal in 3-2 win at the Emirates Eleven Sports hit by poor take-up rate in UK, Football News watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid watch afghanistan premier league live stream watch champions league live streaming kenya watch coppa america live streaming app watch coppa america live streaming now watch coppa america live streaming pc watch live streaming soccer games watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek watch premier league live stream reddit super soccer tv live streaming persib watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net watch coppa america live streaming manchester united watch soccer am live stream watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming watch champions league live streaming xfinity watch soccer live stream links watch soccer live stream app watch premier league live streaming vk watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india watch coppa america live streaming hd free watch indian premier league live streaming watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united watch soccer online free streaming live in english live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com watch soccer online free streaming live india watch coppa america live streaming indonesia watch coppa america live streaming yify watch premier league live streaming quality watch uefa champions league live streaming free online watch premier league live in stream watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7 watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines watch coppa america live streaming mexico watch champions league final live streaming online watch soccer online free streaming live watch epl live streaming on iphone watch coppa america live streaming mobile watch iceland soccer live stream watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united watch premier league live streaming xbox watch coppa america live streaming indosiar watch champions league draw live streaming watch soccer online free live streaming hd where to watch premier league live streaming watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree watch premier league live streaming zee tv soccer tv live football streaming reddit watch premier league live streaming juventus watch karnataka premier league live streaming watch coppa america live streaming putlockers watch coppa america live streaming zip watch champions league live streaming live free soccer tv live net stream watch soccer saturday live stream watch champions league final live streaming watch soccer game live espn watch champions league live streaming juventus watch coppa america live streaming free watch soccer online free streaming live without registration watch coppa america live streaming match watch coppa america live streaming rcti watch coppa america live streaming youtube live football watch free live football streaming free soccer watch premier league live streaming live watch coppa america live streaming vivo watch soccer games live stream free app watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream watch coppa america live streaming bt sport watch champions league semi final draw live stream watch coppa america live streaming vf watch soccer online free streaming live english watch champions league live streaming canada watch premier league live streaming video watch premier league live streaming online watch champions league live streaming now tv watch coppa america live streaming sub eng watch premier league live streaming yify how to watch uefa champions league live streaming watch champions league live streaming vk watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube watch soccer online free streaming live south africa watch soccer aid live stream watch live streaming of premier league football watch soccer games live stream free watch coppa america live streaming total sportek watch coppa america live streaming espn cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018 watch coppa america live streaming philippines watch soccer live streaming xfinity watch soccer live streaming hd watch coppa america live streaming free online watch sky sports premier league live stream how to watch soccer live streaming free watch live streaming soccer manchester united #chocolate #nutmeg #transfernews #Fcb #winner #alissonbecker #footballmeme #arsenalnews #visubal #streamingbolaid #hoffenhiem #premierleague #elcasico #Vip45 #Barcelona #mensnightout #goodday #adidasslipon #rockstar #lfc #freekick #boxing #girlsniteout #coffeebreak #midnight #sunderlandafc #satira #4Series #cristianoronaldo #coys #comico #nikesoccer #footballmemes #ignoranza #Bar #kickoff #PartyTime #bayervshoffenheim #football #knuckleball #england #sixtimes #oasisengland #coutinho #petercrouch #goal #tokyo #uefanationsleague #oasis #rugby #klopp #frasirap #gunners #liverpool #bayernmunich #Suarez #MSport #messi #manchesterunited #golazo #bundesliga #comics #oudmehta #soccermemes #Liamgallagher #jadwalbolahariini #nationsleague #league2 #crossfit #cristiano #fut #conference #footballschedule #realmadrid #americanfootball #myfootballuniverse #serieatim #beatifulgame #manchestercity #premierleague #JUVENTUS #freekickerz #livestreaming
No comments:
Post a Comment