SINGAPORE - When Akbar Nawas took over as head coach of Chennai City last year, the Indian football club had only 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, former Tampines Rovers coach Akbar, assisted by ex-Hougang United coach and fellow Singaporean K. Balagumaran, helped Chennai complete a remarkable turnaround after Saturday's (March 9) come-from-behind 3-1 win over Minerva at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Tamil Nadu sealed a first league title for both club and coach.
With 13 wins, four draws and three defeats, they amassed 43 points, one ahead of second-placed East Bengal.
It is believed that the duo are the first Singaporean coaches to win a professional football league title outside of South-east Asia.
And they did it in swashbuckling 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, 43, told The Straits Times: "It is a great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year.
"Our team perform best when we are chasing the game. Thus, we didn't panic when we were behind (against Minerva on Saturday). I told the team we must end every attack with a chance at goal. I was pretty confident we could bounce back and win like we had done before."
Â
His sidekick Balagumaran, 54, added: "It is so overwhelming, I don't know if we are still in a dream.
"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.
"Personally, it is also the highlight of my career, but I hope there is more to come, and I also hope this opens the door for more Singaporean coaches to venture abroad."
With the league win, Chennai are eligible for the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifiers.
Chelsea face stadium closure as UEFA opens disciplinary proceedings over alleged racist chants is punished with a minimum of a partial stadium closure."
Chelsea facing partial Stamford Bridge closure over racist
Casillas denies he has retired from football after receiving positive update from doctors following heart attack The 167-cap Spanish legend took to Twitter to confirm he intents to carry on
Iker Casillas heart attack latest: Wife gives update from
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach. France coach Corinne Diacre is hoping to guide Les Bleues to the women's World Cup title next year on home soil AFP.
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach
worldsoccertalk.com/2018/12/17/women-in-football-face-daily-battle-says-france-coach/
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach AFP December 17, 2018 AFP No Comments Hong Kong (AFP) - Trailblazing France coach Corinne Diacre said women in football face a constant struggle for acceptance and are often regarded as "objects" despite rising visibility and media coverage of female players.
Women in football face daily battle, says France coach
Football: Man City's Aguero in frame to face Brighton in FA Cup MANCHESTER, England (REUTERS) - Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will travel with the rest of their squad for their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and Hove Albion having nearly recovered from a hamstring injury, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday (April 5).
Man City's Aguero in frame to face Brighton in FA Cup
Karim Benzema scored his sixth goal in four games as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-0 on Sunday for a fourth successive La Liga victory. The win took the European champions to within eight points of leaders FC Barcelona. The French striker knocked a cross from Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon into the net from close range on the half hour mark.
Confident Real stroll to fourth straight win - Football News
Willian eager to stay at Chelsea despite exit rumours Date created : 12/01/2019 - 21:26 Willian has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge AFP
Willian eager to stay at Chelsea despite exit rumours
Get a report of the Cardiff City vs. Huddersfield Town 2018/2019 English Premier League football match. Huddersfield end losing run with draw at Cardiff. play.
Huddersfield end losing run with 0-0 draw at Cardiff
Meanwhile, relatives of missing Premier League player Emiliano Sala on Saturday began a private search for his plane, which disappeared over the Channel, after local police called off their own rescue mission. The news was announced by an online fund-raising campaign for the operation and confirmed by a friend of the Argentine striker's family.
Emiliano Sala campaign raises £130,000 to fund private search
Solskjaer wants Man Utd 'enjoying football again' Tigres beat Leon to lift another Liga MX title but respect between fans was more notable than the game. - United appoint Solskjaer as
Solskjaer wants Man Utd 'enjoying football - africa.espn.com
Spurs shine to hit Everton for six. Everton's English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford gestures during the English Premier League football match between Everton and
Tottenham shine to hit Everton for six - gulf-times.com
Alireza Jahanbakhsh of Iran (centre) in action during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Iran and Oman in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Jan 20, 2019.
Jahanbakhsh on target as Iran ease past Oman into last eight
Real, the only top-three side in La Liga to win this weekend, moved on to 42 points, two behind second-placed Atletico Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Real Betis, and eight adrift of Barca who drew 2-2 at
Liverpool's Klopp Fined Over Referee Comments Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was fined £45,000 ($59,000) by the Football Association on Thursday for suggesting referee Kevin Friend had favoured West Ham in his side's 1-1 draw at the London Stadium earlier this month.
Liverpool's Klopp fined over referee comments - Daily Nation
apps to watch live streaming soccer
watch live streaming soccer games
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch live soccer stream android
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch soccer live stream links
watch english premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
free watch soccer live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch champions league live streaming video
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch soccer games online free streaming live
soccer tv live net stream
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch champions league live stream uk
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch champions league live streaming match
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming video
watch premier league live stream hd
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
watch soccer live streaming qatar
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch live streaming of premier league football
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch champions league live streaming vk
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch champions league live streaming live free
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
#GarageCafeDxb #meunier #romania #liverpoolfans #liverpool #oasisengland #alissonbecker #noelgallagher #cristianoronaldo #leomessi #footballdubai #beatifulgame #thomasmeunier #soccermemes #seriea #nutmeg #sunderlandafc #4Series #acmilan #realmadrid #girlsniteout #mane #Sunday #ucl #Bar #arsenal #coyg #juventus #Liamgallagher #conference #bayern #linkstreaming #livestreams #sumbertv #lfc #nationsleague #neymar #manchesterunited #footballstreaming #kickoff #433skills #afcnews #paulmcartney #oasisofficial #realmadridcf #henderson #roadtrip #insegreto #oudmehta #calciatoribrutti #champion #lionelmessi #coutinho #football #24x7 #oasis #valcea #MSport #manchestercity #footballschedule #golazo #coys #freekickerz #coffeebreak #bestshishacafedubai #satira #oasisandbeatles #lovefootball #Barca #vandijk #watchlive #football #copaamerica #transfernews
No comments:
Post a Comment