What do you think of this invitational’s significance to SSFC’s reputation / organisation qualities?

The branding of Schwarz Star is definitely significant with Brandon having done an excellent job to ensure such achievements. The team’s name will go far and be recognised as a strong brand down the years. There are also steps in place to enhance this and make SSFC more valuable.

The tournament saw us up against quality teams from other prominent amateur leagues. How does SSFC measure up to these other teams?

There is not much known about local teams in Singapore but i like what i saw and the other were good. Schwarz Star is a team that is also well known amongst local teams. Our standard is up there with the others. But the players must realise and acknowledge in order that in order to match up with these teams.

How do you think the team fared with regards to your playing objectives?

I was on the look out for new players and fringe players to add value to the team. This was a chance for some of the players to show their value and contribution to the team also. I participate in competitions to win. Unfortunately this objective was not met.  However Jing Xiang, Thava and Rong Shan definitely showed the array of their contribution and have added value to themselves.

Any other positives, such as the overall experience, to take out of SSFC’s participation in this invitational?

It’s the first time SSFC has lifted a trophy. It is a proud moment. Albeit a silver finals. It is still a trophy. As i told the players, it could be their one and only chance in football to ever win a trophy. I definitely don’t see any chance for myself winning any more trophies as a player; each victory in my past is valuable. My players must realise that each game they play, for their professed love and passion for football, any game or trophy could be their very last.

How far away is the team from readiness to resume pre-season training?

In spite of its good reputation and that the players are good players in their own right, SSFC is still a considerable distance away from being a truly competitive team in the local scene. There is nothing wrong with that as there can only be one champion afterall. However, the players need to push their level of commitment and determination in order to be a noteworthy force on the pitch.

Any hints on the plans for the next half of the season for SSFC?

There will be structured and intensive programs to clock the individual players’ ball hours. Plans are in place and the details will be ironed out fairly soon.  All these is done for players to undergo a common platform for training. To gain progression in this aspect of their lives and to have a bond with the team.

Match Insights from Coach K against Happy Feet

SS has played against Happy Feet many times…
Yes we have, and we know who their key players are. Happy feet inflicted the 2nd most painful defeat for SS in recent times with their 3-2 win at Beatty Sec last year. And a last minute penalty for a draw a few months back. We also lost Ivan, our new signing against them, with a knee injury.

So was there any surprise?
We knew how they play and who their key men are. Am sure they know quite a lot about SS too. And they showed what they are capable of and so did SS.

It was an exciting match for spectators…
Yes extremely. Taking the lead twice with them drawing level on both occasions. When Joe scored that equalizer, I thought Happy Feet would overrun us with his energy and enthusiasm for the game. Joe would be an asset to any team with his enthusiasm for the game.

What made the difference?
Energy. The whole afternoon, I was trying to get the players to really increase their energy and enthusiasm in their game. Especially our two strikers who were languishing. They have the ability but they were not showing it in a team game. Played within themselves and were not effective at all. Based on their lack of enthusiasm in the first half display, they wouldn’t have made it to any other team.

The 2 goal hero…
I spoke personally to both Kevin and GF on their contribution during the match. I was not happy that they were not performing to the level that the team expects them to. They were not convincing. I am happy for GF for repaying the confidence I have. He broke his duck for SS with a scrappy goal against Arsenal and I am sure he would have savored both his goals against Happy Feet.

Coach K’s post-match comments against MDIS

… on SS performance in the first half
This was one of the better performances from the players. Keeping ball well and penetrating well, winning numerous corners and keeping the opponents at bay. Going 3-0 up by half time allowed the players to enjoy playing without pressure.

… but the second half patter-off
The match was won in the first half, and so the second half was for the players to show some tactical maturity. The first half was for the attacking players and the second half for the defenders to take over. The tactical understanding of this team will surely grow with more overall performances like this.

… but we conceded
Yes we did, and it is more of the expectations of local football that we have been exposed to all this while. It seems like teams are not suppose to concede? But SS will grow into understanding that defending is an art and science and that we can win even if we defend for 90 mins. The team must learn to know that defending is a bigger aspect of football and that it is absolutely alright to be under pressure repelling attacks by the opponent. There is no need to let excitement get the better of players as long as the defenders know their craft.

…defending football is boring
No it is not, defending is as exciting, at our other side of the field. Watching your opponents try their utmost to crawl their way back going 3-0 down is fun, especially if they just can’t break down our defenders. Our defense must know that defending is part and parcel of football. No point shouting at players when they are under attack. Show off the defensive aspect of SS. I would love to have an opponent who attacks us 90 mins non-stop to be repelled by our stout defending and we win 1-0 with a superb counter-attack. Sweet victory. Allowing the opponents to attack us is a strategy too.

…what’s ahead?
Keeping up the momentum against Newton Heath. To instruct play according to the edd and flow of the match. To know when we are attacking and when we are defending. For the players to grow in maturity and understanding of football. That is what SS players will aim to grow in their time with SS.

… the overall performance

It was a good team performance, with the team keeping good possession and playing some football. Once again a good team performance will be able to cover up those players who didn’t turn up. And once again, individual players didn’t turn up.

… there are plenty of goals scored against your team

We conceded on individual mistakes this time round. The first one was a lack of concentration between the keeper and his defender. Both didn’t want to play football. The second was a clear handball, a clear mental lapse by Isa, which he had already accounted to me. And the third, lack of concentration by Siva to get to the ball at the corner. Just like what I said after the match against Lions, my players have to turn up. We have the strategy in matches, and my players have to turn up.

… how about the 3 goals your team scored?

Helmi scored through a counter attack from a corner which we defended well. I think Helmi was released by Farhan from the corner. It was something out from our training. Farhan scored with a position-based shot for the second, lofting the ball pass everyone into the right corner. Kevin’s was energy and enthusiasm from the right. I was shouting to myself for Kevin to shoot and wondered what he was doing 3 secs before he shot. Good that he took the shot 3 secs later. So we scored one through organized training. One through intelligence and one through pure hard work enthusiasm.

… what was the rant all about?

I really don’t know. It could have been fed-up tension, something. All I can say that it was natural and I was panting after the half-time. I sense that my players after 4 matches, havn’t turned up. Players were making silly individual mistakes and after conceding such a silly goal, I think I was just manifesting the supporters’ frustration. I think some players still don’t realize what football is all about. There are so many supporters to be accountable to. I think the players have to acknowledge the supporters with some accountability. And I had to do it for them. Melvin, Ishak, Alfee etc etc did not have to come watch, but chose to. And yet they were expose to such lack of “wanting to play football”.

…what happened against Arsenal? Your team was leading from the first half?

We got beaten by a team that in the second half taught us how SS wants to play. Without playing our strategy, means no scoring opportunities. We tried to be cute with individuals trying to force the game with their own style. Whereas Arsenal scored 2 brilliant goals from such strategy. I wish that my players watched and learnt and know what it means from such a team. We all deserve to learn from such an opponent.

…it was a thrashing in the second half.

If you considering conceding 3 goals in 45 minutes a thrashing, yes then it was a thrashing. On that note then it was worse than the thrashing by Vipers. At least we scored first in this match.

… so you are out of the running?

You can say that too. Its pretty much out of our hands. We need both Vipers and Arsenal to lose 2 matches, before we can be challenging up there. There are another 17 matches to go, so we have to win every match as it comes. The pressure is on. Unfortunately, no one is afraid of playing SS because our famed team play has been cruelly torn apart by our opponents and they are wondering what’s the big deal about the so-called SS team play that opponents have been talking about. We have to start to play SS football soon before it all goes out the window by the end of Oct.

…since you brought that up, how does SS play? I didn’t see any form of team play in any shape, form or function.

I cannot lie and say that we did. That’s true, the team has not played the SS way since the first match against Lions. So we have disrespected the very thing that gave us victory. We are turning our backs on the very thing that make us happy by trying to act cute with the little egos that have sprang up all over the place.

… most of your boys are young and have had no prior success in football, don’t you think that you should bring in more experienced players who have tasted success before?

I won’t write off my boys yet. Yes they are young, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to have success. The players will learn in due course what football can mean to them. They will learn that the only thing that gives them pleasure will slowly leave them if they disrespect football further. They have to realize that they are not joggers but footballers.

After a 3-0 defeat to league leaders Questra Vipers, the Falcons will be looking to end the winning streak of another team, JSSL Arsenal.

JSSL Arsenal have notched up 3 wins after playing as many games and will be eyeing a fourth win on the trot.  Schwarz Star will be no pushovers, and will be keen to start a winning streak of their own.

It will be an exciting encounter, and a win for Schwarz Star would help close down the gap at the top of the table.

Previous Meetings: None

JSSL Arsenal’s Last 5 Matches: – - WWW

Schwarz Star’s Last 5 Matches: - – - LW

Match Details

JSSL Arsenal v Schwarz Star

Chua Chu Kang Secondary School

Kick-off at 1500 hours on 18 October 2009

… on the performance of the 2nd match after a victory in the 1st

We lack conviction and it was disappointing for the watching supporters of Schwarz Star. The 17 players forget why and what they were there for, which is to enjoy and to play in a manner that is enjoyable for the watching fans. Our players were irresponsible and I, accountable as Coach, apologize to the fans. I did not prepare the team well. I hope the supporters do come back to believe in the team again.

… why the reversal, a 3-0 defeat after a 3-0 victory?

While every opponent offers different challenge, I guess my players think that they have the obligation to adjust their style to different opponents. And that is what contributed to this reversal. If my players would have just played the SS way, play keep ball, passing the ball across the width at the back and penetrate with depth quickness like in the first match, then we wouldn’t have disappointed our supporters.

… did that lead to your defeat?

On a big part, yes. Without the ball, we are mere joggers jogging on a beautifully maintain ground. Without having possession of the ball, we can do nothing. My players have to acknowledge that. I guess the supporters watch more jogging then footballers.

… Vipers seem to be winning the ball and having the edge over your players

Vipers were strong because they felt that they could win it. My players lost it because they didn’t believe that they can win it. They told me they were, but in their actions, it wasn’t believed. When one doesn’t believe in something, it is manifested in your actions.

… care to elaborate?

Vipers were fully charged up and ready 30 minutes before the match. They were all dressed up and pumped up much faster as a group. Our players’ behaviour did not manifest that they wanted to win. We were scattered with many egos on all over the place. Some players wanted to be different, some players wanted to be last to walk onto the pitch, some players just wanted to sit there and talk, some took their own sweet time to change, some didn’t want to wear the red wrist band, many players didn’t have their water ready, their equipment ready, the list can go on and on showing how we lost even before we start. I apologize to the supporters once again for the childish ways of the players.

… wish you all the best for your next match.

Thank you for your blessings. If we were to play SS football, we actually don’t need luck. We can be in control of our match. If my players respect the supporters and respect football, we will know how to be in control of our match. But thank you for your kind intentions.

Many players have been asking, what it takes to represent SS in the league.
For those who are wondering still, responsibility and accountability are 2 BIG words that deserve some mentioning.

Responsibility and Accountability makes up 90% of the reason why one is selected in the 16+4 to represent SSFC

What is Responsibility?

Take a few moments to understand that big word in context vis-a-vis SSFC

Is responsibility about informing your whereabouts, informing why you are late, trying to be trap the ball better, explaning why you didn’t bring your shin pads or lost your jersey?

That is only about 10% correct.

Responsibility … is knowing that other players/supporters have their success and hopes for a better day, pin onto your shoulder.

Accountability … is knowing that when you walk off the pitch, you know that you didn’t fail them.

If I can see that in the eyes of my players, he will definitely get the chance down the line to REPRESENT SSFC in the league.

To consistently represent SSFC, don’t let me feel that another player can do a better job than you out on the ptich. However there is a flaw in this sentence, b’cos while I might have covered 2 eyes, there is another bigger eye watching.
Thus the proper sentencing shd be, don’t let 20 other SS players feel that they can do a better job than you.

If you allow other players to feel that he can do a better job than you, they will not hesitate to grab that place from you.

Remember SS is not like the other teams in the league or some other void deck teams that you used to play with. SS does not have problems with attendence nor ability. If one doesn’t turn up for training on a Sunday, there are 20 others who will do.

If one doesn’t want to have that heavy responsibility of representing SS in the league, there are another 20 who want to.
If one doesn’t want to keep himself fit and healthy, nor doesn’t feel the need to improve his personal technique and skills, nor doesn’t feel the need to want to increase his understanding of tactics and the SS method of winning, there are another 20 others who want to.
And if one feels that 20 others aren’t better players then himself, there will be another 20 future other players who hasn’t joined SS that will also take over this 20.
Cos your coach and manager are constantly on the look out for better players to sign onto SS 9ner programme.

To make it even more practical and understandable, if a striker doesn’t score, there are many other strikers who will want to.
If a defender doesn’t know how to tackle or sweep the danger away, there are many other defenders who will want to.
If a midfielder doesn’t link up play, guess what? There are others who will want to.

The responsible will know that turning up on a Saturday league match means something to himself and to many others.
That is being responsible. And that is what will probably give you the edge over the 20 other players eyeing your position.

If you understand what being responsible and accountable is, it will make you the better player that you always wanted to be… When you know that walking onto the pitch is no longer just about yourself. You represent the passion and emotions of many other people out there, who are watching you.

Notice that in SSFC, that there are actually spectators who come to watch you, and you have to be accountable to them all, cos they depend on you, to have a better weekend.

-Coach Kenneth Kwan