Archive for September, 2009

Coach Kenneth’s Insights on SSFC v Rampant Lions

29.09.09

> > >Posted by Leon
… on the season opener
We start our season a few weeks after everyone else, so we lack the momentum. The team had to keep ball and get a feel of coming back into the game. And the team did admirably very well keeping possession, we did not panic, we did not create unneccessary pressure for ourselves. Now we have the privilege to build on the momentum and start our climb up the table.
… the first eleven and starting formation
We have been working hard in training to get players to understand our formation, get everyone on the same page and getting the formation to work for us. We will adjust accordingly during the match.
The starting 11 literally to get the ball moving for the club.
… your thoughts on the performance
It was an assured team performance. The individual performance however does require much more. Many players did not “turn-up”. But what really drive us on was the team performance. I have to emphasis again how important team philosophy and team play is. If we were to depend on individual players yesterday, we might not have the 3 points.
… Chris
He really deserved that goal for the work that he has gone through lately. While his goal was based alot on his improvisation, he got it through his understanding of how SS plays, cutting in from the wings… on the wing that he seldom plays on. Earlier he had a similar shot saved well by the keeper. Knowing why he is on that wing made that little difference, that extra zip for that extra effort, giving him those additional inches that the goalkeeper lost out on.
… on the other 2 goal scorers
I am happy with SS and Siva’s first goal. It was a combination between the 2 strikers. Well worked team play down the side, well taken goal by Siva. He did miss a few others and was taken off but with some movement and determination after coming back on, he did what he was suppose to do. Kevin I am happy that he has a personal objective and delievered again. He was also guilty of some rustiness just like Siva. They have to shake off the rustiness. And once again it shows that team play came to the fore when individuals have not dusted off the rust. My players know who should have scored.
… on the other players
Our defence was solid and stable. I have always admired defending more then striking. The ability to hold out the opponents allowed us to concentrate on scoring. Imagine if we did concede from a silly mistake or corner, we might have more pressure to score. Conceding always result in bowed heads, regardless if we are leading or not. That is not something that I want to subject my players to. I want them to play with their heads high. And I always have faith in my defenders to get the job done. Well done to my defenders. They did what they had to do and my strikers did what they had to do.
… was SS ever under threat
Of cos, Rampant Lions must be respected as a team. They had chances that could have gone in. Melvin gave the defence height during corners that gave the team confidence. The defence had a few moments that they had to deal with, and I am glad the maturity of my defenders got the job done. I always played either Melvin or Siva to give the team some height. I am glad they made themselves useful during corners.
… looking forward
Taking a match at a time, lets climb up the table. Give ourselves a good account during this season. That is the objective. I hope that my players have the responsbility in them to do well whenever they are selected to represented SS. Eyes are on them to perform.
… updates
Farhan is out for about 6 weeks with ACL. Siva out with ankle injury for about 3 weeks. Kevin is in scoring mood. Razmy would likely get his chance against Vipers. Lets see how he performs against Kool and the Gang.

Selection & Rewards

24.09.09

> > >Posted by Leon
Selection
To know who have been selected for the League team, view the tab 16+4.
This 16+4 will remain the same for a block of 3 League matches
The +4 from the League team are automatically selected for the CUP matches within the current league block.
The remaining 12+4 will be selected prior to every CUP match. No block.
Reward
Should SS receive the 20 trophies at the end of the season, the players will be rewarded in the following criteria:-
League
1) In order of appearance (min 9 matches)
in the event of a tie in appearance for the last trophy,
2) players with more ”blocks of first 16″
3) players with more goals
If there is still a tie, and all other resolutions have been reviewed, the club shall retain the trophy in contention.
CUP
1) The 16 players who plays in the penultimate trophy match.
The remaining 4 trophies will be given to the 4 players based on
2) number of appearance in the CUP
3) more “blocks of 16″
4) more goals
This information is also made available at the bottom of the club statistics page for easy retrieval and reference.

Press Statement Release by Team Manager Brandon

19.09.09

> > >Posted by emergencynurse04

Good morning my fellow Schwarzians,

 I would like to take this opportunity to address everyone on certain issues..

1) SSFC will be fighting on 2 fronts of the Equatorial Football League( The Qualifying Division/EFL Cup)..We aim to do our best on both fronts

a) There will be a 16+4 for every block(3 games per block) of which Coach will have the final say in the player selection for the League
b) The +4 from the League Team will be automatically be in the 1st 16 for the Cup Team

We are aiming to create a balance of League and Competitive players for the Cup Game.

Hence, there are and will be slots available for players from the Competitive team to fight for the slots avaible.

 

2) Players whom want to fight for their slot for the Cup team(only 3 games) or even for the League Team..The criteria is simple…

a) Come for Sunday trainings and show off and do what u do best to wow Coach..The block changes every 3 games for the League and this means that players whom work hard n perfrom will have the opportunity to break into the League Team..this also applies for the Cup Team…

For the Cup team,there are places are up for grabs. However players whom dont come for sunday training(unless of family/work) committments..chances of being selected is slim because Coach is unable to assess you and it wont be fair for players whom do come for the Sunday Training.

 The assessment for selection of the 1st Cup Game(3/10/09) will be done on the 27th Sept 445pm at AH field

 

3) As the League begins..Sunday training are still ON unless of bad weather which the field cant be used. During the upcoming games/friendlies which will be arranged..pertaining to the match fees..its all on the team website.

I sincerely request that players invovled in the games will be prompt in their payment of match fees. If there is any difficulty on your part in terms of paying match fees,feel free to approach me or Leonie to see how we can solve the issue. We are aiming to avoid the scenario whereby the fee snowballs to a large amount will be even more difficult for the player to pay.

 

4) All players whether its the League or Competitive Teams, as long its representing Schwarz Star FC, its of utmost importance that every player fly the SSFC flag high and proud.This means going into every match with the 5 core values of SSFC(Committment, Passion,Unity, Determination,Pride) in mind. Winning and losing is part and parcel of every game but what counts is that we treat every opponent with the utmost respect by playing the SSFC philosophy and going onto the field in every game with the right mentality to do our very best.

 

5) My challenge to players in the Competitive Team, time for you guys to stand up and be counted. Show Coach Kenneth  and Asst Coach Jason what you guys can offer. As mentioned earlier, places in the Cup Games are up for grabs..and when u guys get the slot..Dont be complacent..make use of the opportunity..This also applies to the League Team players…no one’s place is assured until you have proven to Coach.

 

6) There will be no field training this coming Sunday 20/9/09 in view of the Long Holiday Weekend. Field Trainign will resume next sunday (27/9/09 445pm at AH field)

Players are also encouraged to view the team website at www.schwarzstarfc.com for the  updates and to also drop afew messages in the chatbox. The team website done up by Keith and Leon has been fantastic and we would not be doing them justification by not visiting the team website.

 

Coach and I are also in negotiations for a release of a book on SSFC( commerative book which will include all the pics of the players)

7) I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim players and their families A Selamat Hari Raya Adilfitri..and to my other players..enjoy the long weekend with your family and love ones.

 

I leave you …my Schwarzians with this quote..

““Anything is possible. You can be told that you have a 90-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight.””

 

 

Best regards,

Brandon

Team Manager

Schwarz Star FC

Schwarz Star FC Press Release

16.09.09

> > >Posted by emergencynurse04

Team Manager Mr Brandon will be releasing a press statement within the next 3-4 days.

9ner Award Presentation

07.09.09

> > >Posted by Leon
These are the following players who will receive their 9ner wrist band this coming 13th Sept during the close quarter training.
Taufiq
Razmy
Shafiq
Leon
Clement
Keith
Gerald
Dennis
Alife
Eventually more players will go through the same structure in achieving their 9ner status.
9ners will wear the red wrist bands in competitive matches as an indication that they have gone through the ranks and will display such solidarity against opponents.
Eventually all players in the league will don this red wrist band.

Interview with SSFC Gentle Giant..Siva

07.09.09

> > >Posted by emergencynurse04
Hi Siva…
1) How have u been so far? you have been the chief striker for SSFC since your arrival…uahd a barren and broke it recently.. How did it feel to have that burden lifted from you?

Well other than nursing that damn swollen shin, I been pretty good lately. I dont really see myself as the chief striker for SSFC because technically there are a few other competent strikers in the team. And in the previous game, it was a huge relief to finally break the goal drought, and even sweeter that it turned out to be the winning goal.

2) You have played under other teams ..most notable under PN Sivaji(Balestier)…how do you translate your style of play at Balestier to Schwarz Star FC?

Well I have trained under a few coaches other than Sivaji, I’ve also trained under former national coach Vincent Subramaniam and the style of play in these teams, including Balestier are much more technical. There’s also a higher priority towards fitness, not all training sessions require us to be on the field, and some sessions start with fitness training and you become so conked out, by the time you go to the field, your legs become jelly. The coaches there are also much more “vocal”. Make one little mistake and they will be roaring at you all the way so it really is a test of your resolve and your passion. I know a few players who gave up halfway. Technically i left because at that time, i was doing my O levels and i felt that playing soccer professionally wasn’t really a viable option…not in Singapore at least.

My style of play at Balestier or any other team for that matter was pretty different compared to Schwarz Star because, simply put, the level of fitness and discipline there was way higher than whats expected of us, to the point where it almost made soccer feel like work. In Schwarz Star it’s different because things are a little more light-hearted and our coach isn’t exactly one who will shout at every little thing. So i really like the way SSFC works.?

3) You were also part of Schwarz Star FC history when you and afew others were invovled in the Kallang Roar Movie..how was it like to feel like a “superstar”….and how did the nick Precious came about?

Haha how do you equate that to being a superstar? It was great being chosen but i hated the fact that i had to play a stereotypical role….yeah throw in a dark-skinned guy, put on a fake moustache on him and voila. you got yourself another dark-skinned indian guy.?

The entire filming experience was good, and relevant to me because that’s the industry i’ll be working in anyway. But more interestingly, it was also a crash course on goalkeeping. If you all watched the movie, or at least the trailer, you would have seen this slow-motion shot of me diving full length to try and stop that corner kick? Yeah, that took me 28 takes. I went home feeling sore as hell, all over my body.

As for the nick Precious….remember that stereotype thing i was talking about in the first line? Yeah, there you go.

4) If you were not a striker..what other postion do u see yourself in and why?

Well if i wasn’t a striker, i’d most probably play as an attacking midfielder. I?realized?i cannot play on the flanks. I probably have some symmetrical disorder or something, i must always be in the center. I did play as a center-back before but i hated it because I realized I tend to make really stupid mistakes over there, resulting in total disasters. So yeah, either striker or attacking mid.

5) Over the years that you have been with Schwarz Star FC..what do you think of its progression so far and how is the committee team managing the team so far?

I believe May 30th would officially be my 2nd year with SSFC. I’m glad to see the team has progressed rather rapidly over this past 2 years. Many new faces, some bringing in plenty of experience and technical expertise to our game. The most important thing though, is the fact that we are finally starting to play as a team and starting to win matches, or at least put up a fight. Gone are the days where we got walloped left, right and center by teams way better than us. I think if we get to play these teams again, we could genuinely put up a real fight and i’m glad that not only has the team progressed so well, so fast but also the fact that i’m a part of it.

The committee has also done a great job so far in managing the team and I feel that at the current rate we are going, we actually stand a chance in realising our potential and achieving our objectives.

6) Where do you see yourself and Schwarz Star FC in say..the next 5 years…

Well in the next 5 years, I’d probably be slightly busier as will everyone else but i feel that SSFC will continue to evolve, constantly getting new players, playing in tougher leagues. In fact i wouldn’t be surprised if we actually make it into the FAS Islandwide League by then.

7) What do u aim to achieve during your time with Schwarz Star FC?

Well first of all, I aim to continue to help the team achieve its objective and that is to play by our team’s philosophy and to do well in the respective competitions we take part in.

Secondly, as thick skin as it may sound, I’m aiming to make it 3 years in a row of being top-scorer for the team hahahaha.

Transfer…

02.09.09

> > >Posted by emergencynurse04

With Schwarz Star FC having a final match in preparation for their assualt on the EFL Qualifying Division this saturday..

Newly recruited players such as Azri,Ivan,Andy been giving the opportunity to show off what they can do on this upcoming match against BLAS..

Waiting in the wings are also newly recruited players such as KK,Max,Fernando,Lancelot,Kheesuan,Vince whom are all eager to have a taste of the action.

When approached, Team Manager Brandon is pleased with the new players but they will need more games under their belt before they understand the philosophy of Schwarz Star FC..

Team Manager Brandon has also been given a run in the past few games but his last game against Pinoy FC(in which his failed clearance led to SSFC conceding the first goal) was not pleasing to Head Coach Kenneth and was given to the Ultimatum to perform in this upcoming game against Team BLAS this saturday..

With Jason( Aka Uncle Jason) undergoing the FAS C Lisence course..after which he will take charge of the Schwarz Star FC Reserves Team…with Head Coach Kenneth and Leonie to take charge of the First Team.

As of press-time: Schwarz Star FC will be playing against Questra Vipers on the 10th October 1pm at St Wilfred Artificial Field. This will be an “acid test” of  Schwarz Star FC’s title credentials.

PLAYER OF THE QUARTER: APR – JUN 2009

02.09.09

> > >Posted by Coach Kenneth Kwan

POTQ_Apr-Jun2009

Razmy

A Razzler and a Dazzler

Razmy always had the technical ability, flair and flamboyance that are almost excellent.

Months ago when Razmy first joined Schwarz Star, he was only able to showcase his football skills in bits and pieces, not able to stamp his authority in an effective manner in matches with the regularity that is required of a player his ability.

There were players who were unwilling and unfamiliar with his style of play and had commented that he is not a team player. However, with a willingness to learn and incorporated suggestions into his play, Razmy has slowly gain stature within the team and is showing tactical knowledge in a more effective and efficient manner. He is now an attacking fulcrum the team looks to when flair, inventiveness and penetration is needed. And more importantly he has shown that his tactical involvement can make other players better too.

He has been switched between the flanks and in forward positions with such great success only because he has learnt how to deploy his skills into the tactical aspects of the team, culminating in many memorable assists and goals which have saved the team in many instances. Razmy scored 7 goals to be joint top scorer in the EFL league.

Winning the team precious points with double against Tampines Youngsters and Team Evo and a magnificent assist against Newton Heath, are memories that Razmy will cherish in his playing time with Schwarz Star.

Razmy is only the 4th player to be POTQ since this award was started in 2007.

13 Sept. Close Quarter Training

01.09.09

> > >Posted by Coach Kenneth Kwan

13th Sept Close Quarter Training for players who are vying for 16+4 position, be on time at 3:30pm before field session, Hard Court, AH