Division 1

VNPNUS

Current Position: 1st

Average Age: 30’s

Description – VNPNUS stands for “Vietnamese Post-grads in NUS“. This is one of the very first Vietnamese social soccer teams established in Singapore. And more than half of the squads have master degree & above. From the very 1st batch in 2003, only a handful players remain. The team now also includes non-post-grads students and non-Vietnamese.

Team Outlook – Tough, tenacious and very solid. Based on experience, the team seemingly preaches efficiency over flair. Very chelsea like as they possess a solid backline that has experience and are good in the air. Their record in the league thus far speaks for itself, 5 games, 18 goals, 1 conceded. 4 straight wins and a draw is testament to the quality of the pace setters in division 1 who were runners up in Season 2.

Media Prediction: Top 3

Tour D’ France

Current Position: 2nd

Average Age: 20’s

Description – An enthusiastic team comprising of friends from Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic( one only) and ITE college. A very determined team with good team spirit and always looking to play attractive football.

Team Outlook – Based on reliable sources, the team possesses all the attacking flair needed to produce exciting football on a weekly basis. Definitely a certainty to feature in the run up to the end. However, inconsistency in terms of results have blighted their record thus far in the league. 3 wins and 2 draws sandwiched in between, of which a significant result was a 3-0 loss to VNPNUS, shows potential but also highlights that the team is not yet the finished article.

Media Prediction: Top 3

Swee Swee 1 FC

Current Position: 3rd

Average Age: Below 20’s

Description – A newly created team which has just entered an amatuer league in 2009. The team aims is to take the title and become champions. It consists mainly of patricians and ex-patricians which emphasizes the bonds they have as they share the same background of secondary school life. The team participated in Season 2 of the D2D Sat 3pm league and finished a respectable 3rd.

Team Outlook – Excellent free flowing side whom as long as they have their best 11 out, are a match for any side in the league. One of the main players in the team is Nani look-alike, Bosco. Much of the team’s play runs through him. The team also has speed merchants on the wings that contribute alot to the penetrative play of the team. The biggest concern for the team would be squad depth to cope with weeks whereby their best players are not available. Results so far have been promising with 2 wins and a draw until the unfortunate event of having to concede a walkover just recently.

Media Prediction: Mid Table

Schwarz Star FC (Competitive Team)

Currently Position: 4th

Average Age: 20’s

Description – The team is well recognised in the social football scene with an excellent management team and FAS certified coaches. The main team participates in the EFL. The competitive team contains members with lesser league experiences.

Team Outlook – 6 games, 2 wins and 3 defeats. The team manager has made it clear and simple from the start. The team aims to make use of this D2D league experience for exposure. As most of the team members are relatively new to the slightly more competitive nature of league football, early results have reflected their struggles to adjust to this level. However, a convincing 4-1 victory over young upstarts AJPL show promise and that perhaps the season is not all doom and gloom. Much more hunger and aggression would be needed from the team in order to survive the drop.

Media Prediction: Relegation Battle

AJPL FC

Current Position: 5th

Average Age – Below 20

Description – Their motto of “Passion, Desire & Friendship” are what drives the team for success. The team is made up of a group of 22 youngsters with the age ranging of 19-22. The team is led by former prime league & NFL player, Soh Say Kuan.

Team Outlook – The team has a well recognised manager within the local football scene in the mould of Soh Say Kuan. Any team with such a manager should have lots of potential. Well, thus far, results have proven just that. A thumping win against defending champions, Mavericks and also a hard-fought draw against pace setters VNPNUS have made the rest of the division sit up and take notice. However, being relatively new to the league experience, their results have also been inconsistent and their outstanding performances have been accompanied with defeats to both Schwarz Star and Swee Swee 1 FC. Sources have said that this is a team to look out for as they have all the necessary weapons in their arsenal despite their fledging social footballing careers and can potentially create and upset amongst the big boys.

Media Prediction – Mid Table

Mavericks FC
Current Position: 6th

Average Age – Mid 20’s

Description – Defending champions of the league from Season 2. They are a tough, physical outfit that went unbeaten throughout Season 2 to finish ahead of VNPNUS. A team that relies mostly on hardwork and tenacity cumulated with a strong team spirit that had been fostered after having played together for several years.

Team Outlook – A dreary start by the champions has left doubts in the heads of the players. 2 defeats and a solitary 1-0 win has left much to be desired thus far. Even though it is still pretty much early days in the league, the team knows that much has to be improved on and fast. Sources have said that many of team members have changed and the uncertainty with the playing styles of each other could be a factor for the poor run of results thus far. However, reports are that a key player in their attacking ranks who contributed much to their winning run in Season 2 would be returning sooner rather than later to set the league on fire again. Banking on the team’s desire and experience in terms of the title run-in, it would not be a surprise to see them charge back up the table. However, in a season of 14 games, 2 losses could already mean the writing is on the wall for them. Retaining the title that the players crave for could be a long shot.

Media Prediction: Top 3

Star CF
Current Position: 7th

Average Age : 20’s

Description – A group of friends who decided to get out and have a game of football. Main aim is to have a fun and yet competitive 90mins of kicking the ball. The team is also predominantly made up of malays. Relatively not much is known about the team.

Team Outlook – Basing our analysis primarily on their results thus far and also from sources, the team has struggled to make an impact on the league. A thumping 7-0 lost was not the way the team had hoped to kickstart their season. However, Star CF have also contribute much to the topsy turvy nature of the league. A 3-1 win over potential title winners Tour D’ France reignited their hopes. The team completed their 3rd league game with a rollercoaster 4-2 lost to Zespol FC who currently occupy bottom position in the league. Perhaps most crucially for the team would be to avoid the common curse amongst most league football teams, and that is the number’s game. Having your top striker fill in as a keeper does not bode well for the team. Much will depend on the team’s ability to attempt to achieve a constant in terms of playing personnel in order to pull itself out of the current uncertain situation.

Media Prediction: Relegation Battle

Zespol FC
Current Position: 8th

Average Age – Unknown

Description – Not much is known so far about the team. The make up of the team remains a mystery.

Team Outlook – Bar for a 4-2 victory over Star CF. The team has capitulated in 3 of their 4 games so far. However, a closer inspection of their games and you would realise that they have played against the top 3 teams in the division at the moment. Therefore their performances so far should not be deemed as a disaster as the team would look to build on their 1st league win and pull themselves out of the lower echelons of the division. What is not known is that in a called off game between Zespol and Tour D France, the score was deadlocked at 2 a piece and given the current position of the latter, it is prove of the capabilities of the Zespol side.

Media Prediction: Relegation Battle

Article republished from footballopod.com

Full article here: http://www.footballopod.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=1928

OPOD News Center - Champions Mavericks FC’s woes continued over the weekend as they lost yet another 2 points, this time against bottom of the table Star CF. The 1-1 draw sees them remain joint bottom with Star and AJPL, and already 9 points off the pace of the leaderboard just 4 games into the season.

Swee Swee 1 FC romped to a 6-1 victory over Tour D’France who continue to leave onlookers puzzled with their inconsistent display week in week out. Zespol FC moved out of the bottom 3 with a 2-1 win against Schwarz Star FC. SSFC remains in the top half of the table but have now played many more games than the rest and is in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle.

In Division 2, YSOSRS extended their unbeaten streak to 4 games as they battled to a 2-1 victory over Sons of Selarang. SOS remains bottom of the league with 5 consecutive defeats to date and looks dead certain to be relegated to Div 3 should their form continue.

Elsewhere, Hooyah FC beat Thunderveluboomqiesi 4-2 to climb above Kamago’z to 4th spot on the table.

Report & Photo taken off footballopod.com

OPOD News Center - AJPL held VNPNUS to a 0-0 draw over the weekend in spirited display. While they may have been slain by lesser teams on other occasions, AJPL are proving to be the bogey team in Div 1 having upset last season’s champions Mavericks FC and now depriving the current leaders of 3 points.

Zespol FC finally found their first victory of the season, winning 4-2 against Star CF. Mavericks FC lost out 2-0 to Tour D’France while Schwarz Star FC won 3-0 over Swee Swee 1 FC maintain their 4 spot on the league table.

In Div 2, Coca-Cola Singapore Sports Club tore Thunderveluboomqiesi apart as they romped to a 6-1 victory and put to bed their disappointments of the last 2 weekends. They remain 2 points behind leaders Team Goat, who also won comfortably against Serangoon United, to lead the table with 12 points.

Team Orange and Kamago’z played out a 2-2 draw and while it’s still early days, both teams will need to string some results together soon to have a shot at promotion.

Report & Photo taken off footballopod.com

The Falcons will look to put things right after recording 2 consecutive losses as their D2D season is threatening to derail itself. Currently sitting comfortably in mid-table, the Falcons cannot afford another loss with the teams sitting below them still having games in hand.

The Falcons will play in their normal 4-1-4-1 formation with changes made from previous matches. Leonie has been moved from center defence to left back in a bid to take advantage of his pacy runs down the flanks. Thava will partner Weiyang in center defence, the latter made captain of the match in the absence of skipper Roy. Forward, Jason will drop back in midfield to partner Peter whose influential passes down the middle has been missed in the last 2 matches. Jason & Peter will be responsible for the creativity of the team in the middle of the park. Melvin will take over Jason in the forward role while Wan, reinstated into the starting line-up, will be expected to break down the opponent’s forays upfront as he sits in front of the back four in a similar role he played when these 2 teams last met.

Substitutes: Yen,  Satnam,  Pro,  Rongshan,  Chris

Kick-off: 1500hrs

Venue: Mayflower Secondary

Weather Forecast: Late morning and early afternoon showers with thunder

The Falcons manager is currently engaged with his preparations for his upcoming wedding in June but admits club matters remain at the forefront of his mind.
Obviously I want to enjoy the wedding and the honeymoon with my wife to be.
But I can’t wait to get back to Schwarz Star FC and try to put it right.”
He added: “As soon as the game against J-Heat finished , I wished the start of next season was the next day. The best thing is to forget the season we had and get on with it.
Brandon is adamant that Schwarzians must all be pulling in the same direction if they’re to bounce back strongly next season.
Brandon is acutely aware of the disappointment felt by fans and players alike within Schwarz Star FC after a mixed 1st season in the EFL Qualifing Division – insisting he shares their frustrations.
However, he is convinced next term will see a stronger push for silverware by the Falcons

But now is a break for the players before all gather again in 2weeks time to start their early preparations..

The Questra Cup will be the start of our preparations and there will be afew new players coming through the Schwarz Star 9nier system to further boost the current squad of players.

A special arrangement was made by Team Manager Brandon with the main purpose that players whom were not involved in Sat’s D2D League game would get some playing time under their belts and also gain match fitness.. Most notably out of the 16 players present, the only senior players were Satnam, Leon, Siva, Brandon & Yangsheng whom were roped in to guide the new players. On the bench , there were also trialists whom were eager to impress (Yangmeng, Charles, Vineet, Ijal, Balasubramanian)…

The starting 11 consisted of Maverick (GK), Ishak (LB), Satnam & Vineet (CBs), Eugene (RB), Charles (DM), Yangmeng & Fernando (CMs), Yangsheng (RW), Leon (LW) & Siva (FW)

SSFC started the game brightly with the defence not allowing any opponent past their zone and with Siva showing glimpses of his ability despite being away from the team for almost 6months due to school/work committments. The CMs were enterprising and giving balls to the wing for crosses of which one nearly went in after Siva was given a through ball by Yangmeng..

Mid way through the 1st Half…again a lapse of concentration allowed the opponents to sneak past the SSFC defence after nicking the ball from the player’s legs and shot past Maverick.. 1-0 to Unido FC..

With the immense heat starting to take a toll on the players…Wan and Kokhui went in for Fernando and Leon respectively to add more industry to the left side. 10 mins later Balasubramanian went in for Yangsheng. However soon Half time blew and Schwarzians gathered for a short discussion. Ijal went in for Siva and the 2nd half line up were as follows..

GK(Maverick), RB(Eugene),LB(Kokhui),CBs(Fernando/Vineet),DM(Charles),CMs(Wan/Yangsheng),LW(Leon),RW(Balasubramanian),FW(Ijal)

The game started slowly and both teams were cautious with majority of the action contained in the midfield battle..7mins into the 2nd half..Brandon took the place of Charles and went for a 4-4-2 formation…

SSFC conceded a 2nd goal and came in the 10min into the 2nd half when the ball was passed back to Maverick from the LB and with the hard field the ball bounced and a mis kicked from the SSFC GK landed at the opponent whom had the task of tapping the ball in despite Maverick at full stretch..

However..SSFC with their typical grit and fighting spirit crawled back into the game when Brandon gave a through ball for Ijal to latch onto..Ijal did a jink to the right leaving  the defender for dead and blasted the ball into the net past the outstretched GK to make it 2-1 …A good debut goal for Ijal…

Suddenly SSFC turned on the pressure and started attacking the Unidon’s goal..but with the over zealous attack from SSFC left gaping holes in the defence and Unidon pounced on it to make it 3-1…

SSFC continued to pile on the pressure and was given a free kick which Brandon shot to the top right hand corner of the goal but was saved by the GK…with time ticking by fast and furious..Siva and Ijal combined well only to be denied by the GK yet again…

With the final kick of the game..Brandon shot a curling shot with the hope of catching the GK off his line but yest again was saved by the GK..

Final Score: Schwarz Star FC 1 . Unido FC3

Star Times caught up with Team Manager Brandon and had managed to get his insights into the friendly: “It was a good work out for some of the players as it’s to maintain their match fitness and also to have some fun on a Sunday”

When quizzed on the 5 trialists, “Its a good work out for them and we will definitely be seeing them more often in the coming weeks. They have so far left a good first impression on those present at the game.”

After coming from the loss from the previous weekend, SSFC was keen to put things right this time round.

As Schwarzians gathered for their warm up and pep talk by Coach Kenneth, the team was keen to get off to a flying start..

However things didnt go as planned, and mid-way into the 1st half, a lapse of concentration from the SSFC defence allowed the Maverick forward to drive a shot in and 1-0 to the Mavericks..

The score line stayed the same and harsh words were dished out..SSFC came out flying and started to pound the Maverick’s goal..despite the wave after waves of attacks..SSFC was unable to break down the wall put up by the Mavericks whom were using a 4-5-1 formation and getting players in their own half..

With that..it ended 1-0 and another disappointing loss to the Schwarzians

Schwarz Star FC  O  Mavericks FC 1

1)      Hi Jingxiang, firstly welcome back to Singapore after your studies in Australia for almost 3 years..how does it feel to be back in Singapore?

Thanks! I never felt better finally being back home. I’m able to indulge in the wide variety of mouth-watering food, enjoy the hot and wet weather, the “Kiasu” Singaporeans and the joys of playing soccer.  You should know that it’s really difficult to find a grass patch in Melbourne City to play in, and if you do, 365 days a year, there are water restrictions rules implemented, knowing that I’m a hardcore soccer fan, you can imagine how many times I have been fined.

2) The past 3 years have been rather difficult for you as you were away from your family and also soccer especially Schwarz Star FC since you were one of the co-founders of the team in 2004..so how do you keep yourself in the loop of the happenings of the team while you are overseas..?

While abroad, the only sources of  information would be; the website, Facebook and Brandon. The website is very homey and bursting with information about our players, present, past and upcoming results/fixtures, player of the month awards, photo galleries, etc. You be surprised that it’s one of the most detailed website I ever came across. Meanwhile, for live news, I would shift my attention to Facebook where most of my SSFC friends are the older players (Helmi, Thava, Yun, Mevin, Kevin.. …. ….) so any news pertaining to SSFC, will be lit up in the player’s shoutout box. Lastly, I got my trusted friend of 10 years, Brandon who without fail keeps me updated with the team news and answer my queries should I have any. Thanks Brandon!

3) What do you think of the progress of the team now in comparison to a few years ago before you left for Australia? What do you think of the management of the team so far under the current stewardship of Team Manager Brandon and his committee?

 Before I left for Australia, we had a huge team thanks to the publicity we had from THE NEW PAPER and ESPN talk show. However, having a huge team equals a high player turnover. Everyone wants to play competitive soccer, wouldn’t settle being subs and we only have one Brandon. Even now, I do feel bad for leaving Brandon to handle everything. We also did enlist 2 voluntary coaches during that time, however, they along with players lack commitment and patience. Soccer training sessions were just kick-abouts and after a few disappointing results (all our friendlies ended in thrashings), they left the team. The old SSFC was disorganised and had no clear direction in mind.

Honestly, I was totally impressed with the progress of SSFC presently. A 360 degree make-over. We had a committee team (each tasked with respective roles & responsibilities), a re-vamped website, team jerseys, FAS coaches (Kenneth and Jason), Contact ICs per game, bonding sessions, weekly friendlies, weekly training sessions afterwards, participation in the leagues (two teams) and most importantly, the commitment of players.  There’s also an older age group within the team who provide advice to younger players. In the past, the team consisted of secondary and polytechnic students, who come and go frequently (loss of interest in the team or NS). I studied Business Management and Brandon along with his committee implemented all the principals of management and a lot more. SSFC can put any MNC to shame with what you all have done in such a short period of time. You all did an excellent job! If I didn’t have a limit, I would gladly continue on and on.

 4) Having been back in Singapore only for a few months and you have been entrusted in safeguarding the goal for the Competitive team in the D2D League..how does it feel to be back in the thick of action?

It feels great! I have not been active in Soccer in Australia except for a few participations in futsal tournaments. One can see that I have not been in the best of shape (Gained weight, Loss of Stamina and faced difficulties adjusting to the weather change). Finally, I understand how European teams felt when they play in hot and humid countries during the World Club Championships. The average temperature in Melbourne was 8 to 15 degrees!

Originally, I have always been a winger during my hay days. Fast, accurate crossing and powerful long shots. However, I can no longer be the Beckham (that time, no Ronaldinho or Ronaldo) that I used to be, so being a Goalkeeper was the obvious choice for me. Brandon and I are considered old in soccer terms so it’s time, we move aside to let the younger generation take over. Like what the Singapore Coach (Roman) says, we should groom a player when they are 16-17 and once they are 21-23 years old, they should be performing to a standard of Ronaldo and Rooney’s level.

Just like Brandon, I’m willing to play in any position the team needs me to play in. Anything for the team. It’s really great to see that I’m getting back my stamina, regaining my confidence, learning from my mistakes, improving game after game and getting the respect of the players.

5) What do you wish to see in the evolution of Schwarz Star FC in the next coming 2-3 years and how would you see yourself in the set-up for the of the evolution?

I have seen how much SSFC revolutionise in the past few years, so I’m expecting much more in the upcoming 2-3 years. I hope to see the team having a stronghold in the EFL and D2D league respectively (Top 3 or Champions), lesser player turnover, secure a sponsor and organise a major soccer tournament to build up publicity/revenue for the club.

I would love to be part of the set-up of the evolution. Any task, I will give my utmost best. Brandon!! Assign me a position on the committee! It’s time I should do my part for SSFC.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed!

This weekend will see the Falcons taking on the reigning champions of the D2D 3pm Division One league, Mavericks FC who succumbed  to a surprising 1-4 defeat in their previous encounter with AJPL. No doubt Mavericks FC will look towards this game to kick-start their season proper. The Falcons too are looking to put their season back on track after already garnering 2 defeats in their 4 games so far. The players will know they have to do better to notch another victory in the season.

Substitutes: Pro, Brandon,  Rueben,  Melvin,  Salehin

Kick-off: 1500hrs

Venue: Fuchun Secondary

Weather Forecast: Morning showers with thunder

The Falcons return to action this weekend looking to build on last week’s emphatic 4-1 victory over fellow D2D newcomers, AJPL. Their opponents this week will be Tour D’France who beaten Zespol FC 8-0 in their opening match but succumbed into a 0-3 defeat against VNPNUS in their second game. On paper, the two teams boast fairly similar track record in the league so far with Tour D’France having played one game less. Victory on the day for either team will come from either a sound tactical plan or on which team that commits lesser mistakes. Pundits are expecting a tight affair.

Substitutes: Brandon, Yen,  Satnam, Leon,  Wan,  Melvin

Kick-off: 1500hrs

Venue: Bedok South Secondary

Weather Forecast: Afternoon showers with thunder