| |
|
|
Third time lucky again for SAFFC’s Bok and Duric
Cheryl Lim
info@sleague.com
It was third time lucky again for SAFFC duo Richard Bok and Aleksandar Duric as they picked up their third MIKASA Coach of the Year and RHB Top Scorer Award of their careers respectively at the 14th Great Eastern-YEO’s S.League Awards Night 2009, held in the evening of 9 November at MediaCorp TV Theatre.
After losing out to Albirex Niigata (Singapore)’s Hiroaki Hiraoka last year, Bok claimed his third MIKASA Coach of the Year award after leading SAFFC to their fourth consecutive league title this season.
“It’s a surprise to me (to win my third award in four years),” said a visibly joyous Bok.
“I really want to thank the club for all the support they have given me, the staff, especially the players. They worked their socks off from December last year to retain the title; that made where I am today.”
Despite it being his third award, it is still definitely sweet for Bok, who sees every win as recognition to his hard work and ability.
“The first one is always the most cherished among the three, but every trophy is an indication that I’m doing something right. I will still have to work harder for the coming years because the pressure is on.”
Expectations to bring the club to an even higher level would inevitably rise after this season, but Bok is unfazed by the pressure that might be brought along with this win.
“Ever since I became the coach, this has been a pressure, but I like to take the challenge.
“Next year will be different; it is going to be another challenging year for me, but I will take the challenge.
“Hopefully we can bring in some quality foreigners, and hopefully I can have a bigger squad for the AFC Champions League and S.League,” replied Bok when quizzed about changes in the team in preparation for the next season.
His shiny performances might have given birth to suggestions that he might be the next coach of the Singapore national team, but Bok is modest in response.
“(Laughs) it’s still a long way. I’m still with SAFFC, but it’s a challenge in future maybe.”
Few would be surprised that Duric would pick up the RHB Top Scorer Award again for the third consecutive season, who led the goal scoring chart for the majority of the season, and eventually claiming the award with 28 goals, four more than Gombak United’s Gabriel Obatola, who picked up YEO’s Young Player of the Year and YEO’s People’s Choice Award in the same evening.
“It’s great to be in three in a row. My teammates understand what kind of goals I wanted, and also it’s hard work.
One surprise, though, was that Duric was not able to defend his Player of the Year title, after winning the award for the past two years along with the Top Scorer Award as he missed out on the nomination list this time round.
“I am more disappointed not because of myself but some players from my team should have at least been nominated, if not to win,” Duric expressed his regrets that his teammates failed to get the recognition he thought they deserved.
It has been known that SAFFC will not renew the contract of their top marksman, and rumours have been rife on where he will be heading next.
“You don’t stay in one team forever; I know one day, sooner or later, it will come.
“I am happy to stay for at least another season in Singapore. I can promise you will see my face next season in S.League.
“I can’t give it to you, but I think most people already know. Singapore is so small,” said Duric when asked about his next move.
After much probing, the man finally dropped more hints to the curious media. “It should be somewhere in the east.”
The opportunity for his fourth consecutive Top Scorer Award arises after confirmation that he will spend another season in the Lion City, but Duric is conservative with this suggestion.
“Last year I didn’t say I will be top scorer this year, but I hope I can help the team, whichever I am going to play for, to win the title, or maybe one of my teammates will win the top scorer. As long as my team is winning, I am happy, and the goals will just come.”
What’s next for the league’s oldest player after ending his playing career?
“I’d probably cry for six months! Hopefully my wife will still be with me after I finish crying!
“I hope to go into maybe coaching, get some coaching license, maybe in junior coaching, to teach hard work and simple things, because football is in my blood.
“I think I will stay somewhere around in football, somewhere in Singapore, because Singapore and S.League gave me so much. It’s time for me to give back. I’m sure I can help in some way or another.”
Hielk Wins Player of the Year
14th GREAT EASTERN-YEO’S S.LEAGUE AWARDS NIGHT
Winners in bold
GREAT EASTERN Player of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Kenji Adachihara (Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore))
2 Gabriel Obatola (Gombak United FC)
3 Valery Hiek (Home United FC)
4 Choi Dong Soo (Super Reds FC)
5 Yu Hyun Koo (Super Reds FC)
YEO’S Young Player of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Gabriel Obatola (Gombak United FC)
2 Diallo Mamadou (Sengkang Punggol FC)
3 Seo Su Jong (Super Reds FC)
4 Hariss Harun (Young Lions)
5 Obadin Aikhena (Young Lions)
MIKASA Coach of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Mike Wong (Geylang United FC)
2 Darren Stewart (Gombak United FC)
3 PN Sivaji (Home United FC)
4 Richard Bok (Singapore Armed Forces FC)
5 Vorawan Chitavanich (Tampines Rovers FC)
RHB Top Scorer Award
The Award goes to: Aleksandar Duric
SINGAPORE POOLS Fair Play Award
The 5 nominees are:
1 Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore)
2 Home United FC
3 Sengkang Punggol FC
4 Singapore Armed Forces FC
5 Young Lions
GREAT EASTERN Referee of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Abas Daud
2 Abdul Malik Bashir
3 Leow Thiam Hoe
4 P Pandian
5 Sukhbir Singh
CERTIS CISCO Assistant Referee of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Edwin Lee
2 Eugene Chan
3 Haja Maidin
4 Jeffrey Goh
5 Tang Yew Mun
TIGER BEER Goal of the Year
The 8 nominees are:
1 Tetsuya Kishida / Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) (vs Young Lions on 02 April @ Jurong East Stadium)
2 Masrezwan Masturi / Geylang United FC (vs Brunei DPMM FC on 22 August @ Stadium)
3 Gabriel Obatola / Gombak United FC (vs Brunei DPMM FC on 23 July @ Jurong West Stadium)
4 Goran Subara / Gombak United FC (vs Geylang United FC on 31 July @ Jalan Besar Stadium)
5 Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin / Singapore Armed Forces FC (vs Albirex Niigata FC (S) on 26 March @ Choa Chu Kang Stadium)
6 Chang Jo Yoon / Super Reds FC (vs Gombak United FC on 07 August @ Jalan Besar Stadium)
7 Edward Tan / Tampines Rovers FC (vs Balestier Khalsa FC on 18 August @ Toa Payoh Stadium)
8 Khairul Nizam / Young Lions (vs Balestier Khalsa FC on 08 October @ Jalan Besar Stadium)
POLAR Fan Club of the Year
The 5 nominees are:
1 Geylang United FC
2 Home United FC
3 Singapore Armed Forces FC
4 Woodlands Wellington FC
5 Young Lions
AVAYA-J&J Story of the Year
The 3 nominees are:
1 Alam Shah : Why I’m who I am by Wang Meng Meng (The Straits Times)
2 At work, on the beautiful game by Shamir Osman (Today)
3 Men in the middle put on the spot by Shamir Osman (Today)
SINGAPORE POOLS Picture of the Year
The 4 nominees are:
1 Gan Meng Yeow (Kallang Roar) - “When Passion Runs High”
2 Lim Kok Meng (Lianhe Zaobao) - “Balestier Khalsa Australia striker Bryan Soane has a tough time roughing out Geylang United defender Walid Lounis tackle”
3 Lim Kok Meng (Lianhe Zaobao) - “Tampines Rovers attacking midfielder Ridhuan Muhammad got hold of the ball
with a bicycle kick, leaving Woodlands Wellington midfielder Ismadi Muktar no chance of heading it off.”
4 Lai Jun Wei (Red Sport) - “One Leg Kicking”
YEO’S People’s Choice Award
The 11 nominees are :
1 Kenji Adachihara (Albirex Niiagta FC (Singapore))
2 Syaqir Sulaiman (Balestier Khalsa FC)
3 Yazid Yasin (Geylang United FC)
4 Gabriel Obatola (Gombak United FC)
5 Rosman Sulaiman (Home United FC)
6 Azhar Baksin (Sengkang Punggol FC)
7 Masahiro Fukasawa (Singapore Armed Forces FC)
8 Yu Hyun Koo (Super Reds FC)
9 Aliff Shafaein (Tampines Rovers FC)
10 Jamil Ali (Woodlands Wellington FC)
11 Obadin Aikhena (Young Lions)
FAS Special Award
George Suppiah
George was the first Asian and Singaporean to officiate as a Referee in the 1974 FIFA World Cup that was held in Germany. The historic match was between Poland and Haiti. He has also contributed to the development of our local Refereeing community by serving in the various FAS Referees’ Committees over the years.
Dr S Krishnamoorthy
Dr. Krish has been serving FAS as a member of the FAS Medical Committee for many years. He was also a member of the AFC Panel of Doctors. In 2001, Dr Krish was appointed as the Chairman of the FAS Medical Committee which he holds to this day. |
|
|