| |
|
|
Subramani unsurprised by Sengkang’s bright start
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Home United assistant coach S. Subramani has expressed no surprise at Sengkang Punggol’s positive start to their S.League season – but conceded that his own team needs to do much better.
His comments came ahead of the two sides’ meeting at Jalan Besar Stadium this Friday evening, which will see two old friends meet on opposite benches for the first time in a competitive context.
Subramani and Aide Iskandar had been teammates at Home for several years, and they had also forged a cast-iron partnership as key pillars of the Singapore defence.
Aide has since moved on to take a coaching role at Sengkang last June, and with both men having announced their retirements at the start of this season, they find themselves crossing swords against each other in new capacities in this fixture.
Aide’s team will be holding the mental edge over his former employers, as Sengkang stand one place ahead of Home in the league table after five games each, having scored seven points compared to the Protectors’ six.
And while Subramani remarked that the Dolphins deserve to be where they are in the league table, he admitted surprise at finding his side so far down the table even though the season is only less than two months old.
“There’s nothing surprising about Sengkang’s standing,” he told sleague.com.
“They started the season well, and you can see that they got a couple of good results, so there’s nothing to be surprised about. And I expect them to continue where they have left off in previous games.
“But we are a bit surprised about our own standing, and I may add we’re a bit concerned as well. We’re having a slow start, and to be in eighth is not good for a team like us.
“We know there have been changes, including in our coaching staff, and the players needed time together with our new coach. But now I think it’s about time for us to pick up points to move up from where we are now.”
Home’s soft start to the new campaign has not been helped by an unusually porous defence, which to date has already shipped twelve goals in the league.
Traditionally one of the most miserly backlines in the league, especially when Aide and Subramani were still playing, Lee Lim Saeng’s charges now find themselves in the unusual position of having the worst defensive record.
A rearguard featuring Singapore custodian Lionel Lewis and Valery Hiek, who won the Great Eastern Player of the Year award last season, is normally not expected to let in so many goals, but Subramani admitted there was an urgent need for the team to tighten up.
“That record is a bit concerning,” he said sheepishly.
“If we really want to get results from our games and do well this season, we have to really pay more emphasis on our defending. To concede a lot of goals doesn’t serve us any good, and if we keep doing that, we’ll find it difficult to get points and move up.
“We’ve had more or less the same defence from last year, apart from myself. But the thing is that we were not outplayed by our opponents, we are just making elementary mistakes we can correct without much problems.
“It’s just basic defending issues, and in that sense it’s not very alarming. But we have to concentrate more when we are defending if we want to get the points.”
Apart from cleaning up their act at the back, Home also have to deal with some controversy in recent times, following the much-talked-about exit of club icon Peres de Oliveira.
The acrimony surrounding the Brazilian’s departure hinted at other issues lurking in the background at the Clementi-based outfit, but Aide, who still reserves much affection for his old club, sounded optimistic that the Protectors will bounce back quickly.
“There is no doubt that Home United is a good side and a well-structured club,” he said.
“I am pretty sure that whatever problems that they have, they will definitely rectify them as soon as possible. I don’t know whether this is going to be a good time to meet them.
“If you look at the statistics, everyone will be surprised at their defence, because Home United don’t usually concede that many goals within three to four games. Definitely, this is something Home United is not used to, but they are capable of turning things around.
“What I’m pretty sure of is that their coach will want to get them back to winning ways. Mr. Lee’s a personal friend of mine, and I do feel that once the players manage to understand his style, they will again be a force to be reckoned with.”
Turning the attention back to the game, Aide promised that he will keep his eyes firmly on the three points for the full 90 minutes of the encounter, which will be shown on national television.
Having seen his boys rack up credible performances, including heartening wins over Gombak United and Woodlands Wellington and a hard-fought draw with Etoile FC, the man has asked them to keep up the good work against Home.
They will be without centreback Shahir Hamzah, who was sent off against Woodlands last week, while leftback Darrel Tan is also understood to be out of action for this tie.
But with Duncan David Elias showing good form and R. Sivaneswaran waiting in the wings, Aide was hopeful about his team’s chances of claiming at least a point.
“Like what our chairman has told us before, we desire to get points from every game,” he said.
“So we will try our best and stick to our plan. Hopefully the players can give their best, put up a good performance and get the result.
“It’s just unfortunate that we will be without Shahir. I thought that he has done well for us, despite the fact that he collects too many yellow cards.
“Ashley (Ow)’s still nursing his groin injury, and we still haven’t got the clearance from the doctor to get him to play yet. But the rest should be fine, and I’ve got a good handful of players to pick from.”
Shi Jiayi meanwhile appears likely to be involved for Home in this match, after he and Tengku Mushadad were omitted from the squad that was held by Woodlands 2-2 on Monday.
The industrious midfielder had picked up a thigh strain in an earlier fixture, while Tengku has been feeling a sore calf and may once again sit out.
Aware of Lee’s recent pronouncement that he will not hesitate to drop non-performing players even if they are national team members, Subramani moved swiftly to reassure that Shi and Tengku’s omissions against Woodlands should not be read as punitive.
Rather, he said, it was simply a matter of managing the club’s resources in a hectic week.
“Jiayi seems to be recovering well, and he managed to train with us on Wednesday,” he reported.
“Both he and Tengku were left out on Monday due to injuries. Counting this game against Sengkang, we’ll be having three games in a week, and with two injuries like theirs we don’t want to take a risk.
“It’s a bit tough on us with our schedule, and the coach has been trying out some of the Prime League boys to cover for them. But having said that, the players are giving their best, and that’s pleasing to see.” |
|
|