M97: Etoile FC vs Tampines
By: Hugo Ng
The highly anticipated top of the table clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wenesday night turned out to be a somewhat one-sided affair as Etoile FC put four unanswered goals past Tampines Rovers to record a second 4-0 league victory this season.
In the process of doing so, the French side has taken over the league leadership once again, albeit for a longer period this time, by opening up a two point advantage over the Stags.
This win also means that they have defeated all of the so-called “Big Three” in the league, having notched a solitary goal win against Home United last week and previously slayed the SAF Warriors comprehensively by three goals.
Quality in the middle of the pitch proved to be key in this matchup as Etoile’s trio of Cyril Bagnost, Kevin Yann and Khaled Kharroubi and flying winger Karim Boudjema imposed themselves right from the word go. For once, the Tampines could not an answer to their opponents’ superior passing and movement, which is not often the case.
Boudjema, in particular, impressed throughout as he laid off three assists for his teammates.
Etoile’s first chance came as early as the second minute when their main man Frederic Mendy’s volley hit the side netting after captain Matthias Vershave had fed him with a delightful ball from the right wing.
Tampines responded down the other end through as striker Aleksander Duric took goalkeeper Hassan Sunny’s long punt down and set up “The Little Master” Aliff Shafaein, whose left-foot shot was parried by Etoile’s custodian Yohann Lacroix.
It was to be the Stags’ only meaningful goal attempt in the first period as possession was with the French team for long periods and the team in yellow was only able to create limited chances that were easy for the Etoile backline to sweep up.
Hassan had to be alert to tip a Julien Deletraz free-kick over on the 12th minute mark. From the resulting corner that was taken short, the national keeper had to be quick off his line to put Mendy off after Kharroubi’s cross somehow him free in the penalty box.
However, there was no stopping Mendy in the 23th minute. Boudjema’s clever slide-rule pass after a sweet move initiated by Kharroubi allowed the striker to get in on the blind side of Tampines defender Seiji Kaneko. The lanky striker held off the Japanese’s challenge before netting the game’s opening goal from a tight angle.
The former Kashima Antlers defender was having a tough time containing Mendy and worse was to come on the stroke on half time.
But moments before that, Etoile had went 2-0 up. Again, Boudjema was the instigator. He took Kaneko and Benoit Crossiant on for a run, exposing the Stags defence before slipping a pass to the onrushing Yann to tuck home despite substitute defender Park Yo Seb’s desperate effort to keep the ball out.
Next came a crucial moment in the game. Kaneko, who had already been unluckily cautioned in the 17th minute after teammate Jamil Ali had played him into trouble, fouled Mendy from behind and earned his second yellow of the evening, leaving his team to fight a fire which was already proving extremely tough to put out.
Finding themselves with a comfortable two goal lead and a man advantage, Etoile started to stroke the ball around more at the start of the second period, making use of the full width of the pitch and having their fans cheering every pass.
Aliff had a quiet game by his high standards, coming into life only in bits and pieces. In the 50th minute, he orchestrated a one-two with Duric, only to be halted by the linesman’s flag when he was through on goal as Duric had been in an offside position earlier.
That proved to be the last contribution from “The Little Master” as Coach Vorawan made a double substitution seven minutes later with forward Qiu Li being one of those brought into the game. He was to prove pivotal as the Stags finally began to pierce a few openings in the stubborn French defence.
Vorawan’s last throw of the dice, though bore no fruit in the end, gave Tampines hope as Qiu Li struck a brilliant left foot curler two minutes after coming on which left Lacroix grasping thin air , only to see it ricochet off the keeper’s goalframe.
In the 63th minute however, Etoile dealt the Stags another blow. Vershave’s deep cross was met by Boudjema’s head to divert the ball back into the danger zone and Mendy pounced on it with a diving header to grab his second of the night to make the score 3-0.
Tampines looked dead and buried at this point but they did not give up.
Qiu Li sent a thunderous free-kick sizzling past Lacroix and a minute later his cushion header found teammate Akihiro Nakamura free in the box. But the S-League journeyman inexplicably fluffed a simple half volley with only the keeper to beat.
With his side three goals down and getting constantly booed by the Etoile fans for incidents dating to the last meeting between the two sides, Croissant was starting to get wind up and it was clear he was losing his concentration. But credit to the Frenchman for ultimately keeping his cool and getting on with the game.
The 85th minute saw Etoile net their final goal of the night. From a clearance off a Duric free-kick, a defensive mistake by the Stags backline allowed the French side to pour forward. Off a brilliant pass from Bagnost, Vershave made his way into the box before firing a stiff grounder past Hassan Sunny for 4-0.
In the post-match press conference, Etoile’s coach Patrick Vallee revealed he felt “very good” after the win.
When quizzed about what went right on the night for his team, he quipped, “The players imposed the system that I wanted to play. It was a good decision”.
He added, “We played for a win and I think we deserved it when you look at the game on the whole as our goalkeeper only had one or two saves to make in each half”.
However, he got all emotional when asked about his post match reactions to a small group of spectators.
In response, Vallee said, “I respect everybody and I expect the same from the others. I am here to raise the standard for Singapore football, not to talk about my family”, as he let the media in that the same group of men have been repeatedly abusing him verbally at games and he urged FAS to look into it.
Meanwhile, Stags’ coach Vorawan Chitavanich had a smile for the reporters though in defeat. When questioned about it, he declared, “I am proud of my players as they showed fighting spirit even when we were a man down and losing”.
Reflecting on the game, he concluded, “It was not a lucky day, when we wanted to fight back, we made too many mistakes and holes appeared in our defence”.
~~~~SLeague.com~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
M92: TALENTS OUTGUNNED BY THE STAGS
Tampines Rovers warmed up for their upcoming top of the table clash with Etoile by crushing the youthful Beijing Guoan Talent side 4-0 last night at their Tampines cauldron in the first part of its two matchups within three days against the league’s foreign teams.
This allowed them to head into Wednesday’s crunch game at Jalan Besar with the comfort of top spot after the French side had momentarily occupied pole position for twenty-four hours with a victory over the Eagles on Saturday night.
Stags’ coach Vorawan Chitavanich fielded the identical eleven that had surprisingly lost to the Young Lions three days earlier despite initial fears of the lack of recovery period for the elder statesmen of his team like Aleksander Duric and captain Zulkarnaen Zainal. His decision was helped partly due to the continued absence of national forward Khairul Amri and wingback Imran Sahib while Qiu Li was only fit enough for a spot on the substitutes’ bench.
The youthful Beijing side started brightly from the start and managed to threaten the Stags from a few set-piece situations but with nothing to show for.
Slowly, the more experienced heads of the Tampines players got into the game and netted their opening goal from their first real attack in the tenth minute after good combination play between Jamil Ali and Aliff Shafaein.
Jamil won the ball on the left flank and made his way into the centre before laying the ball to Aliff. The Stags’ No 19, dubbed as “The Little Master” by the media, returned Jamil with a peach of a pass that saw the former Woodlands man run through on goal before easily finishing with a low grounder past the Beijing keeper Su Boyang.
Eight minutes later, Aliff was at it again as Zahid Ahmad released the nippy playmaker down the left wing. Fortunately, the Beijing defence recovered in time to clear the centre from “The Little Master” out for a corner.
In the 20th minute, Stags keeper Hassan Sunny was called into his first real action of the night as he pulled off a wonderful one-handed save to deny Liu Teng’s point blank header after forward Li Tixiang had whipped in a good cross from the right.
Credit has to be given to the Chinese side as they continued to create opportunities in a bid to equalise before half-time and had two good chances to do so. However in both situations, they were denied by the impressive Hassan.
The first of which happened in the 40th minute. Liu Teng’s cross from the right flank was cushioned by striker Tan Tiancheng nicely into the path of rightback Yu Tianzhu, whose low shot was tipped wide by Hassan’s fingertips.
Just before the interval, a five-man move initated by Li Tixiang culminated in Yu having another golden chance at goal. This time, Hassan put his giant frame into good use as he flung himself ala Peter Schmeichel style to deny the Beijing man.
In between the two Beijing attempts, Tampines missed an opportunity of themselves as Jamil took one touch too many and the chance went begging after wonderful approach play by Duric and Zahid.
Within a minute after the break, Beijing raided the Tampines left flank and almost leveled the score but Tan just narrowly missed connecting a cross from the right wing with a half volley.
Stags hit three in twelve minutes
It was to prove costly as the Stags went two up four minutes later.
Anchorman Shukor Zailan slid Aliff through with a delicious ball down the Beijing centre. “The Little Master” shook off the attentions of defender Ma Chongchong as he took the ball in his stride before slotting past keeper Su for two nil.
Beijing coach Zheng XIaotian reacted with a double substitution in the 55th minute, bringing on Lei Tenglong and Teng Bin as he sought to find a way back into the game.
Unfortunately, the plan backfired as the Stags added a third goal within a minute of the changes.
Once again “The Little Master” was at the heart of the move as he collected a pass from Ismadi Mukhtar, cut into the middle before laying the ball on a plate for Duric to slam the ball in for 3-0.
Beijing’s night was not to get any better as the Stags took advantage of the loss of organisation in their opponents’ backline to notch a fourth goal six minutes later.
A measured pass inside his own half by Jamil was immaculately controlled by Aliff with one touch to set up Duric.
The evergreen striker had the luxury to control the ball and ward off the challenge of Su before netting his second of the night with a left foot shot that trickled into goal despite the best effort by substitute Lei on the goalline.
Though they were 4-0 down, the Talents showed desire to grab at least a consolation goal but those hopes were more than once denied by Singapore’s No 1 Hassan.
Wang Hao and substitute Teng produced a couple of decent attempts at goal after marauding runs near to the Stags’ penalty box but found Hassan in top form.
The pick of his saves came in the 85th minute after Teng mesmerized Stags’ substitute Jufri Thaha down the left and charged to the bye-line before pulling the ball back for top scorer Tan Tiancheng.
This time, Hassan’s legs came in the way of Tan’s shot as he made sure his goal remained intact.
Tampines almost scored a fifth deep into injury-time but substitute Edward Tan somehow missed a sitter after good work by Duric.
Morale booster
Stags’ coach Vorawan Chitavanich expressed delight at his team’s overall performance and agreed that it had indeed been a morale boosting win, especially coming off a defeat against the Young Lions previously.
His felt that his prematch concerns of his charges’ fitness levels was somewhat alleviated by the fact that they had the faithful home crowd behind them.
When asked of his views with regards to the performance of “The Little Master”, Vorawan commented: “After spending the last seven years with me, Aliff has definitely grown and has been able to adapt well into my game plan and make important plays for the team”.
His counterpart Zheng Xiaotian was left to rue the individual errors by his players which he concluded proved costly at the end. He said that tactical changes were made during the game but ultimately was not enough to grab any rewards from the game. He also acknowledged the brilliant display by Hassan in the Tampines’ goal.
Tampines’ focus now turns to the intriguing clash between the league’s top two teams as they do battle on Wednesday evening. If their last meeting in March can be an indication of what is to be expected, football fans can surely expect fireworks at Jalan Besar - both on and off the field.
This allowed them to head into Wednesday’s crunch game at Jalan Besar with the comfort of top spot after the French side had momentarily occupied pole position for twenty-four hours with a victory over the Eagles on Saturday night.
Stags’ coach Vorawan Chitavanich fielded the identical eleven that had surprisingly lost to the Young Lions three days earlier despite initial fears of the lack of recovery period for the elder statesmen of his team like Aleksander Duric and captain Zulkarnaen Zainal. His decision was helped partly due to the continued absence of national forward Khairul Amri and wingback Imran Sahib while Qiu Li was only fit enough for a spot on the substitutes’ bench.
The youthful Beijing side started brightly from the start and managed to threaten the Stags from a few set-piece situations but with nothing to show for.
Slowly, the more experienced heads of the Tampines players got into the game and netted their opening goal from their first real attack in the tenth minute after good combination play between Jamil Ali and Aliff Shafaein.
Jamil won the ball on the left flank and made his way into the centre before laying the ball to Aliff. The Stags’ No 19, dubbed as “The Little Master” by the media, returned Jamil with a peach of a pass that saw the former Woodlands man run through on goal before easily finishing with a low grounder past the Beijing keeper Su Boyang.
Eight minutes later, Aliff was at it again as Zahid Ahmad released the nippy playmaker down the left wing. Fortunately, the Beijing defence recovered in time to clear the centre from “The Little Master” out for a corner.
In the 20th minute, Stags keeper Hassan Sunny was called into his first real action of the night as he pulled off a wonderful one-handed save to deny Liu Teng’s point blank header after forward Li Tixiang had whipped in a good cross from the right.
Credit has to be given to the Chinese side as they continued to create opportunities in a bid to equalise before half-time and had two good chances to do so. However in both situations, they were denied by the impressive Hassan.
The first of which happened in the 40th minute. Liu Teng’s cross from the right flank was cushioned by striker Tan Tiancheng nicely into the path of rightback Yu Tianzhu, whose low shot was tipped wide by Hassan’s fingertips.
Just before the interval, a five-man move initated by Li Tixiang culminated in Yu having another golden chance at goal. This time, Hassan put his giant frame into good use as he flung himself ala Peter Schmeichel style to deny the Beijing man.
In between the two Beijing attempts, Tampines missed an opportunity of themselves as Jamil took one touch too many and the chance went begging after wonderful approach play by Duric and Zahid.
Within a minute after the break, Beijing raided the Tampines left flank and almost leveled the score but Tan just narrowly missed connecting a cross from the right wing with a half volley.
Stags hit three in twelve minutes
It was to prove costly as the Stags went two up four minutes later.
Anchorman Shukor Zailan slid Aliff through with a delicious ball down the Beijing centre. “The Little Master” shook off the attentions of defender Ma Chongchong as he took the ball in his stride before slotting past keeper Su for two nil.
Beijing coach Zheng XIaotian reacted with a double substitution in the 55th minute, bringing on Lei Tenglong and Teng Bin as he sought to find a way back into the game.
Unfortunately, the plan backfired as the Stags added a third goal within a minute of the changes.
Once again “The Little Master” was at the heart of the move as he collected a pass from Ismadi Mukhtar, cut into the middle before laying the ball on a plate for Duric to slam the ball in for 3-0.
Beijing’s night was not to get any better as the Stags took advantage of the loss of organisation in their opponents’ backline to notch a fourth goal six minutes later.
A measured pass inside his own half by Jamil was immaculately controlled by Aliff with one touch to set up Duric.
The evergreen striker had the luxury to control the ball and ward off the challenge of Su before netting his second of the night with a left foot shot that trickled into goal despite the best effort by substitute Lei on the goalline.
Though they were 4-0 down, the Talents showed desire to grab at least a consolation goal but those hopes were more than once denied by Singapore’s No 1 Hassan.
Wang Hao and substitute Teng produced a couple of decent attempts at goal after marauding runs near to the Stags’ penalty box but found Hassan in top form.
The pick of his saves came in the 85th minute after Teng mesmerized Stags’ substitute Jufri Thaha down the left and charged to the bye-line before pulling the ball back for top scorer Tan Tiancheng.
This time, Hassan’s legs came in the way of Tan’s shot as he made sure his goal remained intact.
Tampines almost scored a fifth deep into injury-time but substitute Edward Tan somehow missed a sitter after good work by Duric.
Morale booster
Stags’ coach Vorawan Chitavanich expressed delight at his team’s overall performance and agreed that it had indeed been a morale boosting win, especially coming off a defeat against the Young Lions previously.
His felt that his prematch concerns of his charges’ fitness levels was somewhat alleviated by the fact that they had the faithful home crowd behind them.
When asked of his views with regards to the performance of “The Little Master”, Vorawan commented: “After spending the last seven years with me, Aliff has definitely grown and has been able to adapt well into my game plan and make important plays for the team”.
His counterpart Zheng Xiaotian was left to rue the individual errors by his players which he concluded proved costly at the end. He said that tactical changes were made during the game but ultimately was not enough to grab any rewards from the game. He also acknowledged the brilliant display by Hassan in the Tampines’ goal.
Tampines’ focus now turns to the intriguing clash between the league’s top two teams as they do battle on Wednesday evening. If their last meeting in March can be an indication of what is to be expected, football fans can surely expect fireworks at Jalan Besar - both on and off the field.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Internazionale - Real
Just some random thoughts arriving after hearing that this 2 clubs have 'good' relationship with each other after the Mourinho transfer saga. It was a short one, definitely much shorter than the protracted one when Ronaldo left in 2002 for the Bernabeu.
Real - Inter
Clarence Seedorf
Ivan Zamorano
Esteban Cambiasso
Santiago Solari
Walter Samuel
Wesley Sneijder
Inter-Real
Ronaldo
Jose M
Real - Inter
Clarence Seedorf
Ivan Zamorano
Esteban Cambiasso
Santiago Solari
Walter Samuel
Wesley Sneijder
Inter-Real
Ronaldo
Jose M
Monday, May 24, 2010
'Mou' Rinho
Finally, the worse kept transfer secret of the summer is out. Mou is heading to Real, my long term hatred rivals.
Just have this feeling that he wont achieve the kind of success he's used to, cos Real are not clad in blue. His successful teams have always been donning blue jerseys, recall Porto, Chelski & Inter. Ok tats a side talk.
Seriously if Barca can add bit more exquisite quality in midfield, my team will still be the team to beat in La Liga next season. Esp if Cesc returns home, but pls not at the expense of Yaya Toure. I do not mind sacrificing Sergi Busquets though. Just send Marquez, Hleb over to Emirates. Thierry's heading to the MLS.
I do not see Mou being able to mould a solid rock in RM's defence. This team has always been 'score more than opponent' team, a team whose fans demand entertaining football. I suspect defensive tactics will not be welcomed even if Mou can win games. Remember Don Fabio? The likely situation is that he wun be able to love the fans as he did in England & Italy.
I love to see Crisitano Ronaldo tracking back to defend ala Samuel E'too next season.
Lets see if he can buy 4 solid defenders & prove me wrong.
I cant see how he and Florentino Perez can click. Remember how Roman and him fell out?
To me simply, it wun be a happy marriage. Mark my words.
Visca Barca!
*now that season has ended, its time for our own Singapore League once again, watch this space!
Just have this feeling that he wont achieve the kind of success he's used to, cos Real are not clad in blue. His successful teams have always been donning blue jerseys, recall Porto, Chelski & Inter. Ok tats a side talk.
Seriously if Barca can add bit more exquisite quality in midfield, my team will still be the team to beat in La Liga next season. Esp if Cesc returns home, but pls not at the expense of Yaya Toure. I do not mind sacrificing Sergi Busquets though. Just send Marquez, Hleb over to Emirates. Thierry's heading to the MLS.
I do not see Mou being able to mould a solid rock in RM's defence. This team has always been 'score more than opponent' team, a team whose fans demand entertaining football. I suspect defensive tactics will not be welcomed even if Mou can win games. Remember Don Fabio? The likely situation is that he wun be able to love the fans as he did in England & Italy.
I love to see Crisitano Ronaldo tracking back to defend ala Samuel E'too next season.
Lets see if he can buy 4 solid defenders & prove me wrong.
I cant see how he and Florentino Perez can click. Remember how Roman and him fell out?
To me simply, it wun be a happy marriage. Mark my words.
Visca Barca!
*now that season has ended, its time for our own Singapore League once again, watch this space!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Renewal period for the Rossoneri
Thanks for all you have done for the club!
Gracias Leo, Dida, Favali!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilp4YNlnhHU
Gracias Leo, Dida, Favali!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilp4YNlnhHU
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Former Tampines Stags @ Malang
Alerted to this piece of informative article of others which i thought many like me might have missed if we arent TNP readers. It was published earlier in the week. Just to share:
Singapore fever hits Malang
Arema Indonesia's unlikely rise to the top of the Indonesia Super League table has captured the imagination of its fanatical supporters. But it also propelled Singaporeans Noh Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhammad to rock star status, way beyond their wildest dreams
PASSION (top left): The Arema fans know their football - and they like what they see in their Singapore imports Noh Alam Shah and Muhd Ridhuan.
These days, the two Arema Indonesia players cannot walk around in Malang without being mobbed.
The things fans do for love
MALANG may be more than 1,400km away from Singapore, but you can still see a Singapore flag at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in every Arema Indonesia home game.
This gives you an idea of the affection the Arema fans feel for their two Singaporean players, Noh Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhammad.
Said Alam Shah: 'Everytime I score, I would run towards the Singapore flag at the stadium and salute the flag.
'Yes, the fans actually wave a Singapore flag during our games. It measures about five by three metres.
'Actually, it used to be an Indonesia flag. The fans stitched a crescent and five stars on it to turn it into a Singapore one.
'Although Singapore and Indonesia are fierce rivals on the South-east Asia stage, the fans have accepted us.'
Ridhuan, who holds his own in the popularity stakes, also recalled a harrowing incident.
In a frenzy to buy a copy of the newspaper which contained a pull-out poster of him, a pregnant woman slipped while running out of the bathroom.
He said: 'She already knew that there was going to be a poster of me in that day's newspaper.
'But she was showering when he heard the newspaper vendor doing his round.
'So, she changed into her clothes, and as she ran out of the bathroom, she fell. She was sent to the hospital and delivered her baby the very same night.
'What a relief they are both okay.
'What's funnier is, the patient's wrist tag which she was wearing while in her ward bore my name instead of hers.'
Getting to the stadium on match days can be a scary experience.
Singapore fever hits Malang
Arema Indonesia's unlikely rise to the top of the Indonesia Super League table has captured the imagination of its fanatical supporters. But it also propelled Singaporeans Noh Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhammad to rock star status, way beyond their wildest dreams
PASSION (top left): The Arema fans know their football - and they like what they see in their Singapore imports Noh Alam Shah and Muhd Ridhuan. GET SHIRTY (top right): Players know they've made it when vendors start selling jerseys with your names on it. PICTURES: BH
AT FIRST, there was uncertainty.
Employed by an overseas club for the first time in their career, Singapore footballers Noh Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhammad were hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.
Soon, they realised that they need not have worried at all - the duo hit the ground running in the Indonesia Super League.
These days, the two Arema Indonesia players cannot walk around in Malang without being mobbed.
Keychains, T-shirts and caps bearing their names and faces are snapped up like hotcakes at souvenir shops.
Short visits to the shopping malls almost always turn into impromptu meet-the-fans sessions, where fans are quick to take the opportunity to have their photos taken with their idols.
So, they often disguise their themselves by wearing shades, caps, or by pulling their sweatshirt hood over their heads.
So, they often disguise their themselves by wearing shades, caps, or by pulling their sweatshirt hood over their heads.
Celeb girlfriend
If you think that's getting a little absurd, wait till you hear Ridhuan's confession that he has been dating an Indonesian celebrity for the last four months.
Life doesn't get any better for the duo.
If you think that's getting a little absurd, wait till you hear Ridhuan's confession that he has been dating an Indonesian celebrity for the last four months.
Life doesn't get any better for the duo.
Said 29-year-old Noh Alam Shah: 'I just came back from the mall. I was standing at the centre, taking photos with the fans. After almost 15 minutes, I could see that my wife was beginning to look a little unhappy.
'In the end, I had to excuse myself. Otherwise, it would never end.
'I seldom step out of the house nowadays unless necessary. But it feels much better than being not recognised anywhere I go.
'If you think it's bad for me, wait till you speak to Ridhuan.
'When we board the team bus on match days, the school girls would rush towards Ridhuan and start screaming until some would actually start crying. '
Indeed, Ridhuan's celebrity status has skyrocketed since his arrival in Malang, which has a population of almost 1.2 million people.
Still only 25 and single, his has more than 7,500 supporters on his Facebook fanpage. He is used to returning home to see about 10 fans waiting for him at his doorstep.
He loves the attention, but laments about the loss of privacy. He sometimes wishes he could go shopping with his girlfriend without being stopped so often - he is dating a 21-year-old Indonesian TV station sports presenter.
Said Ridhuan, who declined to reveal the identity of his girlfriend of four months: 'It's difficult to go out on dates like that, you know.
'She's from Bali, but studying here in Malang. She's also a sports presenter for ANTV.
'In the end, I had to excuse myself. Otherwise, it would never end.
'I seldom step out of the house nowadays unless necessary. But it feels much better than being not recognised anywhere I go.
'If you think it's bad for me, wait till you speak to Ridhuan.
'When we board the team bus on match days, the school girls would rush towards Ridhuan and start screaming until some would actually start crying. '
Indeed, Ridhuan's celebrity status has skyrocketed since his arrival in Malang, which has a population of almost 1.2 million people.
Still only 25 and single, his has more than 7,500 supporters on his Facebook fanpage. He is used to returning home to see about 10 fans waiting for him at his doorstep.
He loves the attention, but laments about the loss of privacy. He sometimes wishes he could go shopping with his girlfriend without being stopped so often - he is dating a 21-year-old Indonesian TV station sports presenter.
Said Ridhuan, who declined to reveal the identity of his girlfriend of four months: 'It's difficult to go out on dates like that, you know.
'She's from Bali, but studying here in Malang. She's also a sports presenter for ANTV.
Stalkers
'Some of the fans will follow me home. They will follow me in a car, like stalkers, and then take photos of me from the outside. Some will also ask for my phone number.
'The last time I checked my Facebook account, I saw more than 1,000 outstanding 'friend requests'.
'I enjoy it. But sometimes, they can go overboard.'
Such attention has its dangers.
Ridhuan knows only too well that he must keep his feet on the ground.
He said: 'It's an experience which will live with me until the day I die.
'But I tell myself this: I may be very popular here but one day, when I go back to Singapore, it will be back to square one.
'So, there is really nothing to be big-headed about.'
In any case, he has Alam Shah watching over him like an elder brother.
Arema coach Robert Alberts has entrusted Alam Shah the task of making sure Ridhuan remains humble.
Alam Shah said: 'It's normal for a young player like Ridhuan to enjoy it. Alberts wants me to take care of him.
'I am doing my best. If he is playing badly, I will tell him so.
'I call him at 10 pm almost every night to check on him. But he has been behaving, lah.'
'Some of the fans will follow me home. They will follow me in a car, like stalkers, and then take photos of me from the outside. Some will also ask for my phone number.
'The last time I checked my Facebook account, I saw more than 1,000 outstanding 'friend requests'.
'I enjoy it. But sometimes, they can go overboard.'
Such attention has its dangers.
Ridhuan knows only too well that he must keep his feet on the ground.
He said: 'It's an experience which will live with me until the day I die.
'But I tell myself this: I may be very popular here but one day, when I go back to Singapore, it will be back to square one.
'So, there is really nothing to be big-headed about.'
In any case, he has Alam Shah watching over him like an elder brother.
Arema coach Robert Alberts has entrusted Alam Shah the task of making sure Ridhuan remains humble.
Alam Shah said: 'It's normal for a young player like Ridhuan to enjoy it. Alberts wants me to take care of him.
'I am doing my best. If he is playing badly, I will tell him so.
'I call him at 10 pm almost every night to check on him. But he has been behaving, lah.'
The things fans do for love
MALANG may be more than 1,400km away from Singapore, but you can still see a Singapore flag at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in every Arema Indonesia home game.
This gives you an idea of the affection the Arema fans feel for their two Singaporean players, Noh Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhammad.
Said Alam Shah: 'Everytime I score, I would run towards the Singapore flag at the stadium and salute the flag.
'Yes, the fans actually wave a Singapore flag during our games. It measures about five by three metres.
'Actually, it used to be an Indonesia flag. The fans stitched a crescent and five stars on it to turn it into a Singapore one.
'Although Singapore and Indonesia are fierce rivals on the South-east Asia stage, the fans have accepted us.'
Ridhuan, who holds his own in the popularity stakes, also recalled a harrowing incident.
In a frenzy to buy a copy of the newspaper which contained a pull-out poster of him, a pregnant woman slipped while running out of the bathroom.
He said: 'She already knew that there was going to be a poster of me in that day's newspaper.
'But she was showering when he heard the newspaper vendor doing his round.
'So, she changed into her clothes, and as she ran out of the bathroom, she fell. She was sent to the hospital and delivered her baby the very same night.
'What a relief they are both okay.
'What's funnier is, the patient's wrist tag which she was wearing while in her ward bore my name instead of hers.'
Getting to the stadium on match days can be a scary experience.
Police escort
The team bus is always escorted by the police to cut down the travelling time. Even then, it doesn't stop fans from getting close to the team bus to catch a glimpse of their idols through the windows, or even snap photographs - not an easy feat since most of them travel on motorcycles.
Said Alam Shah, who had to stop to control his laughter as he recounted the incident: 'We were on the team bus, and this pillion rider on the motorcycle was right next to our bus.
'I waved to him and he was really thrilled. He in turn said something to the rider, who turned to look at me.
'In all his excitement, he lost control of his motorcycle and rammed into a tree.
'After that, they just picked up the motorcycle like nothing happened, caught up with us again and gave me the thumbs up.
'It was amazing.'
Even travelling on a lorry doesn't guarantee safety, as Alam Shah was quick to warn.
He said: 'On another occasion, I saw these guys on an open-top lorry, waving Arema Indonesia flags.
'The guys were looking out for their favourite players in our bus.
'But just as they were doing so, the lorry braked quite sharply. All of them fell and piled up in a heap at the back of the lorry.'
The team bus is always escorted by the police to cut down the travelling time. Even then, it doesn't stop fans from getting close to the team bus to catch a glimpse of their idols through the windows, or even snap photographs - not an easy feat since most of them travel on motorcycles.
Said Alam Shah, who had to stop to control his laughter as he recounted the incident: 'We were on the team bus, and this pillion rider on the motorcycle was right next to our bus.
'I waved to him and he was really thrilled. He in turn said something to the rider, who turned to look at me.
'In all his excitement, he lost control of his motorcycle and rammed into a tree.
'After that, they just picked up the motorcycle like nothing happened, caught up with us again and gave me the thumbs up.
'It was amazing.'
Even travelling on a lorry doesn't guarantee safety, as Alam Shah was quick to warn.
He said: 'On another occasion, I saw these guys on an open-top lorry, waving Arema Indonesia flags.
'The guys were looking out for their favourite players in our bus.
'But just as they were doing so, the lorry braked quite sharply. All of them fell and piled up in a heap at the back of the lorry.'
GARY LIM (TNP - 19/4/10)
Afterthought:
1) Indonesia has a different football culture with us, i do think that they are more die-hard than european fans, probably more comparable to South American ones. Not a topic i like to dwell on too much actually as I think the focus here is to get the crowds off their couch, to stadiums and support the teams (not in a fanatical way for a start..)
2) If he is doing so well at Arema, then why cant Ridhuan turn it on when he dons the Lions shirt?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Mou vs Lou - UCL final maybe?
About time i mentioned a bit on the European scene. Barca fan I may be, but i know its extremely difficult to retain the title and nobody has done it. Inter is the only reason Barca can miss out on retaining it, and Mou definitely is a strong factor.
Since the second round when i backed Inter to overcome Chelsea, they have have on the up - being in the best of form for a long time for an Inter team.
I expect the Ribery-Robben to send Bayern through to face Inter in the final & wat a final it will be, Mourinho vs Van Gaal! Come on, bring it on!
Internazionale lies awaits, but is FC Hollywood up for the challenge next? The potential clash of 2 tactically astute managers bringing their 2nd club to the final...It would be a delightful & befitting final and story for the duo who worked together in Catalunya for 2 seasons.
7 hours ago
Comment ·LikeUnlike · View Feedback (2)Hide Feedback (2) · Share
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Be gracious in defeat Mancunians. U were never going to win it this season at CR's home ground. Going all the way and then not winning it is the worst. We ll see either Jose's parting gift for Inter or Pep's team creating history by being the first team to retain it. Continue the chase for EPL. There's still chance.
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My status 9 hrs ago was exactly spot-on as 'The Horse' wins it for Bayern. But i just realised its a nickname i gave him instead. Too bad mancunians.
March 31 at 9:04am Custom: loading... · Comment
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'The Horse' could be the difference in Munich tonite.
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hahaI was right. The horse is a Croatian, by the name Ivica Olic. tats bcos he runs really alot during matches.
March 31 at 8:49am
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Love hate relationship with Internazionale
Share
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 9:50am Edit Note Delete
From the day in December when the draw for the first knockout phase was drawn, we had the feeling that Jose and his Inter team would go through and it proved. And luckily we stuck with that no matter what was said.
The happiness and joy had to be shown and this article is the way to show. Ooh La La!
Of course what has been talked about in Ibra’s departure forced Inter to play in another way definitely is true. They have definitely improved as a team. Many of the signings have been brilliant, Diego Milito a.k.a The Prince, in my opinion the perfect No 9 for Maradona. Along with Higuain and Leo, the trio will be devastating. With Kun on the bench, how does that sound? Ok back to Inter.
The real difference this season for the Nerazzuri has definitely been Wesley Sneijder. No doubt the best piece of transfer business in the summer. The missing playmaker that Inter has been looking for in years. Though not a natural one in an advanced position, he has adapted well.
Another will be the flying Dutchman at Allianz Arena, but he had cost much more. I am sure you guys are smart enough to know where they arrived from. Haha. Too bad my much admired Van der Vaart is still playing for that bloody team.
On a personal note, I have always said there’s a reason for the departure E'too from Nou Camp and the statement justifies itself. Similarly for Carlo from Milan. In both cases, I was happy to see them leave as it was time my teams moved on. No change no progression. Simple. By the way, if I am not wrong. Carlo has quite a bad record against Jose. Probably only one victory in about 5 games? and that came in last season’s derby win when Ronnie scored his first Milan goal with a header in a 1-0 win.
Since the second round when i backed Inter to overcome Chelsea, they have have on the up - being in the best of form for a long time for an Inter team.
I expect the Ribery-Robben to send Bayern through to face Inter in the final & wat a final it will be, Mourinho vs Van Gaal! Come on, bring it on!
Below are just some feelings i have expressed on facebook in the past weeks:
***************************************************************************Internazionale lies awaits, but is FC Hollywood up for the challenge next? The potential clash of 2 tactically astute managers bringing their 2nd club to the final...It would be a delightful & befitting final and story for the duo who worked together in Catalunya for 2 seasons.
7 hours ago
Comment ·LikeUnlike · View Feedback (2)Hide Feedback (2) · Share
***************************************************************************
Be gracious in defeat Mancunians. U were never going to win it this season at CR's home ground. Going all the way and then not winning it is the worst. We ll see either Jose's parting gift for Inter or Pep's team creating history by being the first team to retain it. Continue the chase for EPL. There's still chance.
***************************************************************************
My status 9 hrs ago was exactly spot-on as 'The Horse' wins it for Bayern. But i just realised its a nickname i gave him instead. Too bad mancunians.
March 31 at 9:04am Custom: loading... · Comment
***************************************************************************
'The Horse' could be the difference in Munich tonite.
· Comment ·LikeUnlike · View Feedback (3)Hide Feedback (3)
hahaI was right. The horse is a Croatian, by the name Ivica Olic. tats bcos he runs really alot during matches.
March 31 at 8:49am
***************************************************************************
Love hate relationship with Internazionale
Share
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 9:50am Edit Note Delete
From the day in December when the draw for the first knockout phase was drawn, we had the feeling that Jose and his Inter team would go through and it proved. And luckily we stuck with that no matter what was said.
The happiness and joy had to be shown and this article is the way to show. Ooh La La!
Of course what has been talked about in Ibra’s departure forced Inter to play in another way definitely is true. They have definitely improved as a team. Many of the signings have been brilliant, Diego Milito a.k.a The Prince, in my opinion the perfect No 9 for Maradona. Along with Higuain and Leo, the trio will be devastating. With Kun on the bench, how does that sound? Ok back to Inter.
The real difference this season for the Nerazzuri has definitely been Wesley Sneijder. No doubt the best piece of transfer business in the summer. The missing playmaker that Inter has been looking for in years. Though not a natural one in an advanced position, he has adapted well.
Another will be the flying Dutchman at Allianz Arena, but he had cost much more. I am sure you guys are smart enough to know where they arrived from. Haha. Too bad my much admired Van der Vaart is still playing for that bloody team.
On a personal note, I have always said there’s a reason for the departure E'too from Nou Camp and the statement justifies itself. Similarly for Carlo from Milan. In both cases, I was happy to see them leave as it was time my teams moved on. No change no progression. Simple. By the way, if I am not wrong. Carlo has quite a bad record against Jose. Probably only one victory in about 5 games? and that came in last season’s derby win when Ronnie scored his first Milan goal with a header in a 1-0 win.
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