Four-time AFF Suzuki Cup champions Singapore has made J-Green Sakai in Osaka as their base for the republic’s last lap of preparations for the 12th edition of the AFF Suzuki Cup which kickoff on 8 November.
 
The Sakai Soccer National Training Center is made up of five natural grass fields, 11 artificial turf pitches, and eight futsal pitches.
 
It will be home for the Singapore training squad before coach Fandi Ahmad names his final set of players. Robin Chitrakar and S. Subramani assist Fandi while Noh Alam Shah has a new role as the player mentor.
 
Fandi has achieved some positive results before they headed to Osaka – a 2-0 win over Mongolia and a 2-1 win over Cambodia at the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium.
 
The win over Cambodia was Singapore’s first since 2016 with Jacob Mahler and Fandi’s son Ikhsan Fandi netting the goals. A real morale booster for the Lions who won the ASEAN title four times – in 1998, 2004 2007 and 2012. 
 
Singapore’s then Serbian coach Radojko Avramovic had the honor of bringing the Cup home in 2004, 2007 and 2012. The Lions also finished third in 2008.
 
Pleased with the win over Cambodia, Fandi said: “the strong fighting spirit” displayed by his players was encouraging.
 
Singapore are drawn is Group B – dubbed the Group of Death – and has Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor Leste for company. 
 
The Lions open their AFF Suzuki Cup campaign with a home match against Indonesia on 9 November before playing the Philippines away on 13 November. They will be at home to Timor Leste on 21 November before facing Thailand away on 25 November under the new home and away format.
 
Singapore did not get past the group stages in 2014 and 2016 but Fandi sees hope in the team this time around.
 
Apart from Ikhsan, Fandi also has another son in the training squad, defender Irfan. Among the other “big names” in the initial squad are  Malaysian based players like Faris Ramli (PKNS FC), Safuwan Baharudin (Pahang) and HarissHarun (JDT) while Baihakki Khaizan plies his football trade in Thailand.
 
The squad will return to Singapore on Nov 2. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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