Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
DPMM FC head coach Vjeran Simunic (pic) is facing a race against time to get his players fit.
Brunei's only professional club are eyeing a return to the Singapore League (S-League) next season and are awaiting a reply to an application they sent the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) two weeks ago.
But with the squad out of shape after not playing a competitive game since their 2-2 draw against Tampines Rovers FC on Sept 29, 2009, it is easy to understand why the Croatian's training sessions hardly involve any time on the ball.
He also has other worries on his mind.
His players can only make it to the club's base at the Jerudong Mini Stadium once a day, and some of them can't even make it to training at all because of other commitments.
"We are getting better day to day but at the moment we only train in the evening since the players are still working, at that too only around 5.30pm," he said last week.
"Maybe we will get approval from their employers to release them to train twice a day, morning and evening, once we get an answer from Singapore.
"Our problem is that we don't have our full squad with us now. The Royal Brunei Armed Forces' Sports Council (MS ABDB) have not released our players and we are still waiting for guys from the Under-23 national team.
"But we have five months (until the S-League starts in February) and we are doing the best we can.
"We are doing a lot of off-the-ball training to improve fitness (and) the players are all very happy to work. They have been neglected for so long and the most important thing is for them to get fit.
"I'm working differently for every player. Like Abu (striker Abu Bakar Mahari) for instance, he hasn't been training for one year so he has different drills to go through. Once they are fit then they can show their skill with the ball. When will that be? Perhaps in November or December ... The plan is to get all the players up to the same standard by that time.
"I'm not against the gym. I'll do it maybe once a week, but a footballer's natural environment is the field and you can see the atmosphere at training is great," he said, acknowledging he does most of his strength training at the Jerudong Mini Stadium.
Among the new faces in the team are several Under-21 players, two of whom are striker Shahrazen Hj Md Said's younger brothers Adi and Mohd Amalul Ariffin Shah.
Former Brunei Youth Team (Under-19) midfielder Azwan Ali Rahman and striker Abdul Al-Wardy Abdul Hamid are also among the younger players in the team, as is Mohd Arif Hj Zulkifli, who used to feature for Indera Sports Club.
It is the host of older players that might come as a surprise though, with ex-national striker Abg Norsillmy Abg Hj Taha who is in his early 30s heading the list. Md Julremi Hj Zaini, Md Hendra Azam Md Idris and Ampuan Nurul Azami Ampuan Husin are also those who have been training with the club, the players formerly at Wijaya FC, QAF FC and Majra FC respectively.
The club are allowed four imports in the S-League and Simunic admitted it won't be easy to replace the Croatian trio of Rene Komar (defender), Ivan Jerkovic and Drazen Govic (midfielders) and Algerian striker Abdel Hamid Berguiga.
"Like I said before, they must have the same kind of personality, ability and skill as our previous imports if not better," said Simunic.The Brunei Times
27 September 2011
25 September 2011
DPMM FC eye U-23 players
Dennis Lim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, September 25, 2011
DPMM FC will be looking to the Sultanate's U-23 team for some much needed players after Vjeran Simunic revealed that there is currently insufficient number of players in the squad yesterday, following their friendly match against the Royal Brunei Armed Forces' Sports Council (MS ABDB) football club.
The match ended in a goalless draw after 58 minutes of play at the Jerudong Park Polo Club football grounds.
The DPMM FC coach also used the opportunity to voice the need for more practice opponents to keep things fresh and interesting for his squad.
"We play with this team (MS ABDB) every time; the motivation isn't there because we keep playing with the same opponent. We need opponents from maybe another country or something," said Simunic.
"But with that said the training is fine. The players still run for the ball and fight for the ball as they should," he added.
The veteran Croatian is currently preparing the team in hopes of participating in the Singapore League that will start late February next year.
Asked what he and the team has to improve on, the coach replied, "We're going to continue to bring the fitness level higher; we're going to focus on not letting the players slip in form but raise in this area.
"Having just a day off in a week, we will train six times a week. Also maybe on Wednesday, we'll look to play another game with the U-23 squad and maybe on Saturday with this (MS ABDB) again," he said.
Yesterday's game saw DPMM FC players struggling to make the friendly on time, having to rush straight from work and having to cope with prayer times, but Simunic was more focused on the duration of the match.
"We only played 58 minutes; it was not a football match. So next time we have to be more punctual as the prayer times would stop us from play," he said, adding that given the situation, the players weren't fully up to the standards he expected.
"Even in this situation, the players are very tired. We have not had any training with the ball so we missed some good chances," said the coach.
"They're still not comfortable with the ball, they would need to work hard to get comfortable."
DPMM FC struggled to maintain possession early on in yesterday's game.
MS ABDB, meanwhile, put on an impressive showing upon kickoff and was putting their opponent's defence to the test.
Brunei's only professional club, however, showed their substance by staying calm and keeping a clear head to slowly settle into the groove of their game.
They would mount a comeback to properly contest and trouble their opponents by the start of the second half.
DPMM FC's newfound dominance kept MS ABDB's keeper busy but no goals were to be scored on the night with DPMM FC's best chance coming in the form of their second goal attempt in the half, having their shot find the post despite having the keeper beaten.
The Brunei Times
.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, September 25, 2011
DPMM FC will be looking to the Sultanate's U-23 team for some much needed players after Vjeran Simunic revealed that there is currently insufficient number of players in the squad yesterday, following their friendly match against the Royal Brunei Armed Forces' Sports Council (MS ABDB) football club.
The match ended in a goalless draw after 58 minutes of play at the Jerudong Park Polo Club football grounds.
The DPMM FC coach also used the opportunity to voice the need for more practice opponents to keep things fresh and interesting for his squad.
"We play with this team (MS ABDB) every time; the motivation isn't there because we keep playing with the same opponent. We need opponents from maybe another country or something," said Simunic.
"But with that said the training is fine. The players still run for the ball and fight for the ball as they should," he added.
The veteran Croatian is currently preparing the team in hopes of participating in the Singapore League that will start late February next year.
Asked what he and the team has to improve on, the coach replied, "We're going to continue to bring the fitness level higher; we're going to focus on not letting the players slip in form but raise in this area.
"Having just a day off in a week, we will train six times a week. Also maybe on Wednesday, we'll look to play another game with the U-23 squad and maybe on Saturday with this (MS ABDB) again," he said.
Yesterday's game saw DPMM FC players struggling to make the friendly on time, having to rush straight from work and having to cope with prayer times, but Simunic was more focused on the duration of the match.
"We only played 58 minutes; it was not a football match. So next time we have to be more punctual as the prayer times would stop us from play," he said, adding that given the situation, the players weren't fully up to the standards he expected.
"Even in this situation, the players are very tired. We have not had any training with the ball so we missed some good chances," said the coach.
"They're still not comfortable with the ball, they would need to work hard to get comfortable."
DPMM FC struggled to maintain possession early on in yesterday's game.
MS ABDB, meanwhile, put on an impressive showing upon kickoff and was putting their opponent's defence to the test.
Brunei's only professional club, however, showed their substance by staying calm and keeping a clear head to slowly settle into the groove of their game.
They would mount a comeback to properly contest and trouble their opponents by the start of the second half.
DPMM FC's newfound dominance kept MS ABDB's keeper busy but no goals were to be scored on the night with DPMM FC's best chance coming in the form of their second goal attempt in the half, having their shot find the post despite having the keeper beaten.
The Brunei Times
.
DPMM FC - Tryouts - Updates
Players coming for tryouts September,2011
1/Ryan Zogby(South Africa)-arrive 3rd October
2/Stephen Manu(Ghana)-arrive 28th September
3/Fabiano Moura(Brazil)-arrive tbc
4/Djordjije Cetkovic(Montenegro)-arrive tbc
5/Youssef Sofiane(France)-arrive tbc
DPMM FC
1/Ryan Zogby(South Africa)-arrive 3rd October
2/Stephen Manu(Ghana)-arrive 28th September
3/Fabiano Moura(Brazil)-arrive tbc
4/Djordjije Cetkovic(Montenegro)-arrive tbc
5/Youssef Sofiane(France)-arrive tbc
DPMM FC
18 September 2011
DPMM FC to sign Brazilian, Irish players
Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, September 18, 2011
TIME is precious and DPMM FC are wasting none of it!
Brunei's only professional football club are looking to make a return to the Singapore League (S-League) and have "confirmed their first two imports" of the season.
The team, who became the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore by claiming the League Cup in their debut season in 2009, applied to re-join the S-League earlier in the week after Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic penned a new contract last Thursday.
According to the team's official website they are on the verge of signing defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos and midfielder George O'Callaghan.
Headlined "DPMM have confirmed the first 2 imports of the season", the brief post on the club's website said: "DPMM FC are on the verge of signing defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos and midfielder George O'Callaghan".
Tales, 27, last played for Tocantinopolis and the Brazilian regularly featured in the Serie D in Brazil.
On the other hand, the 32-year-old O'Callaghan played at Ipswich in the 2007/8 season and featured for Tranmere the following season before transferring to Yeovil Town, where the Irish attacking midfielder laced up for 12 matches.
Several other players are also on trial with the team as DPMM FC are looking to maximise the quota of four imports per team.
With the vast experience of Simunic, who was previously in charge of the side for 17 months until October 2009 when Fifa suspended the Sultanate, it shouldn't be a problem for him to select the best from the rest.
Simunic oversaw DPMM FC's most successful spell when they became the first foreign side to lift the Singapore League Cup in June 2009 after defeating Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out.
French side Etoile FC are the S-League's defending champions, with the competition starting on Feb 12 with a dozen teams playing in three rounds.
Currently in its 16th season, Singapore's top-flight is scheduled to end on Nov 28 though hopefully DPMM FC won't have to wait until then to find out if they can play.The Brunei Times
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, September 18, 2011
TIME is precious and DPMM FC are wasting none of it!
Brunei's only professional football club are looking to make a return to the Singapore League (S-League) and have "confirmed their first two imports" of the season.
The team, who became the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore by claiming the League Cup in their debut season in 2009, applied to re-join the S-League earlier in the week after Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic penned a new contract last Thursday.
According to the team's official website they are on the verge of signing defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos and midfielder George O'Callaghan.
Headlined "DPMM have confirmed the first 2 imports of the season", the brief post on the club's website said: "DPMM FC are on the verge of signing defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos and midfielder George O'Callaghan".
Tales, 27, last played for Tocantinopolis and the Brazilian regularly featured in the Serie D in Brazil.
On the other hand, the 32-year-old O'Callaghan played at Ipswich in the 2007/8 season and featured for Tranmere the following season before transferring to Yeovil Town, where the Irish attacking midfielder laced up for 12 matches.
Several other players are also on trial with the team as DPMM FC are looking to maximise the quota of four imports per team.
With the vast experience of Simunic, who was previously in charge of the side for 17 months until October 2009 when Fifa suspended the Sultanate, it shouldn't be a problem for him to select the best from the rest.
Simunic oversaw DPMM FC's most successful spell when they became the first foreign side to lift the Singapore League Cup in June 2009 after defeating Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out.
French side Etoile FC are the S-League's defending champions, with the competition starting on Feb 12 with a dozen teams playing in three rounds.
Currently in its 16th season, Singapore's top-flight is scheduled to end on Nov 28 though hopefully DPMM FC won't have to wait until then to find out if they can play.The Brunei Times
17 September 2011
DPMM FC players can't wait to go out and play
IT'S hardly breaking news that DPMM FC players are raring for a return to the Singapore League (S-League).
Club manager Pg Waslimin PSJ Pg Hj Abd Momin told The Brunei Times on Thursday that Brunei's most successful football club have applied to rejoin the S-League after submitting their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) earlier in the week, a move, which if successful, will reunite DPMM FC with the league they took by storm in 2009.
Despite clubs from Japan (Albirex Niigata) and South Korea (Super Reds) also playing in the S-League, it was Brunei's only professional football club that became the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore when they claimed the League Cup in their debut season in 2009.
They had a shot at making it a double in the league largely thanks to the guidance of bench boss Vjeran Simunic, who has made a comeback after being forced out when Fifa suspended Brunei and in extension, DPMM FC from international football for 20 months.
Hj Muhd Subhi Abdilah Hj Bakir, a key cog in Simunic's midfield, is itching to lace up in Singapore again. "Of course it's a great idea for us to play there again like before," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.
"We've been resting for a long time so I hope we can get back (into the S-League) and I think there's a big probability we will. We have been out of competition for nearly two years so we all can't wait to get started. Now that Fifa lifted the suspension (in May) it will be good for Brunei footballers to get back to playing international football and improve our standard.
"All of us support the decision to bring Simunic back. We would support any coach the club bring in but Simunic has helped us to achieve something. The players are all in-tune with his training, strategy and formation ... Though training might be hard, it's for the good of the club and players," added Hj Muhd Subhi.
Another key component in Simunic's squad is Mohd Wardun Yussof, the goalkeeper who was the team's hero during the 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC with back-to-back saves against midfielder Masahiro Fukasawa and defender Razaleigh Khalik.
He has also been in fine form in the domestic league, helping Majra FC claim the DST Group Brunei League Cup in June.
The shot-stopper also featured for DPMM FC when they were in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, but maintains that neither the DST Group Brunei League nor the MSL can compare to the S-League.
"I'm happy to hear the news and hope it works. It is a very good league which is well organised and has really professional players and they are also more open," said Wardun.
"I also support the decision to bring back Simunic since he led the club to a trophy. It's a better idea to bring in new players and new faces instead of a new coach," he noted.
The team's deadliest striker, Shahrazen Hj Md Said, felt that a move back to the S-League with Simunic marked the club's natural progression after the Fifa suspension was lifted.
"It's a good idea. It's easy for us to communicate with Simunic and he knows our style of play ... We're like family," he said.
"We've been enjoying returning to training with him and we have really started preparing hard for the league," said Shahrazen, who finished the 2006/07 MSL season as joint top-scorer with 21 goals and also led DPMM FC in scoring during the 2008/09 S-League season with nine.
Another player who has been enjoying working with Simunic again is midfielder Hardi Bujang.
"For me it's a good idea to bring him back because if we get another coach we need to learn his style all over again," he said.
"He has really been concentrating on fitness during training and we're running a lot," he added.
French side Etoile FC are the S-League's defending champions, with the competition starting on Feb 12 with a dozen teams playing in three rounds
Currently in its 16th season, Singapore's top-flight is scheduled to end on Nov 28 though hopefully DPMM FC won't have to wait until then to find out if they can play.The Brunei Times
Club manager Pg Waslimin PSJ Pg Hj Abd Momin told The Brunei Times on Thursday that Brunei's most successful football club have applied to rejoin the S-League after submitting their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) earlier in the week, a move, which if successful, will reunite DPMM FC with the league they took by storm in 2009.
Despite clubs from Japan (Albirex Niigata) and South Korea (Super Reds) also playing in the S-League, it was Brunei's only professional football club that became the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore when they claimed the League Cup in their debut season in 2009.
They had a shot at making it a double in the league largely thanks to the guidance of bench boss Vjeran Simunic, who has made a comeback after being forced out when Fifa suspended Brunei and in extension, DPMM FC from international football for 20 months.
Hj Muhd Subhi Abdilah Hj Bakir, a key cog in Simunic's midfield, is itching to lace up in Singapore again. "Of course it's a great idea for us to play there again like before," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.
"We've been resting for a long time so I hope we can get back (into the S-League) and I think there's a big probability we will. We have been out of competition for nearly two years so we all can't wait to get started. Now that Fifa lifted the suspension (in May) it will be good for Brunei footballers to get back to playing international football and improve our standard.
"All of us support the decision to bring Simunic back. We would support any coach the club bring in but Simunic has helped us to achieve something. The players are all in-tune with his training, strategy and formation ... Though training might be hard, it's for the good of the club and players," added Hj Muhd Subhi.
Another key component in Simunic's squad is Mohd Wardun Yussof, the goalkeeper who was the team's hero during the 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC with back-to-back saves against midfielder Masahiro Fukasawa and defender Razaleigh Khalik.
He has also been in fine form in the domestic league, helping Majra FC claim the DST Group Brunei League Cup in June.
The shot-stopper also featured for DPMM FC when they were in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, but maintains that neither the DST Group Brunei League nor the MSL can compare to the S-League.
"I'm happy to hear the news and hope it works. It is a very good league which is well organised and has really professional players and they are also more open," said Wardun.
"I also support the decision to bring back Simunic since he led the club to a trophy. It's a better idea to bring in new players and new faces instead of a new coach," he noted.
The team's deadliest striker, Shahrazen Hj Md Said, felt that a move back to the S-League with Simunic marked the club's natural progression after the Fifa suspension was lifted.
"It's a good idea. It's easy for us to communicate with Simunic and he knows our style of play ... We're like family," he said.
"We've been enjoying returning to training with him and we have really started preparing hard for the league," said Shahrazen, who finished the 2006/07 MSL season as joint top-scorer with 21 goals and also led DPMM FC in scoring during the 2008/09 S-League season with nine.
Another player who has been enjoying working with Simunic again is midfielder Hardi Bujang.
"For me it's a good idea to bring him back because if we get another coach we need to learn his style all over again," he said.
"He has really been concentrating on fitness during training and we're running a lot," he added.
French side Etoile FC are the S-League's defending champions, with the competition starting on Feb 12 with a dozen teams playing in three rounds
Currently in its 16th season, Singapore's top-flight is scheduled to end on Nov 28 though hopefully DPMM FC won't have to wait until then to find out if they can play.The Brunei Times
16 September 2011
DPMM FC - Sign Brazilian and Irish players
DPMM FC signs Brazilian defender Tales Kanu and former Tranmere Rovers midfielder George O'Callaghan.
DPMM FC apply to rejoin S'pore League
Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Friday, September 16, 2011
DPMM FC are one step closer to a Singapore League (S-League) return.
Brunei's only professional football club exceeded all expectations by becoming the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore when they claimed the League Cup in their debut season in 2009 (pic, left), and had a shot at making it a double in the league with the FA Cup also offering another chance at silverware.
But Fifa's suspension on the Sultanate meant the club had to stop their campaign with five games to go, and their players had to settle for domestic competition ever since.
Fifa reversed its decision in May, and immediately, questions were asked whether DPMM FC would rejoin the league.
More questions arose when Vjeran Simunic was revealed to have penned a new contact last Thursday, the Croatian coach returning to the side he led to the League Cup success.
It only took a week for some of those questions to start getting answers.
Quoting an anonymous source, Singaporean online news portal Today Online yesterday reported that DPMM FC have submitted their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), with club manager Pg Waslimin PSJ Pg Hj Abd Momin confirming the news.
"We have already applied ... I think it was two days ago," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.
"I'm not sure when we will get a reply. So far I know another club, Sembawang United, have also applied to join (the league). There's no answer yet, maybe because the league is still ongoing. Maybe they want to know how many teams will be playing ... (The current) 12 or 14.
"They have a lot to think about," he said, adding that DPMM FC have only applied to join the S-League.
A point of contention before the club first joined the league in February 2009 was whether they could play home games, and Pg Waslimin admitted the topic had cropped up once again.
"I am not sure what the format will be like and whether we will be allowed to play home games," he said.
"I am not sure if we will still join if we can't play home games but that is what we have proposed.
"I read that Gombak United's chairman said that playing away was good experience for them, so maybe it will happen again," added the club manager.
Today Online talked to Gombak chairman John Yap and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC coach Richard Bok for the story, both agreeing that DPMM FC had an impact on the league despite playing for less than one season.
"They gave clubs a chance to experience a real away game with the hostile crowd in Brunei," said Yap.
"They were a credit to themselves and ... gave an added dimension to the league," added the chairman.
Bok, who guided the Warriors to the S-League title in 2009, said that DPMM FC were a force to contend with.
"They were challenging for the title when they were forced to pull out, and they were a good side that made the league more exciting," said Bok.
Today Online also contacted FAS deputy director of marketing and competitions, who didn't rule out a return for Brunei's most famous club.
"There has been a lot of talk about the league expanding and also new teams joining the S-League," said Ridzal Saat.
"We will take into consideration every aspect on how we can improve the league as a whole.
"One such area is our S-League online survey ... as we seek to gather feedback from fans in preparation for the 2012 season. If there are changes, we will update the public swiftly," he promised.
According to the report, the Malaysian Under-23 side are also set to join the S-League next season.The Brunei Times
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Friday, September 16, 2011
DPMM FC are one step closer to a Singapore League (S-League) return.
Brunei's only professional football club exceeded all expectations by becoming the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore when they claimed the League Cup in their debut season in 2009 (pic, left), and had a shot at making it a double in the league with the FA Cup also offering another chance at silverware.
But Fifa's suspension on the Sultanate meant the club had to stop their campaign with five games to go, and their players had to settle for domestic competition ever since.
Fifa reversed its decision in May, and immediately, questions were asked whether DPMM FC would rejoin the league.
More questions arose when Vjeran Simunic was revealed to have penned a new contact last Thursday, the Croatian coach returning to the side he led to the League Cup success.
It only took a week for some of those questions to start getting answers.
Quoting an anonymous source, Singaporean online news portal Today Online yesterday reported that DPMM FC have submitted their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), with club manager Pg Waslimin PSJ Pg Hj Abd Momin confirming the news.
"We have already applied ... I think it was two days ago," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.
"I'm not sure when we will get a reply. So far I know another club, Sembawang United, have also applied to join (the league). There's no answer yet, maybe because the league is still ongoing. Maybe they want to know how many teams will be playing ... (The current) 12 or 14.
"They have a lot to think about," he said, adding that DPMM FC have only applied to join the S-League.
A point of contention before the club first joined the league in February 2009 was whether they could play home games, and Pg Waslimin admitted the topic had cropped up once again.
"I am not sure what the format will be like and whether we will be allowed to play home games," he said.
"I am not sure if we will still join if we can't play home games but that is what we have proposed.
"I read that Gombak United's chairman said that playing away was good experience for them, so maybe it will happen again," added the club manager.
Today Online talked to Gombak chairman John Yap and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC coach Richard Bok for the story, both agreeing that DPMM FC had an impact on the league despite playing for less than one season.
"They gave clubs a chance to experience a real away game with the hostile crowd in Brunei," said Yap.
"They were a credit to themselves and ... gave an added dimension to the league," added the chairman.
Bok, who guided the Warriors to the S-League title in 2009, said that DPMM FC were a force to contend with.
"They were challenging for the title when they were forced to pull out, and they were a good side that made the league more exciting," said Bok.
Today Online also contacted FAS deputy director of marketing and competitions, who didn't rule out a return for Brunei's most famous club.
"There has been a lot of talk about the league expanding and also new teams joining the S-League," said Ridzal Saat.
"We will take into consideration every aspect on how we can improve the league as a whole.
"One such area is our S-League online survey ... as we seek to gather feedback from fans in preparation for the 2012 season. If there are changes, we will update the public swiftly," he promised.
According to the report, the Malaysian Under-23 side are also set to join the S-League next season.The Brunei Times
Painful lessons for U-19 football
BRUNEI will be eager to put the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 Championship behind them as soon as possible.
The national team bowed out of the competition in Myanmar with a 10-0 thrashing at the hands of Indonesia yesterday, the result their fourth loss in as many Group B games. More tellingly though, they shipped 30 goals and never found the back of the net.
They started with a 7-0 loss to Vietnam on Thursday and fell by the same scoreline to Laos on Saturday.
Their third game was a 6-0 defeat to Myanmar on Monday.
Needless to say, they end with the worst record in the 10-team tournament and are the only country not to have scored.
On the flip side though, the hastily-formed team only had a little more than a month to prepare for the Sept 8-21 event.
Indonesia has previously fell 6-1 to Vietnam but judging from yesterday's result, the Indonesians' loss to Vietnam did nothing to prove that Brunei are at the former's standard.
Brunei's first international competition since Fifa lifted its 20-month suspension on May 20, the competition has given the Sultanate a harsh lesson in reality and provides no illusions as to how they stand up against their Southeast Asian counterparts.
It is just as well that Brunei are now eligible for funding from Fifa and its regional bodies because it is painfully obvious that cash must be pumped into grassroots development programmes like Brunei Youth Team (BYT), Projek Ikan Pusu and Muara Vella FC's academy.
BYT has been a shining light in junior football, with the 20-man team which returned from the 39th Under-18 Asian Schools Football Championship in Thailand on Monday represented by 18 BYT players.
They reached the quarter-finals of the 12-team event and were unlucky to face the hosts for a spot in the semi-finals, a duel which they lost 5-0.
They had scored 15 times and let in 12, with Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi Hj Sahari ending the tournament as top-scorer with six goals five of them in their 13-0 win against Pakistan in the opener.
Though Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi could probably teach his Under-19 counterparts a thing or two about scoring, their defense was equally in need of guidance letting in six goals before the break yesterday.
According to the AFF website, Syahru Ramadhan started the goal-fest in the 10th minute, with Rahmat Johani Saputro (27th and 28th minute), Zoel Fhadli (29th and 44th) and Rahmadana (36th) also getting on the scoreheet at the Aung San Stadium in Yangon.
Zoel and Rahmat completed their hat tricks with goals in the 54th and 57th minutes respectively, before Dian Ardiansyah nailed a brace in the 60th and 73rd minute.
Yesterday's other result saw nine-men Myanmar edge Laos 1-0, the result pushing Myanmar to second in Group B.
Vietnam currently lead the five-team group, though they are on seven points like Myanmar.
In the last round of Group B games tomorrow, Vietnam face third-placed Laos and fourth-placed Indonesia take on Myanmar.
In Group A action, leaders Thailand beat Cambodia 5-0 on Tuesday while second-placed Malaysia crushed Singapore 6-0.
Thailand are at the top of Group A with six points followed by Malaysia with four.
Today's Group A games will see third-placed Cambodia battle fifth-placed Singapore and fourth-placed Philippines go head to head with Thailand.
The final day of group-stage matches on Saturday will see Malaysia meet the Philippines and Singapore take on Thailand.
The top two teams from each group progress to Monday's semi-finals, with the champion to be decided two days later.The Brunei Times
The national team bowed out of the competition in Myanmar with a 10-0 thrashing at the hands of Indonesia yesterday, the result their fourth loss in as many Group B games. More tellingly though, they shipped 30 goals and never found the back of the net.
They started with a 7-0 loss to Vietnam on Thursday and fell by the same scoreline to Laos on Saturday.
Their third game was a 6-0 defeat to Myanmar on Monday.
Needless to say, they end with the worst record in the 10-team tournament and are the only country not to have scored.
On the flip side though, the hastily-formed team only had a little more than a month to prepare for the Sept 8-21 event.
Indonesia has previously fell 6-1 to Vietnam but judging from yesterday's result, the Indonesians' loss to Vietnam did nothing to prove that Brunei are at the former's standard.
Brunei's first international competition since Fifa lifted its 20-month suspension on May 20, the competition has given the Sultanate a harsh lesson in reality and provides no illusions as to how they stand up against their Southeast Asian counterparts.
It is just as well that Brunei are now eligible for funding from Fifa and its regional bodies because it is painfully obvious that cash must be pumped into grassroots development programmes like Brunei Youth Team (BYT), Projek Ikan Pusu and Muara Vella FC's academy.
BYT has been a shining light in junior football, with the 20-man team which returned from the 39th Under-18 Asian Schools Football Championship in Thailand on Monday represented by 18 BYT players.
They reached the quarter-finals of the 12-team event and were unlucky to face the hosts for a spot in the semi-finals, a duel which they lost 5-0.
They had scored 15 times and let in 12, with Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi Hj Sahari ending the tournament as top-scorer with six goals five of them in their 13-0 win against Pakistan in the opener.
Though Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi could probably teach his Under-19 counterparts a thing or two about scoring, their defense was equally in need of guidance letting in six goals before the break yesterday.
According to the AFF website, Syahru Ramadhan started the goal-fest in the 10th minute, with Rahmat Johani Saputro (27th and 28th minute), Zoel Fhadli (29th and 44th) and Rahmadana (36th) also getting on the scoreheet at the Aung San Stadium in Yangon.
Zoel and Rahmat completed their hat tricks with goals in the 54th and 57th minutes respectively, before Dian Ardiansyah nailed a brace in the 60th and 73rd minute.
Yesterday's other result saw nine-men Myanmar edge Laos 1-0, the result pushing Myanmar to second in Group B.
Vietnam currently lead the five-team group, though they are on seven points like Myanmar.
In the last round of Group B games tomorrow, Vietnam face third-placed Laos and fourth-placed Indonesia take on Myanmar.
In Group A action, leaders Thailand beat Cambodia 5-0 on Tuesday while second-placed Malaysia crushed Singapore 6-0.
Thailand are at the top of Group A with six points followed by Malaysia with four.
Today's Group A games will see third-placed Cambodia battle fifth-placed Singapore and fourth-placed Philippines go head to head with Thailand.
The final day of group-stage matches on Saturday will see Malaysia meet the Philippines and Singapore take on Thailand.
The top two teams from each group progress to Monday's semi-finals, with the champion to be decided two days later.The Brunei Times
15 September 2011
DPMM apply to rejoin S-League !
SINGAPORE - They took local football by storm in 2009, becoming the first foreign team to win a trophy in Singapore when they bagged the League Cup.
Brunei's DPMM FC were in the running for the S-League title as well that year, but were prevented from achieving a historic double after FIFA banned the national association of the sultanate, which forced Singapore to kick the club out before they could complete their final five games of the season.
Now, after a year in the football wilderness, DPMM are looking to make a return to Singapore.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source from Brunei told Today: "DPMM have already submitted their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and are awaiting a response from them."
The possible comeback of DPMM increases the possibility radical changes could be in store for the S-League, starting next season.
Currently, the Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League season features 12 teams playing three rounds.
One possible change could see 14 teams battling on a home and away basis.
When contacted yesterday, FAS deputy director of marketing and competitions, Ridzal Saat said: "There has been a lot of talk about the league expanding and also new teams joining the S-League. We will take into consideration every aspect on how can we can improve the league as a whole.
"One such area is our S-League online survey ... as we seek to gather feedback from fans in preparation for the 2012 season. If there are changes, we will update the public swiftly."
FIFA banned Brunei from all football activities in 2009, deeming there was government interference in the workings of the Brunei Football Association.
The body was reorganised and named the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam and the country was reinstated by FIFA on May 30 this year.
A possible return by DPMM has created a stir in local football circles.
The SAFFC were the main beneficiaries of DPMM's unceremonious exit in 2009 when they claimed the S-League title and Warriors' coach Richard Bok said: "They were challenging for the title when they were forced to pull out, and they were a good side that made the league more exciting."
Gombak United chairman John Yap said: "They gave clubs a chance to experience a real away game with the hostile crowd in Brunei, and they were a credit to themselves and ... gave an added dimension to the league."
Besides DPMM, Sembawang United, a team backed by an anonymous businessman, have also applied to join the S-League next season.
With the Malaysian under-23 joining in the fray as well, both Bok and Yap back the idea of a 14-team, two-round format for the S-League.
"It would be a positive thing if we can play two rounds with 14 or even up to 16 teams. It could see an increase in fan interest, and clubs can schedule our training programmes better," said Bok.
Said Yap: "It is not an ideal situation to have 12 teams in a three-round format; a straightforward home and away system will add to the sophistication of the league.
"It could also be important, especially considering Singapore's return to the Malaysian League next year. This may give fans something interesting to watch, and may bring them back to local stadiums."
todayonline
Brunei's DPMM FC were in the running for the S-League title as well that year, but were prevented from achieving a historic double after FIFA banned the national association of the sultanate, which forced Singapore to kick the club out before they could complete their final five games of the season.
Now, after a year in the football wilderness, DPMM are looking to make a return to Singapore.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source from Brunei told Today: "DPMM have already submitted their application to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and are awaiting a response from them."
The possible comeback of DPMM increases the possibility radical changes could be in store for the S-League, starting next season.
Currently, the Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League season features 12 teams playing three rounds.
One possible change could see 14 teams battling on a home and away basis.
When contacted yesterday, FAS deputy director of marketing and competitions, Ridzal Saat said: "There has been a lot of talk about the league expanding and also new teams joining the S-League. We will take into consideration every aspect on how can we can improve the league as a whole.
"One such area is our S-League online survey ... as we seek to gather feedback from fans in preparation for the 2012 season. If there are changes, we will update the public swiftly."
FIFA banned Brunei from all football activities in 2009, deeming there was government interference in the workings of the Brunei Football Association.
The body was reorganised and named the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam and the country was reinstated by FIFA on May 30 this year.
A possible return by DPMM has created a stir in local football circles.
The SAFFC were the main beneficiaries of DPMM's unceremonious exit in 2009 when they claimed the S-League title and Warriors' coach Richard Bok said: "They were challenging for the title when they were forced to pull out, and they were a good side that made the league more exciting."
Gombak United chairman John Yap said: "They gave clubs a chance to experience a real away game with the hostile crowd in Brunei, and they were a credit to themselves and ... gave an added dimension to the league."
Besides DPMM, Sembawang United, a team backed by an anonymous businessman, have also applied to join the S-League next season.
With the Malaysian under-23 joining in the fray as well, both Bok and Yap back the idea of a 14-team, two-round format for the S-League.
"It would be a positive thing if we can play two rounds with 14 or even up to 16 teams. It could see an increase in fan interest, and clubs can schedule our training programmes better," said Bok.
Said Yap: "It is not an ideal situation to have 12 teams in a three-round format; a straightforward home and away system will add to the sophistication of the league.
"It could also be important, especially considering Singapore's return to the Malaysian League next year. This may give fans something interesting to watch, and may bring them back to local stadiums."
todayonline
AFF U19 - Brunei 0-10 Indonesia
Meanwhile, at the Aung San Stadium, Indonesia ran riot when they whipped Brunei DS 10-0.
The score at the half was 6-0 with goals from Syahru Ramadhan in the tenth minute, Rahmat Johani Saputro (27th and 28th minute), Zoel Fhadli (29th and 44th) and Rahmadana (36th)
Indonesia then added further goals with Zoel and Rahmat completing their hat tricks with goals in the 54th and 57th respectively before Dian Ardiansyah nailed a brace in the 60th and 73rd minute.
aseanfootball
The score at the half was 6-0 with goals from Syahru Ramadhan in the tenth minute, Rahmat Johani Saputro (27th and 28th minute), Zoel Fhadli (29th and 44th) and Rahmadana (36th)
Indonesia then added further goals with Zoel and Rahmat completing their hat tricks with goals in the 54th and 57th respectively before Dian Ardiansyah nailed a brace in the 60th and 73rd minute.
aseanfootball
12 September 2011
AFF U19 - Brunei 0-6 Myanmar
In the match at the Youth Training Centre, hosts Myanmar overwhelmed Brunei 6-0 to move into the third spot in the group.
A brace each from Yan Naing Htwe (9th and 35th minute) and Thiha Zaw (83rd and 87th minute) put Myanmar well on the way with the other goals being scored by Soe Paing Thway (41st) and Ye Ko Ko (90th).
Aseanfootball
A brace each from Yan Naing Htwe (9th and 35th minute) and Thiha Zaw (83rd and 87th minute) put Myanmar well on the way with the other goals being scored by Soe Paing Thway (41st) and Ye Ko Ko (90th).
Aseanfootball
10 September 2011
AFF U19 - Laos 7-0 Brunei
At the Aung San Stadium, Laos hauled their first three points of the competition with a 7-0 thrashing of Brunei.
The younger Brunei squad stood out for long periods in the first half before conceding their first goal in the 40th minute off Sitthideth Khanthavong.
After that it was all Laos as Lembo Saysana then scorched a hat trick (44th, 45th and 75th minute) to be followed by Souliya Syphasay (58th minute), Souksadakone Liepvisay (60th) and Phouthasin Luang Amath (74th).
aseanfootball
12 Sept: Myanmar vs Brunei DS (1530, Youth Training Centre)
The younger Brunei squad stood out for long periods in the first half before conceding their first goal in the 40th minute off Sitthideth Khanthavong.
After that it was all Laos as Lembo Saysana then scorched a hat trick (44th, 45th and 75th minute) to be followed by Souliya Syphasay (58th minute), Souksadakone Liepvisay (60th) and Phouthasin Luang Amath (74th).
aseanfootball
12 Sept: Myanmar vs Brunei DS (1530, Youth Training Centre)
08 September 2011
AFF U19 - Brunei 0-7 Vietnam
In the meantime, Vietnam faced little difficulty to beat Brunei 7-0 in the second game of the day.
“We are just glad that we got the first three points in the competition. It is always good to win,” said Trieu Quang Ha, the chief coach of Vietnam.
“We are also pleased with the number of goals scored as I believe that in a competition as close as this, it will all come down to goal difference.”
The score at the end of the first half was 4-0 with goals off a brace each from Nguyen Thanh Hien (15th and 25th minute) and Nguyen Xuan Nam (17th and 23rd).
Vietnam were more relaxed in the second half although Thanh Hien did complete his hat –trick with his third goal in the game in the 71st minute before further goals from Phan Ding Thang (74th) and Nguyen Tuan Vu (83rd).
“What we have learned from this game is the need to be physically stronger especially when we are playing against a fast team like Vietnam,” added Zainuddin Kassim, the chief coach of Brunei.
“We slowed down the game in the second half as the players were not really fit and that probably saved us a bigger score line.”
aseanfootball
“We are just glad that we got the first three points in the competition. It is always good to win,” said Trieu Quang Ha, the chief coach of Vietnam.
“We are also pleased with the number of goals scored as I believe that in a competition as close as this, it will all come down to goal difference.”
The score at the end of the first half was 4-0 with goals off a brace each from Nguyen Thanh Hien (15th and 25th minute) and Nguyen Xuan Nam (17th and 23rd).
Vietnam were more relaxed in the second half although Thanh Hien did complete his hat –trick with his third goal in the game in the 71st minute before further goals from Phan Ding Thang (74th) and Nguyen Tuan Vu (83rd).
“What we have learned from this game is the need to be physically stronger especially when we are playing against a fast team like Vietnam,” added Zainuddin Kassim, the chief coach of Brunei.
“We slowed down the game in the second half as the players were not really fit and that probably saved us a bigger score line.”
aseanfootball
07 September 2011
Brunei U-19 team set off for Myanmar
THE U-19 national football team has left for Yangon, Myanmar yesterday morning to compete in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 Championship 2011.
The event will commence on Sept 8 - 21.
Amongst the teams that will feature in the championship, Brunei is pit in Group B along with host country Myanmar, Indonesia Laos and Vietnam.
Teams in Group A consist of Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia and Cambodia.
The opening match of the championship will see Brunei play Vietnam on the opening day in the Group A battle.
Brunei's following match will be against Laos on Sept 10, Myanmar two days later and their final group stage match will see the national squad take on Indonesia on Sept 14.
The competition will mark Brunei's return to the international arena after their 22-month Fifa ban which was lifted on May 30, 2011.
Awang Ali Bin Haji Ismail from the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) will be heading the U-19 national team in this expedition.
Despite being inactive in the international football scene, team manager Pg Hj Yusri believes that the team is well prepared for the challenge.
"I think they're ready, even if it's just one month of preparation for this championship this is the best team we can get. With the time constraints and all, it's not an excuse for me," he said.
"For me, this team is the best."
A stringent selection process was employed to select the worthy players for the U-19 team and there has been no let up in training throughout the entire month of Ramadhan."So far it is okay, the coach has prepared a training programme for them to follow during the fasting month. I think it's just perfect, to suit the troubling month," said Pg Hj Yusri.
"We had a friendly match with the U-18 team that recently left for Bangkok and we saw results from there, our boys have showed that they have made improvements," he added.
The Brunei Times
The event will commence on Sept 8 - 21.
Amongst the teams that will feature in the championship, Brunei is pit in Group B along with host country Myanmar, Indonesia Laos and Vietnam.
Teams in Group A consist of Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia and Cambodia.
The opening match of the championship will see Brunei play Vietnam on the opening day in the Group A battle.
Brunei's following match will be against Laos on Sept 10, Myanmar two days later and their final group stage match will see the national squad take on Indonesia on Sept 14.
The competition will mark Brunei's return to the international arena after their 22-month Fifa ban which was lifted on May 30, 2011.
Awang Ali Bin Haji Ismail from the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) will be heading the U-19 national team in this expedition.
Despite being inactive in the international football scene, team manager Pg Hj Yusri believes that the team is well prepared for the challenge.
"I think they're ready, even if it's just one month of preparation for this championship this is the best team we can get. With the time constraints and all, it's not an excuse for me," he said.
"For me, this team is the best."
A stringent selection process was employed to select the worthy players for the U-19 team and there has been no let up in training throughout the entire month of Ramadhan."So far it is okay, the coach has prepared a training programme for them to follow during the fasting month. I think it's just perfect, to suit the troubling month," said Pg Hj Yusri.
"We had a friendly match with the U-18 team that recently left for Bangkok and we saw results from there, our boys have showed that they have made improvements," he added.
The Brunei Times
Brunei fall 2-1 to Indonesia in U-18 C'ship
BRUNEI fell 2-1 to Indonesia in Group C of the 39th Under-18 Asia Schools Football Championship in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand yesterday.
The team came into the match riding on a morale-boosting 13-0 demolition of Pakistan, but failed to take anything away against their Indonesian opponents.
Brunei found the back of the net first with Mohammad Shafie Hj Mohd Efenddy, who has scored two goals in as many matches, giving the Sultanate the lead in the 20th minute.
However, rainy weather proved to be a factor that led to defensive errors, allowing the Indonesian side to score two quick goals before the end of the first half.
Indonesia's Zulkilear levelled the match in the 40th minute while Alessandro found the back of the net in the next minute to put his team in front 2-1 heading into the interval.
Brunei were pretty much in control in the second half but spurned numerous chances that saw them fall to their Southeast Asian counterparts.
The team's coach Liew Chuan Fue felt that the scoreline didn't depict their efforts in the game.
"We controlled much of the game especially in the second half and created plenty of chances. The only problem was our finishing," said Liew in a telephone interview after the match.
"We made a couple of mistakes on defence and the field was slippery due to the rain. I believe we should have won the game. We played pretty good except that the result was not in our favour," added the former national player, who captained Brunei to victory during the 1999 Malaysia Cup.
The team will face Iran today, and at least a draw will most likely see them through to the next round.
The competition features 12 teams divided into three groups of four. Group A has hosts Thailand pooled with the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam while Group B has Asian powerhouses South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau.
The winner and runner-up in each group will join the two best third-placed teams in the second round.
"This is going to be a difficult match. They (Iran) are going to be tougher as they have beaten Indonesia 3-0," said Liew.
"But I still believe that we have a good chance in making it into the next round and I hope that we can do it," he added.
The other match of the day saw Iran put up a good performance demolishing Pakistan 8-0.
Defending champions Thailand won the title last year after shocking hosts South Korea 2-1.
This week's competition in Ubon Ratchathani will also see the national Under-15 team in action.
The side is competing in the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships and will begin their campaign today against the hosts.
The six-team tournament has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam face off.
The Brunei Times
The team came into the match riding on a morale-boosting 13-0 demolition of Pakistan, but failed to take anything away against their Indonesian opponents.
Brunei found the back of the net first with Mohammad Shafie Hj Mohd Efenddy, who has scored two goals in as many matches, giving the Sultanate the lead in the 20th minute.
However, rainy weather proved to be a factor that led to defensive errors, allowing the Indonesian side to score two quick goals before the end of the first half.
Indonesia's Zulkilear levelled the match in the 40th minute while Alessandro found the back of the net in the next minute to put his team in front 2-1 heading into the interval.
Brunei were pretty much in control in the second half but spurned numerous chances that saw them fall to their Southeast Asian counterparts.
The team's coach Liew Chuan Fue felt that the scoreline didn't depict their efforts in the game.
"We controlled much of the game especially in the second half and created plenty of chances. The only problem was our finishing," said Liew in a telephone interview after the match.
"We made a couple of mistakes on defence and the field was slippery due to the rain. I believe we should have won the game. We played pretty good except that the result was not in our favour," added the former national player, who captained Brunei to victory during the 1999 Malaysia Cup.
The team will face Iran today, and at least a draw will most likely see them through to the next round.
The competition features 12 teams divided into three groups of four. Group A has hosts Thailand pooled with the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam while Group B has Asian powerhouses South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau.
The winner and runner-up in each group will join the two best third-placed teams in the second round.
"This is going to be a difficult match. They (Iran) are going to be tougher as they have beaten Indonesia 3-0," said Liew.
"But I still believe that we have a good chance in making it into the next round and I hope that we can do it," he added.
The other match of the day saw Iran put up a good performance demolishing Pakistan 8-0.
Defending champions Thailand won the title last year after shocking hosts South Korea 2-1.
This week's competition in Ubon Ratchathani will also see the national Under-15 team in action.
The side is competing in the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships and will begin their campaign today against the hosts.
The six-team tournament has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam face off.
The Brunei Times
05 September 2011
U-18 footballers demolish Pakistan
BRUNEI began the 39th Under-18 Asia Schools Football Championship in style after dismantling Pakistan 13-0 yesterday.
The first day of the tournament in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, saw seven names get on the scoresheet for Brunei with Muhammad Nurikhwan Othman paving the way with a goal in the first minute, the first of three he would net in the Group C tie.
Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi Hj Sahari bagged five while Ak Mohammad Amiruddin Pg Jamaludin, Md Fakhrullah Hj Md Azanie, Mohamad Nur Azees Ali, Mohammad Shafie Hj Mohd Efenddy and Mohd Aminuddin Zakwan Mohd Tahir each added one.
Despite the scoreline Liew Chuan Fue didn't seem impressed.
"I'm not surprised we won by such a big margin," said the team's coach in a telephone interview yesterday.
"Our midfield played well and I knew we would get a comfortable win because Pakistan just didn't have enough quality to match us.
"Physically we could match up ... But technically, we were better," added Liew, the former national player who captained Brunei to victory during the 1999 Malaysia Cup.
Except for Md Fakhrullah and his brother Mohammad Nazrullah, who are from Belait, the 20-man list is made up completely of Brunei Youth Team (BYT) players the side made up of Under-19 players which used to play in the second tier of the national football league.
Many of them also featured for the country in last year's edition of the tournament in Mokpo, South Korea.
Though Brunei was in Mokpo last year, they were unable to take to the field because of Fifa's ban on the country, which was only lifted on May 30.
They were able to slot in some friendly matches against national sides and high school teams though, returning with a five-two win-loss record.
Yesterday's other game saw Singapore and Macau play to a 1-1 draw in Group B.
Putting today's morale-boosting result behind them, Brunei now have bigger fish to fry facing Indonesia tomorrow and Iran on Wednesday.
A 12-team competition, the countries are divided into three groups of four. The winner and runner-up in each group will join the two best third-placed teams in the second round.
A win against the heavily-fancied Indonesians will virtually ensure their spot in the next round and Liew knows the stakes are high.
"We hope we can win ... We must win," he vowed.
"If we win we will qualify for the second round.
"Indonesia will be a stronger fight though. Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea these teams always do well in this tournament. Indonesia reach the semi-finals every year," he added.
Group A has hosts Thailand pooled with the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam while Group B has Asian powerhouses South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau. Thailand are the tournament's defending champions, winning last year's title after shocking hosts South Korea 2-1.
This week's competition in Ubon Ratchathani will also see the national Under-15 team in action.
The side is competing in the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships and will begin their campaign on Wednesday against the hosts.
The six-team tournament has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam face off.
The Under-15 team is coached by Hon Ah Yan and assisted by Andiran Dato Gadong, with Ajamain Hj Othman serving as the manager. Assisting Liew is Tajul Arrifin Sumpong and goalkeeping coach Mohd Salihin Abdullah, as well as Hj Narudin Hj Puteh acting as the team's manager and chef de mission.
The country also has two referees, Ali Faisal Rosli and Pg Hj Md Saiful Redzuan Pg Hj Ahmad, lacing up in Thailand this week.
The Brunei Times
The first day of the tournament in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, saw seven names get on the scoresheet for Brunei with Muhammad Nurikhwan Othman paving the way with a goal in the first minute, the first of three he would net in the Group C tie.
Muhd Fakhrul Tamimi Hj Sahari bagged five while Ak Mohammad Amiruddin Pg Jamaludin, Md Fakhrullah Hj Md Azanie, Mohamad Nur Azees Ali, Mohammad Shafie Hj Mohd Efenddy and Mohd Aminuddin Zakwan Mohd Tahir each added one.
Despite the scoreline Liew Chuan Fue didn't seem impressed.
"I'm not surprised we won by such a big margin," said the team's coach in a telephone interview yesterday.
"Our midfield played well and I knew we would get a comfortable win because Pakistan just didn't have enough quality to match us.
"Physically we could match up ... But technically, we were better," added Liew, the former national player who captained Brunei to victory during the 1999 Malaysia Cup.
Except for Md Fakhrullah and his brother Mohammad Nazrullah, who are from Belait, the 20-man list is made up completely of Brunei Youth Team (BYT) players the side made up of Under-19 players which used to play in the second tier of the national football league.
Many of them also featured for the country in last year's edition of the tournament in Mokpo, South Korea.
Though Brunei was in Mokpo last year, they were unable to take to the field because of Fifa's ban on the country, which was only lifted on May 30.
They were able to slot in some friendly matches against national sides and high school teams though, returning with a five-two win-loss record.
Yesterday's other game saw Singapore and Macau play to a 1-1 draw in Group B.
Putting today's morale-boosting result behind them, Brunei now have bigger fish to fry facing Indonesia tomorrow and Iran on Wednesday.
A 12-team competition, the countries are divided into three groups of four. The winner and runner-up in each group will join the two best third-placed teams in the second round.
A win against the heavily-fancied Indonesians will virtually ensure their spot in the next round and Liew knows the stakes are high.
"We hope we can win ... We must win," he vowed.
"If we win we will qualify for the second round.
"Indonesia will be a stronger fight though. Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea these teams always do well in this tournament. Indonesia reach the semi-finals every year," he added.
Group A has hosts Thailand pooled with the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam while Group B has Asian powerhouses South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau. Thailand are the tournament's defending champions, winning last year's title after shocking hosts South Korea 2-1.
This week's competition in Ubon Ratchathani will also see the national Under-15 team in action.
The side is competing in the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships and will begin their campaign on Wednesday against the hosts.
The six-team tournament has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam face off.
The Under-15 team is coached by Hon Ah Yan and assisted by Andiran Dato Gadong, with Ajamain Hj Othman serving as the manager. Assisting Liew is Tajul Arrifin Sumpong and goalkeeping coach Mohd Salihin Abdullah, as well as Hj Narudin Hj Puteh acting as the team's manager and chef de mission.
The country also has two referees, Ali Faisal Rosli and Pg Hj Md Saiful Redzuan Pg Hj Ahmad, lacing up in Thailand this week.
The Brunei Times
04 September 2011
Brunei footballers start U-18 campaign in Thailand today
THE national team will open their 39th Under-18 Asia Schools Football Championship campaign against Pakistan today.
Currently in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, for the Sept 2-13 event, the side is pooled in Group C with two other countries Iran and Indonesia.
In a text message sent by the Under-18 coach Liew Chuan Fue (pic) on Friday, the former national skipper and 1999 Malaysia Cup champion said there were three groups in the Under-18 competition which has 11 teams in the fray.
Group A will see hosts Thailand face Vietnam and Sri Lanka while Group B has Asian giants South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau.
The tournament in Thailand will also see a Under-15 competition underway, the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships.
The six-team event has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam do battle. Brunei starts the Under-15 tournament on Wednesday when they face the heavily favoured hosts.
The Under-15 team is coached by Hon Ah Yan and assisted by Andiran Dato Gadong, with Ajamain Hj Othman serving as the manager.
Assisting Liew is Tajul Arrifin Sumpong and Mohd Salihin Abdullah, with Hj Narudin Hj Puteh acting as the team's manager.
The country has also sent two referees, Ali Faisal Rosli and Pg Hj Md Saiful Redzuan Pg Hj Ahmad, to Thailand.
The head of the Brunei Schools Sport Council, Hj Narudin is also the contingent's chef de mission. The 50-member contingent is made up of 20 players and five officials in each age-group.
Brunei was named as hosts of this year's edition but Thailand had to organise the tournament instead because Fifa's ban on the Sultanate was only lifted on May 30.
Despite the country's seclusion from international football for nearly two years, the Under-18 side can be expected to provide a challenge as they will feature several familiar and experienced faces.
Not only have a majority of them represented Brunei at last year's Asian Schools Under-18 Football Championships in South Korea, most of them such as goalkeeper Ron Junior Philip and midfielders Md Aminuddin Zakwan Hj Tahir and Md Nurikhwan Othman also play for Brunei Youth Team, the side made up of Under-19 players which used to play in the second tier of the national football league.
The Under-18 team should have no worries about a repeat of their fiasco in South Korea, where the players were unable to take to the pitch due to Fifa's suspension.
The trip to South Korea wasn't a complete waste of time though, since the players did manage to lace up for several friendly matches.
However, both teams will be looking for a repeat of the country's last foray to Thailand for an age-group competition last September's Asean Youth Football Cup in Bangkok.
The Under-12 team finished second in the Thai capital, though the chasm in class during the final against Thailand, which ended 7-0, wasn't exactly the best way to bow out.
The side still returned to Brunei as the talk of the local football community, the result at the inaugural six-team tournament showing that the Sultanate has a successful grassroots programme.
No doubt, then, that both teams will be aiming to prove the same point this week.
The Brunei Times
Currently in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, for the Sept 2-13 event, the side is pooled in Group C with two other countries Iran and Indonesia.
In a text message sent by the Under-18 coach Liew Chuan Fue (pic) on Friday, the former national skipper and 1999 Malaysia Cup champion said there were three groups in the Under-18 competition which has 11 teams in the fray.
Group A will see hosts Thailand face Vietnam and Sri Lanka while Group B has Asian giants South Korea going up against Malaysia, Singapore and Macau.
The tournament in Thailand will also see a Under-15 competition underway, the 6th Asian Schools Football Championships.
The six-team event has Brunei pooled in Group A with Thailand and Sri Lanka while Group B will see Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam do battle. Brunei starts the Under-15 tournament on Wednesday when they face the heavily favoured hosts.
The Under-15 team is coached by Hon Ah Yan and assisted by Andiran Dato Gadong, with Ajamain Hj Othman serving as the manager.
Assisting Liew is Tajul Arrifin Sumpong and Mohd Salihin Abdullah, with Hj Narudin Hj Puteh acting as the team's manager.
The country has also sent two referees, Ali Faisal Rosli and Pg Hj Md Saiful Redzuan Pg Hj Ahmad, to Thailand.
The head of the Brunei Schools Sport Council, Hj Narudin is also the contingent's chef de mission. The 50-member contingent is made up of 20 players and five officials in each age-group.
Brunei was named as hosts of this year's edition but Thailand had to organise the tournament instead because Fifa's ban on the Sultanate was only lifted on May 30.
Despite the country's seclusion from international football for nearly two years, the Under-18 side can be expected to provide a challenge as they will feature several familiar and experienced faces.
Not only have a majority of them represented Brunei at last year's Asian Schools Under-18 Football Championships in South Korea, most of them such as goalkeeper Ron Junior Philip and midfielders Md Aminuddin Zakwan Hj Tahir and Md Nurikhwan Othman also play for Brunei Youth Team, the side made up of Under-19 players which used to play in the second tier of the national football league.
The Under-18 team should have no worries about a repeat of their fiasco in South Korea, where the players were unable to take to the pitch due to Fifa's suspension.
The trip to South Korea wasn't a complete waste of time though, since the players did manage to lace up for several friendly matches.
However, both teams will be looking for a repeat of the country's last foray to Thailand for an age-group competition last September's Asean Youth Football Cup in Bangkok.
The Under-12 team finished second in the Thai capital, though the chasm in class during the final against Thailand, which ended 7-0, wasn't exactly the best way to bow out.
The side still returned to Brunei as the talk of the local football community, the result at the inaugural six-team tournament showing that the Sultanate has a successful grassroots programme.
No doubt, then, that both teams will be aiming to prove the same point this week.
The Brunei Times
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