NFABD names new National Youth team coaches

Bandar Seri Begawan

Monday, April 6, 2015

AS PART of the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam’s (NFABD) future National Youth Teams’ development plan, Fujiwara Takao has been named as the new head coach for the National (Tabuan) U14 team. Takao has a Japan Football Association (JFA) ‘A’ Coaching Licence, which is equivalent to the AFC ‘A’ Certificate with extensive coaching experiences at the local, regional, national and international level, NFABD said in a statement on Sunday.
With support from JFA, NFABD believes the Tabuan U14 players would reap benefits from having a different and unique perspective of training and development.
As for the other three National Youth teams, Tabuan Muda (U23), Tabuan U18 and Tabuan U15, NFABD has placed highly qualified coaches who are committed to providing specialised training programme and development for their respective youth teams, the statement said.
Stephen Ng Heng Seng is the head coach for Tabuan Muda team. Besides having an AFC Professional Diploma, he is a licensed AFC Coaching Instructor who can conduct AFC Coaching Courses in Asia.
Kwon Oh-Son is the head coach of Tabuan U18 team. He has an AFC ‘A’ Coaching Certificate and has led Brunei Darussalam to victory in the coveted Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy Cup in 2012.
As for the Tabuan U15 team, the head coach is Ali Hj Mustafa, a former national player who has an AFC ‘B’ Coaching Certificate.
Besides, these head coaches are assisted and provided with qualified Assistant and Goalkeeping coaches who have a minimum of an AFC ‘C’ Coaching Certificate.

The Brunei Times

Sergio special on debut gives DPMM FC win

Yee Chun Leong

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, April 5, 2015

A PAULO Sergio double on his DPMM FC debut paved the way for a 3-2 comeback victory over Hougang United FC in the Singapore League (S-League) last night.
The win at the Hougang Stadium in Singapore sees DPMM FC stay unbeaten and move to the top of the 10-team table with 10 points from four matches.
The duo of Albirex Niigata (S) FC and Tampines Rovers FC are just a point back but have played a game more.
According to the updates on the S-League Twitter page, it was a disastrous start for the visitors after Kunihiro Yamashita headed home Shunsuke Nakatake’s freekick in the opening minute. Sergio opened his account for DPMM FC with the equalliser in the 13th minute.
Hougang got a chance in the 18th minute after Francisco Ela put Fareez Farhan through but he fired wide having only DPMM FC shotstopper Wardun Yussof to beat.
At the other end, Sergio notched his brace the next minute to put the visitors in front.
Rafael Ramazotti, who was named March’s S-League Player Of the Month earlier in the day, struck a powerful effort at goal but Hougang custodian Ridhuan Barudin was up to the task to parry his attempt in the 26th minute.
The pace of the match was slowed down with DPMM FC taking a more cautious approach after taking the lead.
The Brunei side gained a two-goal cushion after defender Brian McLean rose highest to head home Najib Hj Tarif’s cross in the 57th minute.
Ramazotti had a chance to add to the tally but watched his header off the target in the 71st minute.
Hougang were given a lifeline after Ela curled a ball from the edge of the box into the top corner in the 87th minute to make it 3-2.
He troubled again the next minute but could only steer a header straight to Wardun seeing DPMM FC claim all three points from the encounter.
The other match saw Balestier Khalsa FC ease past the Young Lions (Singapore national under-23 football team) 5-1 at the Toa Payoh Stadium in Singapore.
Fadhil Noh broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute before Emir Lotinac doubled the Tigers lead one minute before halftime.
A brace by Miroslav Kristic in the 68th and 74th minutes put the game beyond doubt.
Balestier were not done yet as Tarik Cmajcanin got his name on the scoresheet in the 79th minute before Iqbal Hamid Hussain netted a consolation for the Young Lions four minutes from time.
The competition continues today with Home United FC up against defending champions Warriors FC at the Yishun Stadium in Singapore.

The Brunei Times

Brunei U-23 team go down fighting

bandar seri begawan

Monday, March 30, 2015
           

THE national Under-23 football team fell to their second defeat in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Under-23 Championship 2016 qualifiers after losing 2-0 to Indonesia in Jakarta yesterday.
Ahmad Nufiandani put Indonesia ahead in the 70th minutes at the Bung Karno Stadium before substitute Muchlis Hadi Ning Syaifulloh doubled the advantage three minutes from time to seal the victory.
Brunei kicked-off their campaign with a 5-0 defeat to South Korea.
Indonesia will play South Korea in their last qualifying game while Brunei will lock horns with Timor Leste on Tuesday.
Brunei are in Group H alongside hosts Indonesia, South Korea and Timor Leste for the March 27-31 event.
Brunei did not enter a team for the previous qualifiers two years ago which was formerly known as the AFC U-22 Championship 2013.
The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams will qualify for the tournament proper in Qatar.

The Brunei Times

DPMM FC find Sergio to replace injured Fagan

Jason Thomas

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, March 29, 2015
           

DPMM FC have roped in former Sporting Lisbon academy trainee Paulo Sergio to replace the injured Craig Fagan for the rest of the Singapore League (S-League) season.
Fagan will be sidelined for at least six months after a tear to his achilles tendon during last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Home United FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas, and with the S-League having closed registration for new players on Friday, the club could not afford to waste any time finding another import forward.
Despite yesterday’s training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium only his second with his new teammates, Sergio said he will not need long to get used to playing with them.
“Football is easy… There’s nothing special about it,” he grinned when asked whether he would find it hard to gel with so many new faces. “I like playing with the ball at my feet and I’m sure I can help my new team,” he added.
Playing centrally, Sergio’s intelligent movement and quick feet during yesterday’s friendly against the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) helped set up a goal for midfielder Azwan Ali Rahman – who scored at the far post after receiving a quick pass from the Portuguese.
A product of the same academy which produced famed footballer such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Nani, Ricardo Quaresma and Joao Moutinho, Sergio has already made an impression on DPMM FC coach Steve Kean.
“To get a player of his quality on such short notice… It was real hard work by the management,” Kean said.
“Coming from such a fabled academy... He has high pedigree. His biggest attribute is that he’s an all-round attacker and he can play as a shadow striker with Rafa (striker Rafael Ramazotti) or on either wing.
“He has great control, pace and final pass and you can give him the ball any where. The signs are good,” said the Scotsman.
DPMM FC are currently second in the S-League with seven points from three games and trail leaders Tampines Rovers FC by two points – though Kean’s side have one game in hand. They resume their campaign on April 4 against Hougang United FC before taking on Geylang International FC on April 16, both games which will be played in Singapore. The club, which finished as runners-up last season, conclude their three-game away stint with a tie against defending champions Warriors FC on April 14 before returning to the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium to face Singapore Cup champions Balestier Khalsa FC on May 1 and table-toppers Tampines on May 10.

The Brunei Times

Season starts next week

Yee Chun Leong

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, March 25, 2015
           

THE wait is finally over as Brunei’s top tier football competition, the DST Super League, will kick off next Wednesday.
This was confirmed by National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Chairman Competition Committee Hj Mohd Noor Hj Hamid yesterday when contacted by The Brunei Times.
Newly promoted IKLS, who finished runners-up in the DST Premier League last season, will battle it out against the Royal Brunei Police Force Sports Council (MS PDB) in the opener at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.
Najip FC will take on Kilanas FC in the second match at the Tutong Sports Complex two days later.
All eyes will be on the clash of the titans on April 5 with two-time defending champions Indera SC up against two-time runners-up Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
Kick off for all three matches will be at 8.15pm. The other returning teams for the DST Super League are Wijaya FC and Jerudong FC.
DST Premier League champions Lun Bawang are the other promoted side while Tabuan Muda (the national Under-23 football team) are set to make their debut completing the 10-team competition.
Indera finished last season’s nine-team DST Super League with 43 points ahead of MS ABDB, who had 37 points.
The former won 14 games, lost one and drew one.
They scored a total of 51 goals and only conceded 14 throughout the campaign.
The DST Super League was initially slated to begin in February after the national football season started on Jan 24 with the 2015 Sumbangsih Cup, which Indera clinched after a 2-0 win over MS ABDB at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
However, it was postponed due to the national team’s participation in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The Brunei Times

Fagan out for six months

Yee Chun Leong

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

ENGLISH forward Craig Fagan will be out for at least six months after suffering a tear to the achilles tendon on his left foot, handing DPMM FC a huge blow just three games into their Singapore League (S-League) campaign.
He picked up the injury in the first half of their match against Home United FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas on Saturday night and had to be replaced by Adi Said in the 37th minute.
DPMM FC coach Steve Kean can only hope for a speedy recovery for the Englishman who underwent surgery yesterday morning.
“The good news is that he already had surgery and like any surgery the next most important thing is rehab,” said the Scotsman in an interview with The Brunei Times after a training session yesterday at the Jerudong Mini Stadium.
“It is a major blow firstly, for player and secondly, to us. We just have to make sure his rehab is good and that he can continue his career as soon as possible.
“We want to wish Craig a speedy recovery. As a club we want to see if it is possible for us to recruit another player.
“We won’t have another player for at least the next two weeks and this is an opportunity for other players to take,” continued the former Blackburn Rovers manager.
Fagan, 32, last played for League One (English third-tier) side Gillingham FC before being released at the end of the 2013-14 season.
The forward spent most of his career playing for Hull City from 2005-2007 and from 2008-2010 when they were playing in the English Premier League.
Tampines Rovers FC are at the summit of the 10-team table with nine points from four matches while DPMM FC are two points back having played game less.
The trio of Albirex Niigata (S) FC, Home United FC and Warriors FC, who also have a game in hand, are all on six points.
DPMM FC will contest their next game, their first away fixture, against Hougang United FC at the Hougang Stadium in Singapore on April 4.
The Brunei Times

***

Under-23s off to Indonesia

Yee Chun Leong

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

THE national Under-23 football team are going into the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Under-23 Championship 2016 qualifiers in Jakarta as underdogs but are not going there without a fight.
Brunei are in Group H alongside hosts Indonesia, South Korea and Timor Leste for the March 27-31 event at the Bung Karno Stadium. Coach Stephen Ng Heng Seng knows the tall order they face but believes they can put up a good fight.
“This is a tough group and will be a good test as we are in the process of developing the players,” said Ng before their departure at the Brunei International Airport in Berakas last night.
“We are taking the qualifiers very seriously. But as much as we want to qualify, we have to be realistic.
“There are two very good teams (Indonesia and South Korea) who are well proven. We have prepared the boys to focus on the game and not get distracted and intimidated by the crowd against the hosts.
“The boys will gain from this experience having to play the giants of Asia and I believe that we can put up some good performances,” continued Ng.
The qualifiers are seen as a good build up for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore in June.
The squad was set up back in September before starting intensive training in early February.
The team underwent training in Thailand two weeks ago and had three friendly matches – one against a Division 1 team and two from Division 2.
“We lost all three games by a narrow margin but it is a good step forward,” said Ng.
“They made big improvement compared to couple months ago. They are more confident and composed.
“Technically they have improved and this is a good way to assess where we are now. We can see what we have to continue to work on to improve,” he said.
Brunei did not enter a team for the previous qualifiers two years ago which was formerly known as the AFC U-22 Championship 2013.
The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams will qualify for the tournament proper in Qatar.

The Brunei Times