SINGAPORE - When Akbar Nawas took over as head coach of Chennai City last year, the Indian football club had only three games to stave off relegation from the I-League.
They beat Churchill Brothers 3-1, lost 7-1 to East Bengal, before securing safety with a 2-1 win over Minerva Punjab in their final match.
A year later, former Tampines Rovers coach Akbar, assisted by ex-Hougang United coach and fellow Singaporean K. Balagumaran, helped Chennai complete a remarkable turnaround after Saturday's (March 9) come-from-behind 3-1 win over Minerva at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Tamil Nadu sealed a first league title for both club and coach.
With 13 wins, four draws and three defeats, they amassed 43 points, one ahead of second-placed East Bengal.
It is believed that the duo are the first Singaporean coaches to win a professional football league title outside of South-east Asia.
And they did it in swashbuckling style, scoring 48 goals in 20 matches, and never relinquishing their place at the top of the 11-team league from the third match week.
The Times of India summarised their triumph as "befitting their dominant campaign, the fulcrum of which was a sustained possession-based football".
Akbar, 43, told The Straits Times: "It is a great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year.
"Our team perform best when we are chasing the game. Thus, we didn't panic when we were behind (against Minerva on Saturday). I told the team we must end every attack with a chance at goal. I was pretty confident we could bounce back and win like we had done before."
Â
His sidekick Balagumaran, 54, added: "It is so overwhelming, I don't know if we are still in a dream.
"When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished.
"Many of them are playing in their first professional season and now they have won their first professional league title.
"Personally, it is also the highlight of my career, but I hope there is more to come, and I also hope this opens the door for more Singaporean coaches to venture abroad."
With the league win, Chennai are eligible for the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifiers.
In Summary. Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk says he voted for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling to be named PFA player of the year. Van Dijk is one of the favourites for the award after
Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year
aldipest.com/2019/04/11/sterling-gets-van-dijks-vote-for-pfa-player-of-the-year/
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has revealed he voted for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling for the PFA Player of the Year Award. Van Dijk ultimately opted for the former Liverpool winger Sterling, who could be his closest challenger for the honour, with voting rules preventing players backing their teammates.
Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year
Fulham, yet to keep a clean sheet this season, stayed rooted to the bottom of the table with nine points from 17 games, while the Hammers' fourth league win in a row lifted them to ninth place on 24 points. New Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri had been looking to build on the four points his side took in their first two home games under his charge.
West Ham beat Fulham 2-0 to post fourth win in a row
Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - April 27, 2019 West Ham's Michail Antonio scores their first goal Action Images via
LONDON: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk insists he will not face a personal duel against Lionel Messi in his side's Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. I cannot stop Messi alone, admits Van Dijk | New Straits Times | Malaysia General Business Sports and Lifestyle News
I cannot stop Messi alone, admits Van Dijk - msn.com
The Public Law titled the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 has charged VA, DOL, and DOD with expanding upon the functions and benefits available to unemployed Veterans, as well as create a more seamless transition for Service members. Congress will request metrics to evaluate the success of the VOW Act.
Sudan Pro-Democracy Groups Vow to Continue Protests After
United Bank of India STP. Segment. Individual and Industry banking. Target Group. Semi-Urban Sector. Positioning. Complete Banking solutions. United Bank of India SWOT Analysis. Strengths . Below is the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) Analysis of United Bank of India. Strengths are: 1. Financial products for rural segment 2.
Ahli United Bank SWOT Analysis | Competitors & USP
Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita and assistants Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi will officiate the AFC Cup match between Myanmar's Yangon United and Cambodia's Naga World at the Thuwunna
History made as women to referee men's AFC Cup clash
The Australian Financial Review; Football: Australian Joe Palatsides set to replace Belgian Michel Sablon as FAS' new technical director The Straits Times; Australia squad for women's World Cup
Football: Football Association of Singapore appoints Joseph
Singapore. Football: Ikhsan Fandi the match-winner as Singapore Under-22s beat Thais 1-0 to capture Merlion Cup. straitstimes.com. June 09, 2019 9:50 PM SINGAPORE - The Young Lions' hopes of making it to at least the semi-finals of this year's SEA Games - after group-stage …
Football: Ihsan Fandi, the winner of the match, after
LONDON: England soccer captain Harry Kane received the MBE award on Thursday for services to football after leading the national team to the World Cup semi-final in Russia last Summer. Prince William, the president of the English Football Association, presented the 25-year-old Tottenham striker with his medal at Buckingham Palace after Kane was
England soccer captain Kane honoured at Buckingham Palace
If Spurs want to challenge for the title they must win when the play against them. Last weekend they failed to do so. it is not about the way Spiurs played or about their formation at Vicarage Road. Pochettino's team have had enough bodies in the midfield and they should have restricted Watford to fewer chances.
Tottenham's Pochettino comes away empty handed again
> Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at City's Raheem Sterling during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City, at St James' Park, in Newcastle, Britain
Football: Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at Newcastle
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen