Can Lions cope without Alam Shah?
In-form striker's physical play will be missed if he is suspended for World Cup qualifiers
Sunday Times, The (Singapore)
Sweat
December 2, 2007
Author: Wang Meng Meng
HAS Noh Alam Shah's reckless actions dented Singapore's World Cup hopes?
When the Tampines Rovers striker attacked Daniel Bennett in last Sunday's Singapore Cup final, it not only earned him a straight red card but also put him on course for a lengthy ban.
With his team down 3-4 in stoppage time, Alam Shah lost his self-control and appeared to elbow Singapore Armed Forces Football Club defender Bennett in the chest before launching a knee to his head.
The 27-year-old has until Wednesday to explain his actions to the Football Association of Singapore.
But a disciplinary hearing and a suspension appear likely, based on precedents.
In 2003, then-Sembawang Rangers defender Shariff Abdul Samat was banned for nine months from all football activities and fined $500 for punching Geylang United's Peter Bennett.
Alam Shah's suspension is likely to weaken the national team's fire-power during their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Coach Raddy Avramovic is known to be a strict disciplinarian who does not hesitate to crack the whip on errant Lions.
But can the Serb afford to lose his star striker, who has scored 28 times in 63 international appearances?
Avramovic has declined comment.
But captain Indra Sahdan felt it would be a loss, though he added that Singapore could cope without the target man.
He said: 'Alam Shah is important to the Lions because he is a great team player.
'He helps the boys out with his battling qualities. He is a striker who challenges for the high balls and it is up to the other forwards like me to pick up the second ball.
'His physical presence give us possibilities. It will be a big loss if he is suspended, but we have to get on with life.
'Our success is all down to good team work.''
Goalkeeper Lionel Lewis added: 'If Alam Shah is suspended, we will miss his strong presence and never-say-die attitude.''
A first-team regular, Alam Shah has been in red-hot form for Singapore this year.
He top scored with 10 goals when the Lions won the Asean Football Championship in February.
The haul included a national record of seven goals in the 11-0 slaughter of Laos.
'Alam Shah has been prolific for the Lions,'' noted former national midfielder Goh Tat Chuan.
'He proved in the Asean Football Championship that he is the best striker in the region.''
According to Goh, who played alongside the striker in the 2005 Tiger Cup win, Alam Shah's strength lies in his big heart.
The retired midfielder said: 'Alam Shah's self-belief and positive attitude rub off on the rest of the team.
'He hates losing. He defends from the front. When you see a striker fighting so hard, the midfielders and defenders are inspired to push up and squeeze the opponents.
'He is an exceptional player to have when the chips are down.''
Singapore have done well to ease past Palestine and Tajikistan in the first two rounds of the World Cup qualifiers.
But Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Lebanon will be tough opponents in the third-round group stage.
This is where, according to Goh, Alam Shah's influence will be crucial.
'The group stage will be very tough, with games against Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan,' said Goh.
'They are physical sides. The Saudis and Uzbeks will not relish facing someone like Alam Shah, who is a real menace for defenders.''
Since scaling the Asean summit 10 months ago, Avramovic has tweaked his game plan to an attacking 4-2-4 system for the World Cup qualifiers.
And the new central striking partnership of Aleksandar Duric and Alam Shah has worked a treat, with the duo netting three goals in the two games they played together.
It was the Tampines man who blasted home the crucial away goal from 20 metres against Tajikistan to give Singapore an aggregate 3-1 win.
That was his 28th international goal in 63 matches, a strike rate that has made him the country's current leading scorer.
But Indra feels that Avramovic will change his adventurous strategy, with or without Alam Shah.
'Raddy is unlikely to place all his emphasis on attack for the big games,'' the skipper said.
'It's not the wise thing to do against stronger opponents like Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
'But we still have Duric, who has done well so far.''
Others, like reader Daniel Izzat, have made an impassioned plea for Alam Shah to be kept in the fold.
He said: 'Alam Shah carries the dreams of the whole of Singapore.
'He has been crucial in all our international matches.'
But Terence Goh, an avid Lions fan, disagreed: 'Key player or not, Alam Shah should not have acted in such a way.
'He's not fit to be in the team. We cannot simply close one eye and forget about his violent act. Furthermore, this is not the first time he has exploded.
'Such hot-tempered characters have no place in the national team.''
meng@sph.com.sg
'If Alam Shah is suspended, we will definitely miss his strong presence and never-say-die attitude.'
- NATIONAL GOALKEEPER LIONEL LEWIS
'He hates losing. He defends from the front. When you see a striker fighting so hard, the midfielders and defenders will be inspired to push up and squeeze the opponents. He is an exceptional player to have when the chips are down.'
- FORMER NATIONAL MIDFIELDER GOH TAT CHUAN
'We cannot simply close one eye and forget about his violent act. Furthermore, this is not the first time he exploded. Such hot-tempered characters have no place in the national team.'
- TERENCE GOH, a Lions fan ...OR VIOLENT, HOT-HEADED LIABILITY? BIG-HEARTED, NEVER-SAY-DIE ASSET...
Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
My views: We all know NAS is a hot tempered person, but he should carry on playing with the national team.
NAS is the next Fandi Ahmad. Losing him would be a big blow to Singapore`s WC chances. I disagree with what Terence Goh said here. No one in this world is perfect. Look at Wayne Rooney, he`s a world class player n also a hot tempered person. We all know that thru watching EPL. If Terence said that such hot tempered players have no place in the team, so why is Rooney still playing in the first team for Man U & England?
Guess we have to wait n see until NAS speaks out on that incident. I looked at all the comments in Youtube n some were not very pretty n looked as if NAS committed a delibrate crime. A fan who was at the match during that time claimed that Bennett & NAS were arguing during the match n even before that incident took place.
Whatever the consequences, I`ll still stand by NAS.
Heres a quote from a forumer in KallangRoar.com
wat NAS is unforgiveable ... but Dan say to him ... u n me will nvr know ....
if u r at the match u wil know ... they seems to be fighting n arguing the whole match after NAS score the first goal ... NAS being provode is quite true if u watch the match .. cos everyone knows he has a HOT temper n hate losing least of all DAN will know .. he will make use of it to help SAFFC cause .. end of the day i agreed NAS should be punish but maybe there r some hiiden factors we will nvr know if he is not ...
Lets hope Khairul Amri can score another wonder goal like he did against Thailand during the ASEAN Championship final earlier this year.
