SOCCER

New coach Vincent asks Steven, Zakaria back for Dunhill Cup

By SANTOKH SINGH

STRIKER Steven Tan, dropped by outgoing national coach Barry Whitbread, has been recalled to the national squad.

Also recalled after a two-year lay-off from the national team is Woodlands Wellington winger Zakaria Awang.

And in what is seen as his first big decision, newly-appointed national coach Vincent Subramaniam dropped three members of the Tiger Cup-winning squad.

Among those who did not receive invitations to join the new-look squad were Home United's up-and-coming youngster Gusta Guzarishah, 22, Jurong FC forward Joseph Pragasam and Tanjong Pagar's Nahar Daud.

But a number of new faces have made the breakthrough.

Of the lot, Geylang United's 18-year-old midfielder Razali Johari is the youngest.

The other debutants are Singapore Armed Forces FC's Tan Kim Leng and Imran Mohamed, Tampines Rovers defender Winston Yap, Tanjong Pagar's Azhar Salleh and Sembawang Rangers goalkeeper Noorisham Zainon and defender J. Kalaiselvan.

Said Kalaiselvan: "I am really happy to be given the chance. I guess all I have to do is to prove to myself that I deserved it by continuing to work hard."

His team-mate Noorisham, who said that he was still disappointed at letting in five goals in the Singapore Cup third-place match against Home United last Saturday, saw the call-up as an additional motive for tomorrow's Singapore Pools FA Cup final.

He said: "I assure you that it will not be another five goals against Tanjong Pagar.

"The national team call-up is a reason to play well and prove that Vincent is not wrong."

SAFFC defender Hairi Suap, who missed out on the victorious Vietnam trip as his wife was expecting then, was not recalled.

But Tanjong Pagar skipper Lim Tong Hai, who was also out of the Tiger Cup because of family commitments, rejoins the squad for Dunhill Cup training next month.

Tan, whose 16 goals for Tanjong Pagar in the S-League rank him as the top local goal-scorer, was just as deserving for the call-up.