November 30, 2004

National coach Avramovic is concern about his midfield with Singapore opening Tiger Cup game just 8 days away.

He had witnessed Singapore defeating Myanmar 1-0 in the Tiger International Football Festival opening match but the engine room – made up of Goh Tat Chuan, Ridhuan Mohd, Itimi Dickson & Shahril Ishak - was on the losing side in the middle of the park.

Avramovic did not mince his words when he said our midfield is losing too many duels & need improving. Our midfielders need to cut open defences with their passing & this is something which is still lacking.

Also he noted the game against Myanmar will be similar to Tiger Cup games against Vietnam & Indonesia & this 2 games are games Singapore cannot afford to lose if the Lions are to progress to the semi-final.

Goh, the vice-captain, agreed with his coach views

He said it is true we lacked a playmarker who can cut open defences with as single pass. Most of the players in the midfield are ball-winners.

Also to him it start with the S-league as in the entire S-league there is a lacked of Singaporean playmarker in the 8 local clubs.

The Rams player said in the S-league, we do not have a single Singaporean who can cut open defences regularly. The closest player is Shahril Ishak but he is only 21 & need time to develop.