December 7, 2004

With a sell-out crowd of 20,000 passionate home fans expected to back Vietnam when they kick off their 2004 Tiger Cup group A campaign against Singapore on Tuesday, many rate the hosts as clear favourites to take all 3 points in the encounter.

But for Singapore striker Indra Sahdan, the crowd may just galvanize the visitors, who have fond memories of playing Tiger Cup football in Vietnam, having beaten them 1-0 in the 1998 final.

He said maybe their fans will work for us as they will be under immense pressure to perform well. If things are not going their way then maybe the crowd will turn against them & this can only work to our advantage.

Also he will not be as affected by the crowds as he always loved big crowd but he does not ruled out the Vietnamese fans having an impact on the less experienced members of the team even if the seniors can take care of themselves.

That is where the Home United striker expected the senior players to look out for the less experienced one

To that National coach Radojko Avramovic agreed as he declared that his team was not under any pressure against hosts Vietnam in their opening Group A match of the Tiger Cup at Thong Nhat Stadium with all the pressure was on Host Vietnam to not only win but also performed.

For Singapore though we can take each game separately as it come.

Referring to his team’s tendency to create chances but not put them away as in the recent triangular tournament with Hong Kong & Myanmar that Singapore hosted, he said he prefer a team creates chances rather than not for to score goals you must create chances. Sometimes things go perfectly & you get the goals from those chances while other times it is not your day but in the end it is better to create than not to.

For this opening though he believed the first 15 or 20 minutes will be very crucial as the atmosphere in the stadium will be intimidating but if we can get through that then we can get a result.

Also he rebut the suggestions some observers have suggested that the young squad Singapore have assembled for the Tiger Cup may not have the necessary experience to deal with the pressure associated with playing in the region's premier tournament, but head coach Radojko Avramovic is working under the adage that if you are ‘old enough you are good enough’, citing England’s teenage sensation Wayne Rooney as an example.

Avramovic said at the Singapore-Vietnam pre-match press conference he was watching England & saw what Rooney could do & he firmly believed the local lads have as much self-belief.

He believed it is good to see them get the chance to prove themselves as they give fire to the side &  he is not concerned [about using young players in the team] as it is a part of football, of building &  developing a team.

That is why he believed his team will not roll over in the end as the team has a good mix of experience & young players.