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.
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides confident of rousing 'sleeping giant' Singapore SINGAPORE - The Football Association of Singapore unveiled Joe Palatsides as its new technical director at a press conference at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (May 2).
New FAS technical director aims to awake 'sleeping giant'
In 2003, Adidas filed a lawsuit in a British court challenging Fitness World Trading's use of a two-stripe motif similar to Adidas's three stripes. The court ruled that despite the simplicity of the mark, Fitness World 's use was infringing because the public could establish a link between that use and Adidas's mark.
Leaders Liverpool stumble, Chelsea collapse If more proof were needed of how unpredictable the Premier League can be it was provided on Wednesday as Liverpool blew a chance take a vice-like grip on the title race and Chelsea suffered their worst league defeat in 23 years.
Football: Leaders Liverpool stumble, Chelsea collapse
Italian Side Inter Milan have completed a deal that will see Antonio Conte becomes their new manager, according to Fabrizio Romano.The former Chelsea boss has reportedly signed a three-year contract that will see him earn €12 million per season.
How Antonio Conte could affect Chelsea and - football.london
Bayern reach German Cup final to keep double in sight
LONDON • Mauricio Pochettino is shocked at receiving a two-game touchline ban and a £10,000 (S$17,800) fine for his conduct following the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Burnley last month.. Read
Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino says touchline ban is
Football: New favourites Liverpool face two stiff tests of title credentials Dec 29, 2018, 5:00 am Football: Oxlade-Chamberlain could return to training in February, says Klopp
New favourites face two stiff tests - theworldnews.net
Manchester City appeal against potential FFP Champions League ban "The Court of Arbitration for Sport has registered an appeal filed by Manchester City Football Club against the Union of
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban * 10z Soccer
Newcastle, United Kingdom: Liverpool struck late through Divock Origi to move back top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 win at Newcastle on Saturday and keep their hopes of a first title for 29 years alive but suffered a major scare after injury to Mohamed Salah. Liverpool lost Salah to a
Liverpool back on top with 3-2 Newcastle win but Salah injured
#Real Madrid #Paris Saint-Germain #Neymar father #PSG extension more likely #Ream Madrid switch # India football: इगोर स्टिमैक ने
Neymar PSG extension more likely than Madrid switch: Father
Football: Kedah-bound national defender Shakir Hamzah enjoying a new lease of life SINGAPORE - He was arrested for failing to attend court for a traffic summons last year, and served four days in detention after being charged by the Singapore Police Force in 2013 for going absent without official leave (AWOL) to play in a Malaysia Super League
Latest SHAKIR HAMZAH | The Straits Times
Spanish media call for Valverde axe. Barcelona's Lionel Messi reportedly broke down in tears in the dressing room after his team's 4-0 loss to Liverpool, and 4-3 on aggregate, in the second leg of
The Straits Times - Breaking News, Lifestyle & Multimedia News
watch coppa america live streaming ufc
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming bola
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch premier league live streaming quality
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch live streaming soccer games
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming spain
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch usa soccer live stream
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch iceland soccer live stream
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch premier league live streaming free
free watch soccer live streaming
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
watch soccer game live now
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch soccer live stream links
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch champions league final live streaming
watch premier league live streaming vf
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch champions league live stream gratis
watch premier league darts live stream
watch soccer live - live football streaming
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch champions league live streaming live
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
soccer tv live football streaming gratuit
watch coppa america live streaming usa
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch soccer aid live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch premier league live streaming video
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch soccer am live stream
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
#copaamerica #JUVENTUS #frasitrap #chocolatecoffee #commento #petercrouch #pagani #manchestercity #sunderlandafc #golf #sumbertv #roadtrip #oasis #Fcb #lionelmessi #mancity #lovefootball #battuteepiche #livestreams #fut #league2 #kopisusu #PartyTime #adidasslipon #livesports #streamingbolaid #knuckleball #myfootballuniverse #hotcoffee #alissonbecker #realmadrid #coutinho #golazo #freekicks #hoffenhiem #lfc #oudmehta #insegreto #goal #vip #henderson #oasisengland #Bar #oasisofficial #cappucino #risate #jadwalbolahariini #ballondor #beatifulgame #bayernmunich #Vip45 #manchestercity #arsenalfantv #league1 #manchestercity #champion #manunited #zinedinezidane #mensnightout #salah #noelgallagher #oasisandbeatles #football #midnight #MyDubai #messi #villarealcf #MSport #crossfit #commentimemorabili #bayervshoffenheim #paulmcartney #seriea #romania #zidane #coffeebreak #cristiano #Liverpool #bundesliga #barcelona #nikesoccer #footballfans #football #england #manchesterunited #comico #premierleague #footballstreaming #comics #arsenalnews #americanfootball
0 comments:
Post a Comment