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.''
[email protected]
'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
