Singapore's football team to use computer software to improve play

SINGAPORE: Singapore could be playing an international friendly with the China national team on August 12.

And that encounter may see the Lions getting help from a non-traditional source - the computer.

In 2007, Singapore won the ASEAN Football Federation Cup against their Thai opponents. But many fans might not know that the players had some help from a computer software.

Sports sales manager of SportsCode, Francis Fan, said: "We had a few hours to do an analysis report... and we gave it to the players and coaches to view the next day before the match, so that they could have a good feel and understanding of the results from the analysis."

The software is a video-based performance analysis software that allows a coach to assess various aspects of a team, player or the opponents during a match.

Categories or codes like types of passes and shots at goals are some of the items that can be analysed statistically. Best of all, the information can be churned out immediately.

The coach of the Young Lions team, Terry Pathmanathan, said: "I think the advantage is - you can have immediate effect in the second half. In this world of technology, this introduction of better systems to help players, coaches to come up with a quick remedy for their tactical play... I think is very useful."

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has bought the software, costing about S$28,000, and the coaches are being trained to use it.

While there are other similar softwares available in the market, SportsCode is used by big teams like Chelsea and Manchester United. And the Singapore team could have the privilege of using this software as early as August this year when they take on the Chinese national team in an international friendly.

This meeting and another yet-to-be-confirmed match against Liverpool in July could also see the Singapore team relying on the software.

- CNA/yt