SINGAPORE - Radojko Avramovic wasted no time after his plane arrived from London at Changi Airport yesterday afternoon.
With luggage in tow, the national coach headed straight to the Jalan Besar Stadium, in time to direct the Lions' first training session after they returned from a five-week break.
Despite the 14-hour flight from the British capital, where he spent the last six days undergoing a special course to renew his professional coaching licence, the Serb showed no signs of strain.
Neither was there any pressure, ahead of the battle with Malaysia in the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on July 23 here, and the return leg five days later in Kuala Lumpur.
He also received encouraging news that first-choice goalkeeper Lionel Lewis was on course to recover sufficiently to play, after suffering a groin injury while turning out for Home United against SAFFC in an S-League match last week.
But the 61-year-old was irritated by Malaysian coach K Rajagobal's claims that he had rated the Tigers' defence poorly.
Rajagobal also told MediaCorp yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, that the pressure is on Avramovic to prove Singapore are as good, since they are beefed up by foreign-born players.
"I think there are a lot of people who like to twist what has actually been said," fumed Avramovic.
"What I've said is that Malaysia are a good team and we can beat any team if we play well. Why do I want to say anything bad about Malaysia when it will only motivate them to win against us? There is no logic at all in doing so."
The Lions coach added the Singapore team against Malaysia will consist only of citizens and if players like Aleksandar Duric, Mustafic Fahrudin, Daniel Bennett and Qiu Li happened to be foreign-born, there isn't anything illegal about it.
Said Avramovic: "If Rajagobal thinks we are breaking the law, then he is talking rubbish. Who we choose to play is not his problem and maybe he should be concentrating on the selection of his team."
The Serb said preparations for the battle with Malaysia were no different from any international match and the key to the outcome will depend on the ability of players to perform to their best on the two match days.
"The basic thing they must remember is that they have to believe in themselves and try to win games, and cannot get on the field thinking their opponents are so good that they can't reach their level," said Avramovic.
But the Serb insisted the Tigers, who have been playing together for a long time, have a slight edge over Singapore, who were put together only at the end of May.
The Malaysians, he added, also come with a reputation as Asean champions after winning the AFF Suzuki Cup in December. He also scoffed at Rajagobal's suggestion that the pressure was on Singapore to win the Causeway battle.
"Who are the champions of South-east Asia? I think the pressure is on Malaysia because they want to prove they are worthy of that title and that they did not win it by chance," said Avramovic.
With luggage in tow, the national coach headed straight to the Jalan Besar Stadium, in time to direct the Lions' first training session after they returned from a five-week break.
Despite the 14-hour flight from the British capital, where he spent the last six days undergoing a special course to renew his professional coaching licence, the Serb showed no signs of strain.
Neither was there any pressure, ahead of the battle with Malaysia in the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on July 23 here, and the return leg five days later in Kuala Lumpur.
He also received encouraging news that first-choice goalkeeper Lionel Lewis was on course to recover sufficiently to play, after suffering a groin injury while turning out for Home United against SAFFC in an S-League match last week.
But the 61-year-old was irritated by Malaysian coach K Rajagobal's claims that he had rated the Tigers' defence poorly.
Rajagobal also told MediaCorp yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, that the pressure is on Avramovic to prove Singapore are as good, since they are beefed up by foreign-born players.
"I think there are a lot of people who like to twist what has actually been said," fumed Avramovic.
"What I've said is that Malaysia are a good team and we can beat any team if we play well. Why do I want to say anything bad about Malaysia when it will only motivate them to win against us? There is no logic at all in doing so."
The Lions coach added the Singapore team against Malaysia will consist only of citizens and if players like Aleksandar Duric, Mustafic Fahrudin, Daniel Bennett and Qiu Li happened to be foreign-born, there isn't anything illegal about it.
Said Avramovic: "If Rajagobal thinks we are breaking the law, then he is talking rubbish. Who we choose to play is not his problem and maybe he should be concentrating on the selection of his team."
The Serb said preparations for the battle with Malaysia were no different from any international match and the key to the outcome will depend on the ability of players to perform to their best on the two match days.
"The basic thing they must remember is that they have to believe in themselves and try to win games, and cannot get on the field thinking their opponents are so good that they can't reach their level," said Avramovic.
But the Serb insisted the Tigers, who have been playing together for a long time, have a slight edge over Singapore, who were put together only at the end of May.
The Malaysians, he added, also come with a reputation as Asean champions after winning the AFF Suzuki Cup in December. He also scoffed at Rajagobal's suggestion that the pressure was on Singapore to win the Causeway battle.
"Who are the champions of South-east Asia? I think the pressure is on Malaysia because they want to prove they are worthy of that title and that they did not win it by chance," said Avramovic.
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