Police call on Hariss: Midfielder served his NS papers but he can lead Singapore at SEA Games

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SINGAPORE - The fate of captain Hariss Harun has been the biggest worry for the Singapore under-23 team ahead of the SEA Games.

The Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from Nov 11 to 22, and the football team's target of a place in the final received a huge boost earlier in the week when Hariss learned he would be able to lead the side out at the biennial event.

Having graduated with a Diploma in Sport and Wellness Management from Nanyang Polytechnic in May, the 20-year-old midfielder was due for National Service (NS) and there were fears he could miss the tournament.

Hariss has been served his papers and will enlist in the Singapore Police Force on Aug 10, and he will be able to rejoin the team in early October after completing his basic training requirements.

The talented midfielder, who is also in the running to lead the Singapore Lions against Malaysia next week, told Today: "It will be a challenge for me to regain match fitness in a short period when I do rejoin the team in October, but I'm thankful for the fact that I can play at the SEA Games.

"I really want to do my best for the country."

Hariss' basic training will only take two months because of his fitness classification, after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in 2008.

There have been several cases of S-League players turning out for either Home United or SAFFC during their NS stints in the police, Civil Defence Force or the army, but Hariss is currently only focused on the SEA Games.

"I will still be playing for the Courts Young Lions this season ... I'm not sure about next year, but I don't even want to think so far ahead," he said.

Besides training with the Young Lions and the national team, Hariss recently started work at Vanda Sports, the sports marketing company that runs the off-the-field business of his club.

He hopes that will continue after he has completed his NS.

"It has been a great experience for me, seeing the other side of the sports world for the first time, and it is definitely something I would like to come back to.

"I've been here for less than a month now, and we'll have to see what possibilities there are of me rejoining Vanda after my NS stint," he said.

The Football Association of Singapore signed an agreement with their counterparts in the Football Association of Malaysia on Tuesday for a Singapore Lions side to play in the Malaysian Super League and domestic cup competitions from next year.

The football grapevine has been full of chatter that Hariss is a prime candidate to lead the Singapore charge.

While Singapore's youngest international - he turned out for the Lions against North Korea aged 16 years and 217 days in 2007 - has not heard anything, he will embrace any opportunity to play and taste the kind of atmosphere footballers enjoyed during the Malaysia Cup days.

"If the crowds do return to the stadiums, it will be fantastic to be able to feel what it was like for Singapore footballers in the past," he said.

"But I just hope this move will not affect the S-League too badly."