October 7, 2011
Earlier this week, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced it would be expanding the seating capacity of the Jalan Besar Stadium from its current 6,000-capacity.
While no official figure was given as to what might be the new seating capacity, sources say it could be increased to about 8,000. The move to finally expand the stadium, belated it might be, is very much welcomed, particularly as Singapore does not have a mid-sized football stadium for international matches in the interim while we wait for the $1.33 billion Sports Hub to be ready by April 2014.
For a long time, the design of the present Jalan Besar Stadium seemed odd to many of us, particularly with the “emptiness” behind the two goals. We understand that a spectator stand will be built at the area next to the stadium’s south entrance, although I’m not sure if there will be another one at the northern end of the pitch as it is next to a swimming complex.
In any case, Jalan Besar Stadium has the ingredients to become a real football stadium, where fans can seat really close to the pitch and not be separated by a running track.
And what better way to welcome that news if the Singapore national side can beat the Philippines in Friday’s friendly there, although apart from getting a morale boosting result, I won’t be surprised if coach Radojko Avramovic chooses to use this match to give some of his fringe players, such as Fazrul Nawaz, Shukor Zailan and Hamqaamal Shah a run out to see how they react to certain formations and tactics in preparation for next Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Jordan, as well as a chance for Hariss Harun to get his rhythm back after spending the last couple of months out due to National Service commitments.
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