Adam catches coach's eye in Japan Albirex under-18 coach wants Sports School players to return for training stints to check their progress

Source From Today

NIIGATA (Japan) - Adam Swandi made the headlines at last year's Canon Lion City Cup.

Now, the 16-year-old has been singled out as a potential J-League footballer.

Nobuhiro Ueno, coach of Albirex Niigata's under-18 squad, has been watching Adam and the four other Singapore Sports School youngsters go through their paces on their 10-day training stint here.

Speaking to Today after a training session at the J-League club's Niigata Seiro Sports Centre base yesterday, Ueno said: "He has impressed me. In terms of technical ability Adam is actually better than some of my (youth team) players, especially his control and one-touch passing.

"But he lacks the wider vision. Instead of limiting his play to those nearest to him he needs to open up and use the entire field to spread play, a quality many young Japanese players possess and which makes a big difference."

The Singapore boys were officially introduced to Niigata Mayor Akira Shinoda at the City Hall yesterday and visited the factory of club sponsors Kameda Seika.

They also played football with 50 children at a local multi-sport centre.

The training stint for Adam and fellow Sports School football academy team-mates Muhaimin Suhaimi, 17, Amirul Adli, 16, and 15-year-olds Andin Addie Djayady and Zharfan Rohaizad came through a partnership between Albirex and the Sports School, and was arranged by adidas.

Albirex's youth squad have taken to their Singapore guests, exchanging jokes with them during breaks in training despite the linguistic barrier, although there was no holding back during practice.

Conditions yesterday were made tougher with wet and windy subzero temperatures worsened by a sudden snow storm.

Ueno said talk of even offering Adam a trial right now was too premature.

But, he added: "I wouldn't mind if Adam and the rest returned for a longer stint. I'd like to see how they progress."

While the five Sports School students now hope to eventually play top-flight professional football in Japan, Albirex under-18 midfielder Koki Yoda, who scored once when his side beat Home United 4-2 in a friendly in Singapore last month, is keen to go the other way.

"My aim is to play in a top league like the J-League, but I am open to the idea of testing myself overseas like in the S-League," said the 15-year-old, who is friends with Kota Tamakawa and Musashi Okuyama, who play for current S-League leaders Albirex Niigata (Singapore), the Japanese club's satellite outfit.

"I haven't asked them (Tamakawa and Okuyama) about how it's like in Singapore, but I think it will be good for my football development."



Tan Yo-Hinn's trip to Niigata is courtesy of adidas (Singapore) and Albirex Niigata (Singapore).