Youngsters must work hard and be dedicated, says striker coach Sundram
By Sazali Abdul Aziz
March 28, 2011
msazali@sph.com
TNP PICTURE: GARY GOH
THE lack of goal-scorers stuck out like a sore thumb when the national Under-23 team crashed out of the two-legged Olympic qualifiers without scoring a goal last week.
Are our young national strikers not up to the mark?
V Sundramoorthy, the man tasked last month to arrest the problem at youth level, believes it will take time for youngsters to blossom.
But first of all, they must show the three Ds - dedication, discipline and determination.
Said the FAS' first-ever specialist striker coach: 'It's a long term thing...We need to pick the talent, train and educate them right.
'Over time, when you can see something develop, you can polish these boys.'
To be sure, Sundram, also called The Dazzler during his playing days, knows more than just one or two ways to bulge the net.
His name alone struck fear into opponents' minds.
Time and again in the 1990s, his goals have brought the Kallang faithful to their feet, including a gem of a bicycle-kick against Brunei in 1993.
Now, the 45-year-old's task is to impart the art of scoring to strikers from the National Football Academy (NFA), the Centres of Excellence (COEs) and the Courts Young Lions squad.
He said: 'What I teach them are the basic techniques of finishing...Get that right and scoring will be easy for them.'
So has he found any potential stars among the youngsters he's worked with?
'I can't say yet...I've worked with them and a number of them have good potential,' said Sundram.
'Only time will tell. They will need to show dedication and a strong work ethic.'
Cycle
Sundram also has a philosophical view on the striking issue.
'It's a cycle,' he said.
'In certain generations, you may find a number of talented boys. In some others, the number is much less.
'Maybe in the next batch of boys, we may find more talented strikers, but less players in another area.'
He pointed to the Young Lions team he was in charge of in 2007, which featured strikers Khairul Amri and Fazrul Nawaz.
Both have since gone on to become regulars in the senior national team.
When asked about the national Under-23 team's losses (0-2 and 0-1) to Yemen over two legs in UAE, Sundram's response was two words: Khairul Nizam.
'We miss Nizam,' he said.
'He has the talent and the nose for goals. The boy has got that extra something that can be worked on.'
Courts Young Lions striker Nizam, who turns 20 this June, received an eight-month ban from all football-related activities and a $2,000 fine for his involvement in a brawl during a game against Beijing Guoan last year.
Six Courts Young Lions were punished for the fracas, but his punishment was the most severe.
Serving NS
Nizam, who at 17 was dubbed the new Fandi Ahmad, is now in national service with the police.
He trains once a week with his teammates, but is still not able to take to the pitch until his ban ends in May.
'To make his comeback work, Nizam must be mentally and physically ready to take on the challenge,' said Sundram, who added that not training and playing regularly for almost a year, will take its toll on the player.
Nizam's absence was sorely felt by the Under-23s in both ties against Yemen, and also at last November's Asian Games.
At the Games, Singapore managed to score only one goal in three games, finishing at the bottom of their group which included Qatar, Kuwait and India.
Despite being known for his spectacular strikes, Sundram's outlook on goalscoring is, actually, a simple one.
'For me, it doesn't matter how you score,' he said with a smile.
'It doesn't matter if you use your foot, head, chest, or even backside. As long as the ball is over the line, it is a goal.'
No comments:
Post a Comment