Lions to perform without ringmaster Raddy: Singapore coach banished to the stands tonight, but his men vow to be ready

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Asian World Cup qualifiers, Group A

Singapore vs Iraq

Jalan Besar Stadium, 7.30pm



SINGAPORE - He is famous for gesticulating wildly from the sidelines, either passing on instructions to his Lions out on the battlefield, or screaming bloody murder at the referee or one of his pride who has stepped out of line.

But tonight when Singapore face Iraq at the Jalan Besar Stadium in the Republic's second Group A fixture in the Asian World Cup qualifiers, the Singapore technical area will be much quieter.

Avramovic will not be sitting on the Singapore bench.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) confirmed yesterday the 61-year-old Serb will serve an automatic one-match touchline ban after being sent to the stands in last Friday's 2-1 loss to China in Kunming.

The Lions were 1-0 up against China but some controversial decisions saw the home side collect all three points eventually.

Avramovic called for a show of grit from his charges, when he told Today: "The mental side of the game is the one most important thing (tonight). This feeling of injustice in the game in China can be negative, but I've tried to make the team think differently ... that each game is separate, a new opportunity.

"Both the players and I have to forget about the last game."

Avramovic will not be standing alongside Iraq coach Zico.

He will, instead, be watching from the stands with V Sundramoorthy, the FAS' specialist striker coach, who has assumed the role of assistant coach in training sessions.

Sundram has not been accredited to sit on the bench during World Cup qualifying games, so the mantle of conducting the Lions' orchestra tomorrow will fall on the shoulders of goalkeeper coach Lee Bee Seng, fitness coach Aleksandar Bozenko and team manager Eugene Loo.

Veteran forward Aleksandar Duric and skipper Shahril Ishak are both confident the team will be able to handle it.

"It's a big thing to not have the coach on the bench, but hopefully he'll give us all his instructions before the game, and we'll keep his words in mind," said Duric.

Added Shahril: "We will keep playing the same way Raddy has got us playing and we all have to give 110 per cent. This is our home ground, we will definitely go all out."

First-choice goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud has been ruled out with a twisted ankle. Qiu Li and Shi Jiayi are still feeling the effects of the China trip, while veteran defender Daniel Bennett seemed fatigued at training yesterday.

There was some good news with the recall of forward Fazrul Nawaz and his pace will add another dimension to the Lions' attack.

The mood remains upbeat in the Lions' camp, with Duric even managing a wisecrack over Avramovic's touchline ban: "Knowing Raddy, if he's not happy with something, he'll be screaming from the stands so loud, we'll still be able to hear him."



Gallery tickets are sold out, and the 40 per cent of grandstand tickets available will be on sale at Jalan Besar Stadium from 5pm today.



Lions' probable XI

Lionel Lewis, Juma'at Jantan, Daniel Bennett, Safuwan Baharudin, Shaiful Esah, Isa Halim, Mustafic Fahrudin, Shi Jiayi, Shahril Ishak, Qiu Li, Aleksandar Duric