Tampines Rovers FC

Full name Tampines Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s) The Stags
Founded 1945; 72 years ago
Ground Our Tampines Hub
Ground Capacity 5,000
Chairman Murali Krishna Ramachandra
Manager Jürgen Raab
League S.League
2016 2nd
Website Club website

Tampines Rovers Football Club (nicknamed The Stags) are a professional association football club based in Tampines, Singapore, that play in the S.League. Founded in 1945, Tampines has won major trophies in Singapore football, including the Singapore Cup and the S.League. They have won the national league championship eight times, the Singapore Cup thrice, the S.League five times and the ASEAN Club Championship once. Their home ground is currently at Our Tampines Hub, where they had their first match against Brunei DPMM FC 2-0 on 28 July 2017, signifying the return to their home.[1] The Stags are also known for boosting a considerably high attendance at home and away games. Their main rivals are Geylang International, with whom they contest the Eastern Derby. Tampines Rovers is one of the wealthiest clubs in Singapore football. They were previously sponsored by Hyundai and Komoco Motors. However it is reported that they would have a new jersey sponsor from 2017 season, ending a 15-year association with Hyundai and Komoco Motors.

History

Several football enthusiasts from Tampines decided to form a football club in 1945. After many name changes, they finally decided on "Tampines Rovers" as the official club name. The Stags spent the 1950s and 1960s competing in the Singapore Amateur Football Association League, where they were among the top teams, until they were placed in Division II of the newly formed National Football League in 1974. 1975 was a watershed year for Tampines, as they were promoted to Division I after winning all their league matches and reached the President's Cup final, where they lost 0–1 to the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association in front of a national record crowd of 30,000. They continued to challenge for honours for the next decade, reaching another President's Cup final in 1978, then emerging as national champions in 1979, 1980 and 1984. The Stags were relegated to the second tier in 1988, but under a new management team, won their league in 1994, and were one of eight clubs selected to compete in the newly formed S.League.[2]

However, Tampines did not finish higher than sixth place in the first six seasons of the S.League. In 2002, the Stags secured the services of Malaysian coach Chow Kwai Lam,[3] who guided them to the Singapore Cup and two fourth-place finishes.[4] Under the next coach, Vorawan Chitavanich, Tampines achieved the S.League and Singapore Cup double in 2004.[5] The following season, they successfully defended their S.League title, were named the 'S.League Team of the Decade' and became the first Singapore team to win the ASEAN Club Championship.[6] The Stags were Singapore Cup champions in 2006, but finished runners-up to SAFFC in the S.League.[7][8] The Stags was also the champion of S-League in 2011 and 2012. They were also runner-up in the 2012 Singapore Cup after losing 1–2 to SAFFC.

2016 season

Signing 9 Lions XII players, Tampines Rovers FC began with 6 unbeaten matches in the S.League. In February Tampines Rovers FC started with the 2016 AFC Cup.[9] Tampines Rovers FC finished second place in Group E with 10 points. Leaving the Red Giants behind with 2 points' difference. The round of 16 was won with 10 men by Tampines Rovers FC versus Mohun Bagan by a late goal in the after extra time 1-2. This was also V. Sundramoorthy's last match before taking on the Singapore national football team job as care taker. V. Sundramoorthy's successor was his Assistant coach Akbar Nawas. He was appointed to be the next head coach of Tampines Rovers FC followed with 8 straight wins and 28 goals. Tampines Rovers FC started the 2016 RHB Singapore Cup with a double win playing Global in the Quarter Finals. Global had an unbeaten score in the whole of 2016 season. The Stags will face their AFC Cup rivals Ceres from their group stage were they draw and lost a match and let them finish 1st in the AFC Cup 2016 group E.

2017 season

In view of the financial woes faced by the club during the 2016 season, drastic measures were taken before the start of 2017 season. These would include cut in players and technical staff's salaries, shutting down of fruit machines to name a few. Club chairman, Mr Krishna Ramachandra had decided to make sweeping changes within the club to avoid the same issues happening as last season. The 3 foreign imports from last season, Billy Mehmet, Jordan Webb and Jermaine Pennant had been released from the club with them joining Brunei DPMM, Warriors FC and Bury FC respectively. The club had also ended their 15-year association with their long term sponsor, Hyundai. A significant number of the playing staffs had also left the club as well, notably Hafiz Abu Sujad who left the club for Thai Division 2 side, BBCU F.C.

The club had signed a trio of foreign young players to replace the 3 that had departed the end of last season. They would include former Ceres FC utility player, Son Yong Chan, Japanese Teenage winger, Ryutaro Megumi and former Croatia U17 International, Ivan Jakov Džoni. They too did sign a couple of local free agents last season. Notable local signings would include Singapore National Team Defensive Pairing, Madhu Mohana and Daniel Bennett from Warriors FC and Geylang International FC. The most notable one would be the sudden resignation of coach Akbar Nawas who left the club just 1 month before the start of the season and was replaced by former Garena Young Lions Coach, Jürgen Raab. On the non-technical aspect of the team, Yellow Cab Pizza would be the New Jersey sponsor for the team for the upcoming season and Jako would be the new technical sponsor for the team.

They took on Global FC in the Asian Champions League Play-Offs this season and lost to them 2-0, which meant that they would be playing in the AFC Cup this season where they finished as quarter finalists last season.

Crest and colours

The club selected the stag as its animal mascot as the animal is a symbol of wisdom, its antlers are associated with the tree of life and in Chinese culture, it is a symbol of virility. Past Kit Sponsors for the Club would include uhlsport, DAL, Mikasa and Decathlon (Kipsta). It is reported that Jako would be their new kit sponsor for the 2017 season.[10]

Stadium

As of July 2017, the Stags' home is currently at Our Tampines Hub, having been playing at Clementi Stadium from 2012 to 2014 and from 2015 till the first half of 2017 at Jurong West Stadium, as their previous home ground Tampines Stadium was demolished for Our Tampines Hub. On 28 July 2017, Tampines Rovers had their first match against Brunei DPMM FC and won 2-0, signifying the return of The Stags to their home.[1]

Supporters

The Yellow Brigade is the official supporting group for the club. It is one of the largest supporters group in the S.League dedicated to the club. They are also known for its fanaticism and their support towards the club. The Yellow Brigade main colour is black and yellow with mainly yellow football Scarf and Yellow Banners to represent the beloved colour of the club. They will also appear at the Stadium for the home match. The Yellow Brigade also bring drums, trumpet and flags to every match.

Players

S.League squad

As of 18 June 2017 [11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Singapore GK Izwan Mahbud
2 Singapore MF Ismadi Mukhtar
3 Singapore DF Jufri Taha
4 Singapore MF Fahrudin Mustafic (vice-captain)
6 Singapore DF Madhu Mohana (captain)
7 South Korea MF Son Yong-chan
8 Singapore MF Shahdan Sulaiman
9 Japan MF Ryutaro Megumi
10 Singapore FW Fazrul Nawaz
11 Singapore DF Shakir Hamzah
13 Singapore MF Amirul Haziq
14 Singapore MF Fazli Ayob
No. Position Player
15 Singapore DF Imran Sahib
16 Singapore DF Daniel Bennett
17 Singapore MF Jamil Ali
18 Singapore MF Hafiz Sujad
19 Singapore FW Khairul Amri
20 Croatia FW Ivan Džoni
21 Singapore FW Hafiz Rahim
22 Singapore DF Farhan Rahmat
23 Singapore GK Joey Sim
24 Singapore GK Haikal Hasnol
25 Singapore DF Irwan Shah

Prime League squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
26 Singapore MF Noor Hilman
27 Singapore FW Faizal Raffi
28 United States FW Diego Silvas
29 Singapore Raja Rishan
30 Singapore MF Aide Shazwandi
31 Singapore Khairul Nizam Irwan
32 Singapore MF Danish Uwais
33 Singapore Rafiq Tajudin
34 Singapore GK S Sakthishwar
35 Singapore FW Haiqal Sulaiman
36 Singapore Adiputra Jeferee
No. Position Player
37 Singapore Sheikh Abdullah
39 Singapore Jayden Wee
40 Singapore Leonard Koh
41 Singapore Sheikh Ibrahim
42 Singapore MF Andi Agus Salam Kahar
43 Singapore Yuen Yong Jie
44 Singapore Nauffal Shah
45 Singapore MF Ryhan Stewart
46 Singapore D Arjuna
47 Singapore DF Zulfadhmi Suzliman

Club officials

Management

Reference:[12]

Technical staff

Reference:[13]

Managers

Honours

Domestic

League

  • 1979, 1980, 1984

Cup

  • 2014 (Plate Winners)

ASEAN competition

Performance in domestic competitions

Season S.League Singapore Cup League Cup
Pos P W D L F A Pts
1996-1 8th 14 3 3 8 18 27 12
1996-2 7th 14 2 2 10 10 28 8
1997 6th 16 4 3 9 22 38 15
1998 6th 20 8 5 7 41 40 29 Group Stage
1999 10th 22 4 8 10 25 39 20 Quarter-finals
2000 7th 22 7 6 9 30 27 27 Quarter-finals
2001 6th 33 14 6 13 60 55 48 Group Stage
2002 4th 33 16 11 6 67 39 59 Winners
2003 4th 33 17 3–2 11 63 40 59 Quarter-finals
2004 1st 27 20 3 4 76 29 63 Winners
2005 1st 27 18 3 6 77 35 57 Semi-finals
2006 2nd 30 16 9 5 70 42 57 Winners
2007 3rd 33 24 5 4 77 32 77 Runners-up Quarter-finals
2008 4th 33 20 5 8 66 37 65 Third Place Quarter-finals
2009 2nd 30 16 8 6 47 25 56 Quarter-finals Quarter-finals
2010 2nd 33 21 6 6 68 30 69 Runners-up Quarter-finals
2011 1st 33 25 3 5 71 25 78 Quarter-finals Third Place
2012 1st 24 16 4 4 49 24 52 Runners-up Semi-finals
2013 1st 27 17 5 5 59 36 56 Preliminary Quarter-finals
2014 3rd 27 14 6 7 42 32 49 Third Place Group Stage
2015 2nd 27 14 7 6 44 25 48 Quarter-finals Group Stage
2016 2nd 24 15 4 5 50 28 49 Runner-up Semi-finals
2017 7th 0 0 0 1 1 2 0

Performance in AFC competitions

2016: Quarter Finals ( lost to Bengaluru FC 0-1 on Aggregate )
2014: Group stage ( Group H )
2013: Group stage ( Group H )
2012: Group stage ( Group F )
2011: Round of 16 ( lost to Arbil 0–1 )
2007: Quarter-finals ( lost to Al Faisaly 3–7 on Aggregate )
2006: Quarter-finals ( lost to Al-Wahdat 0–5 on Aggregate )
2005: Quarter-finals ( lost to Al Faisaly 0–2 on Aggregate )

AFC clubs ranking

As of 02 JULY 2017.[15]
Current Rank Country Team
70 Singapore Tampines Rovers
71 Iraq Erbil SC
72 China Shanghai Greenland Shenhua
73 Australia Central Coast Mariners
74 Indonesia Persipura Jayapura

References

  1. 1 2 hermesauto (2017-07-28). "Football: Over 4,600 fans cheer Tampines Rovers' homecoming". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  2. ↑ Malathi Das and Palakrishnan (1996), "S.League: the kick-off", Singapore Professional Football League Pte Ltd, p. 50
  3. ↑ Fariq Rahman, "Kwai Lam helming S-League club", The Malay Mail, 11 April 2002
  4. ↑ "Tampines Rovers beat Jurong FC 1–0 to win Singapore Cup", Channel NewsAsia, 14 October 2002
  5. ↑ "S.League champs Tampines make it double with Singapore Cup win", Channel NewsAsia, 3 October 2004
  6. ↑ Alvin Foo, "Tampines are S-League Team of the Decade", The Straits Times, 21 November 2005
  7. ↑ Atsushi Fujioka, "Singapore – List of Champions", RSSSF, 8 November 2012.
  8. ↑ Erlan Manaschev, "Singapore – List of Cup Winners", RSSSF, 8 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "2016 AFC Cup Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC. 28 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "S.League: the kick-off", p. 18
  11. ↑ "Tampines Rovers FC – Team Players 2015". S.League. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Management – Tampines Rovers FC". Tampines Rovers. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Staff – Tampines Rovers FC". Tampines Rovers. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  14. 1 2 Dan, Guen Chin (28 April 2014). "Rafi Ali to lead Tampines Rovers". Today.
  15. ↑ "AFC Club Ranking (2nd July 2017 )". globalfootballranks.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 2 July 2017.

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