Ideas To Improve The S.League !

I refer to the report " FAS working to improve the S.League " and " Health of S.League in the spotlight " ( June 28 , Page 62 ) and I feel one of the ways to improve the S.League is to allow the First XI Team from Mediacorp Channel 5 TV reality Series to join the S.League .

First , the S.League has always been looking at ways and means in searching for another team to add to the current number of S.League teams to make it an even number . There were supposed to be 14 teams in total for this current Season , but due to Etoile withdrawl , it leaves the League with the current number of 13 teams , which is an odd number , making the planning of Fixtures very difficult and also does not look very good in the eye with that uneven odd number .

So here now that we have a team ( First XI ) who have already gone through so much and so many different types of training over ten weeks , they already have the basics and a certain respectable playing standard as far as their soccer skills are concerned under the guidance of two wonderful coach of Steve Mcnhon and R Sasi Kumar , so there should be no worries about their standard of playing .

Secondly , through the reality TV Series , they would have managed to build a consistent number of TV audience and fans who would have felt for them for all they have gone through over those ten weeks . It is these people who have cheered in their victory and cry with them in defeat that will make them willing to turn up at the stadiums to watch them play LIVE . And this is just what the S.League badly needs right now , as far as crowd attendance numbers are concerned !

It is these people that will gurantee the S.League a consistent number of fans (fanbase ) if the First Xl was really included in the S.League . And this has already been proven with the Grand Final match with a huge crowd turning up at the Jalan Besar Stadium to watch them play against the S.League All Stars team . The number that day was comparable to the Lions Xll matches .

Sure , one may argue that the tickets were given out FREE , so that explains the huge turnout . But , I believe if they were asked to pay to watch the match that day , they will gladly do so too because , after all , this is a local team .

Also , after all they have gone through over the ten weeks of training , it is really a pity , a real waste of all their effort , time and all that they have sacrificed if this is really to be the end of their soccer career and dreams with the TV reality series coming to an end . The end of the reality TV Series should not be the end of their soccer career , but instead , it should signal a start , a new beginning towards their dream of a professional soccer career . And it begins with them joining the S.League and playing against the other S.League clubs for exposure and experience !

Another way is to improve the S.League is for our S.League clubs to play against the 13 Malaysian Super League clubs in the Singapore Cup or FA Cup . Although currently , the S.League clubs did play against foreign clubs from Thailand , Philippines in the Singapore Cup , but due to our lack of knowledge of these teams and it's players , it is unable to stir much interest to draw people to the stadium to watch these matches . Also , some people may view these Cup competition as no different from a normal S.League matches , except for it's format as some matches may pit two S.League clubs together .

Traditionally , a Singapore - Malaysia rivalry is able to draw huge crowds be it at International Level as seen from the recent Friendly match between the two nations or at club level as seen from the Lions Xll matches against the Malaysian club teams .

If the S.League is really sincere about taking steps to improve the S.League , I really hope the S.League CEO will seriously consider my suggestions above .

Thank You .