SINGAPORE - When Akbar Nawas took over as head coach of Chennai City last year, the Indian football club had only three games to stave off relegation from the I-League.
They beat Churchill Brothers 3-1, lost 7-1 to East Bengal, before securing safety with a 2-1 win over Minerva Punjab in their final match.
A year later, former Tampines Rovers coach Akbar, assisted by ex-Hougang United coach and fellow Singaporean K. Balagumaran, helped Chennai complete a remarkable turnaround after Saturday's (March 9) come-from-behind 3-1 win over Minerva at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Tamil Nadu sealed a first league title for both club and coach.
With 13 wins, four draws and three defeats, they amassed 43 points, one ahead of second-placed East Bengal.
It is believed that the duo are the first Singaporean coaches to win a professional football league title outside of South-east Asia.
And they did it in swashbuckling style, scoring 48 goals in 20 matches, and never relinquishing their place at the top of the 11-team league from the third match week.
The Times of India summarised their triumph as "befitting their dominant campaign, the fulcrum of which was a sustained possession-based football".
Akbar, 43, told The Straits Times: "It is a great satisfaction after accepting the challenge of taking over a relegation-threatened team, and then winning the league within a year.
"Our team perform best when we are chasing the game. Thus, we didn't panic when we were behind (against Minerva on Saturday). I told the team we must end every attack with a chance at goal. I was pretty confident we could bounce back and win like we had done before."
Â
His sidekick Balagumaran, 54, added: "It is so overwhelming, I don't know if we are still in a dream.
"When we got here, the players we had were not from football academies, they were from the streets and so unpolished.
"Many of them are playing in their first professional season and now they have won their first professional league title.
"Personally, it is also the highlight of my career, but I hope there is more to come, and I also hope this opens the door for more Singaporean coaches to venture abroad."
With the league win, Chennai are eligible for the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifiers.
Apr 29, 2019 · Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Vivianne Miedema of Arsenal have been crowned Professional Footballers' Association players of the year for the 2018-19 season, with Manchester City's Raheem
Football: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Arsenal's Vivianne
virginiabus.info/sports/football-liverpools-virgil-van-dijk-and-arsenals-vivianne-miedema-win-pfa-player-of-year-awards/
LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk was named as England's PFA Player of the Year for 2019 on Sunday (April 28). Van Dijk succeeded Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah in winning the award, voted for by his fellow players and saw off competition from Manchester City striker Raheem Sterling.
Liverpool's Van Dijk wins PFA player of year award - Khaleej
Barcelona claimed their 13th Spanish Super Cup in style with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night in the second leg at the Camp Nou, giving the Catalonians a whopping 5-0
Real Madrid stroll to an easy win as they put pressure on
Klopp : Liverpool 'did all we could' in Premier League race By Mod - 2019-05-12 19:02:07 - [ ] Jurgen Klopp said his Liverpool team could not have done anything more after they finished just one point behind defending champions Manchester City in their bid to win the Premier League title.
Klopp: Liverpool 'did all we could' in Premier League race
Sterling, who has 19 goals for City in all competitions this season, was also supported by England team mate Danny Rose. France midfielder Paul Pogba believes England's Raheem Sterling is sometimes treated differently by the British media because he is black and does not get the recognition he deserves for his achievements.
Man City's Sterling treated differently by British media
Cristiano Ronaldo insists there is nothing to fear after suffering a hamstring injury in Portugal's 1-1 draw against Serbia on Monday, adding that he is "not worried" about it going forward
Cristiano Ronaldo returns to training after limping out of
Football: We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win SOUTHAMPTON, United States (AFP) - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his side cannot meet the heights of Manchester City's football, but they may still deny Pep Guardiola's men the title after moving top of the Premier League by beating Southampton 3-1 on Friday
We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win
Raheem Sterling's hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur's challenge faltered again with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.
Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer
Los Angeles: Former England star Wayne Rooney scored three goals on Saturday night to lead D.C. United to a crushing 5-0 victory over Real Salt Lake. Rooney registered his first three goals of the new season and also his first hat trick since signing on with Major League Soccer in July 2018. He now has five multi-goal games.
Wayne Rooney scores his first MLS hat-trick as DC United
Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has fuelled speculation about his future by confirming he is no longer contracted to Molde. The fan favourite joined on a deal until the end of the season 2018-19 season, after the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December. The intention was for
Solskjaer confirms his contract in Norway has expired
LONDON: Manchester United announced on Friday that midfielder Marouane Fellaini has left the club to join China's Shandong Luneng on a permanent transfer. The Belgium international, 31, arrived at Old Trafford from Everton in August 2013 and went on to make 177 appearances throughout five-and-a-half seasons at United, scoring 22 goals.
Marouane Fellaini leaves Man Utd for China's Shandong
Football. Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to footballer Sala. "We all carry Emi in our hearts," said Mayor Julio Muller in an emotional tribute. Sala had played for Nantes
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to
yankeesunscripted.com/2019/02/18/crowds-flock-to-argentine-village-to-pay-tribute-to.html
Sala was the best-known figure from Progreso, a town of several thousand inhabitants in Argentina's Santa Fe province, and was adored by many. Sala's father, Horacio, was devastated by his son's death, family members said, and refused for days to leave his home. This was to enable friends and family to pay their last respects.
Real Madrid 1-4 Ajax (3-5 agg): Dusan Tadic shines as reigning champions crash out in humiliation after visitors put on stunning display to claim historical win at Bernabeu and progress to the
Signs of Manchester United revival in loss to City: Wes Brown But former United defender Wes Brown saw a glimmer of hope, one that could spark a reversal of fortunes and hopefully propel the
Dua Signs Of Manchester United Revival In Loss To City: Wes Brown
gedco.net/dua/Signs-of-Manchester-United-revival-in-loss-to-City:-Wes-Brown/
Source: Manchester Evening News Signs Of Manchester United Revival In Loss To City: Wes Brown. Read Signs Of Manchester United Revival In Loss To City: Wes Brown by Manchester Evening News
Football: Guardiola hails 'legend' Aguero as Man City inch
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen