Youth football in Singapore is set to receive a boost as Singapore Premier League (SPL) Centres of Excellence (COE) team up with the School Football Academy (SFA) programme. This partnership seeks to enhance youth development efforts and provide more opportunities for young talents across the nation.
SPL clubs Geylang International, Balestier Khalsa, Albirex Niigata (Singapore) and Tanjong Pagar United will work with SFA coaches to run their respective COE Under-13, Under-14, and Under-15 teams.
The SFA programme is an initiative under the Unleash The Roar! (UTR!) national football project. It aims to enhance the technical abilities of student-athletes through higher-intensity training and exposure to stronger competition. This collaboration will leverage the strengths of both SPL clubs and SFAs to create a more integrated and robust development system for young players.
The COE-SFA programme will work together on several fronts, such as:
Strengthening COEs with SFA head, assistant and goalkeeper coaches to provide more resources to youth development while giving SFA coaches the opportunity to gain more experience
Greater access to fields through SFA’s partnership with schools
Comprehensive sports science support from strength and conditioning, video analysis, health and nutrition, load monitoring, to online tracking of players’ individual development
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was inked between SPL club representatives and UTR! Deputy Chairmen Alan Goh and Bernard Tan - who also serve as Sport Singapore’s Chief Executive and Football Association of Singapore’s President respectively.
Pairing of SPL clubs with SFA, AFA will help build community ties
Under the MOU, the heads of youth development from the participating SPL clubs will work closely with SFA coaches to nurture youth players in alignment with the SPL clubs’ philosophies and development goals. The MOU targets players from 12 to 15 years old, and aims to strengthen the youth development ecosystem by providing SPL clubs with greater opportunities to further develop their youth pathways.
Through UTR!, SPL clubs have already been paired with ActiveSG Academy (AFA) centres, which have produced talents for the 2024 SYL season. AFA’s top talents from 8 to 12 years old represented SPL clubs, allowing clubs to monitor and identify potential players for progression into their U-13 teams. The collaboration with AFAs and schools will allow SPL clubs to be more involved in their respective communities and take a keener interest in the promotion and development of broad-based grassroots football.
Such ties up with AFA and schools will also put SPL clubs on a more sustainable pathway towards independently developing youth in future. This approach has also been adopted by established football ecosystems and some of the more successful clubs in South-east Asia.
Said Sport Singapore’s Chief of Sport Development Group Marcus Tan, who oversees UTR!: “Through the MOU, COEs will now be able to tap on SFA’s pool of coaches, training grounds and sports science expertise to raise the level of football development.
"The pairing of SPL clubs with SFAs will also allow more student-athletes to make the step up to the COEs to continue their football education. Through partnerships with AFA and SFA, SPL clubs will now have a ready base of players to tap on from the ages of 8 to 15 years old.”
Said FAS General-Secretary Chew Chun-Liang: “SPL clubs have done some excellent work with the COE programme, and I’m confident that this initiative will provide a tangible boost to our collective efforts. Clubs will now have additional resources that will go some way in strengthening COEs and enhancing our youth development pathways. I’m keen to see this synergy in our ecosystem in the years ahead.”
Bendemeer Secondary School Principal Ms Foo Sheue Feng said: “Following our students' participation in UTR!, we have observed a significant improvement in our students' playing style, teamwork and discipline! We believe that a nurturing environment, coupled with robust school and UTR! programmes with support from partners, helps to build our students' strengths and foster their confidence to pursue their aspirations.
"This partnership with the COEs will provide more training and competitive opportunities for young student athletes, which will benefit their personal growth and development in the sport.”
Added Geylang International General Manager Bernice Wong: “We are happy to be working with SFA on developing the youth ecosystem in Singapore. It is imperative for more stakeholders to unite together, and tap on shared resources and expertise, to provide the best set up for our youths. We can only go so far alone, but together, the potential is bigger.”
Chairman of Albirex Niigata Football Club (Singapore) Daisuke Korenaga shared a similar view, saying: “We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with the SFA. At Albirex, we firmly believe that youth development is vital to the progress of Singapore football. Our mission has always been to nurture the next generation of players, equipping them with the skills and experience needed to compete in overseas leagues, be it in Japan or Europe.
"This collaboration will provide us with additional resources for our COE teams, enhancing our efforts to develop talented young players ready to take on international challenges."
Added Tanjong Pagar Chairman Raymond Tang: "We’ve always prioritised nurturing and growth of young talents, and we believe this collaboration will play a significant role in achieving that vision. By combining our club’s goals with the SFA’s expertise and resources, we are taking a major step forward in transforming youth football development.
"This partnership brings valuable resources, including advanced coaching, top-notch training facilities, and cutting-edge sports science. These will help us improve our youth programs and better prepare players for professional careers.
"We are confident that this collaboration will create a lasting impact, empowering our youth players with the tools they need to succeed both on and off the field. We’re committed to fostering a culture of continuous growth, discipline, and sportsmanship, ensuring our players are well-rounded and ready to make a positive impact in football."
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