De Roo Urges FAS To Get Out Of Comfort Zone

For most of the last decade, Balestier Khalsa had become a team known for their defensive, uninspiring brand of football rather than flair or ambition.

- Deepanraj Ganesan

That perception has been turned on its head under Peter de Roo, who has been their full-time coach since the 2023 season.

With one game left, Balestier are fourth on 45 points – three more than their next opponents, fifth-placed Albirex Niigata – and are just a point away from securing consecutive top-four finishes in the Singapore Premier League (SPL). The last time they achieved this was in 1998.

The 55-year-old Dutchman has done this while having introduced a possession-based, attacking style of play that has earned plaudits from fans and pundits.

However, the de Roo era will end on May 25, after their season finale against Albirex at the Bishan Stadium, as he has informed the club that he will not be renewing his contract. His decision was prompted by several factors, including difficulties in taking the next step at a club that he felt has reached their maximum potential with "limited resources".

De Roo said: "We compete with clubs who have a much higher budget than us and, in the top four, we are the only club that doesn't have national team players.

"When you are successful in a club like Balestier, the budget is not going to improve in the next season, but the players want to earn more money and the expectations go up. To stay at the same level, or even improve in terms of the results, is going to be a massive challenge.

"Where I come from, if you do well, you generate more income, there are more people watching, you get more money from broadcast and commercial arms to improve the team and the salaries of players. Simply, if you do well, the budget goes up. At Balestier, it is not like that. I must accept that."