Let's Shed 'Losers' Tag

Interim coach Alam Shah hopes lessons from Japan can help lowly Jaguars roar again

- David Lee

On Dec 2, Noh Alam Shah touched down at Changi Airport at 2am after a six-month attachment with J1 League club Tokyo Verdy and returned to his Ang Mo Kio home.

By 5.30am, he was at Jurong East Stadium to begin his first day of work as Tanjong Pagar United's interim coach.

Training did not start until 7am, but the 44-year-old was already putting into place lessons from his Japan stint.

The benchmarks he sets will not just be confined to the players but also the coaching staff, as he attempts to haul the Jaguars off the foot of the Singapore Premier League.

It will be his second stint with the Jaguars, where he was formerly an assistant to Hasrin Jailani, who was replaced by interim coach Hyrizan Jufri in September.

The former Lion, who was one of Singapore's top strikers with 35 international goals from 80 caps, told The Straits Times: "If I want my players to run 10km, I will come earlier and run 10km before them. There must be a certain level of intensity in training, and if the coaches are not up to it, then we will be at the grassroots, and not professional level."

"If coaches want players to respond, we have to show our credibility. That was my biggest takeaway from Japan, and I want to establish a more professional culture and environment, especially in terms of mentality among the backroom staff."