Singapore and Malaysia have long been rivals on the football field, but it seems that this rivalry is becoming even more fierce with the launch of the national football team. The two countries have always had a strong soccer history and for the past thirty years or so, the two sides have been battling out tight games on a consistent basis. Both nations have also sent several players to the international level, including former Chelsea star Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, as well as FC Barcelona starlet Lionel Messi. The team has never really won a championship, but they have managed to qualify three times, and are in their third season of existence. Since inception, there has been a lot of talk about the possibility of the two nations meeting in the next World Cup, and given the recent turn of events in South Africa, that scenario looks very appealing.
Despite the lack of success on the pitch, the support for the national football team is strong within the community. It is rare to find a football fan anywhere in Singapore who does not follow the team and many of them travel to Malaysia on weekends to watch their team play. This means that the stadium is always full of enthusiastic fans, and the chances of them travelling to South Africa for the World Cup are quite high. However, given the support that they give the team, it may be something of a letdown if they don't make it to the finals. As the saying goes: "if you build it, they will come."
The best coach in Singapore is clearly Lim Kim Teng, who has overseen the improvement of the football team's performance over the years. Most people associated with the national football team have always tended to compare Lim with his old mentor, Bruceesy, but it seems that the quality of football that the team plays these days is very similar to what they were playing in the early 1990s. Lim has always kept in mind the fact that the younger generation was always likely to aspire to greater things. He has therefore gone to great lengths to introduce a number of football drills into the team's training sessions, including the "jumping ring". This is a drill that combines running, passing, and kicking into a single exercise so that the young players learn how to move quickly and efficiently in order to get the ball from one player to the other.
Lim has also introduced something of a football fitness program into the training sessions, allowing the players to regularly warm up and cool down as part of their daily training. This has helped to make the players more disciplined, as well as providing them with a well-rounded workout that they can use over the long term. A lot of practice can go into developing a good player, but if he or she is not always fit then they will never develop properly. This aspect of fitness is what makes the national football team so well-prepared. They know that their coach will never leave them floundering on the bench.
As is often the case with a country such as Singapore, the national football team has set a number of standards by which they measure their players. Each player is required to undertake a battery of strength and agility exercises, as well as various stretching routines. This has been designed to improve their flexibility and to increase their overall stamina. Of course, this also makes them stronger, too. Coach Lim has always been known for his off-the-wall fitness programmes, which have been used to bring about impressive results. These programmes are now being used by international teams to get their players in peak physical condition for their games.
Best coaches of Singapore have a way of getting their team motivated and ready for any challenge that comes their way. Lim's tactical coaching has already proved to be instrumental in the development of a number of players who are making their way up the ranks of the national football team. He has also encouraged a number of youngsters to take up the sport in a more responsible manner. In doing so, he has given hope to the sport in this small Southeast Asian country.
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