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.
Premier League EPL: Newcastle plunge 10-man Huddersfield closer to the drop. With a third straight home win under Rafa Benitez, Newcastle have moved up to 14th spot in the league standings.
Newcastle plunge 10-man Huddersfield closer to the drop
Ramazotti moves from Brunei's DPMM, where he was instrumental to the club's 2015 S.League triumph under former Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean. PKNS are keen to have a better season under former Malaysia head coach K. Rajagobal after ending the 2017 MSL campaign in seventh spot.
Hougang United FC Supporters' Club - Posts | Facebook
Football: Qatar thrash UAE amid shoe barrage to reach Asian Cup final Qatar's defender Hamid Ismeil (2nd right) celebrates their fourth goal against UAE during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup semi-final
Qatar thrash UAE amid shoe barrage to reach Asian Cup final
England manager Gareth Southgate fears a Champions League scheduling "mess" could damage the Three Lions' chances of winning their first silverware in 53 years. Southgate's side face Netherlands in the Nations League semi-finals on June 6 in Portugal, five days after the Champions League final takes place at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
Southgate: UCL may make Nations League 'mess'
global.espn.com/football/england/story/3799855/english-success-in-champions-league-could-make-nations-league-mess-southgate
England manager Gareth Southgate expressed concern that the success of Premier League clubs in the Champions League could make for a messy go of things for the Three Lions in the Nations League final four on June 5 and 6.
Tottenham and Liverpool success hits England's Nations League
Cristiano Ronaldo could miss the first leg of Juventus' Champions League clash with Ajax through injury, coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed. While on international duty with Portugal, he
Ronaldo 'risks missing' Champions League quarters - Daily Nation
Klopp not falling for title talk trap, Football News & Top
In this episode, we rant about our 1 year anniversary, geek news, gay news, the Dark Knight Rises tragedy, sexy news, weird crime stories, voice mails from listeners, our site of the week, and
Puppet sex, porn songs, salty language: 'Avenue Q' is back
Aguero inches Man City closer to title. Sergio Aguero's 20th Premier League goal of the season left Manchester City just two wins from the title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley at
Aguero inches Man City closer to title | Bangkok Post: news
Report Ad
Free Shipping Available. Buy on eBay. Money Back Guarantee!
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp takes some responsibility for the club's 'long dry spell'. The Reds last won a trophy in 2012 - the League Cup - but have not won the Champions League
Klopp takes responsibility for Liverpool's 'long dry spell
He still "trusts" De Gea. No-one should "blame him" for dropping points. Solskjaer's words will be a comfort to De Gea, as will the vocal backing he received from the United fans, who chanted
I trust him - Solskjaer refusing to drop struggling De Gea
The 17th Asian Cup finals will be the biggest in the 62-year history of the tournament but even with 24 teams battling it out
Usual suspects in the frame at expanded Asian Cup - Usual
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch english premier league live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch live streaming soccer games
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch champions league live streaming now free
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch soccer games live stream free
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch premier league net live stream channel
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch champions league live streaming kenya
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch champions league live streaming match
watch champions league final live streaming
watch champions league live streaming malaysia
free watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch us soccer live stream
watch coppa america live streaming app
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch the champions league live stream
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch barclays premier league online live streaming
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch soccer live stream apk
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch soccer aid live stream
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch premier league live in stream
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch soccer game live espn
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer game live now
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch coppa america live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch champions league live streaming vk
watch coppa america live streaming manchester united
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch premier league live streaming video
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming hd
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch soccer live - live football streaming
free watch soccer live streaming
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch premier league live streaming free
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
#soccer #cristiano #portsmouthfc #leicestercity #coyg #freekickerz #zinedinezidane #meunier #transfernews #manunited #lfc #kickoff #chocolatecoffee #BMW #nationsleague #risate #lovefootball #oasis #thomasmeunier #bayern #footballschedule #soccermemes #americanfootball #Liverpool #JUVENTUS #fcbarcelona #mancityvsliverpool #chocolate #football #noelgallagher #sunderlandafc #uefanationsleague #serieatim #goodday #cappucino #myfootballuniverse #lionelmessi #bayernmunich #thebeatles #elcasico #juventus #midnight #soccerbible #londoncity #frasirap #Barcelona #villarealcf #arsenalnews #manchestercity #gym #paulmcartney #alissonbecker #league2 #klopp #crossfit #ignoranza #433skills
No comments:
Post a Comment