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.
PORTO (Reuters) - AS Roma's dramatic Champions League elimination by Porto, thanks to a late penalty awarded with a VAR review, was a "terrible way to go out", PARIS (Reuters) - Manchester
Champions League: FC Porto Go Through With Extra Time VAR
Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer (Reuters) - Raheem Sterling's hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of
Manchester City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer
Football: Man City's Aguero in frame to face Brighton in FA Cup MANCHESTER, England (REUTERS) - Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will travel with the rest of their squad for their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and Hove Albion having nearly recovered from a hamstring injury, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday (April 5).
Man City's Aguero in frame to face Brighton in FA Cup
Advertisement MUNICH, Apr 25: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich beat Werder Bremen 3-2 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski on Wednesday to advance to the German Cup final for the second straight year and keep the domestic league and cup double firmly in their sights.
Football: Bayern reach German Cup final to keep double in
Jun 06, 2019 · KHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudan's pro-democracy leaders continued on Thursday to press a campaign of civil disobedience after a deadly military crackdown this week, but a show of force by government
More racial abuse cases heighten calls for action LONDON • Football authorities are facing more scrutiny over their handling of fans' racial abuse of players after three English clubs reported alleged incidents on Saturday and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha called out an online message branding him "a diving monkey".
More racial abuse cases heighten calls for action, Football
Rodgers set for Premier League return with Leicester by BeSoccer @besoccer_com - 26 Feb 2019 0 3,056 Brendan Rodgers took a signficant step closer to a return to managing in the Premier League as Celtic "very reluctantly" granted him permission to talk to Leicester City.
Brendan Rodgers set for Premier League return with Leicester
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Old Trafford is no longer a "scary" place to visit ahead of Wednesday's derby at the home of Manchester United. Victory for City in the Premier League
Manchester United vs. Manchester City: Pep Guardiola says it
Former Football Star Paul Gascoigne Faces Assault Trial For
Football: Atletico title bid suffers with defeat at Betis in Morata debut Alvaro Morata made his debut for Atletico after completing a loan move from Chelsea, but it was another former Real
Football news - Atletico title bid suffers with defeat at
More than 3,000 bid farewell to Sala in Progreso, Football
Lions hungry for post-raya victory, Football News & Top
watch coppa america live streaming espn
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch soccer game live now
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch live streaming soccer games
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch live soccer streaming on iphone
watch english premier league live streaming online
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
watch champions league live streaming now tv
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch the premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch premier league darts live stream
tv soccer live stream sky
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch champions league final live streaming
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch premier league games live stream
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch iceland soccer live stream
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
watch english premier league live streaming
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch soccer online free streaming live espn
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch soccer live stream links
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch the champions league live stream
watch champions league live streaming live
watch premier league live streaming online
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
soccer tv live football streaming gratuit
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch soccer live stream apk
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch champions league live streaming pc
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming manchester united
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch coppa america live streaming direct
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
watch soccer live streaming jamaica
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch soccer am live stream
watch coppa america live streaming total sportek
watch coppa america live streaming gratis
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
free watch soccer live streaming
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch soccer game live espn
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch coppa america live streaming match
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch live soccer stream android
#Liverpool #romania #portsmouthfc #kickoff #433skills #ballondor #juventus #GarageCafeDxb #arsenalnews #footballmemes #bayernmunich #calciatoribrutti #Fcb #chocolate #acmilan #cristianoronaldo #Celtic #JUVENTUS #ignoranza #24x7 #soccerbible #afcnews #battuteepiche #mancityvsliverpool #messi #watchlive #liverpoolfans #ronaldo #vip #trollfootball #soccer #Suarez #rockstar #freekick #leicestercity #winner #footballmeme #nutmeg #bundesliga #pagani #panini #sixtimes #Bar #adidasslipon #comico #uefanationsleague #conference #cr7 #boxing #transfernews #manchestercity #noelgallagher #realmadridcf #soccer #Vip45 #livestreams #nikesoccer #henderson #PartyTime #ucl #manchestercity #beatifulgame #salah #liverpoolcity #lfc #coyg #meunier #mensnightout #premierleague #arsenal #lionelmessi #lovefootball #bayervshoffenheim #risate #sunderlandafc #myfootballuniverse #comics #coutinho #manchestercity
No comments:
Post a Comment