Super Reds seek first home win

Fabius Chen
info@sleague.com

If the Super Reds are to prove that their second-place finish in 2008 was no flash in the pan, nothing less than a win over Albirex Niigata (Singapore) will suffice when the Japanese side visit on Wednesday.

Last season, it was not until July that the Koreans dropped points at home, as they turned Yishun Stadium into an impregnable fortress.

Fast forward to 2009 and Jeon Kyeong Joon’s men have drawn their first two games in their own backyard, although in truth it has been an uninspiring start on a whole, with their lone victory thus far coming against bottom side Sengkang Punggol.

“We have not made a good start and the players are losing confidence,” Jeon stated pointedly.

Last week’s loss to fellow strugglers Geylang United seems to have compounded their misery, with the coach admitting that his side’s inability to find a way back after Lloyd Butler’s 5th minute strike was particularly worrying.

“It is not easy to improve overnight but we are putting in the effort. Now, we just need to play a good game and score more goals,” he stressed.

“I believe that once we get back on the winning track, the players will recover their confidence quickly and do as well as we did last year.”

That winning track could well begin on Wednesday, with the visiting White Swans not relishing their travels so far this campaign.

They kicked off with a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Geylang, before falling apart in a 0-6 collapse against defending champions SAFFC. The neutral venue of Jalan Besar Stadium provided little comfort either, as they crashed 0-3 to a rampant Gombak United.

However, club manager Bogdan Brasoveanu refused to be written off ahead of their visit to Yishun Stadium.

“Taking into consideration that we traditionally struggle in the first two months of seasons, I think we have made a good start,” he said.

“I have no problems with the players’ fitness, work rate and fighting spirit, although we will have to keep our concentration if we want to do well.”

According to Brasoveanu, morale in the Albirex camp is high following their 2-1 home win over the Young Lions last Thursday.

He pointed out: “Of course, when you win a game, your confidence is higher; the players are more motivated to move forward and win the next game.

“I always feel that we have a chance of getting a result and I think this is a good opportunity for a second straight win.”

Brasoveanu hoped that the fierce sporting rivalry between both clubs’ native countries, South Korea and Japan, would provide some added motivation for his players.

He remarked: “They are all mentally strong enough to treat this game like any other but I’m sure there is a stronger desire to win.”

On the other hand, Super Reds coach Jeon was adamant that it would be just another game in a long season.

“It is like any of the other games we have had so far,” he said firmly.

The promise of a first home win and three league points should be motivation enough.