2019 Singapore Premier League

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The 2019 Singapore Premier League (also known as the AIA Singapore Premier League due to sponsorship reasons) was the second season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018. A major overhaul from the new FAS management was made from this season onwards to improve the standard of Singapore football.[1]

The following key changes were made to the rules for the 2019 season:[2]

  1. Singapore Premier League clubs could sign three imports from next season after the increase in foreign player quota was raised at the Football Association of Singapore's 36th Annual Congress [3]
  2. From 2019, only four stadiums host regular matches. The 8 teams (excluding DPMM) will host the matches in the following stadiums. Our Tampines Hub (Tampines Rovers and Geylang International), Jalan Besar Stadium (Young Lions and Hougang United), Bishan Stadium (Home United and Balestier Khalsa) and Jurong East Stadium (Albirex Niigata and Warriors FC).[4]
  3. For 2019, Albirex is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23. Also, Albirex must have two Singaporeans in their starting lineup for each game.[5]
  4. Each team is now able to register up to 28 players in their squad, an increase of 3 players as compared to 2018.

Teams

A total of 9 teams compete in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) and DPMM FC are invited foreign clubs from Japan and Brunei respectively. Despite large criticism and discussion against the Young Lions project, the Young Lions will continue to compete till 2019 for the purposes of training and preparing for the 2019 SEA Games.[6] The criticism mainly focused on the poor performances every season by the largely youth team made up of Singapore Football's brightest prospects. Season-long consecutive losses against the rest of the more mature teams inflicts serious long-term consequences on the morale of the players, considering that most of these players are in the developmental ages of their footballing career. The new age restrictions imposed on the rest of the Singapore Premier League clubs could be seen as giving the Young Lions a better advantage in terms of seniority, but most critics and fans of Singapore football are still wanting the FAS to abolish the FAS-managed Young Lions and have them developed under the guidance of genuine local clubs.

Stadiums and locations

Location of 2018 Singapore Premier League teams
Team Stadium Capacity
Albirex Niigata (S) Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Balestier Khalsa Bishan Stadium 3,500
DPMM FC Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium 28,000
Geylang International Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Home United Bishan Stadium 3,500
Hougang United Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000
Tampines Rovers Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Warriors FC Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Young Lions Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000

Personnel and sponsors

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Main Shirt sponsor
Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Keiji Shigetomi Japan Kyoga Nakamura[7] Mizuno[8] Canon
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Marko Kraljević Singapore Zaiful Nizam[9] Lotto Jeep[10]
DPMM FC England Adrian Pennock Brunei Wardun Yussof Lotto
Geylang International Singapore Mohd Noor Ali Japan Yuki Ichikawa[11] FBT[12] Epson
Home United Singapore Noh Rahman Singapore Izzdin Shafiq[13] Puma Linco Investments
Hougang United Singapore Clement Teo Singapore Zulfahmi Arifin[14] Warrix Jalan Besar Stadium
Tampines Rovers Singapore Kadir Yahaya Singapore Shahdan Sulaiman[15] Hummel[16] Hyunudai Avante
Warriors FC Singapore Razif Bin Onn Singapore Khairul Nizam[17] Joma Rhino Sports
Young Lions Singapore Fandi Ahmad Singapore Joshua Pereira[18] Nike -

Coaching changes

Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of Departure Date of Vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment
Geylang International Japan Hirotaka Usui End of exchange 29 September 2018[19] Pre-Season Singapore Mohd Noor Ali 21 December 2018[20]
Home United Singapore Aidil Sharin Sahak Signed by Malaysia Kedah FA 8 October 2018[21] Pre-Season Singapore Saswadimata Dasuki 3 December 2018[22]
Tampines Rovers Germany Jurgen Raab Sacked 9 October 2018[23] Pre-Season Singapore Gavin Lee 9 October 2018[24]
Tampines Rovers Singapore Gavin Lee No license 9 October 2018 Pre-Season Singapore Kadir Yahaya 9 October 2018
DPMM FC Brazil Renê Weber Sacked 16 October 2018[25] Pre-Season England Adrian Pennock 17 October 2018[26]
Warriors FC Croatia Mirko Grabovac End of Contract 31 October 2018[27] Pre-Season Singapore Azlan Alipah 1 November 2018
Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Kazuaki Yoshinaga End of contract 30 November 2018[28] Pre-Season Japan Keiji Shigetomi 11 December 2018[29]
Hougang United NA NA 28 December 2018 Pre-Season Singapore Clement Teo 28 December 2018[30]
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Marko Kraljević Signed by Malaysia Kelantan FA 26 January 2019[31] Pre-Season Singapore Khidhir Khamis 4 February 2019[32]
Home United Singapore Saswadimata Dasuki Sacked 19 April 2019[33] 7th Singapore Noh Rahman (interim) 19 April 2019[34]
Home United Singapore Noh Rahman (interim) End of Caretaker 2 July 2019[35] 6th Serbia Radojko Avramović 2 July 2019[36]
Home United Serbia Radojko Avramović Step down (health reason) 18 August 2019[37] 5th Singapore Noh Rahman (interim) 18 August 2019[38]
Balestier Khalsa Singapore Khidhir Khamis Sacked 24 September 2019 9th Croatia Marko Kraljević 24 September 2019[39]

Foreigners

Singapore Premier League clubs could sign three imports from next season after the increase in foreign player quota was raised at the Football Association of Singapore's 36th Annual Congress[3]

Albirex Niigata can sign up unlimited number of Singaporean players for the new season. Only 1 local player above 23 years old is allowed.[40]

Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 U21 Player 1 U21 Player 2 U21 Player 3 Former Players
Albirex Niigata (S) Singapore Hyrulnizam Juma'at[41] Singapore Noor Akid Nordin[41] Singapore Daniel Martens[42] Singapore Firas Irwan[43] Singapore Zamani Zamri[42] Singapore Gerald Ang[43]
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Kristijan Krajcek[44] Croatia Sime Zuzul[44] Austria Sanjin Vrebac[45]
DPMM FC Australia Blake Ricciuto[46] England Charlie Clough[46] Belarus Andrey Varankow[46]
Geylang International Netherlands Barry Maguire[47] Japan Yuki Ichikawa[48] New Zealand Matthew Palmer[49] Australia Morteza Safdari[50]
Australia Corey Warren[51]
Home United Australia Isaka Cernak[52] South Korea Song Ui-young[53] Australia Oliver Puflett[54]
Hougang United Croatia Stipe Plazibat[55] South Korea Kong Ho-won[56] France Paulin Mbaye Brazil Rafael Ramazotti[57][58]
Tampines Rovers Canada Jordan Webb[59] Japan Ryutaro Megumi[60] Serbia Zehrudin Mehmedović[61] Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirza Delimeđac
Warriors FC France Jonathan Béhé[62] Japan Kento Fukuda[63] Japan Ryosuke Nagasawa

Note 1: Albirex, a Japanese club, is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23.

Note 2: DPMM FC, a Bruneian club, can sign 3 non-Bruneian foreigners.

Note 3: Singapore teams can sign 4 foreigners, of which 2 must be below 21 years old.

Results

Home \ Away ALB BAL DPM GEY HOM HOU TAM WAR YLI ALB BAL DPM GEY HOM HOU TAM WAR YLI
Albirex Niigata (S) 2–1 0–0 2–0 4–0 1–2 3–1 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–0 NA 1–0 NA NA NA 4–1
Balestier Khalsa 1–3 1–7 3–0 2–4 0–1 1–1 2–1 0–1 NA 1–4 3–4 NA 3–4 NA 3–3 NA
DPMM 2–0 2–1 3–0 2–0 3–2 2–1 4–2 0–0 NA NA 3–0 NA 5–4 0–1 3–0 NA
Geylang International 1–0 5–0 1–3 2–3 2–2 0–1 5–2 1–2 1–0 NA NA NA 4–4 2–1 4–3 NA
Home United 3–3 0–0 0–1 3–0 0–2 2–4 4–4 2–1 NA 1–3 1–0 3–2 NA NA NA 0–3
Hougang United 4–2 1–0 3–1 4–1 1–0 1–5 5–1 0–1 1–1 NA NA NA 2–0 2–4 3–1 NA
Tampines Rovers 0–0 4–2 3–1 1–1 5–1 3–3 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–3 NA NA 3–0 NA NA 1–1
Warriors 1–2 3–3 3–3 1–2 0–3 3–2 1–1 2–0 2–1 NA NA NA 1–3 NA 0–1 2–0
Young Lions 1–2 1–4 0–1 0–1 0–1 2–1 1–1 0–2 NA 1–0 1–1 1–2 NA 2–4 NA NA
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

League table

Statistics

Top scorers

As of 29 September 2019.
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Belarus Andrey Varankow DPMM FC 21
2 Singapore Faris Ramli Hougang United 16
3 Canada Jordan Webb Tampines Rovers 15
4 France Jonathan Béhé Warriors FC 12
5 Singapore Hazzuwan Halim Balestier Khalsa 10
6 Croatia Stipe Plazibat Hougang United 9
6 Australia Blake Ricciuto DPMM FC 9
6 Singapore Gabriel Quak Warriors FC 9
6 Croatia Sime Zuzul Balestier Khalsa 9
6 Singapore Fareez Farhan Geylang International 9
11 Singapore Shawal Anuar Geylang International 8
11 Singapore Shahfiq Ghani Hougang United 8
13 Japan Hiroyoshi Kamata Albirex Niigata (S) 7
13 Japan Kyoga Nakamura Albirex Niigata (S) 7
13 Singapore Shahril Ishak Home United 7
13 Serbia Zehrudin Mehmedović Tampines Rovers 7

Clean sheets

As of 29 September 2019.
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 Brunei Wardun Yussof DPMM FC 10
2 Japan Kengo Fukudome Albirex Niigata (S) 8
3 Singapore Syazwan Buhari Tampines Rovers 6
4 Singapore Nazri Sabri Home United 5
5 Singapore Ridhuan Barudin Hougang United 4

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateReference
Belarus Andrey Varankow 5DPMM FCBalestier Khalsa7–113 April 2019 [64]
Belarus Andrey VarankowDPMM FCWarriors FC3–014 September 2019 [65]
Singapore Fareez FarhanGeylang InternationalHougang United4–415 September 2019 [66]
Singapore Shahfiq GhaniHougang UnitedDPMM FC4–529 September 2019 [67]

Note 4 Player scored 4 goals 5 Player scored 5 goals

Own goal

PlayerTeamAgainstDate
Singapore Zulfahmi ArifinHougang UnitedTampines Rovers3 March 2019
Singapore Darren TehGeylang InternationalBalestier Khalsa31 March 2019
Singapore Lionel TanYoung LionsTampines Rovers29 May 2019
Singapore Shah ShahiranTampines RoversAlbirex Niigata (S)15 June 2019
Singapore Hairul SyirhanGeylang InternationalWarriors FC18 September 2019

Penalty missed

PlayerForAgainstDate
Singapore Shahdan SulaimanTampines RoversHougang United3 March 2019
Singapore Taufik SuparnoTampines RoversHome United8 March 2019
Japan Kyoga NakamuraAlbirex Niigata (S)Warriors FC13 April 2019
Singapore Faris RamliHougang UnitedBalestier Khalsa12 May 2019
France Jonathan BéhéWarriors FCDPMM FC6 July 2019
Croatia Sime ZuzulBalestier KhalsaWarriors FC19 July 2019
Singapore Shahril IshakHome UnitedBalestier Khalsa14 August 2019
Canada Jordan WebbTampines RoversAlbirex Niigata (S)18 August 2019
Singapore Shahril IshakHome UnitedHougang United1 September 2019
Singapore Amy RechaGeylang InternationalHome United21 September 2019

Awards

Singapore Premier League Awards night winners

References

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