Experience the exhilaration of a championship-winning season with Albirex Niigata, basking in the glory of their 2023 triumph. We sit down with Hassan Sunny, Singapore's No 1 goalkeeper, who clinched his fourth SPL title with 4 different clubs, and Hiroki Saito, the savvy media manager who keeps the team's wheels turning smoothly. Listen to Hassan's reflections on his triumphant first year and find out how the team unites under the immense pressure of the title chase each season. Also, hear from coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga, who though not present with us, shares his relief and emotions after another successful season.
We don't stop at just the celebrations! Our chat takes a deep dive into the strategy that made Albirex a winning team. Discover the motivation, hard work, and versatility these players bring to the field every day. Finally, get a glimpse into Hassan's personal journey of winning the league after being released last season.
Listen to some fascinating and never heard before insights into the making of one of the most successful clubs in Singapore football. Enjoy!
Experience the exhilaration of a championship-winning season with Albirex Niigata, basking in the glory of their 2023 triumph. We sit down with Hassan Sunny, Singapore's No 1 goalkeeper, who clinched his fourth SPL title with 4 different clubs, and Hiroki Saito, the savvy media manager who keeps the team's wheels turning smoothly. Listen to Hassan's reflections on his triumphant first year and find out how the team unites under the immense pressure of the title chase each season. Also, hear from coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga, who though not present with us, shares his relief and emotions after another successful season.
We don't stop at just the celebrations! Our chat takes a deep dive into the strategy that made Albirex a winning team. Discover the motivation, hard work, and versatility these players bring to the field every day. Finally, get a glimpse into Hassan's personal journey of winning the league after being released last season.
Listen to some fascinating and never heard before insights into the making of one of the most successful clubs in Singapore football. Enjoy!
This is the Silver Fox Hustle Football Talk. Hello, this is the latest episode of the Silver Fox Hustle Football Talk episode. We've got two guests in the house and we want to commemorate Albrecht's Niigata's championship winning season in 2023. They just one clinched the title in the Singapore Premier League and we've got two guests from Albrecht. One is I think we don't need to introduce him any further because I had him in one of my episodes last year. He's the goalkeeper, hassan Sani Hassan. Welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:Thank you, brother, for having me here, no problems and we've got another special guest from Albrecht.
Speaker 1:He is Hiroki. He is the media manager of Albrecht. Niigata Hiroki welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having us. It's a pleasure, my friend, and it's the first time I'm speaking to you and I have to tell you your English is brilliant. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Now, before we go on, congratulations to both of you, to the club, and what is the mood like at Albrecht. Sir Hiroki, we start with you.
Speaker 3:What is the mood? The mood, the mood. Yes, absolutely, it's been 20 years in Singapore, thanks to every fans and staff, all players, especially Japanese and local as well. Yeah, yeah, from this season, we are aiming to get SPL title, of course, to commemorate 20th anniversary. So it's really good for our clubs.
Speaker 1:How about you, haseb? This is your first year at Albrecht, niigata. What is the mood like in the Obviously it's very happy and all. But in general, what has Albrecht been like for you personally?
Speaker 2:I think I want to echo what Saito has just said Anniversary I think we give the perfect gift for the club, which we think the SPL title. So, of course, my fourth title, spl title, and that's the ultimate goal overall, because when I signed for the club, that's one thing that we looked at, we discussed on the table yeah, my contract was on the table. So I think, personally, I think we have done on the club level, I think we have done so much for the club players, even staffs, and I think when we set the goal, we know that it's going to be hard work and a lot of sacrifices and I think, yes, I think it's just a perfect gift for the club and we hope to win, especially the next one in Singapore Cup.
Speaker 1:Hiroki. Did you know that he's just won his fourth title? Yes, of course, and I want to pick up on that as well. Fourth title with four different clubs. Congratulations, my friend. Are you the only one so far? You've created a record of something.
Speaker 2:I've read somewhere. Yes, I'm the only one.
Speaker 1:So name me all the four clubs.
Speaker 2:Tampines, warriors, lion City, sailors and Abelix.
Speaker 1:How special is this one compared to the other three? This Don't lie, because Hiroki is here.
Speaker 2:But then again, I think this is very much different as compared to others because I think I mentioned this I feel like I'm a foreigner in the team of course in the club as well, because most of them are Japanese players, and of course, the management as well.
Speaker 2:So I think I relate. I spoke about this a few weeks ago. It's the same when I was in Thailand. When I came, expectations were there and of course I know that I cannot slack or even relax for a day. And of course, the Japanese players, they are just on another level. Even when you say recovery day after a post match, match day, we do our recovery and you think, okay, finish, we can go back, but they change their boots and they train. So that is on another level.
Speaker 1:Was language a problem when you first joined? Yes, of course.
Speaker 2:Especially first three weeks. And you know when I'm in a match or I'm in the game or I'm on the field, I'm always commanding. So imagine I don't even know anything or how to converse what I want, my messages to them, so it took like hand signals on the field. Then I had to take the initiative to learn a bit of Japanese as well.
Speaker 1:So now in the game do you converse like normal stuff, but simple stuff?
Speaker 2:Yes, of course Left right front back push up. What's push up in Japanese, lying forward, I think, national team March, if I'm not wrong when we went to Hong. Kong. When we were at the airport, the coach came to me. You speak Japanese now.
Speaker 3:You say lying left right.
Speaker 2:Wonderful wonderful.
Speaker 1:Okay, for those watching and listening as well. I posed some questions to the head coach of Elbrecht's, yoshinaga Kazawaki Yoshinaga. Obviously he's a little bit shy. We know from Hiroki is shy. I don't know whether he's shy on the ground I don't think so, but in the media and stuff I relayed some questions through Saito Hiroki and then he went up to Kazawaki Yoshinaga and he's answered those questions. I think, hiroki, you've done a great job. Obviously you speak brilliant English, so let's go. So the question for Coach Kazawaki Yoshinaga was this is his fourth title in Singapore. Altogether, elbrecht has won six and he's won four and he's equal that of Richard Box record of four. What is his feeling like winning his?
Speaker 3:fourth Okay, I got a message from Yoshinaga. Of course, it was not easy to get SPL title, but he's really relieved that we were able to win the league championship in the club's 23rd anniversary. As I mentioned, every season's players have pressure because our fans think that it's normal to get SPL title, so it's becoming a norm to win and now the pressure gets.
Speaker 1:I'm just following up on that and I think you would know, and even Hasan would know Is there pressure from the club as in because you won it? Is there hunger still? Yes, of course.
Speaker 3:To be honest, we defeated by Tampines in our home match. Maybe our fans really disappointed us.
Speaker 1:The fans were disappointed. Which game was that? What was the score?
Speaker 2:I think the home match we lost 10 to Tampines. Oh, that was earlier on, that very first game.
Speaker 1:I thought they were disappointed, right, and I commented on that game as well. It was a one-nail result and I think the last part the Elbrecht fans were actually attacking and couldn't get that result, but you all still played well Again. Just going back to that, what happens after a result like that? Because what's the mentality like in the camp, in the Elbrecht's camp? I think, hasan, you can talk because you've gone through all the clubs in Singapore and what is it like when you did lose that game against Tampines you said it yourself. What was the meaning of mood like? And also that game against LCS, when you all were leading two-nail, they came back, they won by 3-2. Right Again, I did that game as well. What was it like for Elbrecht's? Was it like okay, you know, this is it. We are going on a run again. So what was the you know that feeling like?
Speaker 2:You see, coach Yoshinaga, he has this winning mentality, he doesn't like to lose. So he instilled that to the players. So if let's say we play on Sunday and the next game is on Sunday, we have off some Monday. Let's say Tuesday is when everything started, okay, like you know, for the especially Tampines game, tuesday, or like Tuesday first transition. He knows that, okay, we're going to prepare for this game, right? So if anything goes wrong, you know that, okay, he has this bad feeling.
Speaker 2:So immediately he will make sure that he will. He will speak to players. He said, okay, I don't like to lose. You know I lose more than you guys. You know, in my record, in my history of coaching, I've lost so many matches more than anyone here, right? So he always I don't know, maybe he has that feeling, you know. So that's when I think, the more he has that feelings, the more he will make sure that he puts pressure on the players. And you know Japanese players, right, they're just totally different and and and you know every little thing on training they don't like to lose man Right, even when you see first level against the reserves.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know the reserve will win. You know like minus one, like we do side pieces yes, Like usually you know in local context, when the first level, you know they're going to prepare for tomorrow. Probably the reserve will take it easy, you know, give the players the first level players some confidence. But this no, this club no. They make sure they make things difficult for them because they want to make sure that during match days it will be easier for them.
Speaker 1:Right, the general feeling? No, no, not general feeling. Is there a general feeling? Like you guys or the players and whatever you respect him. Obviously Is there fear as well.
Speaker 2:Of course he just see his face. He doesn't smile.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, yeah, does he smile at all at?
Speaker 2:training. But we know we can feel if he is not happy. He does in training, right, yeah, but if you know he, you know when you see him from outside people, you see him. He doesn't smile.
Speaker 1:Right, but yes, I think, when you see him every day he does smile but, probably lesser than his. I can, I can, I can his default face. I can imagine the local young players coming in.
Speaker 2:I think they must be scared shit out of him. Of course, of course, I think, I think.
Speaker 1:Then again, he sets the standards and of course, Hiroki, I want to ask you right how special is Coach Yoshinaga?
Speaker 3:How special yeah Micro management. I think Maybe I think he's different people, different person when he speaks to Japanese player, especially starting, and he changed to mindset to speak to local young player.
Speaker 1:OK.
Speaker 3:And also I admire him.
Speaker 1:He go every COE under the great to watch to watch the game training also. Wow, yeah, brilliant man I've seen. I've seen him in one of those games where we had a friendly. You know the school team had a friendly with Albrecht's under 17 and he came for that game as well. It's a friendly game and he did come. Yeah, you're right about that. You want to add on anything in terms of how special Yoshinaga is? Because I think kudos to him, right, you know, fourth championship, you know, and I think he's great, not for the media, wise, before games at all, I know, you know, with his interviews and all he gives one word answers.
Speaker 2:But how special is he in terms of, you know, football wise and you know I've, I've, when I came to the club, and you know, he, he, he's, he makes sure every little thing, every little detail is, it's well taken care of.
Speaker 3:OK.
Speaker 2:So what I'm trying to say is every little thing you do in life, daily life, he makes sure that you cannot do this, you cannot do that.
Speaker 1:It's not so strict, but he'll make sure.
Speaker 2:Yes, like everything, let's say you pour something. Make sure that you take care of your image.
Speaker 1:On media, on the social media. He says that to the place, he makes sure that okay.
Speaker 2:You know there's one incident happened. I'm not sure you know. I sorry, no disrespect to Tanja Baga, but what happened? Right Because we shared the same thing the smoking thing Right, the vip thing or whatever. So so after that happened, he made sure he speaks, he spoke to the place, he made sure this will never happen in this club. Because he made sure that it won't happen in this club because he wants to take care of the player's image. So I think that's very important as well, not only on the field.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, listen, you guys are watching and you guys are listening to this. This is absolutely brilliant, because this is what we are talking about professionalism, and you, yeah, you know, as players, as, as whatever you know, the image of the club is so, so important, and when you go out nowadays, the phone is everywhere.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:The phone is your camera, the phone is everything to you, right, and just one shot of you doing something and that's it. You're gone. The image is gone. And brilliant, you know, and kudos to the club. It's brilliant. Now, a question posed to Yoshinaga as well, about recruitment of players. Now, every single year, albrecht seemed to change players, right, not seem. They always change players. You know, maybe out of 20, 18 goes. They retain maybe two. The other 18 are new players coming in. And every single year, the 18 new players come in. They are top notch, brilliant tactically, technically, they're brilliant. They seem to gel together, I don't know how, and they win league titles, right, how does this work? And, and you know, I know Coach Yoshinaga don't want to go into the details of how he goes out getting players, fine, no problems, but you know how does this happen.
Speaker 3:You know, in general, Actually the method is secret from the club perspective. But the goal is to get ambitious players who are likely to adopt our playing model, having good skill to voltage, and we just want to get ambitious player. It doesn't matter the price Right.
Speaker 1:I understand what you're trying to say. The how, the how he gets the players is a different story, fine, but you know, you said it right. He picks players based on the hunger, obviously, and technically good players as well, and you have millions in Japan. So obviously he has a plan, as in, you're going to play 4-3-3, for example, and then he builds from that. Right, hazan, how do you see this? And you, you, you've seen this for a while now. So when they come in, maybe in the during pre-season, have you seen how they have improved in terms of gelling?
Speaker 2:You know, I played against them since, like 2000, when I made my debut 2003, you played against them right yeah, and since then and now, they always have the number nine, they always have number eight, and you know number nine, you know score goals.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:You know, number 10, you got to score goals, Right. And number eight, please, that dominates the midfield. We know every year that they will have the same type of players but probably different personalities. But you know, that is from outside point of view Right. But when I, when I came to the club and when I see them, I said I don't think we have only one number eight. We have three or four, number eight I don't think we have one number nine.
Speaker 3:We have more than one number nine.
Speaker 2:Okay. So the recruitment, I don't know, I don't know what's the method as well, because when I see the players, I see they are just university players, you know, Yep, yep, yep. So imagine they are in the top players, like those professional players, right? So I said this is crazy, man, because you know, and then again I learned a lot from them as well. Right, because for them it's it's a yearly contract, right, yep, yep, when they, when they're in, especially in this year they're in Singapore.
Speaker 2:They know that they're going to go somewhere after this. So, this is the platform for them, Right? And it's like for us locals. We have one year. We don't sign more than one year contract, Right? So imagine the kind of effort we put in, the kind of sacrifices we would make.
Speaker 1:It's like a. It's like a survival as well.
Speaker 2:Right. Right so so imagine for them, all they want to, all they want are numbers. They'll make sure they want to score goals, they make sure they want to assist more, they want to make sure they run at this distance of speed. So one good example so we do have GPS results after every session, right? So they will look at that and they always compare to the previous days and usually for us we just say, oh okay, I just want this just close, book, finish, but for them it's to make sure they improve themselves every now and then.
Speaker 2:So, and what they do every day, on a daily basis, is just amazing. Because we don't like we don't see a defender trying to take free kicks and score goals. We see, what I see in every day is like hey, we have a Rico number nine.
Speaker 1:Who's good at?
Speaker 2:really so, my centre-backs of my defender and come in one against one with me on their own, on their own, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:They just remove their shirt and go one PM on the hot sun. They do that every single day and we cook number nine will just make sure he improves his dribbling technique. So they compete each other to improve, to make sure that they reach a certain level. So when I see that, it's like oh, after what? How many years in this country? I feel this is one of those periods. I feel, you know, there's a lot of things that we locals need to do to improve ourselves. So even myself, I had to stay behind, and you know, when I see them, okay, that motivates me to even improve on myself as well.
Speaker 1:Because there's pressure as well. And you're looking and you say, oh, if they are doing it, I got to do it, man.
Speaker 1:Yes so that's how they are. On a different level and you were talking about, you know, there are a couple of number eights in the team. There are a couple of number nines when you actually train with them, and they have the ability it's what they call it versatility as well. And one example this season has been the captain, yoko Kawa, number six. He started the season in Central Midfielder as a Central Midfielder and then now he's like a full-time right back, right. That is one example, and he's just gone to his right back like he's played there his whole life and yeah, so that's one example as well, and that is he speaks testament. He's a testament of how the club is managed and whatever, and he's like a machine now you know.
Speaker 2:He does overlaps in trainings, man On his own. So make sure he sent it back. So just pump the ball to the corner flag and he does overlaps sprint one, walk back, sprint two, walk back, sprint three. On his own.
Speaker 1:On his own.
Speaker 2:my friend, when I see that I say this guy, he should be in J1 or something or somewhere. And when you say when he's at number six he does different job, you know he's box to box midfielder. So I full, full respect.
Speaker 1:You know you want four titles, right, and with four different teams. How do you rate this one?
Speaker 2:To me. This is not quite similar, but the playing style, more or less like the one I was with Tampa, because that team we had full of quality players, but different because back then we had a lot of senior players, but it was more of a quick one to passing, you know but this is the opposite. We have probably 17 or 18 young players so, but this is with speed.
Speaker 2:Back then it was more about being smart yeah, being experienced and all about how you manage the game, but this is you go at a certain speed.
Speaker 1:Hiroki. The question for Yoshinaga was there. There are a couple of young, young local players in the Elbrecht side and obviously they you try to do that every single year and we've seen in the past a couple of players have done very well for Elbrecht. One was Adam Swandy a couple of years ago, un. He was brilliant for them and this season as well. Melvin Singh was doing well until he got called up and the way you all celebrated his goal was brilliant as well. He's got a brilliant goal as well. How does Coach Yoshinaga apart from instilling fear in them, you know welcome them into the team? How does he adapt?
Speaker 3:Actually we have this season. We have a role model Hasasani, right, right. So Yoshinaga, they're all local players to be professional like Hasasani. Okay, just follow Hasasani, yes.
Speaker 1:Just follow him. That's the message. Yeah, yes, and anyway, how is? Because you've got a couple of local senior players in there and officials. You've got Hyrule, as well as the goalkeeper. Fadil Salim is the coach as well, so they've probably helped the local players assimilate as well right into the team. Yeah, Is he hard on the local players, Especially the young ones?
Speaker 2:The young ones? Yeah, he I think he's never happy with them. Yeah, he makes sure he tells them every day that this is not good enough. This is not good enough. You need to be better with it to to run more. You need to think more.
Speaker 1:So have you seen them improve?
Speaker 2:Of course you know, after like what? Eight months right. I think there must be improvement because, if there's no improvement there's no progress right. So I think one good example is Junkie. Yes when I first came, and Nikkie was playing.
Speaker 1:I didn't. I didn't know that he was Singaporean until late, late on, you know, and because he's got a Japanese name obviously yes, yes, and I think Shakti, shakti, like good example for Junkie.
Speaker 2:he was not playing when when Nikkie was around Right, so he was more of like because we can play one local right.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:So he was not in the first level, but he's one player, young player, that doesn't talk much, very quiet.
Speaker 1:Junkie, you mean Junkie? Yes, doesn't talk much, but he speaks the language.
Speaker 2:No, Probably he understands.
Speaker 3:He can understand, but he can't speak Chinese. Yeah, right, right, right.
Speaker 2:So when Nikkie left for national service, I think he stepped up and and and we see the improvement there after game by game, and he improves.
Speaker 1:And he's been starting all the games anyway, right, rightly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but one good thing about him he has these defensive qualities in him which other players, other local players, they don't have, right, so that is one advantage he has. So so I hope that, moving forward, I hope he will give, or he will be given, a possibility to represent Singapore, right, right right and, and I think mentally as well, I think they're a little bit stronger than our local boys.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, mentally, yeah.
Speaker 2:When you play with Japanese players, you have you tend to, you know, improve on your mental side as well.
Speaker 1:So what's the plan, hiroki, for the Singapore Cup?
Speaker 3:Singapore Cup. Cup as a club. Yeah, as a club. What's the plan to win it all? Tomorrow is the draw, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, tomorrow is the draw, yes of the Singapore Cup. So the plan is obviously to win it right. Yeah, yeah and and very confident of it is Coach Yoshinaga very confident.
Speaker 3:Actually, from Yoshinaga's perspective, he forced to get Singapore Cup title as well. It's at least level.
Speaker 1:Oh, at least. Oh, okay, to get all titles this season. Okay, and looking good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, looking good. And also we have two weeks' day off for vacation terms and I was Japanese player going back to Japan and take rest a bit, right, and coming back to here as a refresh, nice, nice.
Speaker 1:I want to ask you as well about Yoshinaga. Does he have plans, maybe in the next five years or so, I don't know To coach the Singapore side? I don't know. This is an idea that I feel that could be a good one, you know, because he knows the players, he knows the culture now by now, he knows the do's and don'ts, he knows what the players do. You think that's a chance Any time soon.
Speaker 3:He hasn't decided the future, but as a coach, his goal is to stay on the pitch and keep challenging. He really likes to contract with players on the pitch it doesn't matter Singaporean or Japanese players. And he hasn't decided to stay here or go to another country.
Speaker 1:But he likes.
Speaker 3:Singapore. Yeah right, he really likes Singapore as a country and also football, singapore SPL League, and he's in Japan now For two weeks. Yeah, for two weeks he's consulting with his family.
Speaker 1:What do you think, azan, for the Singapore national side? No, obviously I don't want to burn bridges or whatever, but obviously you've got a coach right now, but I'm talking about in the future, maybe in two, three years, I don't know. Do you think he would be a good?
Speaker 2:fit For someone who knows the local culture, ns issues, school issues? I think he is, if you talk about a foreign coach.
Speaker 2:I think he knows it all. Yes, and, like I said, it's not easy when you have a team of youngsters and who say national service in school. I think you know the commitment they have. They have to balance both national service or school and football. So I think he understands it well. I think he goes through quite a lot Because it's quite difficult for him to manage Because we have probably 7 to 8 young local players who are in school.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And it's difficult because we don't know whether they are coming tomorrow or not for tomorrow's training session.
Speaker 1:It's tough isn't it.
Speaker 2:It's tough, it's tough to plan. So sometimes last minute, they say oh, I have a class, I have to stay back for a day for that. And he needs to change his training plan. So it's quite difficult to understand the coaches over here.
Speaker 1:Even the local team. It's ridiculous. You don't know who is coming for the training.
Speaker 2:Sometimes, when you see under 21 players, you only have probably less than 7, less than 8. Because of school you cannot attend. So it's quite difficult, but I think for a foreign coach he manages well.
Speaker 1:Nice. Now, before we go, before we leave, I just want to have a couple of questions to each of you and just answer off your head, and anyway, these questions are coming off my head as well. I haven't written anything and I'm just going to sum it up Right About the club and about players, and, well, hiroki, the most skillful player at the club.
Speaker 3:Skillful player in the club, obviously local player. Really like number 9, liku Fukashiro his dribbler Right.
Speaker 1:How about you, Hassan?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm talking about Albrecht Riku Riku, the most skillful, I think, from the outside people can tell as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to me, riku Right.
Speaker 1:Okay, the most versatile player. That means he can play in many positions. Hassan.
Speaker 2:Number 6, Asahi.
Speaker 1:Number 6, Yoko Kawah.
Speaker 2:Sorry, I know from their names because of the commentary.
Speaker 3:Yourself Sorry.
Speaker 1:The player. He can play in many positions, many positions.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I have to say Asahi.
Speaker 1:Asahi as well, yeah.
Speaker 3:Number 7, shuto Komaki Komaki. Yeah, okay, he can play four. Yeah, he's brilliant man.
Speaker 1:Brilliant, okay, the most hardworking player.
Speaker 2:To me, number 14, Shodai Yoko Kawah, Shodai he.
Speaker 1:Sorry, Yoko Yama Yoko.
Speaker 2:Yama, outstanding, outstanding, probably his last player to leave.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Yes, he will make sure he improves on a certain level, every single day.
Speaker 1:And now I know why. Because you just look at his performances on the field. He's just like a dynamo going. See, when he springs, man, he springs, his face will look up and that's what he does every single session, even minus one man.
Speaker 2:When you say sometimes I get the ball from Komaki for high ball, I just play Because I just want to practice. Yeah, right, right, right, for out of nowhere he will spring.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I say, relax, we have a game tomorrow, but that's why?
Speaker 2:I know that when you do that to make sure that when you do it during match days, it will be easier for you.
Speaker 1:The most you gonna give him magical magic. Worst dress in the club. Worst dress player in the club.
Speaker 2:Japanese or.
Speaker 1:Japanese, Japanese.
Speaker 2:Worst dress Maybe.
Speaker 3:What is?
Speaker 1:the last dress, worst dress, fashion.
Speaker 2:No fashion. Yeah who, If local, I say Allah or Hyrule.
Speaker 1:He is sloppy. Okay, I think we'll take him as a Japanese now, because he's been there for ages, Okay. Allah, you are officially the worst dress player at Albrecht. The best dress.
Speaker 2:Maybe, To meet Asahi.
Speaker 1:Asahi.
Speaker 2:Also why? What does he? He has this skater-like fashion.
Speaker 1:The cool type.
Speaker 2:He's into vans and stuff the cool. So you know, because they don't do much right.
Speaker 1:Every single day, it's all about training session.
Speaker 2:Football, everything, but sometimes Asahi comes and he's going to some skating session after that.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I think the player who eats the most Goji, who's Goji Godzilla Number what? Number five Number five is Kishi or Kishi.
Speaker 3:Moto Kishi.
Speaker 1:Moto.
Speaker 2:Kishi Moto he eats a lot, I think we had to monitor him for a bit, because when he first came he was at a certain weight. Ah, so I think Coach Yoshi was the first one to highlight this. Easy, he had to run every session after training session.
Speaker 1:Okay, this is also another example. Right, you've got to maintain a certain I don't know right, and that's what I feel that the local teams and local players should do as well. You know that the weight part, I think you've seen the sport, is important.
Speaker 2:How you carry yourself on the field.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:And, of course, off the field. Whatever you do off the field reflects what you do on the field, exactly, and I think that was one thing that was being highlighted by Coach Yoshi Naga. Okay, so I think the Japanese players understand.
Speaker 1:And how good is Tadena Rili to play with someone of his stature and caliber, and you know the experienced man.
Speaker 2:He has this fine and class when he gets the ball?
Speaker 1:Is there an air of arrogance as well? Like the?
Speaker 2:way.
Speaker 1:No, not as in personality, but the way he plays.
Speaker 2:You see, when I first came and I was my sitting position just across and when he sits left and right, when you say Japanese players, they just stand up and walk away Because that's the level of respect they have for him. They don't want to be next sitting, next to him it's more like respect. Lisa. Lisa is in brother, right, lisa, they say so. They just walk. Probably take two to three steps away. So till now they don't even dare to speak anything to him.
Speaker 1:Till now, yeah, no. So does he have friends or not? He?
Speaker 2:speaks to everyone, especially to me, but the level of respect the players have for him is just incredible. Make out the voice.
Speaker 3:Make out the voice every day.
Speaker 1:And okay, who's the biggest joker, who makes a lot of jokes in the dressing room? Make people laugh. Besides Alaw Shoudai, who's Shoudai Sotam Show?
Speaker 3:Shoudai also Shofu, shofu.
Speaker 1:Left back Koki Kawachi.
Speaker 3:They're very funny, fodio Saling.
Speaker 2:Fodio is always funny. Good thing he draws the line when it's time to play. Play when something's wrong Brilliant.
Speaker 1:I wanted to ask you, hassan, and this could be a little bit sensitive, but I'm just going to ask you anyway Last year, at the end of the season, you were released. Were you released?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You were released and this season you won the league with Albrecht. How does it feel? Is there satisfaction? Because I don't know Seriously and I'm not saying this because you're here, I've been saying this on commentary as well you, at the present moment, you are still the best goalkeeper in Singapore. I don't know how many foreign goalkeepers are there in Singapore, anyway, so you're the best.
Speaker 2:Do you think, firstly, it was the wrong decision to let you go, and how does it feel overall, in general, that you won it and it's like a I was a bit skeptical at first when I talked about this, but I think now it's not a time to open up, but I think it's time to just share.
Speaker 1:By the way, this wasn't planned. Yeah, right.
Speaker 2:So I think I was supposed to stay in the club line stay sellers. But there was a turn of events Midway, I know, end of the season and I heard H factor was all about H factor. But and then when we played them in Juno East, we won, I think, our second game right, we won 3-0 4-0. Yeah, I think that was one game that I felt so relieved.
Speaker 1:He was a clean sheet as well.
Speaker 2:Yes, because they told me that about my age and then and here I am like you know we won 4-0 and it was like it was like a cup final for us, of course, for me as well, when you play against your old club who suddenly tell you you're not needed anymore and you're finished, and having won the title ahead of them, if you know they spend so much, look at the quality. They have to be honest. Look at the quality Max have and Diego, and you have Diego Max, you have Kodai, you have Shawal, all that players and and we have probably less unknown players and the youngest players as well.
Speaker 2:Yes, Of course, and and we won a title. It was like I don't need to tell people a, you know, I know it's better here than there. But people came to me and said, oh, you won. And of course they don't want Lainz to say let's win, as much as I don't want them to win. As well because that's not. It's not much of a hatred, it's a professional reason, right? Because oh, you don't mean, okay, probably they are lost someone else again. So I had to do my part first.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have to know.
Speaker 2:I Know I I kept quiet for so many months, yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't, I don't think you open up at all.
Speaker 2:Yes, no, no, never. So is this the first time? Probably this is my first time. I'm so glad and honored man, but I feel because, because, why the reason why? Because most of the people, most of the fans, they thought that I left. And they thought I'm a traitor, you know.
Speaker 1:I left the club for arrival right club, so it's not what it is. And then and I feel that people have to know this, and I was being released- yeah, wonderful, you heard it first, I think, and anywhere on social media or anything like that. So, yeah, so it's been a wonderful season for yourself personally, for the club and and any last words you know from Albrecht's, a message from Albrecht's, your to the fans of Albrecht's, or whatever. You want to say something, hiroki.
Speaker 3:Thank you for your Passionate support for this season. But we have also, of course, we have Singapore Cup as well, and I'm looking forward to 16th September, final match at Juin's. We can celebrate it's a together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I spent, I thought together who you're playing again, how go, how go and and you know to all the fans Albrecht's fans die hard fans, and local and foreign fans, it doesn't matter come on down to support you guys at Jurong East stadium. Right, the game. Yeah, come on, guys, a home game as well. So to come on down and support the guys and you guys are gonna officially lift the club, the cup, brilliant and Hassan. Any last words?
Speaker 2:I think we only halfway through the season, half halfway through the year. I think that was the message passed across by coach because, Half the season yeah another half is a Singapore Cup. So we completed half the season, we aced it and now we have to focus on the next one. Having said that, we need all the support we can get from the fans. I think they Were being tremendous. You know game, every single game, especially home game.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I think when you see Jurong East Stadium now, it's always full when you play home games, so it's nice to have them supporting us, especially when you and when we play big teams right and, of course, going into Singapore Cup. We need their support as well, so I hope the fence will continue to come down and support us.
Speaker 1:Listen, spoken like a true professional, because coach Yoshinaga says it's only halfway, is half Half the half the job done, so exactly, and then I can understand and I can, you know, feel him, and he says that as well. Right, and please send my regards to coach Yoshinaga. Thank you for his answers as well. I think he's helped out with the answers. So have a great holiday. For next, what two weeks, a mini break, love, basically it's not a full-on.
Speaker 2:I don't know what's going on for national team. So if I'll, be part of it. Monday we start our first during session. It's not out yet, yeah no, I just wait for the squad to announce and listen.
Speaker 1:if you're not in the squad, then something's wrong, that's how I stay, you know, motivated.
Speaker 2:Make sure I will never be there, because it's how I work towards it.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, sorry. By the way, hasan, if you want to, you want to tell us where is your, your new stall, gonna be at it'll be great.
Speaker 2:I think today is the second day I'm operating. I've been busy recently yeah yeah, so it's at block 144, tampon in Street 12.
Speaker 1:Okay, it's just a small coffee shop. It's really small space, but I Hope the name of the place still the same right.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes. So yes, small place, small shop. I hope you would then speak yeah, great.
Speaker 1:Wish you all the best, wish Albrecht's all the best for the rest of the season. Halfway done, half job done, go out there and then just just do your thing, guys. Thank you, hiroki, thanks for coming down. Thanks, hasan. As usual, my pleasure. This has been a wonderful episode, you know, getting some insights into Albrecht's and their mentality and their championship winning season. It has been an absolutely brilliant episode. Thanks to the guys, and please follow us. We are out on YouTube, spotify, apple podcast. The works right. So till the next episode, we see you again. Cheers, hey.