The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
Football Talk SPL Preview - Lion City Sailors FC - Head Coach, Aleksandar Rankovic
The 2024/25 Singapore Premier League season preview with Lion City Sailors FC. Head Coach of the Sailors, Aleksandar Rankovic, joins me as we preview the club, who in many fans’ eyes, are the firm favourites for the SPL title this season.
All hands on deck as the Sailors gear up to meet their rivals this season. Aleks speaks about his confidence in his present local players and of course their international stars lighting up the pitch as the Sailor's foreign legion. From Toni Datkovic's defensive steel to Sergio Carmona's Spanish finesse and of course former PSV star, Bart Ramselaar, these are not just game-changers on the field but catalysts for unity in the locker room.
The Sailors believe they have found the blueprint for a season of domestic dominance and aspirations to leave a mark on the Asian Champions League 2 stage.
Lets Go!
Hi, we are back on the Silver Fox Hustle podcast, the football talk episode. This is the SPL preview. Before we start and kick on, please click on the follow button. We are everywhere on Apple Podcasts, spotify and YouTube. Click on the subscribe button. Well, today in the house is the head coach of the LCS, the Lion City Sailors, one of the favourites, I have got to say. They are the favourites, in my opinion, in the SPL. Mr Alexander Rankovic, welcome to the podcast. Thank you very much. I'm happy to be here. Can I call you Alex Of?
Speaker 2:course.
Speaker 1:Alex, before we start, obviously we know that you're away on a pre-season tour and all, but I want to ask you this you came and joined the LCS in June last year, in 2023. When you first came in and when you stepped on our shores, what was your opinion on the football landscape? Like you know just from someone looking in from the outside- yeah, you're correct.
Speaker 2:I came in June last year, I think. To be precise, I think 19 June I landed in Singapore. Yeah, the first impression was, if you talk about football, obviously I mean I don't want to compare it with Europe because it's not fair to do that. It's a very competitive competition, I think. Only thing that is different, maybe comparing to Europe, it's if I look at the infrastructure like the stadiums and the fields, they are different, but I have to say I mean I don't want to talk about Lion City sailors but.
Speaker 1:If.
Speaker 2:I look at the other clubs. I see a lot of potential man. I mean, I was very, very surprised in a positive way, yeah there's some other teams. How they play, the way they I don't know how they train, but the way they look on the field. I thought it was like okay, this is, this is pretty decent right, right, nice, nice.
Speaker 1:On the field, I thought it was like, okay, this is pretty decent, right, right, nice, nice. You know, and coming from you as well, alex, you played in the league sorry, in the Dutch league as well and coached there as well. And coming from you, I think that's a great compliment to Singapore football. Now, before we kick on for the season itself the preview for the season let's go back a little bit. We do a little bit of a preview of last season or, sorry, a review of last season.
Speaker 1:And obviously, you came in in june and you took the team from then on. Uh, you guys finished second. Uh, you guys got 79 goals in total, also considered 39 goals. You guys won 17, drew three and lost four. I'm just reading out the stats here. Right, uh, you won the singapore cup as well. Uh, in the acl, you beat the likes of hong kong sketchy and junebook hyundai by two goals, to nail as well. How, in the ACL, you beat the likes of Hong Kong's Kitchy and Jumbo Hyundai by two goals, to nail as well. How would you sum up last season? We talk about the league season itself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for me the difference between this beginning of this season and last season is, when I came it was already the season was already in yeah was already, the season was already in.
Speaker 2:Yeah was already, everybody was playing. So I didn't have much time to like, settle, like in that matter, because you don't have a preseason. So I had to find a solution. How can we play the way I want to play, as fast as possible? So that was my main goal, right? So that was my main goal, right. And I have to say honestly, we had, like I think we lost two matches in our all time when I was there.
Speaker 2:I think, that was DPMM home when we played with the 10 men and Albirex. I think, albirex, we met just a little bit too soon. Okay, because it was like I think three, four weeks before I came, right After I came, sorry, and the rest we didn't lose any matches. So if you ask me about that, I was very, very happy. I mean, we were on the number three spot, third place.
Speaker 1:I think when.
Speaker 2:I came and we finished second, which was actually the main goal, because otherwise we wouldn't play in the Champions League this season, and of course, the winning of the cup was, for me, was the cherry on the top, of course.
Speaker 1:Nice, nice, just a little bit. I just want to touch on the thing that you said that you tried to find a solution and probably tried to play, obviously to your liking. What was it that you wanted to find a solution to? If you can just elaborate, yeah, the solution.
Speaker 2:I mean, every coach has some way of playing or some way of training. Let's say so to implement that in a very fast pace. Yeah, you have to simplify things you know I mean I can come there and make some fancy training, you know, and try to make everything complicated, but that was not the moment to do it, so I just focus on three four main goals you know like, and try to make everything complicated, but that was not the moment to do it, so I just focused on three, four like main goals.
Speaker 2:You know like okay how are we going to attack, how are we going to press, how are we going to transition and how are we going to defend? So, like on those four things and try to implement and, of course, the way the team played before me. I have to say it was a little bit similar, not the same but a little bit similar. So I pick up from that. So I didn't want to change a lot.
Speaker 1:Nice, nice. And you know, I think I understand as well, coming from the coach's point of view and coming in halfway, because I did this before way back. You know, when I was coaching and you got to really find that line. You, you got to really find that line. You can't just come in and then make wholesale changes, you know, and it's kind of like a no-no, you know, especially when the players, you know, they look at you and you say you know, you can't just go in there and change the whole thing straight away. And I get what you said. And what was the most disappointing part about last season?
Speaker 2:Actually for me. For me, the two most disappointing parts was the Albrecht game. That we lost. I think if we won that game and we were 1-0 up, so that was really disappointing, then maybe I'm not saying that we will be a champion, but maybe we will have still a shot and put a little bit more pressure on them, because the gap was at that moment too big.
Speaker 2:And for me, the second disappointment was the last game in the Champions League. So that's really like yeah, because I have to say in the Champions League every game we played really competitive. I mean even the game that we lost against John Book out, considering that I had players, my national players traveling like three days before that like 24 hours.
Speaker 2:And then seven hours to John Book. I mean I won't look to find excuses before that, like 24 hours, yes, and then seven hours to to, to, to to John Book. I mean I won't look to find excuses for that, but I I thought it's going to be a difficult game. But the last game against Kitchy Home that was, I was a little bit disappointed the way we presented ourselves, because then we were really like not on our level.
Speaker 1:Right, right, like not on our level, right, right, wonderful, that's. That's already been a great start. Now we talked about last season. You know what disappointed you and stuff like that. Let's move on to this season, right? I think that's what we're here for. This is your first full season, you know. I think that's fair to say. You know, you, you, I would say that you've gotten all the plays that you wanted. You know, basically, and and you've seen the players and whatnot what was your main priority for this season in terms of, you know, strengthening the side?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean obviously we'll release a couple of good players from the last season, and that's normal in every club, I mean in the world. You have to refresh your group, and that's normal. And refresh your group, and that's that's normal, and I mean for, for all kind of reasons, I mean right. So the guys that we brought in, uh, I mean in terms of character and and, of course, quality, uh, what kind of quality the players have? I think we we stranded our, our team and on those spots that we wanted, you know, like if you look, for example, uh left behind right central defender.
Speaker 2:We brought back uh song. Yeah, that's, I have to say honestly. He was my first one, uh priority yeah, yeah yeah, I really like him as a player because I watched him so many times, also also in a national team, but also before okay, uh, he played for ellis, uh, lions and sailorsors. So I think we try to to find that balance. You know, like uh character, working hard, guys that work hard and and also obviously they have to have quality up tactical side as well.
Speaker 1:right, I just want to ask you and and probably it's, it's my opinion maybe Was there a little problem in the central of defense last season, or is it just because Tony Dutkovich is in and we'll talk about him later a little bit Did you want to really strengthen that middle portion of defense?
Speaker 2:Yes, I mean we were looking for the left central defender for a long time. I mean, we had last season Pedro, but with him I mean we couldn't register him for national competition and also he came from the long term injury so we were always I don't want to say weak, but we were always a little bit exposed on that side you know. So that was our main priority to try to find the left central defender, and I think in Tony we have a really, really good one.
Speaker 1:Right, brilliant, and we are going to talk a little bit about Datkovic a little bit later on. Let's talk a little bit about the local players right in the side. Now, I've looked through the list. Probably the only player that you've gotten who is a local technically is Song, because he's local, by the way, and you really haven't gotten new local players. You know, and we've looked at other clubs Ballestiers and Albrechts and all these other clubs. You know, the local players are like a merry-go-round, right. They just go around from club to club. It looks like, alex, you are pretty happy with your local players in the side, is that right? Or did you just have a look at a couple of players that you wanted? But you, you know, things weren't right no, but listen, we always look at the players.
Speaker 2:I mean I'm not going to lie about it. I mean we look all over, especially in our competition, and if we would find somebody who can strengthen us, let's say you shouldn't bring somebody just to bring you know, you have to bring somebody that should be at the same or maybe even a higher level that you already have. And, honestly, the players that I have, the local players, I'm very satisfied.
Speaker 1:I mean I'm very happy with them.
Speaker 2:We have the most players in the national team, so that says a lot. So, if there's something comes out, who knows? But till now I don't think we will bring somebody.
Speaker 1:I want to ask you a question, probably put you in the spot, a little bit about the local players, right? Uh, who you? You cannot name one I I know coaches don't like to name players, you know, you know, explicitly like that. But who have you been impressed with at the side? The local players like, like in terms of the you know and everything that, the playing part, the character and everything who impresses you.
Speaker 2:For me the number one is Haris. Yeah, yes, no doubt he's the guy that when I came, you know, like he's, of course, an experienced player. He played a lot everywhere, you know and have that baggage with him, you know. But the way he trains, the way he interacts with the group, with the staff, I mean honestly I have to say maybe one of the best captains I ever had. Man, I have to say that, of the best captains I ever had, man, I have to say that and I had him a lot so it's a guy that brings always 100% on the table and he's always there to protect the group.
Speaker 1:So that's the real captain for me, wow, that speaks volumes about Haris, and you know I've done interviews with him as well and I think you're absolutely right. You know, absolutely right. Great player, but you know, I think, even as a better person as well, you know, I think, brilliant. Let's move on to our foreign players. Mr Alex, this, you know, I think, intrigues me as well. Let's start off with the player that we spoke about a little bit just now, tony Datkovic. He's 30 years old. He's years old, he's, uh, creation, he's a center back and he's left-footed, yes, so he brings a little bit of balance to the, the, the central defense area. Talk us through him a little bit. You know what's his strengths and and what can he give to the lcs this season yeah, tony is uh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's a full prof he's the guy who, who's, who's, uh, every training. Honestly, he's the guy that have to like really sometimes, like try to to, to, to put a little bit like back, you know, like a leash, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't want to say a leash, maybe it's a bad word, but he's that kind of guy, you know, otherwise he would go through the wall. So experienced player, played in many clubs in Spain, in Croatia, also had some appearances for the national team. Yeah, great character. I mean, like I said, we were not looking only for the quality of the players. Obviously they have to have quality, yeah, but what was I most interested about is the character, you know, because that's something that I have to say.
Speaker 1:I don't want to say we missed, but something that maybe was not present enough in our squad. I'm just looking at your squad. You've got some good options in that position haven't you.
Speaker 1:Even with the local players in there as well. We've got Lionel, we've got Tony, we've got Anu, who can play in that position. Haris can play in that position, bailey Wright he's there as well. So great options there. Let's talk about Sergio Camona. He's 19 years old, he's a Spanish left back, and listen, he looks good, he looks really good, you know. And what does he bring to the side?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's a typical Spanish player, you know Like good on the ball, sometimes taking a lot of risk where she shouldn't. But that's also his youth, I think a little bit.
Speaker 2:And yeah great kid, always, like I said, good character also. I can imagine that when you come like 18, 19 years old, all the way to Singapore alone, the first moments can be tough. So now he's a little bit adept. So for me I'm very happy to have him, and especially on that spot when we had only Chris. Now we have two good left backs that can fight for that spot.
Speaker 1:Nice. We can't talk about your foreigners without talking about this guy. Now right, bart Ramsla, and Dutch attacking midfielder, former Utrecht and PSV as well. You know lots of pedigree. You know, so to speak, what does he bring to LCS. And obviously we haven't even spoken about Maxime Lestienne as well. You know, and he has been the star for LCS a couple of seasons. How about Bart?
Speaker 2:Bart is. Listen, bart. I have to tell you honestly, when I first heard his name that maybe there's a consideration that he will come to Singapore. Honestly, I didn't believe it. I was like I don't think we can get him because that's the guy. Like you said, it's a lot of pedigree. He was in one moment considered one of the biggest talents in Holland, played for the national team at a very young age. I know Bart because I trained him at FC Utrecht the last club I was there.
Speaker 2:So for me it was like listen, if we can bring this guy, I mean don't hesitate at all. He's the guy who has the same great character. Great, don't hesitate at all. He's the guy has same great character, great, great personality, can play multiple positions, so he can play in front, he can play on midfield. The guy who's gonna give you a lot, of a lot of box to box running. He's a little bit similar to to Song maybe, but in a different way.
Speaker 1:Yep and you know I, I just just sidetracked a little bit, right, you said you didn't believe that you could get him. Come on, you're the LCS, you go out there and if you want to get somebody, get them, yeah but still, you know, I don't mean, it's very.
Speaker 2:I know what you're pointing out but still, it's not so easy. I'm actually kidding.
Speaker 1:I'm actually kidding, I'm just kidding. And listen, I think we've spoken about these players right, and these guys yeah, they're foreigners and what have you? You know in terms of quality as well. What do they bring in the dressing room? Because I think I spoke to the Albrechts coach as well and he kept on mentioning that the off the ball bit is as important as on the pitch. So do these guys come in with that role model kind of attitude as well?
Speaker 2:These guys Absolutely but, like I said I mentioned a couple of times, that's the main reason we brought them, not only for the skills, but also for the personality and character. And if you see all our foreigners, I mean the way they're, they're in the dressing room, the way they are with the local players, because I I hate like I had a lot of interviews before like they always like talking about, like try to divide that, you know, like local players, uh, foreign players, and I was always like yeah, why we don't?
Speaker 2:I don't know, that was always strange, because I was always like we don't see that at our club. I mean, in our club you don't really see that, because the group is really as one. I mean if you look at bailey barton. Whoever they are, I think they hang out more with the local players than with the foreigners. So so you're totally right, and I think albirex coach knows what he's talking about. It's very important.
Speaker 1:And as well as the willingness of them to actually, you know, join the local guys as well. I think that's very important. You don't get to see that a lot, but, yeah, it's them themselves what they bring to the table. I think that's very important. I want to just touch on a little bit about your style of play. You know, and you guys, last season, you guys switched sometimes from a four to a three at the back. You know, and I think, especially with the Champions League games, you know, you guys play with a three and obviously with a wingback sometimes. Right, is it a matter of this season? We're talking about this season going forward? Is it a matter of just sticking to your guns playing, no matter who you play against, or you're still going with? You know, just looking at the opponents. We take the ACL aside. You know, I think that's a different, different animal altogether. How about the league? Are you all? You know?
Speaker 2:no, I mean it's a fair question, it's a very good question and you're right, last year we we did switch to three, obviously, because when you play the Champions League, I mean as much as I wanted to play a little bit more attacking. It's not realistic, especially when you play against Dronbok and those kind of teams. But no, in our domestic competition, I think we always play the same, we always play 4-3-3. So that's the main system that we're going to play in, but the principles in every system are more or less the same.
Speaker 1:You can call it whatever you want when you put it on the board.
Speaker 2:But the principles are for me more important than really the system right, nice, nice, uh, I I again.
Speaker 1:Uh, I don't think you like to answer this question, but if you can, please do. Uh, we, we talk about the local players, right, is there any player that you think that's gonna? It's like kind of like a breakout season for them, like, like you know, these guys been training really well during this, uh, during the pre-season and all and and take away the harrises and all this, you know, is there any one player that you think might just do that?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's uh like you say, it's a very, it's a tricky question because I don't want to like, like, put somebody on spot, but yep. But I mean if, if something really taught me last season that everybody can be important.
Speaker 1:I mean.
Speaker 2:Luke Chaval, for example. I always call him he was my MVP of the season. Every time doesn't matter if he starts, if he comes from the bench, he delivers. So, yeah, if I can have somebody like that again I mean, of course, including him I would be very happy. I mean Song, obviously, I think he's going to be the one who's going to be the one of the players who's going to, let's say, pull that wagon. But yeah, I mean we have a squad that anybody can surprise you. I mean even Pasha came a couple of times last season and delivered. I mean Nathan the young guy came a couple of times last season and delivered. I mean Nathan the young guy.
Speaker 2:So that was our strength also, I think, last season, because we had a lot of guys from the bench that were coming in and our level didn't drop.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, fair enough. How has pre-season been? You just got back from Thailand, I believe. How was it as a whole your pre-season? How was it? Was Back from Thailand, I believe. How was it as a whole your pre-season? How was it? Was it a good outing for them? Because, you know, sometimes it's not only about the football, the tactical part and what, because obviously you're going to be working on that as well, but it's getting the team together, you know, going out on trips. I think that's important as well, very important.
Speaker 2:Very important. We had a really good preseason. Obviously, the first two weeks we couldn't use everybody because they were with the national team, but still we had a, I have to say, very tough preseason. We trained a lot. The load was really. We had a lot of double sessions. But I said also to them I never had a better group, and I really mean that because nobody was complaining, everybody was working hard and Thailand was excellent. Mean that because nobody was complaining, everybody was working hard and Thailand was excellent. We had great accommodations, good pitches, good hotels, so we also had a time, of course, to bond, so the guys could do something for themselves. But great, great pre-season, I mean.
Speaker 2:I think we are ready and we have this week to prepare for the game exactly.
Speaker 1:You got, by the way, albrechts for the charity shield. Alex, what can we expect from the LCS this season in general? You know, just looking forward and it's a long season, obviously you know it's into 2025 for the very first time here in Singapore. What can we expect from the LCS this season?
Speaker 2:First and most of, I think, why the people come to the stadium. That's something that I learned in Holland.
Speaker 2:A lot of entertainment so we have to entertain people, so that means we have to deliver good football, we have to score goals. But what I'm looking the most as a coach is consistency, and I don't mean only like in winning the games, but consistency in the manner that we play, you know, like the way we defend, the way we attack. I mean we were pretty good in that, but sometimes I had a feeling, like last season there were some games that we were not there for like 15 minutes and that cannot happen to the team like us, you know, you're going to sleep.
Speaker 2:No like yeah know you're going to sleep. No like yeah, you, just you, just like you just like yeah.
Speaker 1:But that's not only our problem I think a lot of teams here in singapore have that kind of problem. All the teams, yes. So I, I just want to ask you that this is just a personal question, right, because I do commentary on the games here in singapore, right, I, I, I I get angry sometimes when I, when I see this on the pitch right, defending from crosses.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I just feel that there are so many occasions when the closest man, who could be the right back, the left back, left midfield, right midfield, it doesn't matter who's the closest man to the man on the ball out wide, I think there are every opportunity to close the man on the ball to prevent the cross from coming in. But we don't do that, and it's not only, it's a general thing in Singapore, right, do you see that? And because when there's that gap for them to cross the ball and the cross comes in, it creates chaos and some teams can't defend from crosses and they allow the crosses to come in, right? So is that only me or is it just?
Speaker 2:No, you're right, You're right. I mean, that's not only at our team. I see that in every team in. Singapore. It can be also maybe the way they think about football. It's a lot of attacking football. That's why you see the scores here like 6-4, 5-3,.
Speaker 1:You know.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I don't know. I mean we work a lot on that. I mean defensive part of the game. It's something that we really needed to improve.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I hope we're going to satisfy you this season? No, no, it's just again. You know, when we talk about football, you see I digress and I start talking about other things besides you guys. Yeah, so before we go, Alex, another stupid question, I think, because anyway I'm asking all the other clubs the same question, right what are your goals for this season?
Speaker 2:Yeah, now I should tell you some politically correct questions, please, please. No man come on. I mean with our club club, the goals are very, very clear. I mean every season we have to win everything domestic and, let's be honest, and we should see, depending on the draw in Champions.
Speaker 1:League. Yeah, how far can we go?
Speaker 2:but domestically, I think we have to be yeah, I don't want to say immediately like the number one, but we have to be like the number one, but we have to be like the competitive team that's gonna yeah win the league.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's only right that you win. Not only right, but as in like, you gotta go for it, right yeah, of course.
Speaker 2:I mean yeah, that's normal just a little bit.
Speaker 1:The ACL, too. Are you guys thinking of maybe doing a little bit better from last season in terms of I I don't know points, uh, points, performance wise, you know, because obviously it's different now. You know it's the acl2, whatever you want to call it right. Uh, you guys want to do a little bit better. What's your expectations on that?
Speaker 2:yeah, of course I mean we want to we want to definitely improve there, as in terms of points of the whatever. But, like I said, first of all we have to look who we're going to draw.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course.
Speaker 2:I mean, if you look, it is ACL2, but you can still draw John Book yeah you're right, it's just like ACL1. Yeah, so, like I said, there are a lot of good teams there, right right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you know, thanks for coming down. Alexa, you go, you know, the crew. Is that right? Kenneth, it's the crew, right? They're called the crew. You know? I think in the past we've got a commentator who called them something else and they got murdered for it out on social media. Yeah, the crew. The fans of the LCS, right? Any message for them. I think they've been great. You know, following you guys everywhere and any message for them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they awesome and big thanks for them for the last season, and I just want to tell them I hope they're going to come in a big number, especially for the next game, and keep supporting us guys. We are going to do everything we can to not disappoint you.
Speaker 1:Alex, thank you so much for taking time off from your busy schedule and obviously you've got a game this weekend, a big one against Albrechts the defending champions, the league champions, that is, and good luck for the season. Obviously, we've got your ACL as well. It could be a distraction, it could not be, it doesn't matter, you know, just go for it and good luck again. Have a good season. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thanks for having me. That has been Alex Rankovic from the LCS, the head coach of LCS, and this has been the latest episode of Football Talk, the preview for the SPL. Till the next time we see you again. No-transcript.