The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
Silverfox Hustle Football Talk - Tsutomu Ogura, Singapore Head Coach
Tune in as I sit with Tsutomu Ogura, the Singapore National Football Head Coach.
Ogura is game as he answers questions on why he took up the Singapore job, pressure & expectations, player selection, the challenge of assembling the best players for the coming ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup etc.
In the short time with Ogura, its clear that there is a willingness to share his knowledge with players and also coaches. He places tremendous emphasis on the abilty to go out onto the pitch and being brave. He also believes in maintaining a strong attitude and work ethic, regardless of the scoreline. All these and more.
Enjoy!
Hello, this is the Silver Fox Hustle podcast and this is the football episodes, or football talk episodes, with the podcast and I'm your host, shasi. And before we go on with today's episode, please click on the follow button, subscribe button. We are on Spotify, we're on YouTube as well, apple Podcasts and every podcast platforms that you can think of, so please share the love with your friends and family. Now today on the podcast is a special one because we have the Singapore National Football Head Coach in the house and I'm so glad that he's been or he's here to speak to me about the national team and football in general. Now, welcome to the podcast, mr Sutomo Ogura. Hello, nice to meet you, very nice to meet you too, coach Ogura. I want to say, before we talk about football and everything else, how has Singapore been for you over the past few months? The culture, the people, the food, maybe you know how have you adapted to Singapore?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so actually. So I like Singapore food very much like laksa or like bak kut teh. I like it very much. People are very kind, so like I'm very enjoyed working here a few months.
Speaker 1:Is this your first time in Singapore, or you come here before? No, no.
Speaker 2:I come to a few times so I barely remember it. 2006, so under AFC championship under 17. So championship. I'm national coach for assistant coach. Under 16, we play against like Haris Haroon, it's like a good generation under 16 Singapore team.
Speaker 1:We play against Doro against one, right, right, I remember that game as well. Yeah, coach Ogura, before we talk about Singapore and everything right, have you been watching the Olympics with the? Have you been following the Olympics with the Japanese team?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I following but so I couldn't see watching the whole game. I don't know how to watching but I'm watching so only for just digest, or I read newspaper or like internet, so I cannot whole game difficult. I chase catch up but it's difficult to watching.
Speaker 1:Moose, you gotta help him out. Man Moose, help him out with a me watch please. Coach Ogura, before we move on, I want to say thank you for being here first of all, to be speaking with me, and I think it's a great pleasure to have you in. You came to Singapore with a lot of loads of experience with your club football in Japan, with the Japan national team assistant coach as well. I want to ask you this why Singapore?
Speaker 2:yeah, okay. So for me it's life is challenging for always. So, okay, before I was assistant coach for Verdi. Verdi, it's promotion, it's like first division. Then it's offer is coming from Singapore, then I want yes. Then it's, it's Ophok is coming from Singapore then I want to challenge. Then it's like share to the Singapore, football is lecture, or like how to think about this. I want to try to my challenge to come in the Singapore.
Speaker 1:Right, right, so you are taking it as a challenge for yourself to come to Singapore and to prove yourself and, by the way, coach Ogura is a former assistant coach of Tokyo Verde and, besides being the assistant coach for the Japan national team as well, and he was also the sporting director of Yokohama Marinos from 2018 to 2021. So you chose Singapore as a challenge, right? And was there something in your mind already your expectations of Singapore football before you come to Singapore?
Speaker 2:Oh, I don't know so much information about Singapore, but I knew an extra play-based coach, a Japanese coach in the national team, then a few players played for SPL club, then many Japanese players played for Singapore Premier League. This is thing I know is like SPL, it's Singapore information.
Speaker 1:Right, right. So whatever information you came came from these Japanese players. I want to ask you about this right, do you know that you talk about challenging yourself? Right, you want to challenge yourself. Right, do you know that you talk about challenging yourself? Right, you want to challenge yourself in Singapore? Do you know that there was going to be real pressure on yourself to achieve something in Singapore? Did you know that there was already pressure from, I don't know, from the fans, from the journalists maybe, and you know, people in general about the pressure in Singapore?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but so and the pressure is like. Japan also is the same.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So the football as well. It's all over the world same. It's like I don't know it's EPL, it's Bundesliga, it's get more pressure. It's more Christian, more Christian, all those things. It's more than here. I don't know. It's like in the football world it's every country.
Speaker 1:It's the same so you've been in Singapore for a couple of months already right, a few months already. Have you felt the pressure yet?
Speaker 2:yeah, but so it's like pressure, it's like enjoy. So if, like, we are changed for some energy for like get the pressure, we are changed for some energy for like get pleasure, but this is keeping for energy, then so we are shared to like challenging field. It's like sometimes it's a get pleasure, but pleasure is enjoy.
Speaker 1:It's same like pleasure, right right and I understand what you're trying to say, because I think in any way, you wanted to challenge yourself as well in Singapore and I think in any way you wanted to challenge yourself as well in Singapore, and I think it comes. The pressure will come from yourself as well, not from people outside, and I understand that part. Now, what are the goals or objectives set out for you, coach Ogurath, by the FA Like? What are the targets?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's. My target is like Singapore, if possible, to like own structure. It's like Singapore way. It's like Singapore football. I want to help, not only me, so like assistant coach, medical staff, all those things. It's like how to properly professional way. It's also very important. It's like working for attitude. All those things then we are try to like be high ambition or like this right, it's also I want to provide or something. Then I contribute in the Singapore football.
Speaker 1:It's like so are there any goals that you set for yourself? Coach Ogura, you know, I know the FAS has set a couple of goals for you, but is there any goals that you set for yourself that you want to achieve here in Singapore?
Speaker 2:Yes. So for me it's like I don't know how many years I stay or not, but when I live in Singapore, if people say it's something to put on in the Singapore football, it's augurally. But it's something here. I don't want it like some people. It go away, everything go away. It's not good. Then why so I work together with local coach or local people, together with like communication. It's like this Because if I leave, then somebody come, but it's nothing to happen, but so something. So put on something good legacy here to Singapore.
Speaker 1:It's a good thing you said that, because I understand what you're trying to say. So people at home, you're watching, you're listening to this. What coach Ogura is saying is he can stay here for 2, 3, 4, it doesn't matter. When he leaves, something must be left behind a legacy, for example and not throw everything away, whatever that he's worked on, and I think that's what he's trying to say. You are also overseeing the under-22s, the national team. Are you also overseeing the 21s? Yes, so how has that been? How is the team so far?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's now. So we are looking for new talented player of course it's YL, it's like it's new talented player, but so I'm looking for still. It's another player. Also it's another SPL team. It's a very good team. Okay, today it's under 21 league, but I'm watching the under 21 league, so watching not only SPL, so I'm looking for some younger, talented players.
Speaker 1:I want to talk about the standards of the players in a while, but before that, I think you spoke about how long you are in Singapore, or whatever. I think you're on a two-year contract. I think right. Do you think two years is a short time?
Speaker 2:No, a very short time to change something yeah, but so we, I try to our best. It's like how many years, how many months, is that a matter? If I stay in here, I try to best. So I want to try to something, to not wait. So if I feel to change something, I do to my best now, not later. It's meaningful like two years, it's a half year, it's three years, it doesn't matter. It's like time is short, but time is long. This is something feeling for myself.
Speaker 1:You want to make use of whatever time you have here in Singapore, right? When you first came to Singapore, right, and I know you've been going to clubs, all the SPL clubs in Singapore you know, one by one and speaking to coaches and looking at the training, what were your first impressions of the training of the local coaches here in Singapore? What was your impression?
Speaker 2:So of course it's Gavin Lee also, and Na'ali also like Marco. It's like Pero many is a SPL coach. So everyone is a good motivation in how to training. It's, I think, very good. So I think it's a very potential. It's like coaching. It's like everyone wants to improve. Every visit to the training session, then before game, I talk a little bit to the coaches, then the coaches also very frankly talking. For me it's very good information from them.
Speaker 1:You talk about the coaches. How about the players? I mean, you see them in training and the coaches taking them during training sessions with the clubs, right? What were your impressions of the players?
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay. So they are very potential players, not only so an expert player, it's an overseas player, of course. So they have a good attitude, good try to making new challenges, all those things. But sometimes they are mistakes, but not mistakes. Mistakes it's every time it happens. Football is a mistake, so for me it's important if something happens to a mistake, it's like recovery power. We told it recovery power meaning it's immediately quickly transition, all those things. This is a habit. So this is in the training, in the game, not only national team, it's SPL also.
Speaker 1:Same right right. You talk about players who are playing overseas. You know playing for the national team as well. I think the SPL clubs and the standard of the league has to be better and then it can provide the national team with good players. Do you think our players need to go?
Speaker 2:overseas, yeah, but it's important, it's okay. Overseas is a good experience, it's like as a player. So important is how many games they are joined, so how many choose which kind of team they are choice. It's very important. It's younger players, especially Younger players. It's a younger generation. It's very important. It's younger players, especially younger players. It's a younger generation. It's they play properly time in every week. It's very important. It's okay. They are play. It's like training is very properly, a very good attitude, all those things. But if weekend they cannot join the game, it's very difficult for improvement.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I understand what you're trying to say. It's no point training every week in an overseas league, but then you don't get a chance to play as well. Playing time is very important, and that's what Coach Ogura is saying as well. Coach Ogura, I want to ask you this very important question. I hope you can be very honest with me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I hope so. It depends on the question.
Speaker 1:I hope so too. Right, okay, you have been here for a couple of months, right? In your opinion, what needs to change in our football, our mentality, our attitude, our the physical part, tactical part, what is it that we need to change? Because at the moment, we are struggling? Right, when we go and play against, I don't know, thailand and all these big, big teams, we struggle. Why is it? Why is that so?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's. I think it's like we need to approach not only players, so we also try to the coaches also, try to players. It's like more like challenging is a spirit, then our coaches also. It's same like players, we are challenging sometimes so we are losing game, or like sometimes it's same like player, right, we are challenging sometimes so we are losing game, or like sometimes it's not good game, but we try to own concept Right. So we have also Japan. No, it's like Singapore. It's like national team has concept, each club has each concept. Okay, so it's like not only same, but it's different concept. It must be. It like continue, it's very important sometimes, win or loss it's, but continue.
Speaker 1:It's like a player, it's getting confidence right, then also player, it's believing in ourself, right it's more right it's very important in national team also are you trying to say about the process, as in, the players, trusting the process and obviously trusting the process and obviously trusting the coach and doing following the concept. Is that what you're trying to say? Yeah, right, and, but in terms of tactical part of things, do you think our players are not ready sometimes, especially when you go play in the national team playing against very good, very good teams, very strong, strong teams, right? Do you think we are a little bit weak?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it's a feeling, it's a play if strong opponent if we are skilled. I think there's no chance If no skill. We challenging, we try. It's like, for example, like second half of China.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:For like first game they are leading, but we are not scared, we are go, try, try, try. Then it's okay, maybe lucky goal. But they are changing rhythm, intangible atmosphere, then they are making our pace. But if we lose a goal, it's continue, it's goal in goal, it's no good. This is for like, if one goal mistake, it's okay, no problem. So we are like composure, then it's play normal, then our pace is coming right, right but this is so like experience.
Speaker 2:It's like okay, it's not only mentality, not only physically, it's like how to like leading the game right this is also very important.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, you're right and I think mentally as well. I think it's very important that the players are switched on all the time. You played in the the qualifiers, right? You talk about China, the two games and all in your. In your opinion, how do you think were the results and the performance? I think it's very important that we talk about the performances as well. What do you think about the results and the performance in the qualifiers so far?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's okay. So result is so. One result is no win. This is for responsibility. It's to me not only player, it's no coaching staff. Result always is responsibility. It's like head coach. This I understand. Then for me it's like watching the game for review. This is for like next call up in the player. It's September. We are preparation for always after the game. We review, Then preview also do so, I think, if okay result is coming. But so we are not losing in our concept. We are always the same, but the difference may be approached, but its concept is not changing.
Speaker 1:Right, right, Can I ask you what is the national team's concept under you, under Ogura?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like so for me, for example. I say it's like I say to always the player it's challenge is very important. Challenge is many things, not only the offensive. Offensive is challenge. Maybe it's one against one, it's like beating, or this is challenge. But in the defending also, we are not scared to back road, we go to front. If possible to go to the front, either. Taking ball, it's like straight away, we are scoring goal. This is also challenge. We have many challenge. It's like a straight way either. Uh, we are scoring goal, right, this also challenge, right, we are many challenge. It's like this there.
Speaker 2:But if something mistake, immediately we are a transition also thing right this also is like uh first as possible right, right yeah this also challenge right, it's many challenge but so, uh, I cannot say it's one word, it's, but it's a, but player is challenge. Then maybe they are understanding. It's one word, but player is a challenge. Maybe they are understanding If this happens, we are winning.
Speaker 1:There's too many challenges, right, yeah? And as a coach as well, I think it's very difficult to obviously stick to a concept and then, with the players that you have, it's a tough one. I want to ask you I like what I see, because I do commentary at the stadiums and I always see you watching games and taking notes of players and I think that's great, and I think what do you see in players when you pick them for the national team? Is it the tactics? Do you see them, whether they are comfortable on the ball? What is it that you look for when you are picking players for the national team? Maybe now for the next tournament, maybe yes.
Speaker 2:For example, for me it's like maintain, it's like what kind of points? So I was watching, for example, opponent, so we play. Is I watching focusing the team? They are leading the game. So like 3-0 4-0.
Speaker 2:It's easy game how they are playing for me is very interesting. They are ok 3-4-0, no need to chasing ball or no need or like hard work. For me it's not accept, it's like object if they are leading 3-0 or 4-0 opponent leading. It's mainly for like maybe it's a game, it's on maybe, but so it's international player is have to learn how to calling, how to courage. If even for 3-0 or 4-0 opponent leading, but still we are fighting spirit is showing something courage to our college. It's very important. It's like this is for identity, it's like a show in the national team also. For me this is point. It's like focusing sometimes, for example, yeah, so that's just one example.
Speaker 1:Coach Ogura is saying that. I think he looks at the attitude of players as well, and one example was if the team is leading 3-0, you can't relax. I think that's what coach Ogura is trying to say you still got to work hard, you still got to put on, you got to still press high up the pitch, for example. So coach Ogura is looking at the attitude and the mentality part as well. I just want to ask you I just give you you an example right On players playing for you in the national team, and one example was Harris Harris Stewart. Harris Stewart, not Harris Harun Harris Stewart. He was playing as a right back right. What was your thinking behind that decision to play him as a right back? Because I think when he was playing for the Young Lions before last year, he was more of a central midfielder. So what was in your mind when you look at players and playing them in a different position?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a very difficult question Because at that moment it's some injured player. We cannot nominate for a light back. But this is not only, not only this reason, because he is like normally it's a very strong pressure. So our game is like our right side is an opponent in left side. Very, very, very strong player is play. We have to play in the last, so against play, korean play against.
Speaker 1:Thailand who is?
Speaker 2:one against one is the most stronger, one is like he is one of the strong one against one. But so one against one is not enough. We are play one against two. We are covering, challenging covering.
Speaker 1:So I want to try, but sometimes good, sometimes not good success right, I think I get what you said and I think Coach Ogura was talking about. We talk about one of the best players right On 1v1 on the left-hand side was Son from Korea and he was playing against Harry Stewart. And Coach Ogura was saying sometimes there's double teaming, it's two against one, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and obviously when you play against Korea, most of the time it doesn't work. Right For?
Speaker 2:Singapore. No, no, it's, singapore, it's like all over the world.
Speaker 1:It's the same.
Speaker 2:Why he play for Tottenham is regular, it's captain, it's like he's world class. But so for our player it's a good experience. It's like not only one against one, it's difficult, one against two, it's difficult, one against three also possible. Yeah, you're right, it's football.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I understand what you're trying to say. Now the big one coming up right in is it November or December? The AFF November, right? The AFF tournament at the end of the year? I think that you might have problems in getting players because of the Champions League, the Asian Champions League, right? The players from Lion City Sailors and BG possibly, right? How is this going to be a challenge for you? I think it's going to be a huge challenge, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but so actually it's like not only Singapore it's another. It's like not only Singapore, it's another, it's Arsenal team. It's like the same situation. It's like I think it's national team always. National team is always we nominate the player. It's best member. This is my thinking. Sometimes they are missing, they are not coming, they are missing. But national team is, if we are correct, decided, we correct member. This is best member for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah so you, you're right, because the other countries are also facing the same problem with the Asian Champions League matches and and you got to pick the best players that is available to you and you got to do the job. I know, I think there's no other way. And what are your expectations? Do you have a goal for this tournament?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so every time so say it's very important. It's like our football, if we can do, then it's. I don't know if results coming or not coming, but so a player is like 100%, it's like believing in ourselves, then play in our football. It's like this, then we can try. If it's a member, it's like I don't know if it's coming or not, I'm not sure, but we can try the preparation from September that we can target for like a good game, for like an FF how long are you going to assemble the team for?
Speaker 1:one month before, or how? What is the time you have with the players to train them for the tournament?
Speaker 2:yeah, but so we have from September, october, november. It's like FIFA window alright, yeah, we have time to the FIFA window, but so after FIFA window we have time to the FIFA window. So after FIFA window, I don't know, it's like how many weeks we have preparation.
Speaker 1:Are you going overseas as well? No, only in Singapore.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so planning is now so overseas also possible to like home game, away game. It's like experience, because AFF is a little bit different regulation for like another competition. You're right, yeah, right.
Speaker 1:Coach Shukura, I want to ask you this question and I don't know. You can be here for two years, you can be here for three years, you can be here four years, ten years, it's fine. What is success for you at the end of your stay here in Singapore? What do you think is success for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's success. One thing is I work together. It's like local coach, it's like foreigner coach. Then I work share to the younger coach or like younger player. It's like improvement it's like deployment. Then I told before all the same when I leave then it's like improvement, it's like deployment.
Speaker 2:Then I told before all the same, when I leave. Then it's like this coach or this player growing up. Then a few years later it's a target. It's like they are good, successful. Then it's like a big supply in the ASEAN country. Singapore are there. For me it's a very good target.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just before you go, you spoke about the couple of coaches that you worked with before and I think at the moment I think Gavin is your assistant coach for the past few games as well Are you planning to maybe take in some other coaches to assist, because I saw some videos put up by the FAS and I thought I saw something very good because Gavin was actually taking the training and given the opportunity to train the players, and I think it's a superb opportunity. Is there going to be things like that for other coaches as well?
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, so for me it's no problem. So like, not only Gavin, so like LCS or physical coach also. Last, like window is coming, Then another SPL coach is coming to the help For me it's very lucky to work with them. Then not only for me, it's like a share for each other. I learn from them a lot because it's a Singapore mentality. The SPL is a a player, the player mentality, or like, uh, how to environment? It's uh very good for learning from right each other yeah maybe so a little bit.
Speaker 2:it's, uh, they can learn from me, but a lot of things, so I learn from them. Nice, it's meaningful, not only for Gabin, for Jebaz. It's like another coach is like no problem, it's like to work together. They're also watching the training is also no problem. Yeah, so like you or another coach is no problem it's every time it's open. Please let him come For me it's beautiful.
Speaker 1:You know, I think it's this sharing culture that I like about you as well. You want to share with the coaches, and it's no secret, you know you can put up any drills, but at the end of the day I think you know there's no secret the players have got to perform on the pitch as well. That's a good one. Coach Ogura, before you go, any words for the fans, the Singapore fans out there, who are rooting for the Singapore national team as well. Do you have any words for them?
Speaker 2:yeah. So I'm very appreciate to our Singapore Hoop of One, because I'm very, very, very appreciate. It's a it's play against Korean, it's play against China. It's so many's play against Korean, it's play against China it's so many fun in the stadium incredible. It's like atmosphere, all those things. And player. It's like hard time, so difficult time. Player. It's like courage from our supporter for me also in the same.
Speaker 2:I'm very surprised. It's like so kind of good atmosphere yeah, if possible, it's no. So I'm we are no give up. We are challenge, challenge, challenge it's we are hard work. Then try something, so like contribute in our football fund in our country, then please come to the watching the game for AFF also it please give me support to us continue.
Speaker 1:Koshogura, those were very, very good words. Thank you so much for being with me, to be here and to answer some questions, and I have to say before you go, I think your English is not bad. My friend.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's very good. Now it's more and more. It's like getting better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, nice.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much for meeting. Sometimes I met you in the stadium, but today it's a talking first time.
Speaker 1:Thank you, thanks so much, and I wish you all the best, and the Singapore National Team as well, for the coming AFF. And you know, it doesn't matter, like I said, how long you are here. I wish you all the best and hope we keep in touch again.
Speaker 2:Coach Og Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:This has been the latest episode of the Silver Fox Hustle podcast, the football talk episodes. And, like I said, please share this podcast with your friends, family, and don't forget to click on the follow button. Till the next time I see you again. Cheers, we'll see you next time.