The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
The hustle beats talent when talent doesn't hustle. The Silverfox Hustle is all about showcasing positive attitudes, great work ethics and consistent quality work. The Silverfox Hustle will be the vehicle that will inspire, motivate and share positive stories through its extraordinary guests. Host and creator, Shasi, is a former professional football player and now a coach developer as well as a commentator and pundit. He shares all the values and beliefs of the Silverfox Hustle. Enjoy the journey and stories! Cheers!
The Silverfox Hustle Podcast
Silverfox Hustle SPL Preview - Balestier Khalsa FC
The homecoming of Marko Kraljevic to Balestier Khalsa FC sets the stage for an enthralling new chapter in Singapore Premier League football. After seven years at the helm between 2014-2020 and a subsequent stint at Hougang United, the Croatian tactician returns to the club where his Singapore football journey began as both player and coach.
Taking the reins from Peter De Roo, who guided the Tigers to consecutive fourth-place finishes, Kraljevic faces the delicate balance of building on recent successes while implementing his own vision. "I mean he finished fourth two seasons in a row is a really good achievement," Kraljevic acknowledges. "For us it's to build up on this one and try to put in our target is better than that - finish top three, maybe win the cup and qualify for AFC."
The most fascinating aspect of Balestier's transformation lies in their defensive rebuild. Despite scoring an impressive 88 goals last season, they conceded 80 - a vulnerability Kraljevic immediately identified. His strategic recruitment of Croatian goalkeeper Mario Mustapic and left-footed center-back Mario Subaric directly addresses this concern, while his tactical focus on set-piece defense and "rest defense" (positioning after losing possession) reveals a methodical approach to solving last year's weaknesses.
Kraljevic's Croatian connections have influenced his recruitment strategy, bringing in five compatriots alongside Serbian defensive midfielder Lazar Vujanic. Yet beyond the communication benefits, Kraljevic emphasizes character assessment as paramount: "Make sure is good attitude, good character of the players." The retention of local core players like Madhu Mohana and Darren Teh (appointed co-captains) provides essential continuity, while the return of Daniel Goh from Albirex adds local talent with national team aspirations.
What truly distinguishes Kraljevic's approach is his integrated training philosophy, where promising SPL2 players train alongside the first team. "If you don't train with us, how you're going to move up?" he questions rhetorically, establishing clear pathways for youth development while pursuing immediate competitive goals. His message to fans encapsulates this balanced vision: "We want to play attacking football, we want to keep possession, we want to win the games."
This is the Silver Fox Hustle Podcast. Hello, we are back on the Silver Fox Hustle podcast. I'm your host, shashi, and we are continuing with our SPL official preview of the season, that is, season 2025-26. In the studios today is the head coach of Ballester Calso Football Club, mr Marko Kraljevic. Mr Marko, how are you, my friend? 2025-26. In the studios today is the head coach of Balestier-Karlsha Football Club, mr Marko Kraljevic.
Speaker 2:Mr Marko, how are you my friend, Hi Sassi, Thank you to have me. So far, so good. You know, just this one-month pre-season start. So far, so good.
Speaker 1:Marko, before we start talking about Balestier and stuff, right, you spent seven years as the head coach of Balestier Calca before moving to Haugang. Yeah, you know, seven years is a long time. How does it feel to be back?
Speaker 2:Meaning is as a player. I was playing for Balestier also, you know, for a long time you know, and then going back is nice to be back. You know I really enjoy so many years in Balestier and I'm really looking forward.
Speaker 1:How did the move come about? Like obviously, peter Duru left for Greener Pastures. And how did this move come about?
Speaker 2:Okay, I was very. We were really planning for next season. I was still working with Robert and the youth head of youth in Haugen. There was everything going was going smooth. Then, after this, one day we got an offer from the Balestier, from the Tawa. Tawa called me and then we started talking a little bit, but it's nothing much. The moment I got the over. I just meaning is being in the youth is beautiful. I spend some time in the youth. It's really nice to work with the young boys waiting for them to jump to SPL, but it's I like still go for challenge. You know I like to have challenge.
Speaker 1:Obviously you are back at Balestier and you're very familiar at the club with the people. Maybe even Timney is still there. Is it easy for you to work in that way, because everyone's not new to you?
Speaker 2:yeah, not new. I mean, I used to work with them and it's very easy it was for me. I have Timney, I have Tawa and MrT. It's very, it's very easy it was for me. Understand, you have Timney, you have Tawa and Mr Tawa, and then this is how we work.
Speaker 1:And then I want to talk about, you know, balestier and moving forwards and the team and everything. But we cannot talk about the preview without talking about the work of Peter Dero. You know, in the past two and a half seasons or so he's finished fourth in the past two seasons already. Is there pressure for you, marco A?
Speaker 2:lot of pressure. No, I mean I like to talk about the numbers you know I always talk about. I mean he finished fourth two seasons in a row is a really good achievement, you know. For us it's to build up on this one and try to putting our target is better than that, you know finish top three, maybe win the cup and qualify for AFC.
Speaker 1:Well, you just told me your targets, but I'm going to ask you again later. Yeah, you're right. You know, I think there's pressure, obviously because of the work that PDR has done. Last season you guys scored 88 goals, conceded 80. I mean, there's so many goals scored, but obviously you're conceded quite a lot as well. Now, looking at the team last year and looking forward to the new season, what was your plan coming into the club? Was there an objective set by the chairman?
Speaker 2:I mean, when we start talking, we talk, of course it's the most important players, you know, players is the most important for each club, you know. And then we start talking. And then some players, we negotiate with every player, you know his player is finished, mostly his one-year contract, they start negotiation. And then players now it's beauty about this move to the Now it's beauty about this move to this way of playing the game. Every club in the world finished that time, starting this month in August. Then a lot of opportunity to everyone, you know, as coaches, as players, everybody got opportunity and the players also have opportunity understand to move here, move when is better deal, where is going around. And then we talk, talk, talk, talk with the local and foreign players and then we're talking to each one and then some left us, some stay with us and this is how football works.
Speaker 1:It's a good point you made. Let's talk about the outgoing players. I think we need to mention a few Quite a lot of those foreign players left Fukashiro, I think he's gone on to gailan. Yes, alan koza, the club captain, has left. Uh fase, anton fase and uh I. I think. I feel that the player that you are going to miss most in terms of foreign players will be tanaka I'm meaning everybody, everybody looking for number nine, you know everywhere in the world you're looking for number nine and and these guys who can score 20 25 goals.
Speaker 2:You know everybody looking for number nine. You know, everywhere in the world you're looking for number nine and these guys who can score 20, 25 goals. You know everybody looking for them. You know they are everybody on the target for that one.
Speaker 1:And you know you have some players who've stayed on. You know, I think the players like Sugita, madhu, harith Hafiz in goal, darren Fudel, ign Ignatius, as well and Abdul Qaim, I think they've all stayed. How important are they to your plans? This local place, the core players who played last season and even the season before. How important are they to you?
Speaker 2:very important. I think very first time I'm working with Madhu, with Massa, with Abdul Abdul I was little bit in Haugan, we work with them in Harid Fudil. All of them is excellent guys. You know really is amazing guys. You know they help me also a lot, meaning I I was away for almost four years, you know and then different people come, different big culture, different than last time, and this everything but this is really helped me feel like I never missed, I never left the ballast. It was an excellent group of players.
Speaker 1:Have you picked your captain yet?
Speaker 2:Meaning it's easy to pick up. Not much Madhu and Darren Brilliant.
Speaker 1:Two local boys as well. I think that's a wonderful opportunity for them. Let's talk about your incoming players. We will talk about the foreigners. I give you their names and you tell us about what we can expect from them. Let's talk about your incoming players. We will talk about the foreigners and I give you the names and you tell us about what we can expect from them. Croatian centre-back Mario Subaric.
Speaker 2:I mean very promising players, what we're looking for. This is really target for us stopper on the left foot and stopper. This is really what we want. We're getting him. He was grew up in Germany. You know he's a Croatian boy, but he grew up in Germany playing in some good club and after this, moved to Slovenia, and this is, I think is, a good sign.
Speaker 1:I noticed that all your foreigners are from Croatia, maybe two from Serbia. Right, is this your plan, as in? Because it's, you know, easy for you to communicate as well. Right, is this your plan Because it's easy for you to communicate as well sometimes? Is that the?
Speaker 2:plan. Not really Meaning is I can communicate, it's no problem. Language now I think we have football language, it's no big issue. I think it's this part of the world, I think Stiklund finds very good players and meaning is not easy understand. Thousand of agents, agents. This little bit give me advantage because I can, I can check. I can check with few ex-coaches, ex-players, ex everything is need to really check a lot you know, because we seven foreign players is a lot you know and then make sure is a good, good character, character of the players is very good. Now he's seven foreign players, he's a lot you know and then make sure he's a good attitude, good character, character of the players.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, and when you talk about the players from Croatia and Serbia, what we can expect and I know from Singapore as well. You know, especially the ones who are going forwards. They are skillful, they're technically very good defensively, as I think they can be strong. So that is probably a plan for your side. Croatian goalkeeper Mario Mustapic.
Speaker 2:Yes, this is one target also. This was very clear. We have Hafiz, who is, I think, done a great job, great job, and now we have we choose to one foreign players Just now, what you're talking about, considering 80-80 goals and 80 goals sorry, 80 goals this is more than three goals per game. You know, it's quite a lot. You know this is this area we try to improve, we try to improve and this one target was left stopper. One is goalkeeper.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. You know, I think, to concede so many goals, I think if you can reduce that, I think your target of moving up the table is a little bit better, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Croatian forward. Uh, tin matich, tin matich, okay, is is good from from dinamo zagre he's playing. This is the best youth development school in croatia, is he? He spent the seven, eight years there and then, after this is is um, it's not easy understand. It's not easy like every academy, maybe one percent going up, you know. Then he moved to poland, moves to s Slovenia, moving abroad. I think he still has a lot to offer, only 26.
Speaker 1:What kind of a forward is he Like? A hold-up strike?
Speaker 2:No, he's a little bit shorter, he's 178. He's a little bit like number 10, like who will come ask for the ball. Between the lines, he's getting the ball. He's technically sound good.
Speaker 1:Bogdan Mandic, another forward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, another forward is to score 88 goals. We need a minimum of two forwards to be able to achieve what they achieved last year. What they achieved last year and I'm meaning this is I'm meaning, is, I'm thinking is bringing forward players is good sign and also not.
Speaker 1:It's not easy to get a striker and, coming to a new country trying to score many goals, the pressure is on and you may be a superb striker, yes, but you know it's not easy.
Speaker 2:Well, it's not easy. It's not easy. Everybody talk is easy, but when you're coming on the game, it's not easy. It's not easy. Whatever, you know, singapore League is a meaning. I really impressed last year when Tampines, let's say, playing against a tight team, it was even game. You know, even game was beautiful. Giving us a lot of encouragement for the SPL is okay absolutely.
Speaker 1:You've got a midfielder in Lazar Vujanic. Is he a defensive mid or?
Speaker 2:defensive midfielder. He's a really promising player from Serbia from Part really promising players from Serbia from the youth development Belgrade. He moved to Croatia to play in the second division and the last two or three years he's been playing there. He's also a really promising player.
Speaker 1:You've got also a Croatian winger, Jatica Katusa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is the last signing. We just signed last week and this was a little bit. We need some time. It was a little bit of a paper issue, some issue was there and then finally we signed him. He's a guy who can deliver the crosses, who can score the goals. This is what we need Supply to striker. Yeah, you're right, you can have all the strikers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're right. You're right, you can have all the strikers in the world, but if you don't have the supply, it's a problem, isn't it? Now I want to ask you and you spoke about it just now right, you guys scored 88 and you considered 80, and obviously you're trying to work on the defense. Now, what exactly are you working on defensively? Because, yeah, players right, the defensive players, and you've got your Madhu, darren and Abdel as well in there as your defenders but what is it that you're working on in terms of not trying to concede goals?
Speaker 2:I mean first one, I mean set pieces. You know set pieces is one thing you need to improve to reduce the goal. Second one is the rest defense. You know Rest defense is very important when ball is lost. You know we have a lot of players when ball is lost, then what we do next, you know this is really we're working on that one brilliant.
Speaker 1:Marco would want to reveal more of his secrets, so we will leave that when the season starts. Any more inclusions, no more players coming in already no, no, no more, no more.
Speaker 2:I think you never mentioned Darren. Sorry, you never mentioned Daniel.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, daniel Goh. Yeah, daniel Goh, it's like a new signing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just last week From Albrechts. Albrechts, yes, he was in Balestad and very well moved to Albrechts, and now last week we signed him back.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk about Daniel, and I know him as well for a bit. He played for me for a while at IT right. What is it that you're expecting from him? Because he has all the skills in the world he can dribble? He's technically very good, but to me, I think he lacks that end product. So what is it that you've been?
Speaker 2:I'm he was. He was doing very well in Balestier two years ago. Then after he moved to Abirex and different environment, different style of playing, and then he was mostly spent the time on the bench, you know, and then there was. I was why I signed him, you know. Of course, to have him in the team is really a bonus for us. Second one is, when I was talking to him he was really thinking you know, I want to go back to national team, I want to go back to national team. This really strikes me. You know, this guy really wants to work very hard to go back to national team and this is really my trigger was I need to talk to the boss and try to sign him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's brilliant, you know, I think now he has that goal. Yes, the hunger and hopefully, with your help and with the side, hopefully he gets there. I want to ask you this who are the players you think from the side to watch, like someone that may light up the season for you guys?
Speaker 2:Meaning is all for it. I cannot, really, really I feel these boys, what I see is not really individual players, all is allowed, team work, you know. Team work will bring us up, you know. Individual players can bring one, two games, you know, but team work can bring us to the next level.
Speaker 1:I've asked Akbar from BG Tampines and he says the same thing.
Speaker 2:My friend both of you have been speaking to each other before this.
Speaker 1:Okay, fine, okay what? How has pre-season been? Have you been playing in you know matches and how has it been so far? Any disruptions, you know so far, so good.
Speaker 2:We start training in the 1st of July. Disruptions you know, so far so good. We start training in the 1st of July and then moving. We don't play any friendly games because we have some now numbers, because the reserve team with us. They will be playing two sides, sometimes during the week, week time. Then last week we played first Abirex game, then next every week we play one before first game.
Speaker 1:Kick-off on 23 together or you train separately.
Speaker 2:Like no, it's trying to get it together this is my also is, uh, we move, uh, evening training that this is really my idea to this spl two is, uh, we want them to to move to spl one. You know, if you don't train with us, how you're going to move. You know, yeah, intensity of training, intensity of the game I want them. And then the training with us. You know, no, no everybody, but promising one. You know who is. Uh, who is promising training with us? You know, not everybody, but promising one. You know who is promising training with us, regular, and then I hope some of them will move up.
Speaker 1:It's a good point, you know, because even you can see if they're training together. That okay, maybe this guy has a chance to.
Speaker 2:You know, maybe step up, you know, and sit on the bench, maybe for the first few games yeah, exactly, yeah, I, yeah exactly exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think, and that should be their goal. The SPL2 players to get you know, to get there. Yes, exactly, I want to speak about the football for Balestier this season. What can we expect from Balestier in terms of the football played, compared to the last three seasons under Peter Deru?
Speaker 2:Our meaning is that they are attacking. Really they are attacking all the way from last few seasons. We will still continue. This is why we assigned two strikers. One winger, Massa, is here. Many out of seven. Four is attacking players. We really want to still keep going what is done last year Keep scoring the goals, attacking football, try to score more, more goals and again raise defence and try to try to try to defend better.
Speaker 1:Any so-called tactics that you want to share. Maybe are you going with a back four, maybe a back three as of now? What does it feel like Our meaning is at the going with a back four, maybe a back three as of now? What?
Speaker 2:does it feel like I'm meaning this at the moment is back four, you know, but during the game and during the opponent I also don't know what is opponent or what I see for the game, because Abirex also played different than last year. I saw it. You know, sometimes if you really need, maybe during the game you can change. It depends on the score, depends on what is going on on the pitch.
Speaker 1:I think you revealed a little bit just now before. What are your targets, marco, for this season?
Speaker 2:I mean targets is always try to do better. Whatever we've done today, try to do better. You know, is whatever we've done today, try to do better tomorrow. You know, and then the same in the game they finish. Fourth, and then I really think you know, is in this area, about AFC Cup and Champions League. One and two really improve a lot, improve a lot is people watching people talk about this. One know this is really dream for us. You know it's go back to FC Cup and then they have targets to go there. You need to win the cup or finish top two and this is our target brilliant.
Speaker 1:You know, and I always, always say that you know, it's better to set your targets high than to set it low. And then if you, you know, at least you try, so it's a top.
Speaker 2:I mean top two, top two bring you up. You know why not?
Speaker 1:you always do now is is have to have to dream big, you know yeah lastly, marco, any message for the Balestier Calzada fans you know, who are seeing you back again after seven years or is it seven years, sorry? After a long time at Haugang coming back. What is your message to them?
Speaker 2:Our message is come to watch us, support us like you usually do. We will never give up. We will never let you down. I think we will be happy with the game over. We want to play attacking football. We want to keep possession. We will never let you down. I think we will be happy with the game over. You know, it's really. We want to play attacking football. We want to keep possession. We want to. We want to win the games yeah, absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 1:And, marco, thank you so much for being on the podcast for the preview of Balestrier Calca. We hope all the best or we wish you all the best for the coming season and hope you score more than 88 and concede less than 80.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you, Sasi, I hope so.
Speaker 1:Well, that has been Marco from Belzecalsa Football Club. He's back at the club where he started playing and obviously coached there for about seven years before moving on to Haugang. He's back at the club to support Belzecalsa, and this has been the official preview of the Singapore Premier League season 25-26. Please catch us on all the available platforms Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and even on TikTok Till the next episode of the SPL preview. We see you again. Cheers, Cheers. Outro. Music Bye.