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 - Lion City Sailors FC
Fresh off a historic treble-winning campaign, Lion City Sailors head coach Aleksandar Rankovic joins us for the SPL Preview.
Reflecting on last season's remarkable success, Rankovic surprisingly describes their SPL title, Singapore Cup triumph, and ACL2 final appearance as "unexpected" - a refreshing dose of humility from the leader of the league's wealthiest club. "Knowing as a coach, and definitely as a former player, that's never easy," he explains, especially following Albirex Niigata's period of domestic dominance.
The Serbian tactician offers fascinating insights into his transfer strategy, emphasizing character alongside quality when building his squad. New signings Anderson (former J-League top scorer), midfielder Tsiy Ndenge, and 2.03m goalkeeper Ivan Susak have all been brought in to raise standards, while returning Singapore international Safuwan adds vital experience after 12-13 years abroad. Rankovic particularly praises Hariss Harun as "one of the best players in Singapore" for his versatility and tactical intelligence.
Squad depth remains a pressing concern as the Sailors prepare to navigate a congested fixture list across multiple competitions. "We have to watch from game to game," Rankovic admits, explaining the challenges of managing his roster with foreign player limitations. His brutally honest take on player management might surprise some: "It's not my job to make them happy. The player is only happy when he plays, so he has to show every time that he wants to play."
Looking ahead to their ACL2 campaign, Rankovic views their group as evenly matched without a clear favorite - a different challenge from last season's continental run. His targets remain ambitious: defend the SPL title, challenge for cups, and advance from continental group stages.
The recent Community Shield defeat provided an early reality check, but Rankovic was encouraged by the packed stadium: "This is the first time since I'm here that I saw full stands for a local game - that means something good is happening." Join us for this revealing conversation with one of Singapore football's most successful coaches as he prepares to write the next chapter in Lion City Sailors' story.
This is the Silver Fox Hustle podcast. This is the official SPL preview and, to top it off, we have got the champions in the house, and with me is the head coach of Lion City Sailors, alex Rankovic. But before that, just a few stats. Last season they were champions, obviously. They scored 96, one less than Geylang Conceded 32, won 22, draw 60, and lost four. They were the best defence in the league and the second best attack, obviously behind Geylang, and on the second best attack, obviously behind Geylang, and on the back of quite a remarkable season. Spl champions, obviously, singapore Cup champions, acl2 runners-up and if you count the Community Shield, that's a trophy as well. So they won that last season and they beat BG by 8 points to be league champions.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the pod, mr Alex Rankovic. Nice to talk to you again, my friend. Yes, it's always a pleasure, especially talking about football on the back of a very successful season. I gotta say last season right, and I asked Tony about this right in the episode, one of the episodes and to sum it up, he said it was a season and he summed it up with one word pride. He had loads of pride for the season and, and you know, he was so proud of the, the success that you guys had. And if you were to sum up last season, how was it?
Speaker 2:because it was quite a fantastic season uh, if I have to choose one word, I I have to say maybe, yeah, unexpected, yeah yeah, unexpected, yeah, that's a first, yeah, but it was really a very, very good season yes, I mean, of course I do get it that people think of us, when you talk about Lion City, salah, that you should dominate the league and you should win everything domestically and you know like. But knowing that as a coach, and definitely as a former player, that's never easy you know like especially when you come back from domination of Albrecht that dominated the last 2-3 years.
Speaker 2:So that's why I was like, that's why I choose this role, especially if we talk about Champions League. I mean, who have expected that we're going to go to the final?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know, and I know as well, nothing is a foregone conclusion in football, especially when you're a coach and we talk about money and budgets and whatever. You still needed to go out there and win it. You still needed to turn up every single game and a win is a win right, and I think that was a fantastic achievement last season, and we can't. This is an SPL preview, by the way, but we've got to talk about since. We've already played the Community Shield just a few days ago, or two days ago actually. How would you sum up that game against BG Tampines?
Speaker 2:First of all, I think that this is the first time, maybe since I'm here, that I saw full stands, really, yeah, like for the local game, for the local game that I saw, and that's something that really makes me happy, you know, like people finally showing up and that means that something good is happening right and to give all the credit, not only I mean of course it's not about us, but also the PG Tampines, but also the other teams.
Speaker 2:They lift up the standard and that's great. You know like, and if you talk specifically about the game, I mean they won at Ferry Square. Yeah, I think they were very effective. I think they reminded me a little bit of us in last season defending very deep, getting on the counters I think first half we did. Had sounds maybe contradictory but I think we had a good game the first half, second half, after 2-3-0 you have to chase. So it was a good match, I think, to start the season and well deserved from Tampines.
Speaker 1:Were you a little bit surprised about BG Tampines quality, especially the foreign players. I thought I was quite, quite impressed with a couple of their foreign players as well, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they did good in a transfer period. I mean, they replaced a couple of key players, which is never easy, but the way they played is also a little bit different than last season. So for us, this was the first time that we encountered them. I mean, we never saw them, we couldn't see them anywhere, so it was refreshing. But listen, I say this also to any journalist, but also to my players the league improved, and not only because you bring a lot of foreigners, but you lift up the standard a little bit. I think the Tampines and us, especially last season in Champions League, yeah, I think we put this a little bit higher, and now you see the other teams are falling, which is great, exactly.
Speaker 1:Now let's move forward and talk about this season and obviously, after last season, you break with family and friends as well. Just off your head as a coach, right? Just moving forward, there's loads in your head thinking about players, thinking about this and that and everything right. What came to your mind first in terms of the makeup of the team Because you had players leaving, obviously, and you need to get players to replace them, and things like that what was the main thing in your head, priorities-wise, in terms of the football part and first of all, yeah, you have to.
Speaker 2:In the period that I was resting, you have to let everything a little bit calm down, you know like it was so much in such a long period that I need a little bit to calm down and really summarize the season. And what do we really need for this season? Because this season to replicate all this it's not going to be easy.
Speaker 2:So, in terms of the players, we were looking first for a certain type of characters, and of course they have to have quality I mean, that's normal but certain type of characters that we're bringing in that can help us leave the quality a little bit higher, because if you want to improve, you have to bring every year better and better and better. So that was our main goal and, of course, what we also still need and I hope that the management is going to help us it's a little bit of depth in our squad.
Speaker 1:I heard that. I heard this on IG. You know you were speaking about this and I wanted to ask you later on Are you happy with the squad? And obviously I've got my answer right. And yeah, you know, and obviously there are rule changes, right, number of foreigners. We've got the SPL too, and things like that. And listen, you guys are going on different fronts, on all fronts. You know we got the Shopee Cup, the ACL 2, the SPL Singapore Cup. Obviously, how do you plan for this? Because do you have like a set team for the Shopee Cup? Do you have a set team for the ACL 2? It's tough and, like you said, depth is so, so important. You've got three players missing out touchwood through injury, through suspensions, then everything goes, you know, haywire. So how are you going to plan this? You know, I'm just it's a worry, isn't it?
Speaker 2:it's not easy, I'm going to tell you honestly. I mean, we had this little bit last season, but we had so much luck with players, we didn't have so much injuries, we didn't have so much suspensions. But yeah, to get back to your question in the beginning do you plan like one team for this, one team for that? So fortunate we are not, because that's the teams that are doing that. That's maybe Buriram or JDT or all these big Asians teams that have three squads. So we have to watch from game to game. So I have to prepare the game for the next Thursday that we play JDT, and Before that I already know that we have this rule that only seven foreigners can be in a squad. So that means that two foreigners are out, including Bailey three, but Bailey is already injured. So I already missed three players, and if you count my squad of 20 players, so that's not difficult to count how many you left, yep, yep.
Speaker 1:Hopefully the management is still listening.
Speaker 2:No, no, they are working on it and listen, they are doing their best, but it's not easy. Listen, it's never easy. I mean, you think, okay, you have some financial opportunity to bring players, but to bring a quality player from 26 till 28, 29 years old from the top five competition in Europe in Singapore, it's difficult it's not easy because it's not always about the money, exactly, and it's not only about just bringing someone in.
Speaker 1:You got to look at other stuff right football, obviously, and character and everything else, so it's a difficult task. You spoke a little bit about Bailey. How far along, what injury does he have?
Speaker 2:if you can share, yeah, bailey had an unlucky beginning of the pre-season. I mean, that's the guy who played, I think, most of the matches last season, so now you see his body taking a little bit of toll. So he's out definitely for the next two games and after that we have to see. I mean he didn't had preseason, so we're gonna miss him a lot.
Speaker 1:Right, we talk about the draw that just happened, the ACL2 draw. How do you make up of out of that draw?
Speaker 2:yeah, everybody say like, like, yeah, we, we didn't draw. I don't know Japanese team or Korean team, but this group, if you look at it very closely, it's, I think, the only group from all the four that doesn't have a favorite. That's my opinion. So everybody can beat everybody. So I think we can match with everybody there and everybody can match with us. So it's not like you have, like last season, hiroshima in a group I mean not us, but some team that you have Hiroshima and then you know they are the number one. So we are looking for the second spot here. It's a little bit different. It's also a little bit dangerous.
Speaker 1:Of course. Of course it's always dangerous, right, and you know, just to read out, it's Bangkok United, slango, and you guys and Per like that, just you know, to speak about some of the players, the huge thing for me, I think, for you guys, or for you as the, as the coach or the manager, right, how do you make the players happy?
Speaker 2:it's gonna maybe sound very contradictory, but it's not my job to make them happy. I mean, I of course I'm very close with my players. I'm I'm supporting them in every way I can. But if they want to be happy, it's not always gonna happen. So the way I'm gonna make them happy if they play and I know the player is only happy when he plays, so he has to show every time that he wants to play and keep his spot so that's the only way, and me making a joke from time to time, it's not going to make them really happy. Listen, you have a squad of 20 people you know 11 likes you that plays, three, four that come in they're also good with you.
Speaker 1:The other hates you. So that's in every team in the world. I absolutely love that answer. You know you're not here to make people happy. You are in the business to win games. It's simple as that. Right Now, let's talk about the business of players, right, and let's talk a little bit about the local players. Obviously, some have left, but I think there are a few players who've come in and I think you know it's worth mentioning, and one is obviously Safwan. You know, I think he's back after a very long time overseas and I think he's won. You've got Nur Adam back as well. Azul is like kind of a new player after injury and stuff. Azul Zuliman, you know that's another player. Let's talk us through those players that who's come in, you know, and people like Safwan, I'm sure they've strengthened the squad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely. I mean I don't have to praise him a lot. I think everybody knows who he is. There's the player that I was chasing already for a year. So last year we couldn't really bring him in for various reasons, but this season I'm very happy that we could have sealed the deal. So he brings a lot of composure and a lot of experience. You see, the way he plays, the way he interacts with the players, it's a different level. I mean, he played, I think, 12-13 years abroad, so you can immediately see.
Speaker 1:I just want to touch on this player and he's not a new player coming in Hamish Shaheen. Last season I thought he was like an unsung hero for you guys. You know he's obviously a central midfielder, but he's played everywhere for you guys right On the right and as a wingback as well. I've never seen him play as a wingback before. And he's come in and he's just gone about doing his business, no problems, just go. And he's come in and he's just gone about doing his business, no problems. Just go out there and perform any words for Amishain, because I thought he was a very unsung. He's an unsung hero last season.
Speaker 2:Amish, for me one of the best players in Singapore, especially the local ones. I mean, you sum it up great. I mean he's the guy that doesn't matter where you put him, he's going to do 100%, he'll give his best. I think we used him or maybe used the term misused him in some situations because we had to, but I think if you look at his performance on a fullback position, they were amazing, and not only in terms of football, but also tactical, the way, understanding what we want from him. And in the big games. I mean the guy played Champions League final as a right back, exactly, exactly. Forget that.
Speaker 1:And, of course, now on the midfield you have a lot of competition, but he's one of my most important players exactly, and I wouldn't know what's in your head, but it seemed like last season he was like one of the first names on this, on the team sheet, you know, and so that speaks volumes about him. I'm just going through your foreign players. Most of them are from last season anyway, most of them right. We've got Bart and Thi and everyone Obviously, rui Piresh as well and Les Tien. Let's talk about the new guys coming in. Right. Let's talk about Anderson. What does he bring to the table? Obviously, you know he's come with lots of pedigree, with with quality. Obviously you don't get to be the top scorer for the j league for nothing right.
Speaker 2:So what does he bring to the table? A lot of quality up front. I mean I see this guy trained for the last month and and it's it's amazing and and privileged to to to coach him. I mean it's and it's amazing and privileged to coach him. I mean it's a top professional. That's number one and number two. I mean everything he does is clinical.
Speaker 2:I mean, maybe we haven't seen this the last game because, yeah, wasn't so much space, or maybe he was alone in the 16th, I mean. But if you see him, the way he plays, it's it's, it's a quality and, let's be honest, this kind of guy is special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and and you know this is only my opinion, right, and and like, like, like you said, make people happy. I thought Leonard T has been, not has been. He's a little bit unlucky, obviously, with the competition and competition is good, obviously, and I thought he was superb last season. Leonard T, you know he didn't start the season like brilliantly but you know, over the course of the season he was absolutely brilliant. How about, can I ask you whether I will get this right C and Dengue you whether I will? I will get this right c and dengue, c and dengue. Yeah. What qualities does he bring to the team? Is he more? Are you going to use him more like a defensive?
Speaker 2:mid or a progressive. He's more, more, uh, box to box player, okay. So so he's, he's. He's a definitely a midfield player, but a little bit different than rui right? Okay, so we were looking a little bit more guy who can, if, if you, if you look his qualities, he's maybe a little bit closer to Song.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Because he can show up at 16, around the 16, have a great shot in his left feet, right Like from the distance also. So a little bit different. So that's why we brought him. I think we thought that we need a little bit of dynamic in the midfield, okay.
Speaker 1:He looks powerful. He looks really, really powerful, you know, in the middle of the park. And how about your goalkeeper, Ivan Susak?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean… he's 2.03. Yeah, I mean he's a big guy, obviously. I mean he stands out in this league, I think especially. But we were not really looking only like he stole.
Speaker 2:That's the first thing, you see, of course, but we were looking at something, especially in this international competition, that can bring a little bit of edge, and I think his one it's there. I mean, for him, the one thing that we were trying to do, and still trying to do, is to get in every position at least two players that are like, compatible, so that you have great competition on the field. Like you mentioned, leonard and Lopez, that's I don't need to do a lot of as a coach. I mean, it's up to them who's going to play, and that's what we try to do in every position on the field, including the goalkeeper, and I totally understand this.
Speaker 1:Right, when you talk about teams that have gone on to win the league and I'm not only talking about Singapore and everywhere in the world right, when you go on and win the league, you don't rest and relax for the next season. You go and get players to beef up the squad to get better and better and better, and that should be the way. Anyway, you speak about a little bit more strength in depth. If you had the choice, what kind of players would you go for further to strengthen your squad in terms of positions? Yeah, in terms of position.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think that definitely we need in every lane maybe one I don't think a striker, but I think upfront, maybe in terms of one more winger, we need maybe one more central defender, because there we also, because the obvious way that we play, we only have at this point one substitution and if that falls down, then we not really have anybody on the bench.
Speaker 1:So that's the two key points that we are looking nice, nice and, uh, how has pre-season been? It's has it been okay? Has it been plain sailing in terms of games that you played not?
Speaker 2:it was not bad, but it was not ideal. Okay, because, like I said, we had some setbacks with injuries, so so that means that I couldn't really train a lot in terms of tactical. I didn't have the numbers for 11-11. Also, like I said, some opposition cancelled the last days before the match, so we need to improvise a lot, but we are getting there no-transcript through those matches to get this edge that we need Without giving too much away.
Speaker 1:Alex, what were you working on specifically in your side this pre-season Football-wise, I mean.
Speaker 2:Football-wise, I think the patterns that we play, how we play, are pretty clear, I think. But the things that I think we saw the last season that maybe can cause us a problem is, like you saw the last match, you know, like, like, when the opposition is very low, uh, that we have, I don't know, we have sometimes 20 till 25 crosses, that nothing happens, yeah, so those are the things that we need to to hammer on. You know, like, like, because we're going to get them, especially in our league, that the teams rightly so going to dig in in their own half, so we have to find a way to hurt them parking, the bus you mean yeah, but there's nothing wrong.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course, like I said it's.
Speaker 1:We played some of those matches also in the Champions League, so it's very legit coaches don't like this question, but I'm going to ask you anyway any players to look out for from your side oof, that's very difficult.
Speaker 2:I mean listen then. If I say one, then the other was going to be angry come on, just stick out your neck, I think it's obvious choice. It's like of course everybody has to look of the attackers. I mean that's the obvious choice. But said that I have to say that if you look at, for example, my left fullback is very attacking, so it's also somebody to look for.
Speaker 1:But are you talking about Diogo Costa? Okay, right, what can we expect from the sailors this season in terms of, you know, from now till the end of the season, obviously, playing in all those competitions, right? What can we expect from them?
Speaker 2:I just hope that we're going to be consistent, okay, like we did last season. Of course you're going to have some setbacks, that's part of the journey. But to be consistent, to be competitive, even the matches that we play against big teams, to be competitive, I don't mind losing. Don't mind losing, don't get me wrong. I mean you're gonna lose, like I said, some, some matches. But to always be competitive, you know so that that that the next match you get that one percent more, one percent more, and that's something I really hope. So to stay in all the competition as long as we can right it's it's.
Speaker 1:It's funny, right? You just mentioned that you know it's it's. I mean, it's not okay to lose, but I'm saying being competitive and stuff like that. What goes through your head and your players' head when you lose games? You know, especially like two days ago, for example, and listen, it can be community shield or kick about in the park or whatever. Everybody wants to win and I know you guys want to win, it doesn't matter what tournament. What goes into your head in the dressing room and after a game? What is it like?
Speaker 2:No, disappointment, definitely. I mean, of course, as a supporter. If you don't want to win anything, any game, that's bad. So if you wanted to win that game, so it's disappointment. And that's something that I saw at my players very, very strong. Because you know, when you're used to like last season to win, to win things, and the season before, okay, you won the cup only, but then these kind of things can really like upset you but you shouldn't dwell in that a long time, you know. I mean it's it's still one game and and of course the big trophies, we we want to win them and I always say this about sports people and sportsmen and clubs and teams.
Speaker 1:Right, it's always good about sports because once you lose, you have an opportunity to make amends right away, like maybe in the next few days you have a game, you know, and it's always good, you know, you just want to get back, you know, and try to get back.
Speaker 1:And uh, yeah, I asked all the clubs and the coaches about their targets for the year and most of them obviously have got the spl and the singapore car right, you guys have got a couple of targets. Obviously have got the SPL and the Singapore Cup right, you guys have got a couple of targets. Obviously right, definitely. So what are your targets this season, alex?
Speaker 2:no, it's very simple. I mean, in our league, we want to win all everything we can. Definitely. For me, number one if you talk about our league, it's being a champion. And why? Because it gives you the continuity and also the opportunity to play Champions League every year. So that's number one. Of course, if you can win the cup, that's great.
Speaker 1:The Singapore Cup, you mean Sorry, the Singapore Cup, you mean yes.
Speaker 2:But if you talk about international competitions, I think the main target is just to go through the group from one of them. If we can do both, that's amazing. And then from there you saw last season everything can happen.
Speaker 1:Right, right, Especially when you go for the one-off games right and you know when you get it tactically right, and obviously you need a bit of luck as well, I think that is Like Hiroshima.
Speaker 2:I mean we had a lot of luck, I would say, to be in that position, to provoke that luck. It's also very hard to get.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Finally.
Speaker 2:Alex message for the crew. Yeah, I mean, they've been amazing last season and they also grow and grow, like we grow and grow, and that's some process and it's like some symbiote thing that, you see, you know, like some organic thing. So that's why I say, like the last game, when I saw full stands not only from us, but also tempest, they gave me great feeling, you know, like like something's happening in singapore football that that I'm very happy and proud to be part of yeah and let's hope they're gonna support us through all the way, even in the bad ways.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, and you spoke about the fans, right, the BG fans as well. On that day as well, and even for the ACL2 final, it's like almost like the whole of Singapore, the fans were rooting for the Lion City Steelers as well. You know, and you could feel it as well, this as well, and you could feel it as well, and I think that is the kind of thing that we want in Singapore football anyway, and that was so, so brilliant to watch. And, alex, thank you so much for being on the podcast for this SPL preview, and we wish you all the best as well for the league, for all the cups that you're going for the Shopee Cup as well as the ACL too and we wish you all the best, and to the players as well thank you so much and glad to be here.
Speaker 1:This has been the latest episode, the SPL preview, the official SPL preview with the champions, alex Rankovic, the coach. And don't forget, click on the follow button. We're out everywhere on Spotify, apple Podcast, youtube, as well as TikTok. Till the next episode, cheers. I see you again. Bye.